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Numbers-Matching 440: 1971 Dodge Charger R/T Project

1971 was still a fun time period when a prospective buyer visited his local Dodge dealer dreaming of driving away in a muscle car, with the Charger receiving an all-new look plus several exciting options available for powering it.  Those who waited another year were still treated to the fuselage-style body, but both engine compression and horsepower dropped, making this 1971 Dodge Charger R/T the purest breed for the third generation.  This one needs work, but if you’ve got the skills and have been on the hunt for a B-Body project it may be worth considering.  The car is in Waterford, Wisconsin, and can be spotted here on eBay where bidding has gotten up to $7,600.  Wonder what’s under the tarp?

’71 was the last year for the R/T package, at least for a while, and that’s a shame as it got you the 440 Magnum as the base motor producing 375 HP right from the dealership.  A 4-speed manual was optional, but the tried and true TorqueFlite was the standard transmission, which is how this one came equipped.  Both are the original factory components, but from the looks of things it’s been quite some time since the big block’s seen any action and it’s gonna need a complete overhaul, although it does appear some of the missing pieces can be found in the trunk.

The driver’s side fender is MIA along with a couple of headlights, but other than this the car seems fairly complete on the outside.  The bad news is there’s going to be lots of rust the next owner will have to deal with, and it appears the extent of prior attention the body has been given in this department is just some primer sporadically sprayed on and maybe a little body filler applied at some point in the car’s past.  A tree branch has fallen on the roof, so some work on top is also imminent.

In 1971, the B-Bodies began sharing an interior layout similar to the E-Body, but unfortunately, this one’s a mess inside.  The dash has typical cracking and both buckets are gonna need to be taken down to the metal, though the rear seat might be salvageable with a thorough cleaning.  One nice feature is the console, which is still present, and it’s got that cool Slap Stik shifter.

We don’t get to view any pictures from the underside, but with a floor mat acting as part of the trunk floor, it’s probably safe to say there may be several issues down below.  The seller does offer that the front floor pans and rear frame rails need work but thinks the front frame area may be OK, but I’d sure give it every stress test imaginable before determining that for sure.  If this 1971 Charger R/T is what you’ve been looking for, there’s also the option to own it immediately for a buy-it-now price of $15,000, but the reserve has been met and bidding is currently only half that amount.  What’s the best strategy here for putting this one in your garage?

Comments

  1. Anthony M.

    NOT putting it in my garage is my strategy.

    Like 7
  2. Bick Banter

    That rust is going to be harder to fix than the bidders think I bet. One big task will be to find someone who will first even touch it and second do a good job. It won’t be cheap.

    Like 6
  3. YankeeTR5

    When I see rust on the top of an engine like that I always think flood car, at least in the last few years. Copart is agnostic to where a car ends up….

    Like 2
  4. Big Bear 🇺🇸

    What a shame this 71 Charger R/T ended up like this. When I see any Mopar like this I wonder how did this happen and why? Being a 440 /727 set up don’t know the rear end. I can’t make out all the codes on the tag to find out the type of rear end. The rust on this is a red flag big time. Why? You will need deep pockets and much labor to get this right. $15,000 for a rust and parts missing. Sorry hard pass. 🐻🇺🇸

    Like 4
    • The Other Chris

      Should have had a 8.75 in 440/727, unless you mean something more specific. If it happened to have a Dana, that would have been an oddity for an auto car, even with a 440.

      Like 3
  5. Shuttle Guy Shuttle Guy Member

    $7600 is the number. (maybe)

    Like 2
  6. Kanak Attak

    Send it to graveyard cars and a $100k lol no problemo!

    Like 3
  7. bill

    Mopars answer to swiss cheese pontiac

    Like 0
    • Ffred

      The car is in Wisconsin. Pa,WV, Mi and Wi are the worst of the rust belt.

      Like 0
      • eric22t

        i don’t know there ffred, we rust’em real hard up in the new england states.
        i think we have the market cornered on road salt.

        around here if it ain’t rusted to the door handles, it’s a runner.

        Like 1
  8. RoadDog

    Parts car at best. That thing’s a crate!

    Like 0

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