1971 Challenger Convertible

[tralfaz]

It is time for me to sell my 1971 Challenger Convertible.  I have owned it for over 20 years now and it's time for someone to take if for a newer generation.

It is priced for sale in the low $40's.  Thanks to cuda-challenger.com for the ability to post this.  I appreciate it.

Here's the story about the car:

I have had the car over 20 years.  My business partner and myself have both loved Mopars since we were teenagers. (A long time ago!) When I bought it
the person who sold it to me had started fixing it up.  It had already been re-painted by them.  The
440 had already been installed too. This car was originally a small block (318).  They also put the R/T stripes on the car.  1971 Challenger convertibles never
were R/T's nor did they come with a 440.  Another odd thing came with the car back then.  It had a 4 point roll bar welded into the floor behind the front seats.
I didn't get much info about the past history from the seller but they did mention that it had been "raced" a little.  Judging from the 440 and the shift kit in the
auto transmission, i'm not surprised the roll bar was there.

One of the first things I did was to have the roll bar removed.  (Safety yes, but it looks much better without.)

YouTube Videos:
https://youtu.be/696dfvyxqtc
https://youtu.be/DOo_r1I5YXU
https://youtu.be/YyQr2deZsFo
https://youtu.be/3o9Lr8sIHyc


Things I have done:

Just Dashes re-did all the door panels as well as the dash.
Six-Pack style air cleaner, there's a 4 barrel underneath it.  I liked the looks.
Mopar Direct Connection chrome valve covers.
Legendary Interiors did the all the seats.
A/C brand carpet inside.
New Convertible Top.
Pistol Grip shifter. (I know it's not stock, but it looks pretty cool!)
New Door Sills.
Stockton Wheels Mopar Rally - 41 Series with B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A tires
Aside for the times I took it out, the car has been stored indoors since I have owned it.
Front end parts have been replaced with parts from Year One and it has been aligned.

I really want to be transparent with the car as to make it easier for the next owner to know what they will have to do as well as point out things that may not be original.

Engine bay is semi-black, originally should be the body color.
Speedo not hooked up or working, never got around to it.
Could use a fresh Convertible top switch, it works fine, but would look better.
Fuel gauge not working, I have just always topped off the tank when it goes to car shows or to run it around the block each month.  Farthest show I have gone to is
Spring/Fall Fling in the San Fernando Valley from here in Orange County.  (About 100 miles round trip.)
Originally had A/C, none of that is in the car.  Also, heater controls were never hooked up.
Front & rear bumpers were re-chromed about 15 years ago and should be done again if it were to be judged.
Doors close like a 45 year old car, loud.
Original side window glass has some scratches from years of use.
Convertible top rattles a little where it latches to the top of the car.
There are two sheet metal pieces (10"x10"?) that were pop-riveted into the floor board exactly where the base plate of the roll bar was.  Nothing to do with rust,
more just to cover up where the welded roll bar was ground off.  These are under the carpet but you can see the pop rivets when you look under the car.
There is a small blem, just below the rear glass window.  I have a dropbox account with all the pics of the car, just send me an email address and i'll respond with a link to view everything.
Metal area below the dash pad is original, the semi-gloss black paint down eventually should be repainted.
There is only some small surface rust areas within the trunk area as well as underneath the car that would be removed with the fine grit sandpaper.
The original undercoating is still there.

I will try to think of anything else because it will give the new owner an easier time for the future.


They only made convertibles in 1970 and '71.
The 1971 production figures for a V8 convertible is only 1,774. They made 2,543 in 1970.  (Please send me a 'head's up' if these numbers need correcting.)
In all the car shows I have been to,
I have only seen 1 or 2 other 1971 convertibles but plenty of '70's.

I am located in Orange, CA.  It is parked inside my business' warehouse all the time. I highly recommend anyone to have it inspected here.  We do have a car lift
here.


