Many automobile models that remained successful changed course and adapted to whatever was popular in the marketplace at the time, with the 70s Dodge Charger shifting some of its focus from being primarily a powerful muscle car to providing drivers with a more luxurious feel. The car’s success initially stemmed from offering budget buyers a stripped-down, high-performance vehicle at an affordable price. However, as muscle desirability dwindled, the personal luxury segment was gaining ground, and this 1973 Dodge Charger Special Edition represents the latter genre nicely. Located in Louisville, Tennessee, this one can be found here on eBay, where it carries a buy-it-now price tag of $25,000. There’s also an opportunity to make an offer, should you find the cost a bit steep.
Though the Special Edition was billed as the most luxurious trim offering for the Charger in ’73, the car still featured sporty styling, just in a more comfortable Grand Touring coupe atmosphere than many of the B-Bodies that came before it. It’s great to find this one is equipped with buckets and a console, but those seats also look cozy, plus there are power windows and air conditioning. A couple of minor imperfections are visible on the driver’s seat, along with a broken door strap, but the interior looks quite good overall for its age.
Several V8 engine options were available for the 1973 Charger SE, up to and including the 440. However, this one is equipped with the entry-level 318, topped with a 2-barrel carburetor. From the factory, the net horsepower rating here was 150, but the seller is correct when he states that the HP number is 230 if you’re using the gross measurement. It’s paired with an automatic transmission, and the owner claims the listed 44,000 miles are actual, with the car said to run, drive, and handle beautifully.
It’s getting harder to find vintage U.S. classics this old that remain unmolested and still qualify as survivors, but this one’s also said to be wearing its original paint, so there’s no shiny new finish to cover up any corrosion or prior bodywork. The sheet metal appears to be in very nice shape for the most part, so I’d probably let this one remain as-is and be thankful its appearance is still this strong. Though something larger under the hood would be more satisfying, with the rest of this 1973 Dodge Charger SE Brougham being in such fine shape, I might be able to learn to live with the 318 here. How about you?
Another good used car, not a rare car with the 318, yet too pricey until the offer is floated.
It looks nice and has some good options, but the price seems on the aggressive side. The seller ran it through eBay once before at the same price without a taker.
Steve R