1983 Dodge Shelby Charger

1983 Dodge Shelby Charger
VIN. 1B3BZ6485DD170629
2,213cc SOHC Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor
107bhp at 5,600 rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Front MacPherson Strut with Semi-Trailing Arm Rear Suspension
Front Ventilated Discs with Drum Rear Brakes

*From the personal collection of Carroll Shelby
*Only 3,005 original miles from new
*The first of the Shelby Mopars
*Brilliant Santa Fe Blue Paint with matching interior

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

In 1983, Carroll Shelby and the Lee Iacocca would renew their storied partnership, this time within the MOPAR family. The very first product of this reunion would be a performance tuned variant of the Omni based Charger model. Shelby's first effort on the ubiquitous Chrysler 2.2 inline 4-cylinder involved increasing the compression ration to 9.6:1 and installing a more aggressive camshaft. A modest increase of 13hp brought the grand total to 107hp and 127lb-ft of torque. Also aiding in the quickness endeavor was a close ratio 5-speed transaxle and a top gear ratio of 2.78. Lastly, a free-flowing exhaust system provided the coupe with a more aggressive growl. The consequence of these upgrades was a sub 10 second 0-60 time, an impressive statistic for the era, and a top speed of 117mph.

Despite all of this attention being spent under the hood, the real focus of the project was placed on making the vehicle handle with greatly increased precision and response. The difference behind the wheel was immediately noticeable thanks to a faster 14:1 power steering system. The suspension was treated to shorter stiffer springs all around that lowered the car roughly an inch. Low profile 195 section Goodyear Eagle GT tires provided increased grip and vented front disc brakes thoroughly reigned in the added speed.

The exterior was also graced with a brand new body kit. A functional front air dam, ground effect skirts and ducktail spoiler all aided increasing the aerodynamic balance of the sporty coupe. Beyond those additions the vehicle was instantly recognizable as a Shelby owing to decals and special paint options.

The Charger presented here is Carroll Shelby's personal car that has been part of his collection since new. Having covered just over 3,005 miles, it is in "time capsule" like condition. In addition to living in Carroll's personal collection, the car has also spent a number of years on display in the Shelby Museum. The car is accompanied by its original window sticker and a Shelby vehicle authenticity certificate certifying that it is in fact Carroll's personal car. The Shelby Charger was the first Shelby produced vehicle since the 1970 Shelby GT350/500. This Shelby Charger is without doubt, the finest example extant.