1971 Dealer demo. Wowsa!

[69CoronetRT]

1) In today's money, this is about a $67,000 car without the cost of modern convenience and safety amenities added.

2) Please notice that even on a top end Imperial, a radio was not standard equipment. While installed in almost 100% of vehicles, a radio was not standard and could not be 'deleted'.

3) The cost of a radio/tape player at that time was quite expensive as a percentage of cost.

 

[ayilar]

Got the full VIN and history for this one?

 

[feets]

They came with radio options but one had to be selected. No Imperials of this generation (or newer) were built without a radio.

That car was cheaper than my 72. It came with Sentinel lighting and rear AC.
My 71 was cheaper since it had no right side mirror, cloth seats, and manual AC.

 

[69CoronetRT]

They came with radio options but one had to be selected. No Imperials of this generation (or newer) were built without a radio.

That car was cheaper than my 72. It came with Sentinel lighting and rear AC.
My 71 was cheaper since it had no right side mirror, cloth seats, and manual AC.

While installed in almost every car, Radios were always optional and never required.

 

[SIPLOWGUY]

While installed in almost every car, Radios were always optional and never required.

Cars are often called "radio delete" but reality is even the base model radio was an option.

 

[ayilar]

They came with radio options but one had to be selected. No Imperials of this generation (or newer) were built without a radio.

If "by generation" you mean "fuselage Imperials" then I respectfully disagree -- see here for a 1970 example:

The same holds for 1971, as the Fleet Order Data Book (scan here, courtesy of the Hamtramck Registry Library) shows all radios as optional, not standard. @ceebuddy made the same point here.

 

[ayilar]

Got the full VIN and history for this one?

When you can tell us more about the car, I'd love to also have a photo of the dashboard (with the "no radio" plate) for records.

 

[JC68vert300]

A person could truly personalize their car back then with all the individual options to check off. In retrospect, with this Imperial having standard manual air conditioning, I wonder how many people regretted checking off the Autotemp option for only $18.50.

 

[CBODY67]

I would expect ANY Imperial to have some sort of "radio" in it, even if it was dealer-installed. After all, this was the LUXURY-class Chrysler.

I would be more concerned about the Spare Tire Cover being optional!

Surprised that ATC II was a inexpensive as it was.

IF the car had been built 10 years earlier, I could fully understand it not having any factory-installed radio in it. At that time, some typical Imperial-aged buyers could still not desire "music to drive by".

Remember the big "stink" the aftermarket radio group made (later 1970s) because USA OEMs had started to make a basic AM radio standard in all of their cars AND designed the instrument panels specifically for OEM-design radios to be installed in the cars?

IF I had been a Chrysler Corp dealer back then, EVERY higher-level car would have had at least AM/FM Multiplex, 5-speaker sound systems in them, period. IF I had been shopping for a car of that price level, the would have been what I expected to see in them. IF the car had been sold in the far reaches outside of normal FM reception, then "stereo tape" would be added. If the customer had protested, that sound system amount would have been the first thing to be deducted from the sales price.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[ayilar]

I would expect ANY Imperial to have some sort of "radio" in it, even if it was dealer-installed. After all, this was the LUXURY-class Chrysler.

(...) IF the car had been built 10 years earlier, I could fully understand it not having any factory-installed radio in it. At that time, some typical Imperial-aged buyers could still not desire "music to drive by".

(...) IF I had been a Chrysler Corp dealer back then, EVERY higher-level car would have had at least AM/FM Multiplex, 5-speaker sound systems in them, period. IF I had been shopping for a car of that price level, the would have been what I expected to see in them. IF the car had been sold in the far reaches outside of normal FM reception, then "stereo tape" would be added. If the customer had protested, that sound system amount would have been the first thing to be deducted from the sales price.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

I was getting ready to respectfully disagree, until I read the last line. FWIW, I (almost) never listen to the radio in my cars. To wit, I bought a new car last year with a very fancy/good standard audio system. I have never (as in: not once ever) listened to it.

 

[hootothecore]

My father bought a used '71 just before the '72s hit the show rooms with 13K miles on it for half that price (paid a little over $4K). Only option difference was cloth vs leather seating. It's 440 and 727 is in my '70 Challenger now.