1972 Dodge Charger 440 4-Speed - Rallye Red - Grand Spaulding Dodge (Mr. Norm's) - Original Invoice - Documented and Authenticated
1972 Dodge Charger, 2-door hardtop, 440ci V8, 4-barrel, 4-speed manual floor shift, rear-wheel drive.
Description
This is not a numbers story. This is a provenance story. And the provenance is Grand Spaulding Dodge.
Grand Spaulding Auto Sales at 3300 West Grand Avenue, Chicago, was the dealership of "Mr. Norm" Kraus, the man who turned a family Dodge franchise into the most famous muscle car dealership in America. Through the 1960s and early 1970s, Grand Spaulding was where you went when you wanted the fastest Mopar money could buy. They sold GSS (Grand Spaulding Sport) packages, factory Hemis, and full-tilt performance builds straight off the showroom floor. Their reputation in the muscle car world is untouchable.
This 1972 Dodge Charger was sold new through Grand Spaulding. The original Chrysler Motors Corporation dealer invoice is present and has been photographed in detail. It shows the car was invoiced on October 5, 1971, shipped from the Lynch Road Assembly Plant in Detroit to Grand Spaulding Auto Sales Inc., 3300 West Grand Ave, Chicago, Illinois. The VIN is WH23U2A114492. The invoice total was $3,471.54 at factory.
The option list reads like a greatest hits of 1972 Mopar performance: the 440ci V8 with 4-barrel carburettor (E86), 4-speed manual floor shift (D21), Performance Package (A01) with heavy-duty suspension and handling upgrades, the N96 Ram Charger hood with the Air Grabber cold-air intake, dual painted racing mirrors (G36), hood tie-down pins (J45), four Rallye road wheels (W21), rear deck tape stripe treatment (W64), canopy vinyl roof (V4X), and a Musicmaster AM radio (R11). This car was ordered as a serious performance machine, not a boulevard cruiser.
The fender tag has been photographed and decoded. It matches the invoice across every critical field: E86 (440 engine), D21 (4-speed manual), N96 (Ram Charger hood), V4X (vinyl roof), S2X9 (trim code), invoice number 901-103593, and VIN sequence 114492. The tag has not been swapped. This car is what the paperwork says it is.
Now, the car itself. The exterior is finished in Rallye Red and the paint is outstanding, with a deep, mirror-like gloss that reflects the entire workshop. The body panels are dead straight with no visible dents, ripples, or evidence of poor bodywork. The iconic coke-bottle body line flows perfectly from the C-pillar through the quarter panel to the door. The W64 rear deck tape stripe wraps around the rear in black with thin red pinstripe borders. A black ducktail rear spoiler sits on the trunk lip. Chrome Rallye wheels carry BFGoodrich Radial T/A tyres with white lettering. Dual chrome racing mirrors flank the A-pillars. The four horizontal rear quarter panel vents, one of the Charger's most distinctive design features, are all straight and clean with black plastic inserts in perfect condition.
The full-width chrome tail light panel carries six red segments, two white reverse light segments, and "DODGE" script across the centre. Chrome is excellent throughout with no visible pitting. The front end shows the classic 1972 Charger split grille with horizontal chrome bars, centre divider, and chrome surrounds, all in very good condition.
Under the hood, the N96 Ram Charger/Air Grabber cold-air intake system is COMPLETE with all hardware: the large oval air cleaner housing mounted to the hood underside, vacuum-operated trap door mechanism, and actuator cylinder in red-painted brackets. This is the system that opens a trap door in the hood scoop to feed cold outside air directly to the carburettor under full throttle. Complete Air Grabber systems are extremely rare as standalone parts ($3,000-$5,000 USD), so having the entire system intact with the car is significant.
The 440 big block sits in a red-painted engine bay. Blue Mopar valve covers (period-correct Chrysler corporate blue for the 440), a Holley 4-barrel carburettor (aftermarket replacement for the original Carter), orange Mopar Performance spark plug wires, and the original exhaust manifolds are visible. Power steering, alternator, and brake master cylinder/booster are all present. A modern battery is fitted. The engine appears complete and tidy.
The undercarriage has been photographed with the car on a professional hoist. The entire underbody is painted red (body colour), indicating a thorough restoration or extremely well-done undercoat. The floor pans are solid with no visible rust, patches, or holes. The trunk floor pan shows the factory stamped ribbed pattern in clean, solid steel. Frame rails and body mounts are intact. The rear leaf spring suspension with a red-painted rear axle housing, shock absorbers, and U-bolts is all visible and in good order. Dual exhaust tips exit below the chrome rear bumper.
Inside, the "Charger" script sits on the passenger side of the black dashboard pad. Chrome "CHARGER" door sill plates welcome you into the cabin. The interior is black vinyl throughout with tufted button-pattern bucket seats, simulated walnut woodgrain trim on the doors, dashboard, and rear quarter panels, chrome inner door handles and armrests, and a factory Musicmaster AM radio in the centre stack. The grey headliner is INTACT with no sagging or tears, which is exceptional for a 50-plus year old car. A chrome dome light sits in the centre. Three pedals confirm the 4-speed manual, and the Hurst-style floor-mounted shifter rises from the transmission tunnel. The rear seat is complete with matching tufted pattern. Seatbelts are present. The steering wheel is the standard Mopar 3-spoke item, and the round gauge cluster sits behind it in chrome bezels. The interior is 100% complete, nothing is missing or stripped.
The vinyl seats show age cracking but no major tears. The door weatherstripping shows some deterioration at the A-pillar. The black carpet appears to be a replacement in good condition. These are minor items on a car of this significance.
