When Did The Term "Coke Bottle" Start?

[Bruzilla]

I asked this question on the GYC thread, but I thought I would ask it again as I don't know who all is following that thread.

On a recent episode of GYC, when they do the bumper questions, Worman asked true or false, the term "Coke Bottle" was first used to describe the body style of the 1971 Dodge Charger. When the show returned from the break he said the statement was true and it is because of the shape of the body when looked at the 1971+ Charger from the top down due to the flare made by the quarter panels.

I distinctly remember reading in many car magazines that the term "Coke Bottle" body was first used to describe the 1968 Dodge Charger body and not because of how it looked from above but because of the shape of the body's profile. Am I getting forgetful in my old age? I can definitely remember the term being used to describe this as the most significant change from the 1967 to the 1968 model.

Also, who spends any time looking at their car from directly above it? Discussions of body styling are always about the look in profile or the front or back, not from above. Also, the Satellite 71+ and the Barracuda bodies have the same flared quarter panel shape that Worman was showing, yet I've never heard the term "Coke Bottle" used to describe anything but the gen II Charger bodies.

Am I right or wrong here?

 

[Brandy]

I cant say for sure but i'm on yer side, I always thought it referred to a side view of a 68.

 

[BB14404SPD]

Looks coke bottle to me.

 

[MoparMitch]

It started with a COKE bottle :happy7:

 

[Budnicks]

I always though it was 1968 also

narrower in the front & wider in the rear, like all the 68 B-Bodie's were

 

[MoparMitch]

I always though it was 1968 also

narrower in the front & wider in the rear, like all the 68 B-Bodie's were

Also the case with Corvette starting in 68

 

[Budnicks]

according to Wikipedia it started in about 1962 with Raymond Lowey Designed Studebaker Avanti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_bottle_styling

fatter rear narrower in the center than the front & rear

 

[HT413]

I always thought it refered to the profile of 71+ chargers, but I noticed over the years people used it for 68-69 roadrunners as well as 68-69 chargers.

 

[patrick66]

I've even heard the '66 Charger referred to as "Coke-bottle styling" many years ago, so who knows?

 

[Car Nut]

I heard the 68 Charger was the Coke car.

 

[ZR9B]

I can remember back in the day ALL chevy guys saying all mopars look like a coke bottle...

 

[WileE]

As far as I'm concerned, you are correct. And, I can attest to that from personal experience. Back in 71, I heard the term referring to the 68-70 Charger, as I had a 69 at the time. And Coca-cola was my favorite beverage. So, I thought it cool that my favorite car was described by my favorite drink. STP was my favorite additive to my car, Bicardi was my favorite additive to my beverage. :icon_jook::icon_jook::icon_jook:

 

[wahya]

Coke bottle figure came to mind when I first read this. I must be on the wrong page.

 

[Car Nut]

 

[Dennis H]

Everytime I hear 71 I shake my head wth? This is true coke-bottle. 69 Coronet pictured here. Designer named Brownlie.

 

[SteveSS]

I even heard it used to describe the two 1963 Oldsmobile coupes I had. From the side they were ver rectangular but bulged out on the rear fenders when looked at from the front or top.

 

[bobtile]

I was thinking about that when he said the answer. I think you need to go back and listen to how the question was phrased. I think the question asked was when it was adopted by Dodge. I know that I've read in magazines about the coke bottle style starting in 68
I will watch the episode again and listen to how it was worded.

 

[HT413]

I even heard it used to describe the two 1963 Oldsmobile coupes I had. From the side they were ver rectangular but bulged out on the rear fenders when looked at from the front or top.

I think you hit it right there. We all think it applies to one car or another, and it may have originally, but it seems to have evolved to apply to a good portion of a whole generation of styling.

 

[Bruzilla]

The real question is was Worman wrong when he said the "coke bottle" term was first applied at a Dodge level with the 71 Charger, and I would say that's a no. He's also wrong in his thinking the "coke bottle" shape applies to the look from above the car looking down (which makes no sense at all) instead of from the side.

I just sent an email to Worman to call him on his error. We'll see what he says.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

"Coke Bottle" shape is slang applied to aircraft at the dawn of the supersonic jet age. Supersonic jet design used a thing called the "Area Rule" whereby the engineers found supersonic drag was reduced if cross section remained constant across the fuselage. Adding a wing to your fuselage? Then narrow the fuselage body where the wing attaches to keep cross section constant. The F102 and 106 were great examples in application of this rule.

The charger has the same "pinched" look at the door before transitioning to the quarter panels, so I think it picked up that tag from the point it was being sculpted in clay.

Here's the concept on a T-38: