Should I buy a '71 charger SE?

[v8440]

Hi all,

I looked at a '71 charger SE. It's a 318/auto, I think column shift. It has manual drum brakes too, which surprised me since it also has power steering and a/c. It has hideaway headlights and a gauge cluster with a 150 mph speedometer. The bumper/grille/hideaway headlight stuff looks to be in pretty decent shape. It also has an 8 3/4 rearend in it.

The tail lights look ok, though it was hard to get behind the car because of bushes growing there. The tag expired in '84, and the guy said that it was running several years ago. I'm assuming that the trunk and floorboards are rusted through, though I don't know that for sure. The door panels are reasonable and the interior looks complete but beaten by the sun. The body in general is not trashed and there aren't rust holes all over the place.

Lastly, the deck lid has some terrible rust in it. I think you could probably beat a hole in it with your hand if you put your mind to it.

Assuming this thing does not run, what might it possibly be worth? $600? $1000?

 

[a12bee]

I'd start at 600 if it doesn't run and less if the trunk is gone.

 

[Jester]

Aren't there a lot of solid cars in AL ?

Rust is the #1 thing on my hate list, and finding something with little to no rust, even if you have to spend a bit more $, is probably the best bet.

 

[Jester]

Oh yeah, and:

This post is worthless without pics

 

[v8440]

Too bad I don't have any pictures of the car...

I didn't know if the front grille and headlight setup might be worth a ton of money, or same for the instrument cluster.

 

[XLR8R]

I think the lights are worth good coin.....

 

[J.C. Corbett]

Seems like hideaways are worth a bit. Must check....

 

[thrashingcows]

Aren't there a lot of solid cars in AL ?

Rust is the #1 thing on my hate list, and finding something with little to no rust, even if you have to spend a bit more $, is probably the best bet.

Exactly...rust in my books equal bad and probably gonna pass....cheaper in the long run to pay more intialy for a rust free car then to get a rusty car CHEAP and then have to pay big $$$ to repair the rust.

 

[69.5CUDA]

i imagione the grill and 150 are worth some good$$$ if the trunk lid is that bad i fear for the rest of the car

 

[v8440]

The floors might be rusted out, but the body isn't half bad by comparison.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Generally speaking, the trunk isn't a problem on the '71-up cars like it is on the taxicab B-cars. The extensions rust, but the main pan generally holds up well.

All '71 SEs have hideaways and a Rallye cluster with a 150 speedo, though guys will pay a lot for either one (I got over $600 for a hideaway setup five or six years ago). The hideaway setup is '71-only; the '72 setup uses different doors and grilles. If the cluster has a clock or tach, spectacular... the clock/tach cluster is the same with the exception of that one gauge; the non-tach/clock cluster will not accept the tach or clock.

Nothing special about the taillamps--they're standard Charger fare, although they are '71-only. If the fender, hood, trunk, and quarter-panel garnish mouldings (around the bumpers) are in really good shape, they're probably worth a few coins. To my knowledge, they're '71-'72 SE only, although they may have been an option on others of the same era. I haven't seen one myself, though, and they weren't used on the '73-'74 Chargers.

The primary problem areas on the '71-up cars are the lower corners of the windshield, the driver's side front frame rail (check behind the steering box--that's where they go fastest), and the DS floorpan (because of the lower windshield corners). Solid quarters are worth a fortune as are good fenders, both of which are 1-year-only ('72 used different side-marker lamps, '73-'74 are completely different). Doors are '71-'72 specific as well; the '73-'74 cars used different body lines on the doors (the fender lines connect to the quarter-panel lines; the '71-'72 lines overlap like a '68).

Also, to my knowledge, the '71 prop-valve/distribution block for the brakes is '71-only. The two are separate; in '72 it's all one unit.

Any other questions? I'm your guy on the '71-4 Bs.

 

[71ChargerRT]

From what you describe if you bought it and it was too far gone you could make some $$$ off it. I'd say gofer it

ohhh yea, we need pics

 

[v8440]

Hmm...the asking price is $600. I may well be able to get it for less. I know that one fender has a fairly small dent, and no rust that I remember. I don't remember about the other fender. I have a '73 or '74 charger with an 8 1/4 that I'd like to rob the 8 3/4 out of this one for. If the hideaway headlights and instrument cluster would pay or mostly pay for the car then it would make a lot of sense for me to snap this one up. I think I probably will.