Something followed me home..... 1971 Charger R/T (Lots of pictures)

[69bronzeT5]

Just over a year ago, the 3rd generation (1971 Chargers particularly) bug bit me hard. In July 2015, a good friend had a beautiful Hemi Orange 1971 Super Bee replica with a 440 4 speed and he offered it to me for a screaming deal. I instantly became obsessed with the car, I had to have it.




I worked every night writing articles for the Mopar magazine I write for, anything to get extra money to buy the car. To get a good portion of the money, I worked a deal with another good friend to sell my Duster to him as he's wanted it for years. I had a good portion of it together when I got a message from him back in April of this year; he sold the car. It turns out he offered the car to another friend of his back in 2012 or so for the same price. His friend never said much about it and then out of the blue, showed up at his door with the cash and wanted it, so he honored his word and sold it. I was a bit heart broken but understood. However, the bug still had me good. I instantly starting searching for another 1971 Charger. Craigslist, Kijiji, you name it. I started looking for an equivalent car when I had a bit of a brain storm. Instead of dropping all of this money on a finished car at this point in the game, why not find a project car for a lot cheaper. I'm currently working on starting a career that needs a few thousand for schooling so I figured I'd put a portion of the money aside for that, buy myself a '71 Charger project to work on to cure the itch and then put the rest of the money in my '69. I decided I wanted either a R/T or Super Bee and wouldn't settle for any less. I remembered a Plum Crazy R/T project that was for sale a month or so before not too far away. I looked into it and found out it had sold. Darn. Then I remembered a buddy had a F8 Green '71 R/T project in storage so I shot him a message. He didn't want to sell. Another dead end. Then I decided to message a friend of mine in Alberta. Knowing he had a very vast collection of Mopars, I figured he might know where I could find a '71 R/T or Bee. He messaged me back a few days later and told me he had two Chargers he might sell. One being a white 383 4 speed 500 model shell and the other being a R/T. Instantly interested in the R/T, I asked more about it. The more he told me, the more I wanted it. After dealing on the car for a few months and having him send me pictures, I made the 12 hour trek out to this place and picked up the car this past weekend. I'm over the moon excited about this one. It's a cool feeling saying you own not one, but two Chargers! I sold my Duster that I've owned since 2009 to make this deal happen (and also for money for schooling for my career) but it went to a good friend of mine so it made it a lot easier to sell.



So, the skinny on the car. It's an early production car sold new at Crosstown Motors in Edmonton, Alberta. Originally GY3 Citron Yella, it came equipped with a black interior, black vinyl top and black stripes. Console shift automatic. At some point in the '80s, it was painted B7 Blue and big Appliance mags were installed. The original seats were recovered in a funky cloth material- black with blue inserts. It was definitely the definition of '80s customization. The original 440 is long gone but sitting between the fenders is a '69 date coded 440. The transmission and 8 3/4 rear end are the original parts. I have the fender tag and managed to recover most of the buildsheet from the back seat. On a side note, I found parts of another buildsheet under the front passenger seat but they are for a 383 powered '71. Unfortunately the sequence number isn't on the parts I found of that sheet so there is no way of knowing which exact car it came from. I decoded my sheet with some help of my friend Kori Alexander and this is what I found it was equipped with from the factory:

D53   3.23:1 gears
D91   Sure grip Differential
U86   G60x15 RWL Polyglass Tires
W22  Rallye Wheels w/ Trim rings
V01   Mono tone paint
47X9  Black 3 spoke Steering Wheel
Y13   Dealer demo car
C16   Console w/ buckets
C23   Rear arm rests w/ ashtrays
C55   Bucket seats
C93   Carpet
B41   Front disc brakes
B51   Power assist disc braeks
F56   Anti freeze (-35)
F25   70 amp-hr cold weather battery- red cap
G41   Inside day/night mirror
J55   Undercoat and underhood pad
A01   Light package
E86   440-4 barrel HP engine
D32   HD A-727 TorqueFlite trans
D6X9 Buckets/ Vinyl- Black
V1X   Black Vinyl Roof
GY3   Citron Yella
V6X   Black Longitudal Stripes
L31   Fender Mount Turn Signals
L25   Trunk Compartment Light
S15   Hemi X-HD suspension w/ front sway bar(std R/T)
J45    Hood Pins
J52    Inside hood release
J25   3 speed varible wipers
J41    Pedal Dress Up (std R/T)
L72   Head Lamp Warning
H31   Rear Defogger


The story goes that my friend saw this car driving around all the time when he was a kid. The owner would stop and talk to him about the car when he was out riding his BMX. He became attached to the car and one day when it vanished, he always wondered after that where it went. The image of the shiny blue R/T (it had already been repainted blue at this point) was always in his head. Early last year, he found a banged up blue '71 R/T while out for a drive one day. He stopped and asked about it and found out the guy selling it happened to be the son of the original owner. He had passed away and left his son the car. The son didn't want it so he was selling it. He had just put it in the front yard with a for sale sign. Not too long after he put it out in the front yard, someone came by and smashed the passenger side and back windows out. My friend bought it right away and took it home. When he got home, he couldn't stop looking at it- he knew he recognized it somewhere from the wheels. That's when he realized it was the same car from his childhood, just in a lot worse shape than when he saw it last.

