Chassis No.
JS23R1B251607
By the dawn of the 1970s, the American muscle car wars had reached their peak. Every major manufacturer was locked in a horsepower battle, each determined to produce the fastest and most aggressive street machine on the market. Chevrolet had its LS6 Chevelle, Ford unleashed the Boss 429 Mustang, Pontiac fielded the Ram Air GTOs, while Plymouth and Dodge countered with some of the most outrageous performance cars ever to emerge from Detroit. At the top of Dodges performance hierarchy sat the mighty Dodge Challenger R/T equipped with the legendary 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8.
Introduced in 1970 as Dodges answer to the rapidly growing pony car market, the Challenger was built on Chryslers new E-body platform and offered in a wide range of trims and engine combinations. Yet none carried the same aura as the Hemi R/T. Rated at a factory-advertised 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque, the dual four-barrel Elephant Motor was engineered with hemispherical combustion chambers, massive breathing capability, and race-bred durability that made it one of the most feared engines of the era.
By 1971, tightening emissions regulations, rising insurance costs, and changing market demands had already begun to signal the end of the classic muscle car era. With its aggressive split grille, functional performance styling, and brutal big-block power delivery, the 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi represented the ultimate expression of Chryslers muscle car philosophy. It remains one of the most coveted and iconic American performance automobiles produced, standing today as a lasting symbol of the horsepower wars that defined a generation.
First introduced in 1970, a total of 356 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8 R/T Challengers were built in the inaugural year - relatively low numbers. However, for the second and final year, just 71 R/T Challengers left the factory in 1971 with the top-of-the-line 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8; rare and highly desirable, indeed. While many were lost to time and the reality of being raced hard in period, surviving examples today, such as this 1971 Challenger Hemi R/T are highly coveted among collectors and purists.
This numbers-matching example is rare solely by production numbers, but thanks to the various factory options, its further elevated among its few peers. This Challenger is 1 of just 59 Hemi R/Ts with an A-833 four-speed manual transmission, 1 of a mere 10 to the leave the factory with a highly desirable N96 shaker hood, and 1 of just 5 built for the export market. Furthermore, its finished in the special ordered color code GF3 Amber Sherwood Poly over a black interior. If that wasnt enough, it is factory equipped with Dana 60 4.10:1 gears, an AM radio, and power brakes.
Under the watchful eye of the current noted muscle car collector since the 2000s, he acquired this rare gem from a Canadian collector who had it for over 20 years. Once acquired, the current owner entrusted a noted shop, Jeffs Resurrections in Taylor, Texas, to perform a no-expense-spared rotisserie restoration to original specifications.
In a testament to the restoration's level of detail, the original decals and inspection markings can be found under the hood, and the trunk is properly detailed and outfitted with a correct jack, space-saver spare tire, and even a correct Chrysler tire inflator can.
Offered from one of the last true great years of the muscle car era, this numbers-matching factory shaker hood 1971 Dodge 426 Hemi Challenger R/T, with its stunning restoration and factory specification, checks all the right boxes for the collector seeking a serious, high-horsepower, blue chip muscle car.
* Numbers-matching 426-cubic-inch 425-HP Hemi V-8 engine
* 1 of a mere 10 factory N96 shaker hood examples and 1 of just 5 built for the export market
* Desirable factory four-speed manual transmission
* Recipient of a rotisserie restoration by Jeffs Resurrections of Texas
* Special-ordered Code GF3 Amber Sherwood over a black interior
* Factory equipped with a Dana 60 4.10:1 gears, AM radio, and power brakes
From the Kruse Auctions
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