There is probably no area of vehicle design that is more prone to evolving buyer taste than paint color. Black, White, Silver, and Gold have remained staples of the industry for decades, but others have come and gone. Darker shades of Metallic Brown and Green almost defined cars from the late 1970s and 1980s, and Purple was enormously popular during the 1960s and early 1970s. That shade all but disappeared from charts during the following decades. However, the new millennium brought a renewed appreciation for colors like the Plum Crazy gracing the panels of this 1971 Dodge Challenger. It is a stunning car, and its drivetrain combination guarantees it possesses the performance to match its good looks. Its most pressing need is a new home, with the seller listing the Dodge here on eBay in Sanford, Florida. Bidding currently sits at $21,600, although that is below the reserve.
The seller confirms the previous owner purchased this Challenger in 1986. They stripped the panels to bare metal, finding no rust requiring repair. It received three coats of epoxy primer and was sanded before a fresh layer of the original Plum Crazy was applied in a clear-over-base process. They replaced all exterior trim and chrome, and the effort was worthwhile. The Challenger presents exceptionally well for a high-end driver, although the seller admits it isn’t perfect. The panel gaps are tight and consistent, with everything opening and closing effortlessly. The spotless floors and rails wear a uniform layer of Black undercoat to maximize the chances it will remain rust-free. The Black stripes look crisp, the glass is pristine, and the reproduction Road Wheels look perfect.
The new owner won’t need to spend a dime on this Dodge’s interior if they seek a driver-grade classic. However, a couple of minor imperfections require more time than money to address. These are confined to wear on the faux chrome gauge and fascia edges, although restoration kits to achieve a factory-fresh state are available for a few dollars. Otherwise, this interior needs nothing. The Black vinyl upholstered surfaces look flawless, with the seatcovers exhibiting no signs of wear or stretching. The carpet is excellent, the woodgrain trim is spotless, and there is no crumbling or broken plastic. There are also no visible aftermarket additions. These cars often sacrifice the factory radio for an upgraded stereo, but this Challenger has avoided that fate.
This Challenger is about more than good looks because it features its share of muscle. The engine bay houses a 340ci V8 that should produce at least 275hp and 340 ft/lbs of torque. That power feeds through a four-speed manual transmission to a 3.55 Sure Grip rear end, with power steering lowering the driver’s workload. A ¼-mile ET of 15 seconds was there for the taking when this car was new, but recent upgrades may shave a few tenths from that figure. The V8 received a comprehensive rebuild, including a 0.060″ overbore. Flat-top 10:1 pistons, an upgraded camshaft, and new lifters were dropped in. The engine inhales deeply through an Edelbrock carburetor and high-rise intake, while spent gases exit via a custom stainless exhaust. A new clutch was added, and the aluminum radiator should keep things cool. The seller states the car is in excellent mechanical health, running and driving perfectly. It will happily drink pump gas and is a turnkey proposition for its new owner.
Some cars blend into the scenery like an automotive chameleon, while others beg to be noticed. Painting a vehicle Plum Crazy guarantees it will fall into the second category, as this 1971 Dodge Challenger proves. It isn’t perfect, but that could be its greatest attribute. Driver-grade classics typically offer a more relaxed ownership experience than many enthusiasts experience with pristine cars. The occasional stone chip will be disappointing but won’t cause the same trauma as it would if it marred perfection. This Challenger has attracted twenty bids, and there is time for that figure to climb significantly. It hasn’t hit the reserve, leaving me with three questions to pose. What do you think the reserve is? What is your estimate on the sale price? And most importantly, do you plan to be the winning bidder?
At least twice the current bid, IMO. Real 340/4 speed? Original engine/trans? Fender tag, build sheet? Lots of variables but a clean, not rusty E body is GOLD regardless. This one has a LOT going for it. Good luck with the auction, but you won’t need it.
Question – Does a 10:1 mill with no computer control drink pump gas happily? I thought you had to harden the valve seats to keep it from pinging or pre-detonating (?)
I don’t think a true 10:1 motor would live with the pump urine we have available to us today. Hardened seats alone with iron heads wouldn’t live long. You’d have to run aluminum heads and 93 octane if you had that much compression.
The first no lead engines didn’t have a whole lot of problems with pinging on the piss pour fuel at the pumps today. More worried would be valve guide wear. Definitely need to run a lube additive to the fuel for wear. I would probably run at least mid grade too. It better yet non ethanol.
