When polling a group of auto enthusiasts about when the Golden Age of the early generation muscle cars ended, one of the more popular answers you’ll likely get is the year 1971, as everything from compression ratios to emission regulations to insurance costs were already looming to take their toll on high performance in the very near future. And the Dodge Charger is no exception, which is a shame because the car got a complete redesign for ’71 with more modern outside styling and a fine selection of engines to choose from, so if you’ve been on the hunt for a third-generation B-Body project a 1971 model is a good choice such as this one for sale here on Craigslist. It’s located in Fountain Valley, California, with the seller hoping to pocket $11,950 from the transaction.
Numskal, thanks for your excellent tip here! The owner begins by telling us his Charger still has the original factory 383 engine residing under the hood and that the car is currently running and driving. The following year, that 383 was replaced with a slightly larger 400 V8 but it was lower compression, and ’71 was also the swan song for the 426 Hemi. We don’t get very many details about the car’s motor, and while I hope it hasn’t traveled too many miles with that 4-barrel uncovered just the fact that it’s numbers-matching and operational is a positive sign. The only information we get about the transmission is that it’s automatic, and nothing more.
There’s no mention of a fender tag or build sheet, but the GB7 code Light Blue Metallic paint is stated to be the correct color, and although there’s some rust plus a few other body issues to deal with, the seller says the car has been in California its entire life and believes overall it’s in super solid shape. The finish consists of a combination of blue, primer, and patina, but the exterior appears fairly complete minus a set of borrowed taillights.
Inside, the front buckets are showing considerable wear, and the instruments are caked with soot of some sort, but it’s good that the carpet is no longer intact so we can see the floor which seems to be quite solid, as does the trunk pan, but unfortunately, no photo of the undercarriage is provided. This one definitely could stand some attention inside and out, but if the platform is sound I feel like it would make a decent Mopar project for those who enjoy the fuselage-style B-Bodies. What do you think?
If I’d worked harder at saving money instead of relying on good looks (neither of which worked, obviously especially the latter) I’d by this in a New York Minute and rebuild it. Yes it’s the Coke bottle shape that polarized the MoPar fans to opposite ends of the spectrum but dang! This has potential. If it runs well and looks good mechanically I’d offer somewhat less in cash and hoped they’d bite..
But fate (and some personally historical bad decisions) intervened so GLWTS👍🏻
Since this is a non RT Charger most likely the 383 came with a 2bbl. Yes you could special order a 383-4 HP motor with duals exhaust. This Charger has good bones. The rally dash is there. I like the 17″ rally wheels it fills out the fender nicely. I feel this is worth $10,000.00 as long there no major concerns underneath. To redo this Charger ground up need $50 Gs. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
Why is it that the first thing some people buy for a project car is new wheels and tires, when they’re usually the last thing a car needs? I understand that it’s sometimes necessary to get them early when building a modified car that’s getting suspension and brake upgrades or body mods, but they’re just about the last thing a car like this Dodge needs.
gbvette, I call doing the wheels/covers first the “Arnie” treatment.
If I’d worked harder at saving money instead of relying on good looks (neither of which worked, obviously especially the latter) I’d by this in a New York Minute and rebuild it. Yes it’s the Coke bottle shape that polarized the MoPar fans to opposite ends of the spectrum but dang! This has potential. If it runs well and looks good mechanically I’d offer somewhat less in cash and hoped they’d bite..
But fate (and some personally historical bad decisions) intervened so GLWTS👍🏻
Reupholstering the seats and replacing the carpets is easy, finding replacement door cards less so. The dash pad isn’t cracked and just needs a good cleaning. The missing taillights are a concern but I believe that reproductions exist. The biggest issue is the condition of the body. If it is solid and the only rust is the visible surface rust, then this could be a good restoration candidate, but if the rust goes deeper, then it could become a money pit. The only way to tell for sure would be to strip it down to bare metal, and by then it becomes a full restoration anyway. Don’t forget to remove the vinyl roof, since they tend to trap water and cause the roof to rust, and roof repairs are particularly expensive to fix, because roof repairs require lots of sheet metal work, and are labor intensive.
As for the power plant, I’d rebuild it, with an eye towards reversing the low-compression imposed by the 1971 anti-smog rules and allowing the engine to breathe again, with a new intake, headers, dual exhausts and possibly a set of new heads. Rebuild the rest of the driveline (transmission & rear end), and go through the suspension and front end with fine tooth comb.
Bottom line: If the body is solid, all of the work could be done by the home mechanic in their own garage as time and money permit, except for paint. If the body has been attacked by major rust, then it becomes a Graveyard Cars project.
Actually, the taillights are there. They’re missing their lenses & bezels. They’re the R/T-500 style taillights. When lit up in the dark, they evoke the ’68 look.
In reply to gbvette62, I can’t speak for anyone else, but I would be nervous running any car on tires that are more than ten (10) years old. Tread depth isn’t the only consideration when discussing tires, tires age just sitting still, the rubber dries out and cracks over time. If you have to replace the tires anyway, why not get something a little more aggressive if that’s to your taste. I definitely wouldn’t want to run any car on fifty (50) year old rubber, that’s for sure!
Really, these things were junk. I couldn’t crush them fast enough. They were hated by the mid 80s. They were pennies st auctions. You sold little to nothing from them. At the the time any engine after 70 was a smog motor and deemed useless unless you were in a pinch. I guess times have changed. I recall a 400,” I think” one of these with power everything and a moon roof. I paid 51.00 for it at a police sale for a big block 727. once the tranny was out the car was turned into and 18″ inch high pancake and sent to the shred. That was then and this is now.
Chris, that’s why it’s amazing to see how many of these in this condition actually survive today. This looks like it was pulled from a junkyard, but you are right, if it ever made it to a yard, it would have been pancaked by now.
4 grand car in its present condition
As it sits currently, it’s worth about $4-5k at most. The interior is going to have to be totally restored, that’s not cheap, The instrument gauges and wiring alone have to be redone…not cheap. Finding the right door panels and seat covers in the correct shade shouldn’t be too hard, but again not cheap. Now the body… I see rust, in a few areas, and missing metal all together, not cheap!
Next is suspension, brakes, fuel, cooling… I haven’t even gotten to the drivetrain yet!
I doubt this Charger is an R/T model, so I don’t think it’s worth putting a ton of money into. Depending on how much rust it has, it’s just a beater at this point.
I had a 71 Charger when I was 17 teen best car I ever owned.