Carroll Shelby’s 1983 Charger: One of Mopar’s Greatest Four-bangers

Aggressive ’80s Dodge is a perfect example of Shelby’s Mopar prowess, and this one was his personal ride.

Carroll Shelby was a giant in the automotive industry. He was the designer behind some of the coolest performance cars ever built, as well as was an accomplished racer. When we think Shelby we think speed and superior design.

One of his most important partnerships was that with Lee Iacocca, who brought Shelby over to Dodge when he was head of Chrysler. There, he worked on the Viper, Charger, and Omni, amongst other Dodge cars.

Now you can own not only one of Shelby’s designs, but the same Shelby Charger he used as his personal car. The 1983 Shelby Charger is being sold by Bonhams as part of their upcoming Scottsdale Auction, Jan. 17.

The Charger, in Santa Fe blue with matching interior was the first of Shelby’s Mopars. With only 3,005 miles on the odometer it is in exceptionable condition.

This Charger has a 2.2-liter inline-four paired to a five-speed manual transmission. It makes 107 hp and 127 lb.-ft of torque. Shelby added a free-flowing exhaust system that gave the car a beastly growl. It can easily hit 0-60 in sub 10 second time, an awesome spec for its time. It reached top speeds of 117 mph.

In addition to owning a piece of automotive history, it is one awesome muscular ride.

If you’re interested in buying the Charger, it’ll likely cost you, but we think it’s worth every penny.

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S.J. Bryan

Longtime automotive journalist S.J. Bryan has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is an editor with Ford Truck Enthusiasts and regular contributor to F-150 Online, Harley-Davidson Forums, and The Mustang Source, among other popular auto sites.

Bryan first discovered her passion for all things automotive while riding in her parent's 1968 Ford Mustang. The automotive expert cut her teeth growing up riding on Harleys, and her first car was a Chevy Nova. Despite her lead foot, Bryan has yet to receive a speeding ticket.

The award-winning former playwright was first published at age 18. She has worked extensively as a writer and editor for a number of lifestyle and pop culture publications. The diehard gearhead is a big fan of American muscle cars, sixth-gen Ford trucks, and Oxford commas.

S.J. can be reached at sherryjbry@gmail.com.