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1973 Dodge Challenger
I purchased this car in 1975 and had it restored recently in 2008. Its a 318 motor that was rebuilt 0.30 over, with a new cam and heads with an Edelbrock four-barrel. Has original 452 transmission drive-shaft and rearend. There are a few minor scratches on the dash as seen in the pictures.
I still have the original flat hoodalthough it has been remodeled with an RT hoodand the original rear window chrome for a standard size window. The rear window that it has now is from a 1971 special addition RT package.The front seats have been re-upholstered, back seats are original, new carpet, new headliner. The rally dash is from the same car the rear window came from.All the windows are tinted, except the front.Bumpers have been re-chromed.The rims are Cragar rims.The car is equipped with a Kenwood 09 Model Mp3 Player and remote.(Stereo/Mp3 player, 3.5MM Input).Four Alpine speakers (2008 Model S type) (two two-inch speakers in the dash, and two larger speakers in the rear).Please call for more details.
The Challenger was described in a book about 1960s American cars as Dodges answer to the Mustang and Camaro. It was one of two Chrysler E-body cars, the other being the slightly smaller Plymouth Barracuda. Both the Challenger and Barracuda were available in a staggering number of trim and option levels and were intended to compete against cars like the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, and to do it while offering virtually every engine in Chryslers inventory. However, the Challenger was a rather late response to the ponycar wave the Ford Mustang had started. In his book Hemi Muscle Cars, Robert Genat wrote that the Challenger was conceived in the late 1960s as Dodges equivalent of the Plymouth Barracuda, and that the Barracuda was designed to compete against the Mustang.
The Barracuda was actually the first car in this sporty car segment by a few months, but was quickly overshadowed by the release of the segment defining Mustang (the segment being referred to as Pony Car). He added that Chrysler intended the new Dodge as the most potent ponycar ever, and positioned it to compete against the Mercury Cougar and Pontiac Firebird. Genat also noted that the Barracuda was intended to compete in the marketplace with the Mustang and Camaro/Firebird, while the Dodge was to be positioned against the Cougar and other more luxury-type muscle-cars.
The Challengers longer wheelbase, larger dimensions and more luxurious interior were prompted by the launch of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, likewise a bigger, more luxurious and more expensive pony car aimed at affluent young American buyers.The wheelbase, at 110 inches (2,794 mm), was two inches longer than the Barracuda, and the Dodge differed substantially from the Plymouth in its outer sheetmetal, much as the Cougar differed from the shorter-wheelbase Ford Mustang. A/C and a rear window defogger were optional.
Exterior design was done by Carl Cameron, who also did the exterior for the 1966 Dodge Charger. Cameron based the 1970 Challenger grille off an older sketch of his 1966 Charger prototype that was to have a turbine engine. The Charger never got the turbine, but the Challenger got that cars grille. Although the Challenger was well received by the public (with 76,935 produced for the 1970 model year), it was criticized by the press, and the pony car segment was already declining by the time the Challenger arrived. Sales fell dramatically after 1970, and though sales rose for the 1973 model year with over 27,800 cars being sold, Challenger production ceased midway through the 1974 model year. 165,437 Challengers were sold over this models lifespan.
For the 1973 models, the 225 cu in six-cylinder engine was no longer available, leaving just the two V-8s. For 1974, the 340 cu in (5.6 L) engine was replaced by a 360 cu in (5.9 L) version offering 245 hp, but the pony car market had deteriorated and production of Challengers ceased in late April 1974. The A/C was not available with the 3-speed manual.
Cosmetic variations
Protruding bumper guards, 1973
Center backup light, 1970
Although the body style remained the same throughout the Challengers five year run, there were two notable changes to the front grille. The 1971 models had a split grille, while 1972 introduced a design that extended the grille (nicknamed the sad-mouth) beneath the front bumper. With this change to the front end, 1972 through 1974 models had little to no variation. The only way to properly distinguish them is that the 1972s had flush mounted bumpers with no bumper guards, (small bumper guards were optional), while both the 1973 and 1974 models had the protruding 5 mph (8.0 km/h) bumpers (with a rubber type filler behind them) in conjunction with large bumper guards. The 1974 cars had larger rear bumper guards to meet the (new for 1974 and on) rear 5 mph rear impact law. These changes were made to meet U.S. regulations regarding crash test safety.
The 1970 taillights went all the way across the back of the car, with the backup light in the middle of the rear. In 1971, the backup lights were on the left and right instead of the middle. The taillight array also changed for 1972 onwards, with the Challenger now having four individual rectangular lamps.
For additional information please call 877-566-6686
Vehicle located in Dresden ON Ad Id# 103456
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STOCK/INV. NUMBER:
103456
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