by When it comes to movie cars, there are quite a few famous vehicles to talk about. From James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 and Steve McQueen’s Ford Mustang Bullitt to Batman’s Tumbler and Doc’s DeLorean DMC time machine, all made a huge splash from the silver screen. But not all movie cars are as famous.
This 1971 Dodge Charger R/T that surfaced on Bring a Trailer is also a movie car, albeit one most of you won’t remember. That’s mostly because it made an appearance in “Vampire in Brooklyn,” a 1995 comedy horror film that failed to meet expectations at the box office. It was the final film produced by Eddie Murphy under his contract with Paramount Pictures.
The muscle car makes a few appearances in the film, but mostly during static scenes, with very little driving. Perhaps that’s why it didn’t stand out more, despite looking really good on camera thanks to its B5 metallic blue paint. The car has since been kept in storage, and it’s now being sold as a mint-condition, restored classic.
If you’re a fan of movie cars and you’re willing to settle for a more obscure “character,” this Charger is a good start, especially since the bidding is at only $23,000 with just a couple of days left to go. Unlike Bond’s Aston Martin DB5, this movie car won’t change hands for millions.
But before you place a bid, you should know that this 1971 Charger no longer features its numbers-matching engine. For some reason, its original 7.2-liter Six-Pack V8 has been replaced, but we’re talking about an identical unit, so it’s still a true-blue R/T 440.
Other than that, the car looks almost spotless inside and out, a feat you should expect given the 23,000 miles (37,000 km) shown on the odometer. The seller says the transmission was rebuilt, while the carburetors, fuel pump, starter, and shocks were replaced in 2020. The wheels and tires, air filter, coil, and throttle-return spring were also replaced before the listing went online.
The clean-looking paint isn’t original. It seems the car has been repainted in its original factory color sometime in the mid-1980s. It initially came with a white vinyl top instead of the black wrap it features now.
The 7.2-liter V8 was the largest engine offered for the third-generation Charger. Although not as powerful and famous as the 7.0-liter Hemi, the Six-Pack is no slouch at 385 horsepower. All that oomph—or whatever is left after all these years—goes to the rear wheels through a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic.
Although not as famous as the 1970 Challenger R/T from Vanishing Point, this Charger will stand out at any Mopar meeting in that gorgeous B5 blue paint
