Should I buy 1972 Brougham?

[Bigcityfire]

Hey fellas,
I'm new to Dodge Chargers, but always wanted one. Recently I came across a 1972 Brougham with 36k original miles. The guy wants $4500 for it. Very minor surface rust in a few spots, runs and drives. 318 V8 with a shift kit so the shifter is on the floor.

Is this a good deal? Any pointers when I go to look at it?

Thanks in advance for your help, I just joined here...

[Ghoste]

Sounds quite reasonable to me, I think you should do it.

[Steve P.]

Welcome to the site....

I tell everyone the same thing. If it is a car you really want, the value of the car is what YOU are willing to pay. It may not be what the market will bring, but it is the car you want, so it's up to you to pull the trigger.

I don't follow your meaning: "318 V8 with a shift kit so the shifter is on the floor."  A "SHIFT KIT" is added to the transmission. It really has nothing to do with where the shifter is. If this is how the owner explained it to you I would be leery. Ask a lot of questions....

Also, keep in mind that the cars we are all in love with only went to 99,999.9 miles on the odometer and then rolled back to zero. I have seen many, many cars that people tried to pass off as (ORIGINAL MILES UNDER 100K) and had every indication that they had been around the clock. But if the car is really in good shape and you are happy with what you see, by all means make it your baby!!!!

If you do not know much about these cars, look for another member here that is in your area and chat with them about meeting you to look at the car. A second set of eyes is always a great idea and especially someone who has been around these cars and this site for a while.

At minimum, go see the car and bring a camera. Take overall pics of the car and take pics of everything in question. Often times you can take pictures where you may not be able to fit your head. Check frame rails and floorboards and try like hell to look down inside the doors with the windows down to see if bodywork can be seen. Post pics here for others to give their opinions.. This is a great bunch of guys and ladies here and we all have the same goal..

Enjoy,,,,,,,

[72Charger-SE]

 

Bring someone from this site (or knowledgeable about Classic Cars) with you.  Their eyes (knowing what to look for) and 'non-emotional' perspective will go a long way in saving you headaches further down the road.

Bring a magnet with you to 'check for bondo'.  The magnet should stick to every location you carefully place it on the car.  If it doesn't you have 'filler' of some type, not metal.   Hmm... I wish I would have done that when I bought my Southern Missouri 'very little rust' Charger four years ago...  

Unless the car was stored in doors in a climate controlled setting you won't find it with 'very little rust' IMO.  Remember what you see on the outside in terms of rust is hiding ALOT more on the backside.  Think of it like an iceberg, the top of the water shows the smallest portion but what is under the water will sink a ship.

Bring a good flashlight to see the underside and 'shadowed' areas clearly.  It is amazing what a little darkness can hide when you go to restore a classic car.
 
If you are serious about possibly buying the car bring CA$H with you.  NEGOTIATE the price AFTER looking at the car.

It seems to happen when a person leaves the location after they looked at a car someone else swoops in and buys it out from under them.

Good luck & Welcome to the Site!

GOD Bless!

[Bigcityfire]

"I don't follow your meaning: "318 V8 with a shift kit so the shifter is on the floor."  A "SHIFT KIT" is added to the transmission. It really has nothing to do with where the shifter is. If this is how the owner explained it to you I would be leery. Ask a lot of questions...."

He said "shift kit on floor replaces column shifter". I'm newer to these cars, is there a number I should look for on the transmission to see if it is original?

[polywideblock]

think he's trying to tell you that an aftermarket shifter has been put in the car   

[skip68]

Welcome to the site.    
Sounds good to me.  Although without pictures it's hard to say.   Good luck.     

[Ghoste]

Yes I think he means the shifter has been moved to the floor.  Oh, and welcome to the site.

[ACUDANUT]

We would love to see some pictures !

[Bigcityfire]

From the seller...

[Steve P.]

Yes, that is an aftermarket shifter on the floor...

I am a bit taken back seeing these pics.. It looks like it is in a store parking lot and to me it looks like it was dug out of the snow... It may just be me, but if I owned a classic car with so few miles on it, the car would be put away with a blanket and a nice book to read till summer!!

Look very carefully at this car. Definitely bring someone who knows cars well with you.. 

[myk]

Not liking all of that snow on the car, for sure.  Look this thing over CAREFULLY, unless you don't mind a project car that may need metal work done to it...

[skip68]

That seat sure doesn't look like 36,000 miles of seat time.   But if the car is solid (minimal rust) and runs and drives ok then it's worth it for sure.  
Don't let the mileage thing be a determining factor.  The car's a cool classic and if you like it buy it.    

