1974

Dodge Charger SE

VIN: WP29G4G157355

I’m often asked where we find these unique cars. My best employee, Humphrey, frequents the parking lots of local retirement homes, our Elks club, the V.F.W halls and even some back alleys of a well-known Scandinavian neighborhood here in Seattle. He can spot a seatbelt slammed in a car door a mile away… He notices when a vehicle is driving with a turn signal left on just a little too long and he positively twitches with glee when passing by a rig with metal bumpers, especially when it’s a muscle car!

Now, I’ve gotta admit it was a bit upsetting when Humphrey arrived back at our warehouse with this unique Charger. He’d agreed to a price WAY above what he should have! After the story came out, not only was his job safe, but those of us listening were nearly in tears. Sometimes the expensive thing is the right thing to do! Here’s what he told us:

Back in the summer of 1985 Timmy M. found his dream car. He’d been working at a local muffler shop in Central Oregon for most of the decade since high school. The lady that owned this Charger couldn’t appreciate a four-speed manual and just wanted it gone. Timmy jumped at the chance. Over the next decade he lovingly upgraded the stock interior, added a Hurst shift system, built custom stainless headers and a full dual hi-po exhaust. Everyone in town knew his red Charger!

By the late nineties, life got in the way of muscle car ownership (as it has for many of us). With a daughter finishing high school and money tight, Timmy reluctantly let the Charger go. Some consolation came as the buyer lived nearby and he’d frequently see the car cruising. Getting more than $20,000 also helped.

Flash forward to late 2013. Timmy, now a single man, works again at a muffler shop but now lives near Tacoma in order to be close to his beloved grandson. He decides a car project would be great fun for both of them and starts looking online. Of course, the first choice is a Charger, but most are way out of his price range. He does find a title-less $500 parts car up near the Canadian border. Imagine his surprise when he arrived with his trailer and discovered his old red 1974 SE! The seller also moved north, had never transferred title out of Timmy’s name and had misplaced it years before. As far as the state was concerned, Timmy still technically owned the car!

There wasn’t any negotiating. He paid the $500 and transported the complete, running and driving Charger home. Over the next few months Timmy and his grandson tuned and upgraded. A professional, two-stage paint job was done to the same Ferrari red color. His custom made headers and exhaust were still in place. Modern wheels, a Hi-Po Edelbrock carb and Xenon headlights were added. Then disaster struck. The grandson died unexpectedly and, after his death, Timmy couldn’t bring himself to drive the Charger much. The final straw came a few weeks ago when his mother began needing 24-hour homecare. Humphrey was the first person there with cash when the Craigslist ad posted.

If you’re in the market for great looking, running & driving vintage muscle please give this Charger SE your kind attention. You’re also welcome to contact me with questions or to discuss a sale before the end of the Ebay listing. My name is Mark Thompson and I can be reached at 206/914-1173. With that said, here’s a little more history/report on this VERY sharp Dodge:



CONDITION:
The photos really tell the car’s story. It sold new here locally in the Seattle suburb of Burien at (the late) BBC Dodge on June 24, 1974. I’ll be sure to include all the carefully preserved paperwork and records you see pictured, still in their plastic dealer jacket, tucked away safely back in the glove compartment. Among other things, these include the original window sticker, factory broadcast sheet, warranty card, owner’s manual and assorted Mopar dealer forms. All look brand new. I take great pride in the vehicles we sell and feel that you should know as much about them as possible. Accordingly, here’s a list of the good and also one or two things still needing to be addressed:

The first question I’m always asked is about rust. Well, this classic cruiser HATES rust and you’ll be very hard pressed to find anything here to worry about. Because it’s always been kept in our mild climate Northwest, the Charger has NEVER been exposed to corrosion starters. Yes, the Puget Sound region gets its share of drizzle, but rarely any snow, so our winter roads aren’t salted. One snowflake and everyone stays home. Besides, this vehicle has not even seen a winter road in many years! Climb over, under and throughout; I know you’ll come up smiling! The multi-stage paint is in very good condition. I find absolutely no rust bubbles in the usual areas beneath it. Small nicks and rock chips have been touched-up.