Nice looking car from here. Surprised biding isn’t higher, but with Christmas around the corner…… is like this car dad 🎅
We have 93 octane locally in Wichita, KS for $2.34/gallon at Jump Start gas stations. For some reason the 93 is cheaper. Good thing as all 3 of my vehicles burn it.
10:1 on even regular pump gas is not a problem with the right cam timing. Hardened exhaust seats and stainless valves are needed to prevent excessive wear because there’s no lead in the fuel to cushion the impact of valve closure. Installing hard seats in older heads is generally considered a long-term fix for the problem. Assuming these changes were properly made, you should be able to beat on this drivetrain for years to come without issues.
The big question is why isn’t this going to Mecum auction first week of January in Kissimmee Florida. It’s only an hour from where the car sits right now and would put the car in front of the right audience.
When the owner says “pump gas”, he’s probably putting 93 octane in it, not 87. Also the “more than stock” cam helps because it likely has a lot of valve overlap that cuts down on pinging. The motor may have the timing retarded to keep it from pinging.
Most factory blocks that haven’t been decked are usually a bit taller than advertised. That cuts down the effective compression ratio a little bit.
And the owner didn’t say if it runs on pump gas with (or without) some octane booster added. If you’ve got the money to be buying this car, the price of the gas it’s going to need doesn’t matter much to most people.
Thanks Joe and Harry.
The last bit about dough and additives makes sense.
“Affordability” means different things to different people.
Frankly, I’d be most concerned with this engine running hot. .060 over is very aggressive and doesn’t leave much material between the cylinders. That’s probably the reason for the aftermarket aliuminum radiator. Although the seller shkws the trunk floor, its either a repo or had bad surface rust and subsequent body filler, as all the spot weld marks are missing. Still a very nice car if the restoration was done right.
Mike F,
This car may very well and up at Mecum, but the entry fee isn’t cheap. Then they take 10% or so off what is bid if it sells. If the owner can find the right person on barnfinds/e-bay, it’s worth a try.
That being said, I’ve see some crazy stuff happen at Mecum and Barrett Jackson. About 5 years ago I saw two guys with more money than brains get into a bidding war and one of them paid $135K for a $80K Austin Healey 3000. It was nice but there was one as good for sale at RK Motors for $80K. The lady who owned it was sitting right in front of us ..She was my age (65 at the time) and she was literally dancing on the chairs . . . doing stuff that I couldn’t have done 15 years ago. But $45K (that you weren’t expecting) falling in your lap will do that.
Interesting comments re: type of gas. I don’t know much about this but I have a 1966 Corvette with the base 300HP engine. I know the dealer rebuilt it 13 years ago when I bought it and told me to run 93 octane Shell gas. I’m not sure what he did but it has always run perfectly with no pinging or overheating.
You keep on mentioning “driver quality” as if this was a negative. I feel that the majority of us would love to have this driver quality car. We want to be able to actually drive our cars! A pristine car is good if you want an art piece, but nothing more. Cars are to drive and enjoy. By the way, I own a 1974 Challenger with a 440 six pack sublime green and a 1974 ‘Cuda 360 4 speed plum crazy purple. Love and drive them both. Driver wuality!
Walt, With the seasonally limiting but extremely beautiful Vermont roads, I hope you can take advantage of those two primo Mopars as much as possible.
I usually can drive my cars from late April to the end of October. All my matainence is done in the off season, so I can drive my cars (I have a lot of classic cars) during nice weather.
Sweet ride. 4spd is gold.
The aggressive overbore is puzzling, on such a strong performer as the 340.
Someone do correct me if I’m mistaken on this comment, but the pics showing the right side view of the car show poorly fitting panels…..to me at least that would definitely require an up close inspection……….it will probably bid high (Plumb Crazy & a 4 speed) but not for me, this car……..
If some one buys this any where near current bid, it won’t matter now will it.
.06 over on a 71 or older block isn’t certain death also if you can score this car for under 30k. You have got a really good car. The car should be fun for once a month drives via aviation fuel. I like it, it’s such a nice car for someone who wants a super fun ride.
100LL is great for engines IIRC. Had a pilot buddy who used it in his 75 Vega back in the day and it ran like a scalded cat with that go juice. Zero detonation.
Like the car but don’t think much about the .060 over
340 V8 has 275 HP. My ’13 Challenger V6 gets 305 HP. I’ll never complain again! Still, original is dog gone nice!!
Hopefully the one selling this car doesn’t back out of it and sell it to someone else for a higher price like Mac Haik did to a military veteran who ordered a Demon 170…Lot of shady deals out there for these sought after cars.