The car itself needs some decent sheet metal rust repair. The lower quarters and rocker panels are hooped. The doors need lower metal repair but thankfully the R/T gills are in good shape. The passenger fender will be replaced but the driver's side is useable. I do know the grilles in the car are from a '72   On a positive note, when I cleaned the car out, I discovered a flawless trunk floor and interior floor pans (with the exception of a small rust hole on the driver's front pan). The frame rails and torsion bar cross member are mint- they are the cleanest I have seen. My plans are to restore it back to it's original equipped form. I've decided since it's not the original 440, I will have some fun and add some go-fast goodies. I've been a member of the 2nd generation club since 1998 so I'm still getting used to being a member of the 3rd generation club now. Anyways, enjoy the pictures!!!

[69bronzeT5]

Where I found the car sitting in my friend's collection....







After shuffling cars and pulling the car out, we were loaded up and ready to go....






Couple road trip pictures...



Offloaded at home- pre clean out pictures....












Cleaning it out. I removed all of the broken glass (it filled my entire ShopVac!!) and took the old carpet out to see how the floors were. I removed the old aftermarket tach, cassette player and housing as well as the crappy '80s rear speakers and associated wiring. I removed all of the parts from the trunk and was shocked to find all of the missing trim, the R/T tail lamp bezels (they are MINT), brand new weatherstrip kits for the entire car, the driveshaft, carb and tons of other stuff.....










Ready to go in the garage.....






Swap meet finds for the win! Paid $5 for this back in late May just for this car!






This is exactly how it was equipped from the factory and how it will be restored back to. I will be adding front and rear spoilers though as I feel they complete the look.

[polywideblock]

  welcome to the club    will be watching   

[Cncguy]

Will be fun to watch the progress on this one.

[71_Charger_R/T]

  

[Chargerguy74]

Sweet car. I've been in that yard a few times.

[moparnation74]

Citron Yella!  Badazzz

Sweet find and congrats!  BTW like the garage art

[crj1968]

should be an easy resto.   

Glad to see you will bringing it back- awesome car   

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Nice!

[keepat]

 Congrats on the new addition! I also like all of your car pictures in your garage, I recognize the big silver charger ;-)
Thanks
Pat

[69bronzeT5]

Congrats on the new addition! I also like all of your car pictures in your garage, I recognize the big silver charger ;-)
Thanks
Pat

Thanks Pat! Thought you might like that. I got that poster made from the 12mb picture you sent me a few years back

[tan top]

Congratulations   Good stuff Cody    

,  Citron Yella  , with a black top !!   awesome color combination    

[CDN72SE]

Very nice write up and car you got there. I love the back in the day, door lock protectors, have to say I used those for a few years myself, lol.

[hemi68charger]

Congrad's. !!! 

[charger chris]

Congrats on the new car. Will look sharp when done.

[daveco]

  congrats on an awesome car! Coolest hood, doors, and exhaust tips ever on '71s

[VegasCharger]

Very nice

I also have had the 71 itch.

[69bronzeT5]

Thank you guys!

[EccentricMagpies]

Cool looking car just how it sits now.

Nice find and great story on it too.

[RallyeMike]

Sweet. I see from the dash emblem it is the super rare Pirate edition: "Charger R" 

Forget the other cars - put this one at the front of the restoration line?

[69bronzeT5]

Sweet. I see from the dash emblem it is the super rare Pirate edition: "Charger R" 

Forget the other cars - put this one at the front of the restoration line?

One of my friend's mentioned the "Pirate Edition Charger RRRRRR" as well..



With regards to the restoration line, I'm thinking this one is at the front #1 with the '69 behind it. Being as the '69 needs a lot of hidden rust repair (rear frame etc, torsion bar crossmember etc), the '71 realistically is a lot easier. That being said, with my new job I'll be able to do the '71 as well as chip away at the '69. I've decided the '70 Coronet will not be restored, it's just too far gone. I've been offered another '70 Coronet 500 (but a big block car) that's in a lot better shape for free from a friend once he's done pulling the K-member, front suspension and a few other parts off for his '70 Super Bee. My current Coronet will be donating parts to that one when I eventually get it (no rush) and donate stuff to the '69. That's at the far back of the list.

[71 SE3834V]

I've seen a '71 GY3 R/T w/ black top & auto console around here a couple of times this last year. It really stands out in a crowd! If I see it again I'll make sure to get some pics for you for inspiration.
Somewhere along the line someone installed a '72 grill in yours.    Wonder why since it's coded for hideaways.

[69bronzeT5]

I've seen a '71 GY3 R/T w/ black top & auto console around here a couple of times this last year. It really stands out in a crowd! If I see it again I'll make sure to get some pics for you for inspiration.
Somewhere along the line someone installed a '72 grill in yours.    Wonder why since it's coded for hideaways.

Would definitely be appreciated, I love this colour scheme!



Hard to say, I'm wondering that as well. The car had a lot of custom stuff done to it in the '70s and '80s (stereo, full repaint to blue, wheels, custom upholstery etc) so it's really hard to say.

[Challenger340]

This is so cool and fun to follow along, Great Job 

[Dino]

That looks like a great project, congrats!

[69bronzeT5]

Found a wicked picture of my '71 R/T in the '80s!

[tan top]

 

[71_Charger_R/T]

How cool is that!!    

[Harper]

Found a wicked picture of my '71 R/T in the '80s!

that things beast!!!

i know a guy with a red one (not sure if its 71 or later but it looks very similar).

[darbgnik]

Well, Photobucket really fuct this thread up..........

[69bronzeT5]

Well, Photobucket really fuct this thread up..........

Yes, I have to go thru it and re-do the pictures with IMGUR. Just haven't had the time.

[Harper]

Well, Photobucket really fuct this thread up..........

no doubt...I HATE PHOTOBUCKET