Cheap made or technology of the day ?

[750-h2]

I am old enough to remember these cars when they were brand new. I have always been a Chrysler guy but I can honestly tell you that starting in the late 60's into the mid 70's Chrysler products fit and finish were below that of GM and Ford. Mouldings inside and out rarely lined up, headliners wrinkly at spots, cars would leak badly going through car wash, etc. Despite these draw backs I loved them!! 

[jimynick]

I am old enough to remember these cars when they were brand new. I have always been a Chrysler guy but I can honestly tell you that starting in the late 60's into the mid 70's Chrysler products fit and finish were below that of GM and Ford. Mouldings inside and out rarely lined up, headliners wrinkly at spots, cars would leak badly going through car wash, etc. Despite these draw backs I loved them!! 

I remember them too and was working in a GM store and later a Ford store in the early 70´s and 80´s and the build quality was roughly comparable- they were ALL pretty lousy when compared to today! When I cut the 1/4´s off my 74 Challenger, there were large areas with absolutely bugger all on the inner surfaces of them and my trunk floor´s rt side extension was a measured and photographed 3/4" lower than the main floor. I figure it was built on a Friday and the UAW guys were pissed when they did it. As mentioned, the general attitude was that the buyer was going to buy another one in a couple of years, so why worry about trivial issues like fit and finish let alone longevity. They couldn´t see or didn´t care about the looming Asian/European tidal wave approaching. 

[Brads70]

 I'd say the welding has improved .... seems somewhere in the 80's they took away the propane torches and coat hangers? 

[HP2]

I would agree with runcharger's assessment: chassis and driveline were primo , the plastic interior was not viewed too positively. My uncle bought a Challenger R/T when he got back from 'Nam.  He liked it initially but sold after a couple of years because the plastic was expanding and contracting enough to cause cracks,creaks, rattles in the interior. Compared to my Dad's '68 Plymouth, he said it was nicer up front but degraded more rapidly.

[MEK-Dangerous]

I just remember this making an impression on me.

My '70 Challenger had the A01 package(if I remember right), so it got a map light. The map light didn't work of course. It wasn't the bulb. So I get into the wiring and was amazed that it was getting 12 Volts. The problem was with the ground connection being AWOL.

Still, I couldn't wrap my head around a light having power at all times and the switch was on the ground side of the circuit. I also couldn't wrap my head around trying to read a map on the passenger's side floor. Hopefully people pulled off the road before attempting such a task.   

[Chryco Psycho]

Switching ground is generally more efficient way to do it , the dome light operated the same way with power all the time & numerous switched grounds in the circuit , close any grond & the light would come on