Auction Date 18 March.
Image: 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye
Exhaustively restored, with invoices totalling £90,000
Estimate £50,000 - £60,000
Registration No: AWW 175K
Chassis No: WH23H2A181194
MOT: Exempt
1 of just 4,351 Charger Rallye hardtops produced in ’72
Range-topping Rallye model, and with the desirable Pistol-Grip four-speed Hurst manual gearbox
Lavished with an exhaustive restoration, completed in November, 2025, with c.£90,000 worth of restoration invoices on file
Fresh from restoration, with under 10 miles covered since its completion!
Surely the very archetype of the American muscle car, the Dodge Charger burst onto the scene midway through 1966 as the “Leader of the Dodge Rebellion.” The sharp and stylish first generation gave way in 1968 to the more aggressive second generation, which was immediately immortalised in the villains’ car in the Steve McQueen film Bullitt. Other starring rôles followed in Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974) and the television series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-85). Less well-remembered, but by no means less worthy, the third generation took over for 1971, with its distinctive “fuselage” body shell further exaggerating the Charger’s sinewy styling. What the three generations all had in common was access to some of the largest, most prodigious and rip-roaring engines ever inserted into a production automobile.
Since 1968, the Charger’s performance flagship had been the R/T model, but increasing insurance costs affected its sales, and 1971 was its last year. At the same time, federal legislators were embarking on a low-emissions crusade which would cause the death of many of the biggest and best engines, such as Dodge’s Hemi. Nevertheless, a new model, the Rallye, was devised for 1972 to give the Charger one last hurrah as a serious performance machine. It could be purchased with what, by then, was the full spectrum of Dodge V8s, from the base 150bhp two-barrel 318ci (5.2-litre) motor to the earth-shaking 280bhp four-barrel 440ci (7.2-litre) Magnum. The three most powerful engines came equipped with the A-833 four-speed manual with Hurst pistol-grip shifter, though the TorqueFlite automatic was optional; tested on a drag strip, a 440-equipped Rallye ran the quarter-mile in under 15secs. Numerous cosmetic details served to visually distinguish the new model from is less athletic siblings. Naturally, the Rallye commanded a premium price, hence just 4,351 were built out of 75,500 ’72 Chargers.
Looking as if it had just rolled out of the showroom, this exceptional 1972 Charger Rallye is, in fact, fresh from a restoration to a concours standard. It was first registered for British roads in 2021, having been purchased by the vendor the previous year in running and driving, but cosmetically scruffy, condition, still with its original engine and gearbox. Immediately upon its arrival at his home, he commenced the meticulous four-year restoration which only reached completion in November, 2025, having cost somewhere in the region of £90,000 of restoration expense, plus the car's initial purchase!
The most visible aspect of the restoration, of course, is the body and paint, which was performed by specialist body shop Carmeleon. The shell was blasted and taken back to the bare metal, with new panels being fitted as required, before receiving the paintwork to the highest standard.
The original 340 (5.6-litre) Magnum engine, with four-barrel carburettor and dual exhausts, was rated when new at 240hp and propelled the Charger to a 15.8sec. quarter-mile. For the car’s restoration, the engine was comprehensively overhauled by Meridian Engine Services, which included a rebore, regrinding of the crank, cylinder head refurbishment, new pistons and rings, fitment of a semi-performance camshaft, and much more besides. The gearbox was similarly overhauled with parts from Alders Automotive, a well-respected classic and American transmission specialist.
Along the way, the Dodge received a plethora of new parts, including a high-torque starter, a McLeod racing clutch and a new set of the desirable, period-correct Magnum 500 alloy wheels and BFGoodrich white-letter tyres. The suspension components were renewed, as were the brakes, steering column (with power steering) and exhaust system, while the rear axle and differential were overhauled in their turn. Once all the mechanical aspects of the restoration were completed, the Charger was subjected to final tuning and setting-up by Belcher Engineering. The cosmetic side was completed with a full retrim and the installation of a Retro Car Audio radio and custom instrument binnacles; the original radio and instrument cluster have been retained and are included in the sale.
The Charger is very much still ‘fresh,’ having covered under ten miles since being returned to the owner, so it will be up to the new owner to take care of the running-in, and what a privilege that will be—few cars can provide thrills and smiles quite like a ‘hi-po’ Mopar. It’s sure to get admirers at shows, too, whether at the big American-car events such as the Rally of the Giants, or prestigious concours into which muscle cars are increasingly being admitted. It is sold with paperwork including the V5C, the vendor’s purchase invoice and a thick collection of restoration invoices.
1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
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Estimate £110,000 - £130,000
1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III
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Estimate £35,000 - £45,000
1953 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith Hooper & Co Limousine
Supplied new to the Sultan of Kelantan, former King of Malaya
Estimate £20,000 - £25,000
1971 Maserati Indy 4.2
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Estimate £30,000 - £40,000
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0
Single-family ownership and 48,000 miles from new
Estimate £18,000 - £22,000
1937 Morris 8 Two-Seater Tourer
Restored to a very high standard!
No Reserve
1979 Triumph Spitfire 1500
Entered from the William Hunt of Savile Row Collection
No Reserve
