"This thing was once owned by a card dealer [from] the Stardust Hotel and Casino; we found his pay stub under the back seat, but we don't know what happened to him..."--Brent Ball
Fast Facts: 1971 Dodge Charger 383
Car Owner: Brent Ball, Harrowsmith, Ontario
Mopar Power
- Engine: The 383 was the considered by some as a pedestrian motor in Chrysler's line-up in 1971, soon to be replaced by the 400. Originally rated at 335 horses, a drop in compression to for '71 brought that down to a flat 300. The Carter AVS was used for California emissions vehicles; a Holley would have been used in the other 49 states. The rest of it is just like Ma Mopar built in 1971.
- Transmission: The 727 TorqueFlite, now actuated by a factory Slap-Stik.
- Differential: An 8 3/4 unit was the standard in Charger; this one is built for cruising.
- Horsepower and Performance: The compression drop and a change from net to brake horsepower means the paper rating is 300 ponies; a tight gear (4.10 or up) and good shifting was always a help with the larger 71-up B-Bodies.
Sure Grip
- Suspension: Stock, even the OEM shocking was retained.
- Brakes: Power drums.
- Wheels: 15-inch factory Rallye wheels
- Rubber: Goodyear F60-15 Polyglas
High Impact
- Body: Fuselage-type 1971 Charger; last of the hot designs to leave Detroit in the mid-size body range.
- Paint: FJ6 Go Green, replicated by Bruce Pardo using Sikkens paint.
- Interior: Retrofit upgrades like Rallye dash and fresh buckets. We'd do it, too...
- Best Performance: Street corner Gran Prix, and possibly outrunning the Vegas mob!