How unusual! A 1971 Dodge Charger that is not a performance version and hasn’t been poorly twisted into a wanna-be muscle car. The seller tells us, “Selling my dad‘s car when my dad passed away. He left me a few cars that I am now posting for sale.” This is a standard, entry-level Charger that still shows well and possesses a decently powered V8 engine – and the $14,900 ask for an early seventies Mopar is refreshing too. Riverside, California, is where you’ll find this Dark Green Metallic coupe (my favorite color!), and it’s available here on craigslist. Thanks are due to Jack M. for this tip!
I guess the big news for ’71 was the Charger’s fuselage styled redo – a big departure from its uber successful ’68-’70 Coke bottle styling, a design that was further enhanced by its tunneled rear window. Charger came in several trim levels for ’71 besides this basic configuration, including the Super Bee (moved over from the Coronet), the 500, the SE, and, of course, the upscale performer known as the R/T. The radical restyle didn’t help with sales, however. Whereas the ’70 Charger mustered almost 50K copies, about half of 1969’s total, the new for ’71 edition saw that slip to about 46K units. Our subject car has a definite, understated appearance with its minimal use of stainless trim and doggie-bowl hubcaps. The black vinyl top, which is in nice shape, appears to be one of the few options selected for this Charger. Rust, so often the bane of cars from this era, doesn’t sound, or look, like it’s a problem, though the seller adds, “Has solid floors, straight body, has very minimal rust in the trunk area.” And that finish, in a shade I so admire, is claimed to be original.
The original orderer of this Charger decided to put a little more heat under the hood than the standard slant six and selected a 275 gross HP, 383 CI V8. It’s not exactly muscle car equipment, but it should still move this 3,500 lb. coupe with some alacrity. The seller states, “all original, engine starts and runs, would recommend to be gone through from sitting.” As is usually the case, a tried and true TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission handles gear-related matters.
Inside is where things come off the rails. The seats, dashpad, carpet, and door panels are a disaster! It’s hard to say what happened, weather, water, a bear, who knows, but the entire environment will need a complete redo. It’s surprising, as the interior’s condition is so incongruous with that of the exterior. The seller mentions that this Dodge has been in storage for ten years, so I guess the damage happened prior to that – or the storage wasn’t really storage.
Well, I was excited about this claimed 86 K-mile example until I caught a glimpse of its innards. Then again, interiors are certainly easier and cheaper to restore than having to perform a ton of metal fabrication. I’m on the fence with this Charger; what’s your thought, a diamond in the rough here?
Big block A/C car, other than the interior, looks to be a decent car for the money. If I was a MOPAR guy with ample storage, I would scoop it up.
From the pictures provided the rust under that vinyl top is going to be costly just how bad will need an in person inspection.
At least it isn’t to over priced like some Mopars and has a 383 withA/C. Yes it does need interior work but the outside looks pretty solid.