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Update: On 3/18/16, I sold my Panther Pink 1971 Charger R/T.
After nearly 30 years of ownership, I decided to let the car go so that I could get a 1960 Chrysler 300F, a car that I've wanted since I was in my teens. Hopefully the new owner of the Charger will restore it. Only time will tell. I just never had the resources to do the car justice.
At the height of the muscle car era, Chrysler had many outrageous cars with outrageous options to go with them. One way to make your car stand out was to order it in one of many "High Impact" colors that were offered at extra cost, $15.05 in 1971. Not only were the colors wild but the names they had were even wilder. Names such as Plum Crazy, Hemi Orange, Sub Lime, Lemon Twist, Tor-Red, Go Mango, Limelight, Curious Yellow, Top Banana, Mood Indigo, Green Go and In-Violet to mention a few. Dodge and Plymouth each had their own names for each color.
This is what my car will look like when it's finished. This is not a real pink car. It is a red car that I re-colored.
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One of the wildest colors ever put on a car by Chrysler, or any other make, was made available in the 1970 model year. Dodge called this color Panther Pink since it was the color of that zany cartoon character the Pink Panther. Plymouth chose the name Moulin Rouge for it's version. Chrysler models supposedly could have been ordered in Penta Magenta but that turns out to just be the generic name for the paint in later years when ordering touch-up paint. This color is hard to describe. It is not just a pink paint like you would see on other cars. This color has a magenta cast to it and in bright sunlight can be quite blinding. The color is very hard to paint and have it come out right. Maybe that's why Chrysler only offered it for a very short time in 1970. Not many cars were painted this color. When the 1971 model year rolled around, Panther Pink was no longer offered.
This is what makes my car very rare and interesting. Seems someone wanted a 1971 Charger R/T in Panther Pink and Chrysler accommodated them. Since 1971 brought a totally new design for the Charger, this combination is very striking. I do not have the original window sticker for the car so it is impossible to determine what dealer ordered the car. Galen Govier, noted Chrysler expert, has never seen another one. In fact, the only other 1971 Panther Pink car he has seen is a plain 318 Challenger that the status of is unknown, he has also seen a '72 6-cylinder Duster. Other people have told me stories about 1971 pink cars they have seen but I have yet to receive any proof of these vehicles. The previous owner of my car spray painted the car black everywhere except inside the trunk. I have pulled up the carpets and have had the door panels out and it is all pink inside.
 Click here for the story on how I found my car.
Usually how you determine the factory color of a Chrysler product car is to look at the fender tag and broadcast sheet for the vehicle. The fender tag is a small metal tag attached to the inner fender under the hood that has codes for equipment and colors. The broadcast sheet is a paper document that tells the assembly line workers how each car is to be built. Each car may have one or more broadcast sheets in the car hidden in various locations. Usually the best place to find them is in the back of the back seat under the springs. This is where I found mine.
Chrysler paint codes are 3 character combinations of letters and numbers. The 1970 paint code for Panther Pink is FM3. Chrysler did paint cars in non-standard colors at times, usually colors available on other models or car lines but usually in the same year. These cars could end up with a different paint code than the cars that had that color available. Some cars came with the code "999", some with other combinations of numbers. My car's paint code is "148" (see the picture below). The Challenger that Galen saw had "999".
If anyone has documentation on any other 1971 Panther Pink cars, I'd sure like to hear about it!
Click on the following images for larger views.
Note that the door label has a typo in the VIN.
The 6th digit for year should be a 1 instead of an I.
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Click on images for a larger view.
The following picture of the original paint in the trunk gives you a good look at the color on most computers.
Click here for more pictures.
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Car Facts:
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440 Magnum Engine |
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727 Automatic Transmission with Column Shift |
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3.23 Sure Grip Rear Axle |
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Power Disk Brakes |
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Air Conditioning |
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Cruise Control |
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Rim-Blow Steering Wheel |
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AM Radio w/Rear Speaker |
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Panther Pink Paint |
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Black Full Vinyl Top |
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Black Bucket Seat Interior with Center Armrest |
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Light Group |
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Inside Hood Release |
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Front & Rear Bumper Guards |
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Build Date - February 1971 |
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Total 1971 Charger R/T Production - 3118 |
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Heminet Listing
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