WS23R1A115561 - HEMI, Auto, GF7 - Bill Nagribianko
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Year 1971 Cylinders 8 Make Dodge Displacement 426 2x4bbl Model Charger R/T Engine HP 425 Base Mfr's Price $3,777 Transmission Auto Body Type 2-Door Hardtop Rear Axle 8 3/4 Sure Grip VIN WS23R1A115561 Gears 3.23:1 Build Date Sept 22, 1970 Brakes Front/Rear 11" Drum Exterior Color GF7 Dark Green Metalic Power Brakes Y Interior Color Bucket Seats Dark Green Power Steering Y Factory Options Additional Information V68 Stripe Delete Export Canada Bill Nagribinako
This car is 1 of the 75 Charger R/Ts made with the optional 426 Hemi for 1971. 12 of these cars were Canadian exports and this is the 2nd one of the 6 consecutive serial number Hemis ordered for stock by Gardner Motors in Medicine Hat, Alberta. GF7 Dk Green with the matching D6F7 Green bucket interior. All 6 cars were Automatic 3.23s with 14 x 6 Steelies and Dog Dish. Build date for mine was Sep 22, 1970 at the Lynch Road Plant in Detroit. It was sold new to its original owner in Kindersley, Saskatchewan and was registered there until April 1999. Next stop was to the U.S. where it spent the next 17 years until I imported it back to Canada in February 2016 with 36,256 miles. It is a one repaint full numbers matching survivor with only the windshield and carpet having been replaced. It came with a Galen Govier decoding summary and the original broadcast sheet. Well one of the broadcast sheets, there is another one still under the front seat where I left it untouched. I wasn't aware that there could have been multiple sheets and they could even have different Line Sequence numbers until I learned that from this registry. The option list is very short:
- A04 Charger Radio Group - includes
- Outside Left Remote Mirror
- Variable Speed Wipers
- AM Radio
- Power Steering
- B51 Power Brakes
- C16 Console
- E74 426 Hemi - includes
- Bright Exhaust Tips
- Maximum Engine Cooling
- Ram Charger Hood
- H31 Rear Window Defogger
- N25 Engine Block Heater
- V68 Body Tape Stripe Delete
Over the years it has had one repaint in base clear and someone, probably at that time put the stripe on it. I won't be the one to risk taking it off. The car has a tinted windshield not showing on the broadcast sheet so I will assume that was changed at some point as well. There is another addition, the Right Chrome Mirror that looks like it was put on likely at the dealer when new judging by its identical wear to the left one. The last item not original are the Rallyes and G60x15 Polyglass. I'll leave them on for now as they look much better than the 14 X 6 Steelies of which I'm restoring a correct set to have. The car is clean, solid and rust free and appears to have never been apart, surely wasn't apart when painted. I plan on leaving it intact and unrestored as they're only original once to repeat the cliché. It runs absolutely superb, strong, tight, smooth, and starts properly now since Dick Katter restored the original Carters.
To go along with the Govier decoding, Broadcast Sheets, U.S. Vehicle History Reports, and other private documents, I have spoken to several people familiar with the car over its lifetime, including owners to verify its authenticity, mileage and survivor status. Still looking for the original owner or relative to complete the circle. My first ever car was a '66 Charger, 383, Automatic I had for 2 years in 1976. What a gorgeous cool car that was. And now to have one with a Hemi, the last year... The new ones may have twice the horse power, but are only half the fun!
