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-   -   '71 charger with 400 magnum? (http://www.moparchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5776)

BrianLyttle 07-19-2000 11:13 PM

To day I was driving home when I spotted a '71 charger for sale. It had the pistol grip 4 speed and power bulge hood with ralley gauges. The only thing that was strange was that it had 400 four barrel under the hood. It also had 400 magnum badges on it. The build date, according to the inside door sticker, was Oct. 1970. I thought that 71 was the last year for the 383 and the 400 didn't come out till 1972. Is this car for real? It appears to be original, complete and unmolested. The guy told me it hasn't been started since 1996. He wants 3500 bucks for it. Should I walk away or does this car deserve another look. I love pistol grips and this one really caught my eye.
I love mopars but I am still a novive when it comes to these things. Thanks for any advice in advance.

Chargerchuck 07-24-2000 06:41 PM

Are you absolutely sure you are not looking at a '72? Except for the side marker lights, the bodies are identical. You are correct that the 400 was introduced in '72, taking the place of the 383. Check the VIN to determine the body year, then check the engine block, on the pad next to the distributor. If the engine is a 400, it should say so. If you really want to get picky, compare the engine # on the VIN with the one on the passenger side of the block to see if the #s match.

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BrianLyttle 07-24-2000 08:05 PM

Chargerchuck,
Yes, I am positive that it is a 71 model. Going to check the VIN numbers and block numbers tomorrow. The guy "claims" that it is a numbers matching car..... we will see. Was it common for that type of charger to have a pistol grip 4-speed. Like I said, everything looked factory. Thanks for your help.

Chargerchuck 08-13-2000 12:16 AM

If it's a '71 there's no way it came from the factory with a 400. Mopar used the 383 through '71 (I had a '71 Road Runner) and in '72 went with the 400. The easiest way to check what year your engine is is to check the flat space next to the distributor- it will have the cubic inches plus the year. It will also indicate whether the engine is the high performance version (very difficult to decode- it says HP!) plus any charecteristics such as oversized valve guides, etc. You would need access to a factory shop manual for the year of the motor to get a real accurate description. I have all of the '72 info, so if you need any help, let me know.

70Ted 08-15-2000 06:25 PM

sounds like worth a closer look

Chargerchuck 08-23-2000 07:08 AM

Yes, the Pistol Grip was used at least through '73. A 4 speed car is always worth a premium. Let me know how it turns out!


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