The NSW Historic Vehicle plate reads 70855-H. The car is currently at a professional workshop (Snap-on tools, Wurth products, DBA brake components) with what appears to be front suspension work in progress (a coil spring was observed sitting on the shock tower).
To put the value in context: standard 1972 Charger 440 automatics sell between $80,000 and $140,000 AUD in Australia. The 4-speed manual is the rarer and more desirable transmission. Add the documented Grand Spaulding Dodge provenance with the original factory invoice, the matched fender tag, the complete Air Grabber hood system, Rallye wheels, Performance Package, the outstanding paintwork, solid undercarriage, and intact interior, and this is a car that belongs at the top of the market. Matching-numbers confirmation via the engine block pad stamping would push this into truly elite territory.
Factory Options (from Original Chrysler Invoice)
* E86 - 440 C.I.D. V8, 4-Barrel Carburettor
* D21 - 4-Speed Manual Transmission, Floor Shift
* A01 - Performance Package (heavy-duty suspension, handling)
* N96 - Ram Charger Hood (Air Grabber cold-air intake)
* G36 - Racing Mirrors, Dual, Painted
* J45 - Hood Tie-Down Pins
* J52 - Instrument Panel Mounted Hood Release
* W21 - 4 Rallye Road Wheels
* W64 - Rear Deck Tape Stripe
* V4X - Canopy Vinyl Roof
* R11 - Radio, Musicmaster AM
* T87 - Tyres F70 x 14 BSW
Authentication
* Original Chrysler Motors Corporation dealer invoice present (invoiced 5 October 1971)
* Sold new by Grand Spaulding Auto Sales Inc., 3300 West Grand Ave, Chicago, Illinois
* Invoice No: 901-AW-103593
* Original factory invoice total: $3,471.54 USD
* Fender tag photographed and decoded, MATCHES invoice on all critical fields:
- E86 (440 4-barrel): MATCH
- D21 (4-speed manual): MATCH
- N96 (Ram Charger hood): MATCH
- V4X (canopy vinyl roof): MATCH
- S2X9 (trim code): MATCH
- Invoice number 901-103593: MATCH
- VIN sequence 114492: MATCH
Condition Notes
* Exterior paint (Rallye Red): Outstanding, deep mirror-like gloss, body panels dead straight
* W64 rear deck tape stripe: Present and correct, black with red pinstripe borders
* Rear spoiler/ducktail: Present on trunk lip
* Chrome (grille, tail lights, bumpers, trim): Excellent throughout, no visible pitting
* Rallye wheels with BFGoodrich Radial T/A white-letter tyres
* N96 Air Grabber system: COMPLETE with all hardware (housing, vacuum actuator, brackets, flap)
* Engine bay: 440 V8 present, blue Mopar valve covers, Holley 4-barrel (aftermarket replacement), engine appears complete
* Undercarriage: Red-painted underbody, floor pans SOLID, no visible rust/patches/holes, leaf springs and axle in good order
* Interior: 100% complete, black vinyl bucket seats with tufted pattern (showing age cracking, no major tears), woodgrain trim on doors/dash/quarters, grey headliner INTACT (no sag), 3 pedals, Hurst-style 4-speed floor shifter, CHARGER sill plates and dash script present, AM radio present
* Door weatherstripping: Some deterioration at A-pillar
* Front suspension work appears in progress (coil spring on shock tower)
* Canopy vinyl roof (V4X): Present, appears black, condition from photos looks acceptable
Items Still Needed for Full Verification
* Engine block pad stamping (for matching-numbers confirmation)
* Broadcast sheet search (behind rear seat, under carpet, headliner)
* Dash VIN plate photograph
* Block casting number and date code
* Ownership/provenance chain since Grand Spaulding
* Australian import and compliance history
Specifications
Year: 1972
Make/Model: Dodge Charger
Body: 2-Door Hardtop
CHASSIS: WH23U2A114492
Engine: 440 C.I.D. (7.2L) V8, 4-Barrel Carburettor (factory code E86)
Transmission: 4-Speed Manual, Floor Shift (factory code D21)
Drive: Rear-Wheel Drive
Assembly Plant: Lynch Road Assembly, Detroit, Michigan
Colour: Rallye Red (paint code E54)
Interior: Black Vinyl, Bucket Seats, Woodgrain Trim
Roof: Black Canopy Vinyl (V4X)
Dealer Origin: Grand Spaulding Auto Sales Inc., Chicago, IL
Registration: NSW Historic Vehicle 70855-H
Odometer: Not recorded from photos
Location: NSW (professional workshop)
Price Guide: $120,000 - $180,000 (current condition, documented Grand Spaulding provenance). If matching numbers confirmed: $180,000 - $250,000+
If you have any questions relating to this vehicle, or if you would like to arrange a physical or virtual inspection, please contact Gavin directly on 0455 500 400
(Key #80cc)
Lloyds stock #580345+1
Location of item: 60 Marple Avenue, Villawood, NSW, Australia
** This vendor is not registered for GST - therefore GST is not applicable on this asset **
As Standard Auction Practice all Vehicles are Sold Unregistered
As with all vehicles sold in the Classic Car Division, they have been well looked after by their previous owners. This is an Auction Sale. This asset is sold under standard auction conditions, as is, where is. High volumes of incoming product prevent our team from being able to inspect all items individually. All photos, descriptions, odometer readings, hour readings, engine specifications and any condition reports should be used as a guide only and have been compiled after speaking with the owners. To find out more about this lot or to book a live video inspection please contact the Auctioneer Contact which can be found on the Auction Details page. There is no statutory warranty & no cooling off period.
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