1971 Dodge Charger R/T Flaunts Rare Factory Sunroof, Supercharged Surprise

However, a few options are actually rarer than the mighty 425-horsepower V8. The sunroof is one of them.

Chrysler introduced factory sunroofs for the 1969 model year. It was initially available on the Dodge Charger, but the option found its way on various Mopars for the mid-size, full-size, and even compact variety. But it was far from popular.

Although sales reached a few thousand units (across all Mopar brands) in 1973 and 1974, deliveries barely reached three-digit numbers per nameplate in 1970 through 1972. The 1971 Charger you see here, for instance, is one of only 1,777 Mopars that were ordered with the retractable sunroof that model year.

Only 209 units were Chargers, and only 30 examples were also performance R/T models (according to the Mopar Sunroof Registry). This Gunmetal Gray coupe is one of them. It's unclear how many of them are still around, but it's arguably one of the finest examples out there.

I found this R/T while browsing the lots of Mecum's upcoming Monterey 2026 auction (scheduled in August), and it's a beauty. That's because it's the result of a no-expense-spared restoration. The Gunmetal Gray finish, which is rare by the way, is flawless, while the matching interior looks brand-new. It's the type of car that would win awards at classic car shows.

However, this Charger R/T doesn't fall in the usual "restored to factory specs" category. It may look factory correct on the outside, but it hides a modern drivetrain under the hood. This Mopar was built by the famous Dave Dudek, who went with a modern Hellcat powerplant.

The supercharged V8 looks right at home in the Charger's engine bay and spins the rear wheels via a Passon Performance five-speed manual transmission (which has a pistol-grip shifter). The mill breathes through air intakes located in the inner headlamp openings (much like on the modern Challenger).

Unsurprisingly, the Mopar also rides on a modern suspension and uses rack and pinion steering. It relies on Wilwood disc brakes with Hydroboost power assist at all four corners. The leather-wrapped front seats are six-way adjustable for enhanced comfort.

Needless to say, this Charger R/T will raise a lot of eyebrows when it hits the block. These rare sunroof cars are usually restored to factory specs, so diehard Mopar enthusiasts may not be happy. On the flip side, a resto build is a great way to enjoy the car without having to worry about reliability. By the way, this Charger R/T was born with a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 and a TorqueFlite automatic, which should be easy to source for a period-correct build in the future.

The Dodge will go under the hammer between August 13 and 15, and I'm pretty sure it will fetch over $100,000.