1971 Chrysler VH Charger E38 R/T 'Big Tank' Coupe

Description

Chrysler’s VH range included a new fastback variant, the Charger, which proved so popular when it joined the range in 1971 that it soon accounted for half of all Valiant sales. As Chrysler Australia’s belated entry into the booming muscle car segment, it was only a matter of time before the Charger hit the track, which in turn required the development of a homologation special, which was codenamed E38. Born with a single goal in mind - to win Bathurst - the E38 took the full house VH Charger R/T Six Pack model and added a highly tuned 280 bhp engine with triple Weber DCOE carburettors, along with various modifications such as a dual exhaust system. All E38s came with the Track Pack, which consisted of alloy wheels, stronger brakes, quick-ratio steering and a limited-slip diff (with a choice of back axle ratios), while a long-range 35-gallon fuel tank (code A84), better known as the ‘Big Tank’, was also available as an option, one that was selected by those who intended to race the cars. The E38 Charger certainly looked the business with its R/T package which included the attention-grabbing stripes and blacked-out grille. It was available in a range of colours with catchy names like Vitamin C, Hemi Orange, Hot Mustard and Mercury Silver. The R/T Chargers also boasted quartz halogen headlights, full instrumentation, and an aluminium-spoked sports steering wheel, and E38s were normally also equipped with an interior dress-up package. The E38 proved a ferociously quick road car, achieving 0-100 km/h in 6.4 seconds and the quarter mile in 15 seconds flat, putting it on par with the legendary Phase III GT-HO Falcon. Along with the E49 that replaced it, surviving E38s remain the most collectible Aussie Mopar products ever made.