The 500 was a three-year model of the popular Dodge Charger. It started as a limited production edition in 1969 and then comprised more than half of sales the following year. The seller’s car is from 1970, the year when 27,614 copies were built, so it wasn’t a rare set of wheels when new. This one once wore Pum Crazy paint and hasn’t been on the road in ages, so it’s going to need a lot of time and money thrown at it. From Maplewood, Minneapolis, this garage find is available here on craigslist for $24,500. Tip finder Gunter Kramer is at it again!
When the Charger 500 debuted in 1969, it was designed to help improve Dodge’s performance in NASCAR. To be more aerodynamic, the exposed headlights were flushed with the grille, and the tunnel back roofline was eliminated, using the Coronet’s smooth back glass instead. Only 500 copies were built on purpose. But it didn’t have the impact on the track that Dodge expected, so it was soon replaced with the Daytona edition of the Charger.
For 1970, the 500 reverted to the regular Charger body and essentially became a trim option. Nearly 60% of all the Chargers built in 1970 had 500 badging, so it wasn’t quite as special anymore. Dodge would trot out the Charger 500 one more time in 1971 and then switch to the SE (or Special Edition) in 1972. The seller’s version of the 1970 500 is kind of special since it was painted FC7 Plum Crazy from the factory, but a lot of effort was put in later to hide it with red/orange.
This Charger was last started about a year ago, but no further efforts were made due to a leaky gas tank (which has since been replaced). The 383 cubic inch V8 and TorqueFlite automatic transmission are original to the Dodge. But it was upgraded to a 4-barrel at some point, though the seller has the parts that were removed so you could go back to the factory setup.
The photos show a very rusty automobile, so your restoration budget will need to include new sheet metal in lots of places. The interior will also need professional attention, particularly the carpeting and headliner. We’re told the car is complete, so you shouldn’t have to go on a safari to find too many parts. With two build sheets and coded as having been built with Plum Crazy paint, this may be a very desirable car to bring back from the brink.
I think its a 383 and not a 318
You’re right. A slip of the fingers. Corrected. Thanks!
Be prepared for the worst underneath. Maplewood is a suburb of St. Paul and if it was ever driven in the winter there it was subjected to salt.
You’re right, the seller goes into great detail about the rust issues in the ad.
A proper restoration for this car is far too involved with the current asking price. It’s a column shift 2 barrel 383.
It’s worth $15,000 that’s it. I guarantee someone will buy it 😉
It won’t be me! That’s a money pit waiting to happen!
A true plum crazy car would have come with a flower print roof and i do not see one here? and big blocks had the distributor in the front and not in the rear as the small blocks had?
Plum Crazy cars never came with a flower print (Mod Top) roof. Depending on the year and the model, Mod Tops came in yellow, green, or blue, none of which would have matched In Violet/Plum Crazy. Most vinyl tops on FC7 cars were white or black — this one, per the fender tag, had a black top.
It could be nice but is rusty AF. This is the kind of car that needs the whole unibody reconstructed like Worman does at GYC. You’d have to get it almost for free to make it worth doing. 25k is ludicrous. Sorry, just my 2 cents worth.
I totally concur!
Contrary to what the write-up says, the 500 was not replaced by the SE in 1972; both the 500 and SE co-existed in 1971 and the 500 was simply discontinued after 1971. Back to this car, I mentioned before that even rust-bucket 2nd-Gen Chargers were selling for 5 figures and I see this as no exception, just not at the asking price. I see a total investment of $50K to bring this back to its Plum Crazy glory.
Actually the 500 was replaced by the Rallye in 1972.
No, the R/T was replaced by the Rallye. Damned insurance companies!
This is one, I wouldn’t put a Rotary motor in.😉😉
This is true. I owned a ’71 SE at one point in time.
Forgot to mention: I ran across a ’71 500 in a boneyard in NM back in the mid-90’s. Got the complete R/T style taillights out of it for $20. Where has the time gone…
I have to ask… What is making people so delusional about the value of these junkyard dogs??? It’s actually worth about 3-4k as is.
If even that! GLWTS.