— One of 59 1971 HEMI^® Challengers with 4-speed transmission
— Full paperwork from Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge Dealership
— 35 years in storage coated with WD-40 lubricant spray 

Back in the “heyday” of the muscle car era, there was a very high-profile Dodge dealer located in Chicago, Illinois, named “Grand Spaulding.” Run by two brothers, Norman and Len Kraus, it was located on the corners of “Grand” and “Spaulding” and it grew to become the true Mecca of all things nationwide for Dodge high-performance.

During the 1971 model year, things were quite busy in and around the dealership. Besides doing dyno-tuning in the shop and selling “go-fast” parts and pieces, the showroom was filled with all sorts of hot Dodges (Charger R/Ts, Charger Super Bees, Challenger R/Ts and Demon 340s) and there was a supercharged, nitromethane “Super Challenger” Mr. Norm Funny Car racing the circuit, which served as a great marketing tool to draw attention to the dealership. 

The Grand Spaulding customer base was strong and expanded beyond the Chicagoland area. And often times, Mr. Norm customers were repeat buyers. One such customer was a Charles Starr, from Madison, Wisconsin, the original purchaser of the pictured 1971 Challenger. On May 27, 1971, he drove his ’69 440 Six Pack Super Bee to the dealership and was ready for a change. And he was a repeat customer, having purchased that A12 ‘Bee from Grand Spaulding two years prior as a brand-new car. A loyal customer!

The chosen car was an “R/T” model of the Challenger, and it was equipped with the 426-cid HEMI engine with D21 “Hemi” 4-speed manual transmission, complete with “Super Track Pak” option, known as the “A34” in the ordering books, meaning the Dana 60 differential with 4.10:1gears. Perfect for drag racing, street or strip!

This Bright Red (FE5 paint code) Challenger R/T also came factory-fitted with the N96 “Shaker” hood, V6W side stripes, rallye wheels and front/rear spoiler package (A45). Norm took the Six-Pack Super Bee in on trade, and Charles Starr left the dealership with his new car, at a net cost of $3,178.00 out the door, which included the trade-in allowance. The car had a window sticker total price of $4,806.50, and the reason it was a premium priced car was because of that $789.95 426 HEMI engine.

LOW-MILEAGE HEMI ENGINE

At the time the car had been pulled out of the storage unit, just 5,200 miles had been put on the 426 HEMI engine! A set of chromed valve covers replaced the stock black wrinkle-finish covers. Those twin aftermarket air filters were installed when the Shaker was removed and replaced by an aftermarket fiberglass hood. Everything else is as Dodge produced it, including the OEM spring-tension clamps on the radiator hoses.  

SHAKER REPLACED WITH LIFT-OFF FIBERGLASS HOOD

The black-hued hood certainly adds a menacing look to the car, and with no outside markings as to the displacement of the engine, it must have helped provide bait for unsuspecting victims in street races. After the original buyer, Charlie Starr, got it home to Madison, Wisconsin, the car soon received some additional equipment: American Racing wheels, the lift-off 1-piece fiberglass hood with functional scoop, a set of equal-length tubular headers, chrome differential cover, chrome valve covers and a pair of open element chrome air cleaners.

Being an original Shaker-equipped car, the mystery of what prompted its removal was cleared up while researching for this article, as a result of a fact-finding phone conversation with the original owner. “I worked at a gas station, had been working on the engine of the Challenger, it was getting dark and I went to put the car inside the station garage,” Charlie Starr told me. “As I was backing it up, I heard a noise, accidentally backed over and completely destroyed that Shaker scoop!”

For him, the best way to make the fix was to go to the local speed shop, Grand Automotive, and get a nice one-piece “Six Pack” lift-off replacement hood for a Challenger. A pair of hood pins were mounted in the cowl area and he was back running again! Even though that style of scoop (from the 1969-1/2 A12 cars) was never available on an E-body, it did have a real performance look to it and has stayed with the car all these years.  

WAYBACK MACHINE 

The car has its original paint and very little work was needed in making it show ready. It still looked as it appeared in the summer of ’71, and inside, it was just like sitting in the car as it appeared at the Grand Spaulding dealership. Besides the car’s pristine appearance, it also was loaded with factory and dealer documentation.

