SOLD on Jun 15, 2026

Elite Dealer

1973 Dodge Charger

Michigan

$8,895

Vehicle Details

Make

Dodge

Model

Charger

Year

1973

VIN

CBL01049

Body Type

Coupe

Transmission

Automatic

Engine

Big Block

Description

1973 Dodge Charger SE Originally a big block car Engine and automatic transmission missing Clean white body with no rust Good solid body Equipped with sport gauge cluster A solid project Charger with lots of potential for restoration or performance build.

Dodge Charger Buyer's Guide

Full guide

Mike Sullivan

Muscle Cars

1966–1978

~3 min read

Updated Apr 2026

The Dodge Charger is one of American muscle's most iconic silhouettes — a fastback bruiser with a long hood, a short tail, and a HEMI option that still makes hearts race. From its 1966 debut through the B-body generation, the Charger defined what a performance car could look like.

This guide covers

✓ 10-point inspection checklist

✓ Common issues & what to avoid

✓ In-person inspection guide

✓ Market pricing by year & condition

✓ 5 FAQs answered

✓ History & fun facts

Read the Full Charger Buyer's Guide

Dodge Charger Market Overview

Based on 39 Dodge Charger listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

Listed Now

$52,455

Avg. Asking Price

1966–1987

Year Range

Price Position on Our Site — Below Average

This car: $8,895

Low: $3,500 High: $197,995

Transmission Distribution

Automatic 72% ◄

Manual 15%

Condition Distribution

Excellent 10%

Good 3%

Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 39 listings →

Dodge Charger Buyer's Guide

Mike Sullivan here, and the Dodge Charger needs no introduction. When people picture American muscle, they picture a Charger. The fastback roofline, the hidden headlights, the long hood — it's a design that photographers have been chasing since the day it rolled out of the Hamtramck assembly plant. Add a 440 or a 426 HEMI and you have a car that still makes professional racers nervous at stoplights.

The Charger's story runs from 1966 through 1978, but the definitive generation is the B-body era of 1968–1970. These are the cars that Bullitt and The Dukes of Hazzard made iconic, and they remain among the most sought-after — and most carefully scrutinized — classic cars in the market.

What to Check Before Buying

✓

VIN Verification — Confirm the VIN identifies a Charger, not a Coronet or Super Bee converted to Charger spec.

✓

Broadcast Sheet / Fender Tag — Obtain the Broadcast Sheet or decode the Fender Tag to verify original powertrain and options — use a Chrysler documentation specialist.

✓

Engine Number — Verify the engine number against the Broadcast Sheet — HEMI numbers are well-documented and forgeries exist.

✓

Trunk Floor Rust — Inspect the entire trunk floor from inside and beneath — this is the most common structural rust location.

✓

Lower Quarter Panels — Check behind the rear wheels on the lower quarter panels — probe with a pick tool, not just visual inspection.

✓

Floor Pans — Inspect front and rear floor pans from underneath — lift the carpet and check from inside as well.

✓

Hidden Headlight Mechanism — Cycle the headlights several times — both should open and close fully without grinding or hesitation.

✓

Torsion Bar Suspension — Check for worn torsion bars (front sag) and deteriorated front-end bushings — common on higher-mileage cars.

✓

440/HEMI Specifics — On big-block cars, run the engine to full operating temperature and listen for detonation, lifter noise, or timing issues.

✓

Body Alignment — Check all panel gaps — uneven gaps indicate previous collision work or a composite car assembled from multiple vehicles.

Common Issues

Clone cars built from lower-value Coronet or base Charger shells — verification is essential. Trunk floor rust and lower rear quarter corrosion behind the wheel openings. Floor pan perforation under the rear seat on unrestored cars. Hidden headlight mechanism corrosion and failure. Torsion bar front suspension wear on high-mileage cars. Cracked 440 exhaust manifolds from heat cycling. HEMI-specific maintenance items: dual-point distributor adjustment, dual-carburetor synchronization, and aluminum intake corrosion.

What to Look For

Verify powertrain documentation (Broadcast Sheet or Fender Tag) before paying any performance premium — clone cars are prevalent. Check the VIN to confirm it is a Charger body (not a clone from Coronet or Super Bee). Inspect the trunk floor and lower quarters behind the rear wheels for structural rust. Check the floor pans under both front and rear seats. Verify the hidden headlight mechanism operates smoothly — corrosion here is common. On HEMI cars, verify the engine number against known casting patterns and the Broadcast Sheet.

Price Guide

1966–1967 first-gen Charger: $25,000–$55,000 for 383/440 cars, $80,000–$150,000+ for documented HEMIs. 1968–1970 Charger with 383: $35,000–$65,000. 1968–1970 with 440 Magnum: $50,000–$90,000. 1968–1970 with 440 Six Pack: $70,000–$120,000. 1968–1970 documented 426 HEMI: $150,000–$400,000+. 1971–1974 Charger R/T 440: $25,000–$55,000 — significant value relative to 1968–1970 cars.

Did You Know?

The 1969 Dodge Charger 500 and Charger Daytona were built specifically for NASCAR homologation — Dodge needed to sell enough street cars to qualify them for racing. The Daytona's rear wing was tall enough to allow the trunk lid to open. The General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985) was a 1969 Charger, and the show reportedly destroyed more than 300 Chargers during production — contributing to the reduced supply of affordable examples. The 426 HEMI's official 425 horsepower rating was widely understood to be conservative; many automotive journalists of the era estimated actual output at 500–550 horsepower.