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By 1983, the Belvedere-built Charger had become an established player in America’s re-invigorated compact car market. Eccentric gearheads knew if you wanted to look cool, you bought an L-Body. And if you wanted to look cool and go fast, you bought a Shelby L-Body. Averaging just over 430 miles per year, this pint-size MoPar appears to have rarely seen anything other than sunshine and warm summer days. A quick check of the car’s undercarriage and suspension reveals no evidence of catastrophic rust or abuse. A quick check of the car’s profile reveals its body has never seen any major repairs. And a quick check of our pictures confirms its original Santa Fe and Radiant Silver skin is both bright and glossy. That’s right, even 31 years after it rolled out of the showroom this spry sports coupe is still a true head turner everywhere it goes!
In their effort to improve the Charger, Shelby and Chrysler did not overlook the car’s mechanicals. They tweaked the engine, milling the block inches to raise compression to 9.6 to 1. They changed the camshaft timing by advancing the cam a few degrees. They also made modifications to the 2.2 liter’s electronic controls to extract optimum performance. Consequently, the Shelby powerplant develops 13 more horsepower and 10 more lb./ft. of torque than the standard Omni mill. These enhancements, plus a lower final drive ratio, make the car a tick quicker than the standard Charger and its early ’80s competition. Specifically, the Shelby has a 0 to 60 time of 10 seconds flat and a 117MPH top speed.
Shelby Chargers came standard with an A525 5-speed that feeds the front wheels. Holding that tossable drivetrain off the ground is an original Special Sports Suspension that utilizes shorter springs, stiffer shocks and correct power front disc and rear drum brakes to both lower the car and improve already responsive handling. And, at the corners of that chassis, original ’pizza’ wheels spin original 195/50R15 Goodyear Eagle GTs around locking lug nuts.
This coupe’s tri-tone cockpit, which nicely complements its 2-tone exterior, shows hardly any signs of wear. The reclining seats keep you as comfortable for quick blasts of speed as they do during long road trips. In front of the driver, a pliable dash, which shows zero defects, is packed full of gauges that work exactly as they should. And, below that dash, crack-free consoles prop a black shifter on gray carpet that’s protected by carpeted and color-keyed floor mats.
If you’re an enthusiast who likes to put their hardware on the road, few classics deliver this blend of exclusivity and practicality. Call, click or visit for more information on this 13,336-mile MoPar!