I haven’t been following the old (original) Dodge Challenger all that closely, especially since Dodge has put up such a media blitz on the endless variations that possess the current Challenger. And since the current Challenger (and every copy produced since 2015) is supposed to be based on the ’71 version, I thought it time to take a look at an original, one like this ’71 base model hardtop. It is located in Vancouver, Washington and available here on eBay for a current bid of $9,800, reserve not yet met.
This Challenger is a genuine barn find having been parked in one since 1992. The current owner pulled it from its slumber, cleaned it up and has made it presentable for sale. It’s nice to find an original example that is just a plain old Challenger and not an R/T or otherwise hopped up version. The muscle car variants are great but the volume sellers, the basic models like this example, are what rung Dodge’s register. And while the base models are the Challengers that most people owned, they are the versions seldomly found and least likely to be preserved. The seller advises that this Challenger has been repainted in a light yellow hue whereas, originally, it was finished in white. The body is in pretty solid condition other than the passenger side fender and door which looks like it had a Kowalski style side-swipe with something out in the desert.
The underside appears to be pretty solid, rust being the bain of this vintage E-body if exposed to the wrong climatic conditions or not stored properly. There is minimal surface rust but nothing approaching rot-through or parts getting ready to dislodge themselves. It also appears that somewhere in the past, a previous owner converted the exhaust system on this Dodge to a dual set-up.
Under the hood is Chrysler’s tried-and-true 318 CI, “LA” series V8 engine, good for 230 gross HP. The seller has not tried to start this engine or perform any mechanical work so there’s no telling what shape it’s in. He does advise that it will need mechanical work. A Chrysler TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission is in place as would be expected. While this mechanical arrangement is far from a barn-burner, it is still a satisfying combination. I had a high-school friend who had a Barracuda version of this Challenger, the same powertrain and modified exhaust system, and it was a fun ride.
The interior of this Challenger is not without its difficulties. It has the typical problems of ripped seats, a split dash pad, worn/dirty carpeting, etc. The gear selector lever would seem to be missing parts too. The seller states that the stereo and speakers are missing but there is no word regarding the instrumentation and whether it is functioning or not.
While there is so much attention placed on the modern Challenger, and there is a passing resemblance to this original version, they are far from the same car. There’s nothing quite like the original version of anything! There has been quite a bit of bidding activity on this Challenger; I wonder what potential new owner’s intentions could be for this old Dodge? I would imagine that some are thinking about resto-modding or hot-rod upgrades. I would be inclined to return this Challenger to its former newness and just enjoy it as is. How about you, what’s your favor?
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