When doing a photo shoot on a car that is in such original condition, there is sometimes an uneasy feeling when asking the owner to fire it up and take it out for some action shots, but in this case, it wasn’t any big deal. That was because the owner of the car believes these muscle machines were made to be driven! Man, that 426 HEMI engine sounded great. At the time of the photo shoot, this rare E-body had just 5,308 miles on the odometer … it was a special moment to see and hear that HEMI engine being ran through the gears out on the open road!

MONRONEY LABEL

A copy of the window sticker (AKA Monroney Label) came from the files of Grand Spaulding Dodge years later, and with the ink pen “Charles Starr” notation. With the HEMI engine option ($784.95), the total price was listed at $4,806.50. It’s known as the Monroney Label as a result of the Senator Mike Monroney, who penned the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958, which mandated the window listing of equipment on new vehicles. 

PRISTINE INTERIOR

The interior of this Challenger can be considered “factory fresh” as it is not restored, in new condition. The Hurst “Pistol Grip” shifter was part of what Dodge fitted to the D21 A833 4-speed transmissions from the factory. This car is so pristine that the rear seat belt buckles are still fitted with the factory plastic wrappers! Most often, these were removed in the new-car prep process.

PAPERWORK GALORE

Full documentation of this 1971 HEMI engine-powered vehicle includes the original Broadcast Sheet (removed from the rear seat springs), dealer copy of the original Order Form and the original Retail Order for the car from the Grand Spaulding Dodge files. Included in the notes (5/27/1971) are the details of the customer’s trade-in vehicle, his 1969 Dodge Six-Pack Super Bee.

WINGIN’ IT

This is the A45 rear wing ($54.65), which was called an “aerodynamic rear spoiler,” and the option also included a pair of small lip spoilers for the front (same as used on Challenger T/A model from year prior). 

AMERICAN RACING “MAGS”

American Racing five-spoke “mags” (15 x 7-inch front, 15 x 8.5-inch rear) were the rage back in the day and F60-15 Polyglas GT rubber is used up front, with slightly larger G60-15 tires on the rear. The original rolling stock was Rallye Road Wheels with F60 x 15 Goodyears front and rear.  

SIDE PROFILE

The factory-applied white side stripes adds some flash to the car and identify it, along with the side scoop styling add-ons, as an optional “R/T” model. In the phone interview with the original owner, it was learned that he had actually removed those stripes, as well as any markings referring to “Mr. Norm.” Why? He wanted to do some street racing and because everyone knew that cars from Grand Spaulding were known to be fast, the idea was to not have anything stand out as to the performance of the car.

To anyone who is restoring an E-body HEMI engine-powered car, the engine compartment on this car is an excellent reference as to how these cars appeared when delivered to the Dodge/Plymouth dealerships back in the day.

It was when the car was “freshened up” after the long-term storage that Mr. Norm markings were re-installed. The car was fast and Charlie didn’t need to let others on the streets of Madison know it was dyno-tuned at Grand Spaulding. In fact, the acceleration of the car, a HEMI 4-speed with 4.10 gears, is why the car was sold not long after it was purchased new. Speeding tickets and under-25 high insurance rates did it! 

SURVIVOR CAR

The term “survivor car” relates to the fact that it has never received a restoration, and this particular Challenger could also be described as a “Day 2” car, meaning it does have some modifications added very soon after the new purchase from the dealer. Mags, headers, new hood and chrome valve covers, aftermarket air filters, and chrome Dana 60 cover are what it received. Truth be told, a large number of these muscle Mopar_® vehicles were not left completely stock by the performance-loving owners!

MCACN SHOW: RETURNED TO CHICAGO!

Some years after the car had been pulled out of that storage unit and cleaned up, it was put on special display inside the Convention Center in Rosemont (Metro Chicago area) at the MCACN car show. It was a “coming home” of sorts as it was just some 12 miles from the 3300 W. Grand Ave. location of Grand Spaulding Dodge!

HIGHWAY 61 DIECAST!

In 1:18 scale, Supercar Collectibles made available a limited run of 402 “Grand Spaulding Dodge” issued in 2008, featuring lift-off hood, 426 HEMI engine, rear wing and American Racing mags wheels … a scale model of the Charles Starr Challenger R/T! Hard to find today, a desired addition to any serious Mopar die-cast collector. 

Author: James Maxwell