'71 Challenger R/T

[Mason66]

I was at a car show yesterday and this guy, he must have been about 20 years old, had a 1971 Challenger R/T.

He said it was all original, of course except for the stupid wheels on it and the huge speaker box in the truck.

The car had a 440 Magnum with an automatic, but it also had front drum brakes.

Was this car available with drum brakes?

I thought disc brakes for a car like this were standard by 1971.

Thanks in advance for your expertise. I just simply don't know, and it doesn't make sense that anybody would order or want drum brakes with a 440 Magnum.

 

[T2R9]

11" drums were standard on a R/t Discs were optional. My 71 RR had drum brakes on it.

 

[72Fourspeed]

My 72 RR is 400/4speed with manual drums. Chrysler liked selling options.

 

[Mason66]

Thank you guys.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Disc brakes were not standard equipment until 1973.

 

[Habib]

Amazing you could buy something with tons of power but with shitty brakes I guess Chrysler was only concerned with making you Go not making you stop lol.

 

[Cranky]

I had factory 11" drums all the way around on a 68 road runner that ran 10.60's in the 1/4. Only difference was it had the best shoes that could be had in the early 80's and they worked very well. And no, I didn't have to go to the end of the shut off area either. Everyone thinks drums are so shitty but if you know what you're doing with them and don't use the low end crap, they work rather well.

 

[Habib]

I had factory 11" drums all the way around on a 68 road runner that ran 10.60's in the 1/4. Only difference was it had the best shoes that could be had in the early 80's and they worked very well. And no, I didn't have to go to the end of the shut off area either. Everyone thinks drums are so shitty but if you know what you're doing with them and don't use the low end crap, they work rather well.

But once they heat up they fade don't they? then you have no brakes.

 

[Mason66]

But once they heat up they fade don't they? then you have no brakes.

You can stop but just once, JUST ONCE.

 

[tommyg29]

Drum brakes were the norm on most cars for a long time, and the 60s and early 70s is about when discs started taking over the market. Still, drums remained the norm in the rear until at least the 80s on most cars.
In 1977 in college I owned a 69 porsche 911, and I took it in to a firestone shop to check the brakes for the annual road inspection, and the guy told me he had never seen a car with discs in the back before!

 

[B5bird]

My 71 r/t charger is original with front drums but you could not buy a 440 4-barrel in an e body in 71. B body yes but not an e body.

 

[2012ChargerBlacktop]

My 71 r/t charger is original with front drums but you could not buy a 440 4-barrel in an e body in 71. B body yes but not an e body.

What do you mean? I'm surprised he didn't call it a barn find, survivor car! It's just been repainted once or ten times..

 

[Dennis H]

11" Hemi drums work fine for me. I don't make three high speed hard stops in a row to heat them. Ever.

www.musclecarbrakes.com. Improved springs and blended shoe material improve performance.

 

[Mason66]

My 71 r/t charger is original with front drums but you could not buy a 440 4-barrel in an e body in 71. B body yes but not an e body.

So you are saying the '71 Challenger R/T was not available with a 440 Magnum?

 

[B5bird]

You could get a 383, a 440 six pack and a hemi, but not a 440 4 barrel in a 71 e body. If the hood emblems read 440 magnum instead of 440 six pack then something has been altered. Read the VIN and see what was original to the car. I think it is really cool to see young guys driving the vintage cars

 

[slimert]

For a 71 Challenger R/T a 383 was standard. E-body 71 did not have the 440 4 bbl, 70 did have a U code but was dropped in 71. Weird you could order a 440 6 pack and a hemi!