One of the first things you’ll notice on inspection is the superb condition of the bumpers and bright moldings. There’s just no pitting or dents as you’ll often see on a 44-year-old vehicle. Same goes for the vinyl top. I believe it might be original to the car and is in perfect condition! No shrinkage, no UV-induced “tiger-claw” shreds, no loose sections or rust pitting up from underneath; just what you’d expect from a vehicle that’s ALWAYS been garaged, driven sparingly and cared for!

One turn of the key and the strong 340 cubic-inch V8 fires right up with just a few pumps of the gas pedal, even when cold. The fully functional thru-the-hood air scoop and electronic MSD ignition system complete the package. Like me, you’ll also be very impressed by the deep burble of the custom made headers and dual H-pipe system. Not sure where he found them, but I really like the look of these Challenger-inspired exhaust tips Timmy installed. This rig truly sounds like there’s an idling Hemi under the hood! The four-speed transmission shifts just like it should with NO clutch slippage and has Hurst Linkage. Power steering and front disk brakes are here, too.

Take another look at my interior shots. The seat vinyl (both front and rear) is excellent, as are the custom fabric center panels. As pictured, there aren’t any cracks or visible wear spots, only a couple of long-ago burn holes (thankfully, NO cigarette odor in the car). The original headliner along with both sun visors are fine. Some wiring attention, beyond my abilities, is still needed to get the interior/exterior lights and gauges all working properly. Same goes for the factory AM radio and A/C system. In my photos you’ll notice the door seals are missing. They’ve now arrived and have been properly installed.

I really like the look of the wide five spoke chrome wheels! They’re wrapped with 245/60R15 Kelly raised white letter radials, each having at least 90% remaining tread. This road rocket Charger is a blast to drive and absolutely turns heads everywhere you go

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. You’re welcome and encouraged to stop by to inspect, drive and make an offer. Please BID WITH CONFIDENCE and know that you are purchasing a nice vehicle from a respected Ebay Seller. My main goal is be sure you’re happy with your purchase - and your dealings with me – with the hope that you might be back again for another collector car.

Because of the amount of money involved in buying a vehicle, we require that new Ebay members with a feedback history of five or fewer transactions call or email before placing a bid. If I don’t have this initial contact, your bid may be cancelled. As I’ve outlined above, the phone number to talk directly to me is 206/914-1173. Please feel free to call any time during the auction. My name is MARK THOMPSON. You’re welcome and encouraged to inspect & drive the Charger. You might also consider making an offer as many of my vehicles sell to smart “early birds” that call and work out a deal prior to the auction’s end. I always reserve the right to sell during this period.

A Few Additional Terms and Conditions:

A nonrefundable $500 deposit is due within 48 hours of the auction’s conclusion. The balance is due by cash or certified funds within seven business days unless prior arrangements have been made with me. I can accept PAYPAL, but if you plan to pay any more than the deposit through them I’ll first need to invoice you and ask that you cover the 3.5% fee PayPal charges. Please remember you are bidding to buy and I fully expect the winning bidder to fulfill their Ebay contract! You’re not bidding to hold or then come inspect and test-drive the vehicle later -- You’re more than welcome to do this before the auction ends.

If you decide to have thecar transported home, there are scores of companies to choose from. I ship vehicles regularly and suggest that you get a transport bid from Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS). They're EBay’s endorsed transporter and will give you a fair quote. Call them directly at (888)587-5096 and give the phone rep my affiliate number (2362642) so they can pull up all our information for station-to-station or even door-to-door quotes. If you’re on the West Coast we also have an excellent local hauler that has delivered a number of our rigs to buyers in Washington, Oregon and California.

Getting bids from the U-Ship.com website is another alternative. You’ll be able to choose a transport broker from multiple offers. The zip code for pick-up is 98002 (Auburn, Washington). As always, the shipping of the vehicle and company chosen are the responsibility of the BUYER.

You are welcome to keep the Charger free of charge at my location for up to two weeks after the auction ends assuming full payment has been received. After that period storage is $20 per day.