Check Out this 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Six Pack
This car is well deserving of being named ‘Muscle Car of the Week.’
Mention the sport compact segment these days and you’ll probably conjure up images of Ford Fiestas, VW GTIs and other do-it-all hot hatches with boosted four-cylinders. Fifty years ago, the segment had a more sinister disposition. It involved V8 power and rear-wheel drive.
Believe it or not, the Challenger — a car with a longer wheelbase than a modern Corvette — was MOPAR’s version of a “sport compact” in 1971. Conceived to do battle with the popular Mustang and Camaro pony cars, the Challenger came equipped with a paltry 125 horsepower in base form. However, this is no basic Challenger.
R/T Stands for “Really Testy”
If you wanted a Challenger that could roll of the showroom floor right into the bleach box at your local drag strip, the R/T was the car for you. Stock equipment on the R/T was a capable 383 “Magnum.” However, this particular MOPAR comes with the infamous 440 Six-Pack, which received a special intake manifold and three two-barrel carburetors.
All that motor was enough to generate 390 horsepower, which meant the Challenger was quite a performer in the quarter-mile. The orange-striped car in this video also features a torque-flight three-speed and Dana ’60 rear axle with 4:10 gears for quick acceleration.
This is a car that would run in the low fourteens in stock shape but could quickly turn in 12-second ETs with minimal tuning to put the power down. This car features heavy-duty upgraded springs courtesy of Dodge.
Outside, the orange R/T trim seems to alert would-be predators just like a brightly-colored snake atop the car’s jet-black basecoat. The stamped steel wheels wear polyglass tires that complete the angry, ’70s-era look.
Inside, the car’s rally sport gauges complement its sporting nature perfectly. Amenities are typically sparse for a car of this period, but this one has black leather seats and wood trim on the dash. It’s a beautiful specimen of the model, and as part of the Brothers Collection regularly featured on Muscle Car of the Week, it has been lovingly kept inside a temperature-controlled garage so future generations can appreciate this definitive “sport compact.”