This Petty Blue 1973 Dodge Charger is for sale here on eBay for $4,795 as a Buy It Now Price with 15 days remaining. The seller states that the car has been stored in a chicken coop since the late 1980s and has less than 21,000 miles. The car is located in Denver, North Carolina and although the seller believes the car to be low mileage, the car reflects years of neglect and no title is available with the sale. The 1973 Charger resembles the 1971-72 models with its fuselage body but the car actually received new sheet metal including taller and wider C-Pillars. The 1973 model also received new grills and taillight bezels.
The car is equipped with a 2 barrel 318 cubic inch V8 engine and automatic transmission with a column shifter and bench seat. The seller states that he believes the engine is seized and the car will need both cosmetic and mechanical work to get it back on the road. The 318 cubic inch engine was standard in 1973. Depending on what model Challenger was ordered in 1973, you could opt for the following V8 engine upgrades: 340 cubic inch V8, 360 cubic inch V8, 400 cubic inch V8 (2 bbl or 4 bbl) or the 440 cubic inch V8. Even though the performance was down, Dodge sold more Chargers in 1973 (approximately 108,000) than in any prior year.
The interior looks original with a crack in the dash, faded carpet and torn vinyl on the bench seat. The car has manual windows but all the glass is said to be good. Originally, the car had a white vinyl top but that has been removed. There is surface rust on several surfaces and the trunk has a small hole in it. Underneath, the car looks more solid but the body panels are either scratched or dented and the driver door appears to have been replaced at some time.
Petty Blue makes any Mopar look better. This car has been cleaned up since removing it from its resting place in a chicken coop but the seller admits that this car is a starting point for restoration and that there is minimal rust. Although enthusiasts seem to prefer the earlier year Chargers, do you think this car is priced right and will appreciate over time? Also, do you think the mileage is accurate or the odometer has rolled over at least once?
21,000 miles ???? again more like 121,000
My first thoughts exactly. I call bs on that low mileage claim. Quick look at the brake/accelerator pads would give a better indication. Didn’t notice those pictures on the listing…
Somebody could make up a drinking game based on the ridiculous low mileage claims you see for cars on Barn Finds, but then you’d be drunk by noon.
The seller is a liar trying to dupe naive buyers into paying a premium due to the “low” mileage.
Please stop repeating these dubious claims, it hurts the integrity of the site.
Steve R
Yeah. 21,000 miles. Please you hillbilly. Total pile of mid 70s Chrysler junk.
Without documentation or very compelling photographic evidence, there is no reason to repeat these claims of ridiculously low mileage. Even if the car was stored in the late 1980s, it would have been roughly 15 years old by then—more than enough time to go around the 100k mark.
Seized engine, no title, trashed interior, dents everywhere…how can you go wrong?
I love the sellers of some of these cars with low mileage claims. They say, “the car is in pretty good shape, bla, bla”, and they talk about documentation of an owners manual, etc, however the cars are listed without a clean title, or any title for that matter. They can produce an owner’s manual, or a shop manual(because they can buy them online), however they cannot even produce a title. Don’t cha think that if the car was that valuable/rare/desirable, that the owner would make sure that they didn’t lose the title? I am not talking about death/estate circumstances, etc. Funny still.
You forget that for a few decades all of these cars were just “old cars”. They were sold from person to person for a few hundred bucks as just another old car or parked and forgotten about. That old paperwork was disposed of or lost, some states didn’t issue titles back then either.
If the owner at the time thought the car was a collector and had the title when he got it then yeah that makes sense.
And the reason why these cars don’t have replacement titles is that you have to go through the ringer to get a new title with most states. Most people don’t want to deal with that especially if it means paying for a non-running car just so you have paperwork. In a perfect world it would be easy and people would do it.
I think I like the 73/74 Chargers the best. I like the 318, I like everything, even the bench seat fits my big butt well, but I do not believe it is 21000 miles. 5000 seems a little steep for a non running car without investment potential. Maybe half that. It is going to need a seat cover, paint, and mechanical work. Of course, who am I kidding, this car looks a lot better then I do. (Though, I am much older)
I dunno, SusanOliver, a few of us may be older and may have as many or just a few more dents, dings, scratches and scrapes than this thing does but I’ll bet our seats are not nearly as tore up-and if anyone’s interior is as big a mess as this is they’d for sure be knocking on Heavens Door!!!
Notice the fender and door paint don’t match. If this was originally a 21K mile car it was put away wet. Plus the first 21K miles was a hard life for this car!
21,000 miles? Then there must have been some pretty rugged chickens in the coop with the car. The rockers and lower portions of the car look “wavy” to me, especially the driver’s door. Bondo anyone? Probably worth bringing back but I would offer less than the ask.
Dented/creased right front fender, creased left rear fender (underside), stripped door molding, mismatched doors/fenders for paint and fitment, ajar rust issues, busted up grill…it’s “21,000” miles must have been at a circle track-a demolition derby circle track.
I really like ‘71-‘74 Chargers but would stay upwind of this stinker-chicken coupe innuendos notwithstanding!
My Mom’s 1973 Riviera had over 200,000 miles by 1984. This is not a 21,000 mile car, I would bet it too is over 200,000 miles. The seller is either a liar or a moron lol.
“we do believe that is the original miles on the car due to how clean this car is”
Are we looking at the same car?
I had one—Same Color, with 440. 9 MPG–I had a very heavy foot when I was 21.
Bought it in Norwich, CT for 2000.00—In pristine condition, owned by a Filipino Sailor who brought it from Hawaii.
I only live 20 miles from this car. But I wouldn’t drive it to see it.
Big titty Charger.
Another non runner.
Not desireable year.
Unless its going for 500 bucks I would pass.
Basin Street blue , not Petty blue , if you want to get picky
Not a mopar guy (don’t you love the way some feel the need to state there preference,even when no one ask) but, I like the 71/72 chargers , not so much 72/74 the car already looked really large and dodge goes and make it longer and ruin the c pillar styling .
Here we go again!! Non running low mileage car that has been stored for this day for the family to make a bundle!!! Woooohooooo!!!!
I would like the car just to store away incase I ever need parts. 21k miles??? That sounds a bit far fetched. I have 42k miles on mine BUT my dad bought it new in July of ’72. When he passed he left it to me. All that said, does anyone know if the bumper with the opening and closing headlights will fit a ’73? Thank you for your help.