ORIGINAL FENDER TAGS DECODED

JH27:
Dodge Challenger
High
Convertible

G1B: 318 230HP 1-2BBL 8 CYL
1971
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA

228862:   Sequence number

E44:    318 cid 2 barrel V8 230hp
D31:    A904 3-Speed Auto Trans.
GW3:    Bright White Exterior Color
H6X9:    Trim - High, Vinyl Bucket Seats, Black
000:    Full Door Panels
B30:    Build Date: November 30
R03496:   Order number

V3X:    Black Convertible Top
U:    USA Specifications
A46:    Moulding Package
A62:    Rallye Instrument Cluster Package
B51:    Power Brakes
C16:    Console w/Woodgrain Panel

C55:    Bucket Seats
G11:    Tinted Glass (all)
G36:    OS Dual Racing Mirrors
H51:    Air Conditioning with Heater
J25:    3 Speed Wipers
J41:    Pedal Dress Up

J46:    Locking Gas cap
L31:    Hood/Fender Mounted Turn Signals
M31:    Belt Moldings
M42:    Front Stone Shield Moldings
M44:    Hood and Fender Moldings

M35:    Unknown
N95:    Emissions Control
P37:    Power Convertible Top
R11:    Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
V5X:    Body Side Stripes, Black
CTD:    Codes Continued on 2nd Fender Tag

TAG 2
JH27:
Dodge Challenger
High
Convertible

G1B: 318 230HP 1-2BBL 8 CYL
1971
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA

228862:   Sequence number

26:    Unknown Exterior Color (I think that is Sno White)
EN2:    Trim - Unknown, Unknown, Unknown Color
:    Unknown Int. Door Frames
:    Build Date:
:   Order number

Thanks for taking the time to read all the way down here.  You are a true Mopar fan!

[1 Wild R/T]

Welcome to CC.com... Clearly your new, well we don't allow auctions on this website, that would be an Ebay thing... Here you post a price & either someone steps up or the negotiate with you to find an agreeable price....

[tralfaz]

My apologies. The car is not on any auction. I cut and pasted part of the vehicle description from a previous, ended auction. I will remove the reference right now

[tralfaz]

Done

[DocMel]

By only looking at the posted pics and description, I'd have to say low 40's is a heck of a deal

[burdar]

No quarter/trunk trim?

[tralfaz]

No, it didn't come with the car.

Thank you, DocMel for the input.  It ain't perfect, but if it was, I'd probably be afraid to drive it. 

[norwayduster]

Mine is its twin.

[tralfaz]

WOW! Those numbers are pretty close!!

[norwayduster]

It came from california to.

[4Cruizn]

Welcome to the site!  Looks like a great car and I would be sad to let that go . . . I guess that is just me though . . . I still have my first car that I bought in the early 80's.  Someone will get a heck of a nice ride from what I can see!   

 

[AARTA340]

Real nice looking car and the upgrades have to help the value.    You have M35 in your list from the fender tag. If you look closer you will see what I see, N85=tachometer rallye instrument cluster. Good luck with the sale of your ride. 

[1 Wild R/T]

It came from california to.

Not that it matters but that plate shouldn't have been on that car..... That plate is a very early 1970 plate probably assigned in late 69....  Your Challenger is a 71 with a mid production sequence number so it was likely sold in late December 1970 or as late as February..... 

[Cudakiller70]

Not that it matters but that plate shouldn't have been on that car..... That plate is a very early 1970 plate probably assigned in late 69....  Your Challenger is a 71 with a mid production sequence number so it was likely sold in late December 1970 or as late as February.....

Just trying to figure our plates out yesterday.
We have a 71 Challenger with California plate 050 EDU. Don't know if this plate is original we only have the rear. Don't remember when the car was built. My wife had a mustang its plates that were issued in 77 was XXX TFF

[1 Wild R/T]

Just trying to figure our plates out yesterday.
We have a 71 Challenger with California plate 050 EDU. Don't know if this plate is original we only have the rear. Don't remember when the car was built. My wife had a mustang its plates that were issued in 77 was XXX TFF

Same deal as above..... On California six character blue plates the letters are what determines the year.... So the E in EDU is where you start.... I have seen a chart that tracks the black plate issue dates but not for the Blue plates....  With two plates assigned to 71 model year vehicles both in the DEF range I'm thinking I got this wrong....  On the Black Plates the first year the plates were released (1963) they got all the way up to G/H.. But they wanted all the old Yellow plates out of service so that accelerated the plates dispersal.... That didn't happen with the Blue plates so DEF probably is the correct range for a 71 vehicle...

Oh, forgot to mention, since the plates were dispersed by local DMV offices depending on where your car was registered the plate alpha numeric grouping could vary quite a bit..... A DMV in Los Angles moved a much higher volume then a DMV in say Sonora so the Sonora office gets their bundles of say 50 plates & it takes them close to a year to assign those plates to cars... Where as the LA DMV gets a bundle of 250-500 plates at a time & they assign those plates in less than 90 days.....  So Sonora is still assigning Black plates from 1969 & LA is assigning Blue D/E/F/G series plates...