[polywideblock]

     she's definitely an outside car     looks like hideaway headlights  

              as others have said bring someone that knows cars and give her a thorough  going over, especially underneath and give the seam along middle of firewall(under wiper motor ) a really good look

oh and welcome to the site  

[Bigcityfire]

Thanks for the input and the cordial welcome, fellas. Hopefully it hasn't been outside long. We have been getting a mixed bag of weather along the I95 corridor, but I'll be sure to bring a magnet, a blanket to lay on (or hopefully get it on their lift), and my old man who is a good lifeline. Going to see it Friday morning. Wish me luck!

[ACUDANUT]

That seat sure doesn't look like 36,000 miles of seat time.   But if the car is solid (minimal rust) and runs and drives ok then it's worth it for sure.  
Don't let the mileage thing be a determining factor.  The car's a cool classic and if you like it buy it.    

X2   I bet it has 136K or 236K, Looking at the cracked dash and seat wear.  Definitely get a Mopar guy, to go look it over with you.  Is this guy the original owner ? I wonder how many paint jobs it has had.
BTW, the car is a 72 Charger SE (special edition) and I believe all SE's had the brougham interior, Hide a way Headlights, Small quarter windows, full vinyl top and chrome on the taillights.  

[VegasCharger]

Hello and welcome

I'm with the others as far as what to do.

Good luck

[Chargerguy74]

Nice 72 SE. Welcome!

[ChargerSG]

Welcome to the site. And did you buy it?

[70 sublime]

Does it have a vinyl top or is it just painted black ?

The box that the floor shifter is sitting on looks a little wide to the point of crowding the gas pedal ??

Good luck on a mopar adventure

[Sublime/Sixpack]

I hope you look that car over VERY carefully. I see a few red flags based on the pics. And if you take a magnet with you to check for body filler, might I suggest you use a flexible fridge type magnet or a small metal magnet with cloth over it to protect the car's paint.  They do make and sell small magnetic tools specifically for checking a cars sheet metal for body filler.
If someone touched a car I was selling with a bare metal magnet I'd tap their head with bare tire iron.
Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

[JR]

I respect the dedication of using a camera from 1972 to show us the Charger. 

[F8-4life]

Check out the trunk floor, lower rear quarters & wheel wells, lower front fenders, floor pans, rockers, and subframe for rot.
Also pay attention to the roof, looks like they pulled off the vinyl and primed it.

[Bigcityfire]

So I went to see it...

Quarters shot, rockers rotting, trunk floor completely gone, and rust in the trunk. To top it off, there was a bottom piece of windshield molding missing (a very small section) and it was all rotted below that.

Oh well, I'll have to keep my eyes open. Thanks for all your help fellas.

[polywideblock]

at least you didn't buy a pup      keep looking there out there  

were the pics current or from 10 years ago   

[bull]

Seems like a half decent price.

Not that anyone cares but I've never liked the word Brougham associated with Chargers. Too much old lady/Cadillac/Victorian era carriage imagery to be attached to a Mopar muscle car IMO.

[Bigcityfire]

Pictures were current, just not detailed enough. A two hour drive for a charger is fine with me. He could have described the trunk floor as better than "surface rust" when I could see the tires through the trunk. Lol Let alone the "spots" of light rust where the rockers and quarters were Swiss cheese.

[skip68]

Another will show up soon.   A better car.   You may drive to look at several cars before finding your car and that's ok.     
Any car you want to look at that may be far away, ask here if there's someone close to it to check it out for you.   We do it all the time.     

[70 sublime]

Well at least you will know where to look next time 

[2fast4u]

     That's the kind of car a body shop guy would buy to repair and modify.   A big block with a blower and manual trany with a narrowed rear axle, tubed out etc.
  You get the picture!

[ACUDANUT]

Pictures were current, just not detailed enough. A two hour drive for a charger is fine with me. He could have described the trunk floor as better than "surface rust" when I could see the tires through the trunk. Lol Let alone the "spots" of light rust where the rockers and quarters were Swiss cheese.

Did you confront him on this ?

[archie360]

Unfortunately probably happens all to often.  Hang in there, the right one will come along.

[polywideblock]

         look at it this way at least you didn't wait months for it to be shipped /clear customs etc.
       
             only to find a "roach" like this sitting in the container waiting for you  

                   happens all the time to "newbie" overseas buyers  

                                   just put it down to experience

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Shame on the seller for misleading you. Unfortunately there are way too many people that feel it's okay to lie or misrepresent what they're attempting to sell. 

Glad you checked it out and didn't get burned!