Text by Patrick Bell.
Today we have a gallery that represents big bucks if all the featured cars survived and were for sale today. The Chrysler Corporation built some engaging cars during the muscle car era, and here is a good selection for your viewing pleasure.
This man bought his ’71 ‘Cuda Hardtop new, and kept it for 45 years per a search. It was equipped with a vinyl roof, and aftermarket body side molding, wheels, and mud guards.
A search on this ’69 Road Runner Coupe reveals it was a late year car with the optional 440 Six-Barrel engine. The owner built it for the strip with an aftermarket hood, headers, and wheel and suspension modifications.
Here is a V8 powered ’70 Challenger convertible from Illinois with no visible modifications. This was one of 3,173 convertibles made in the first year, and was the most popular of the two years of Challenger drop tops.
The featured car was a ’69 Dart GTS Hardtop with a vinyl roof and bumper guards. Modifications include wheels, tires, mud flaps, and traction bars. Other Mopars include on the left edge a ’69 Charger with the hood open, to the right of the pickup a gold ’72 Polara, and a copper ’74-’77 Fury or Gran Fury wagon.
A rusty ’69 Coronet 500 hardtop with modified wheels, tires, and a CB antenna on the deck lid.
This man doesn’t look too happy, nor does his dress mode fit with this ’68 Coronet Super Bee Coupe with no wheel covers.
A ’69 Barracuda Sports Fastback modified with CB antenna, spoiler, body side stripe, spring shackles, and wheel and tires.
I’ll bet the neighbor’s were loving this… Somebody was warming up their tires on a ’72-’74 Barracuda that was modified for the strip with an aftermarket hood.
Now this is a pair, a ’70 Coronet R/T convertible with Crager wheels, and a ’69 GTX hardtop. The R/T was one of 296 built, a rare one then and especially so now.
Ontario was the home to this ’71 Challenger R/T hardtop equipped with the “Shaker” hood scoop.
This ’69 Road Runner hardtop from British Columbia was close to new in this image. The owner had modified it with their choice of chrome wheels and red stripe tires.
A rain shower had just dampened this ’68 Charger from California. It was equipped with a vinyl roof, and had been modified with a “Dodge” decal for those that might not know, body side molding, mud flaps, wheels and tires where the wide one in the rear had kissed the curb; and possibly a color change as that does not look like an original color.
Here we may have a college dormitory where some of the students were packing for a holiday or break of some kind. A ’71 Charger Super Bee is up front, equipped with a vinyl roof, hood tie down straps, and was modified with fog/driving lamps, and wheels and tires.
A ’72 Road Runner equipped with a canopy vinyl roof and the 340 V8 engine and modified with aftermarket wheels and tires.
Thanks for joining us and have a great day!
Nice cars, those were the days!
Mopar muscle has brought crazy money the last 20 years or so. Wonder if that will continue as we boomers age out.
I could never afford the Challenger drop-top I wanted, but did find this ultra-rare Charger last summer, in the proverbial barn. It may be rarer than any other car shown here, a 1970 Charger R/T V-Code: 440, 4-speed with “pistol grip” shifter, 6-pack. 143 were made with the manual trans, about the same # with auto. I couldn’t afford proper restoration of a car like this, so immediately sold it to a guy in California, sight unseen. Woulda coulda shoulda.
pic:
If that 69 440 Roadrunner is in fact a A12 440 car that hood would be the factory fiberglass lift off hood. They all were black from the factory however
Each time I see a Charger R/T, I think of the chase scene in Bullitt.
Here I am next to my new 1973 Dodge Challenger, 318 V8, a/c, PS/PB, and vinyl top. I was an AIc (E4) and bought the car new from King Dodge in nearby Sacramento. I long ago traded the car but still have my original CA license plates. The dorms are in the background. I parked far away from the other airmen’s cars. I retired as a Lt Col.
Sigh, I could have bought most of these for $700 apiece back in 1977-82. OK, maybe $850 for the convertibles.
Unhappy man next to Super Bee: “I told my son I would make half the down payment on a new Dodge Coronet 2-door sedan, but this is not what I expected.”
And then someone went and stole his hubcaps.
As a pre-teen, I read as many car magazines as I could. Including used car buyer guides. Circa 1978, Consumer Guide absolutely trashed the E-Bodies, as very poor second hand car buys. Going on memory, I generally can’t think of 1970’s era cars they more maligned, as a bad purchase. Perhaps the Vega, Audi 100LS, or Audi Fox. When factoring in the inefficiency of their design, the E-Bodies were near or at the top. One of the most likely abused used cars, you might find. While unable to withstand the abuse.
I am loving the many memories these pictures evoke .
Yes, E-Body MoParts were wretched cars to live with, built solely to sell upon their looks they were cramped inside and had terrible out ward view from any angle but they were light and mid size so they made many fun Hot Rods .
-Nate
try again…
’70 R/T V-code as found in the barn:
I give up! Bloody hell. I’m not good at re-sizing…