1972 Dodge Charger SE Brougham - Top Banana Yellow Southern California treasure

It has become common place to run across the terms “barn find”, “time capsule” and “survivor” here on EBAY. The terms are now used to describe deteriorating rigs that appear to have been found in a collapsed barn or survived a hurricane.Up until nowIhave triedto stay away from using those terms simply because they are so overused and abused but there is just no other way to describe this Top Banana Yellow 1972 Charger. A California native, this Charger is truly a barn find, time capsule and survivor!

Several months ago my neighbor called me and told me I needed to cometake alook at these cars he had stumbled upon while preparing for an estate sale. Being the car nut that I am I rushed over to meet him and take a look. When I drove up to the house my neighbor was standing in the driveway and the garage doors were closed. I got out of my truck, said hello and he turned and opened the garage doors. There under 17 years of dust sat this Top Banana Yellow 1972 Charge SE Brougham (Photo included in ad) and a Dark Metallic Forest Green 1967 Barracuda. I had lived 3 blocks from this house from 1992-2000 and never saw nor knew these cars existed! Two hours later and with some substantial check writing I was on my way home with both cars!

An engineer by trade, my hobby and passion is cars. Unfortunately space and money often times force a reduction in the collection. That time is now, and now is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some lucky Mopar fanatic to add this highly optioned, Top Banana Yellow 1972 Dodge Charge SE Brougham to the collection!

On August 21st, 1992 Mr. Thomas Edens responded to an ad in the Bakersfield Californian which read “DODGE CHARGER, 1971, A/C, all power, auto., new paint, vinyl top runs great. Very clean. $2,000” (ad included in the documentation). His 1967 Dark Metallic Forest Green Barracuda, which he bought new from Pasadena Chrysler Plymouth, just did not have the pizazz or the muscle he was wanting and he was on the hunt for something new! And what better than a highly optioned, big block, Top Banana Yellow 1972 Charger to fill that void! A brief inspection of the car, a little negotiating and Thomas was driving home in his newly acquired treasure!

For the next 8 years Thomas fussed over and played with the Charger. A stack of receipts, memorabilia, articles etc. (included with car) are a true indication of the time and energy Thomas put into this car. And then in 2000 Thomas became ill and all work stopped on the car. The Charger sat untouche, next to the Barracuda, in Thomas’s garage for 17 years until his passing in 2017. I purchased both the Charger and the Barracuda from Thomas’s estate in 2017 and began the process of getting both cars back on the road. From 1992 to today the Charger has only been driven 6,000 miles!

First order of business was to sift through all the documentation. Included was the newspaper ad from the Bakersfield Californian for the Charger, stacks of repair and parts receipts, a handmade card from Thomas’s daughter in which a photo of the car was incorporated, magazine articles, dealer brochures and the original broadcast sheet! I have yet to make it through all the paperwork!

This is truly a rare opportunity to add an extremely special car to your collection. The Charger is highly optioned with A/C, power windows, 3 speed wipers, front power disc brakes, belt line molding, accent stripes (not re-installed after repaint), bucket seats, console, slap-stick shifter, AM/FM, 3rd speaker, chrome sport mirrors, Rallye wheels, hideaway headlights, fender signal indicators, rear defroster (no longer in place), 400-V8, automatic transmission, high impact color, vinyl top, and on and on. The Charger comes with documentation and memorabilia galore! Very cool stuff!!

Interior – 100% original and near flawless! With the exception of two clean cracks in the dash, a couple of accent buttons missing from the driver’s seat (buttons are included with car – just need to be reinserted), missing vent diffusers from one of the A/C dash vents, and a couple of small holes drilled into the top front of the console (cell phone mount?) the interior is spotless and beautiful. The pictures represent the interior nicely. EVERYTHING works with the exception of the clock, rear speaker (missing), A/C (all parts there, system just needs inspected/repaired and put back into service) and rear defroster. Unbelievable!! All windows go up and down fine but driver's rear quarter windowstop is out of adjustment and if not careful the widow will go down too far.

Exterior – In 1972 the only remaining high impact colors were Hemi Orange and Top Banana Yellow. To find a Charger SE Brougham in either is a tall order! The Charger was repainted in 1992. Paint is nice, shines great and looks wonderful. NO RUST and no signs of any major body repair. The driver’s fender and front valence were replaced at some time but there is no indication of major accidents or bodywork. The paint is driver quality well suited for local car shows or Saturday coffee. It is not Barrett-Jackson ready but sure will get attention around town! There are light chips that have been touched up and a couple areas that appear to have been spot painted but the overall presentation of the car is great! All the chrome is nice and straight! Body is arrow straight! I can only find a couple of tiny dings –. All the glass is good with very minor pits or chipping. The drivers rear quarter window does have some scratches. The undercarriage of the car is very and clean

Mechanical – I was amazed when I pulled the dipstick on the Charger and found fresh, clean oil! The same was true for the trans. fluid, brake fluid and air filter. It was like Thomas prepared the car for a long term slumber 17 years ago and then never touched it again. To get the car back on the road I drained the gas, replaced the carb, the alternator and fuel pump, plugs and wires, cap, distributor etc.. Once that was done I hit the key and the 400-4V rumbled to life! The car has a great sound, drives like a new one and gets all sorts of attention! With the exception of a trans leak after sitting an extended period of time (dipstick O-ring or shifter seal) the car does not have any drips or slobbers. It is really clean and tidy. The tires were brand new 17 years ago (Goodyear Eagle ST) and still look brand new but do have flat spots. I have been driving it around the neighborhood to work those out. They are getting better but not gone yet.

The Charger’s 400-4V is not numbers matching but is a 1971-72 casting. The motor was rebuilt in the early 90s. The block was bored .30 over, a Mopar high performance cam installed (similar to a 383 Magnum cam), and finished off with an Edelbrock manifold, 650 carb and Mopar performance electronic ignition conversion. Compression number in 1992 were recorded at 115, 110, 115. 110, 115, 115, 115, 120.

The 727 trans (date coded 1970) was rebuilt and a mild shift kit installed. The non-posi 8 ¾ differential still sports its stock gear ratio (2:71).

Car has a nice rumble and is sporting new exhaust from the muffler back.

I remember as a child watching Richard Petty campaign is infamous #43 Charger with its menacing hide-away headlights and iconic red-white and blur STP paint scheme. The car and Petty were a force to be reckoned with! And both the driver and car are now legends!

I do not usually ramble on about a car like I have about this car. But this is not a car you find every day and far from typical. The car you see in the photos is unmolested, has great documentation, a wonderful story and is an original rust free Southern California car – How often does something like this come along?

If you are looking for a 1972 Charger to drive and enjoy or one to add to your collection, this Top Banana Yellow Charger is one to consider. Good luck and happy bidding!

Please contact Dean at 661-703-8402 with any questions and HAPPY BIDDING!

NOTE – I reserve the right to end the auction early as the car is for sale locally.