Chrysler has long been known for its concept cars. Often outrageous vehicles, they showcased the engineering work that, for years, Chrysler heralded as its chief selling point. From these studios, we get classics like the 1955 DeSoto Adventurer II and the 1989 Dodge Viper. Tough economic times put a damper on a company's show car budget first, but when times are good, the ideas and concept cars flow from the studios to the delight of car enthusiasts.

Unfortunately, our current economy means exotic new Chrysler concept cars have been difficult to find. Still, such old concepts as the 1964 Dodge Hemi Charger can create as much of a stir today as they did nearly half a century ago.

For this particular concept car, designers started with a standard B-body Polara two-door and chopped it. Out went the bumpers, roof, back seats, and door handles, as well as half the windshield.

The new lowered body gained tiny little "nerf" bars front and rear and a thick, body-colored roll bar just behind the driver and passenger seats. Low-back black-leather bucket seats sat in the black-and-burgundy interior just below the roll bar-mounted headrests.

Mounted on the sides of that hoop-style roll bar was the now-iconic script logo for Charger, which wouldn't debut on a production model for several