During the golden era of muscle cars, Mopars gained renown for their high-compression V8 engines and aggressive styling cues. Adding to their allure was the High-Impact color palette, which adorned these Dodges and Plymouths in vivid, attention-grabbing hues.
Chrysler introduced High-Impact colors in the 1969 model year, featuring vibrant shades like Bright Green, Go Mango, HEMI Orange, and Butterscotch. The following year, Plum Crazy, Sublime, Green Go, Panther Pink, and Top Banana joined the lineup.
By 1971, Citron Yella marked the final addition to the High-Impact color range, coinciding with the discontinuation of some earlier hues. In subsequent years, the availability dwindled, with HEMI Orange and Top Banana standing as the sole offerings by 1972 and 1973, respectively. In total, Dodge and Plymouth offered ten distinct paint colors.
Several of these colors have become rare sights today. Bright Green stands out as particularly scarce, available only as a spring color for a brief period in 1969.
Sublime and Citron Yella were each available for just one model year, while Panther Pink, despite its evocative name, remained uncommon due to low popularity during an era dominated by high-performance aesthetics.
Notably, Panther Pink, or Moulin Rouge on Plymouth models, was offered as a spring color for the 1970 model year but failed to gain traction, adorning only 0.5% of Mopars.
Furthermore, many of these pink vehicles have vanished over time due to the low survival rates of early 1970s models, compounded by subsequent repaints by second owners averse to the color.
Yet, amidst the rarity of pink 1970-model-year Mopars, an even more elusive subset exists: Panther Pink vehicles produced in 1971. Although Chrysler ostensibly discontinued the FM3-coded paint in 1970, evidence suggests its availability as a special-order color, akin to a secret code on a Dodge Fender tag.
While Plymouth’s approach remains unclear, at least three 1971 Dodges were factory-painted pink. Among them, one stands out as the sole Charger and big-block 1971 model known to exist.
This Charger R/T recently resurfaced, garnering attention when “Mopars5150” shared it on Instagram, followed by a detailed showcase on YouTube. Restored to perfection, this Charger R/T, whether officially designated as the sole pink 1971 Charger or not, captivates as a stunning testament to Mopar’s heritage.
Ready to grace the Concours d’Elegance circuit, this meticulously restored Mopar holds the potential to secure accolades, reaffirming its significance in automotive history. Notably, it joins the only collection boasting Pink Panther B-body cars from 1969, 1970, and 1971, adding another layer to its allure.
