1 of 204: 1974 Dodge Charger SE 440 V8

The “Dodge Rebellion” was a late 1960s advertising campaign designed to position Dodge as the performance arm of Chrysler Corp. That included the Charger, which was new in 1966. By 1974, when the seller’s car was built, the muscle era had more or less run its course. Yet, a few Chargers could be had with Chrysler’s biggest engine of the day, the HP 440 cubic inch V8. This machine is one of 204 thought to have been so equipped, so it’s a rare find today. Located in Decatur, Illinois, this hot (sort of) Mopar is available here on eBay. The current bid is $20,000, with the seller’s reserve set north of that. Once again, “Curvette” comes through with a cool tip.

Though redesigned in 1971, a styling refresh in 1973-74 positioned the Charger as more of a luxury ride than a hot rod. Most of them were built with a 318 or 360 V8, but a handful in 1974 saw the 440 for the last time. With detuning and a change in the measuring stick, that engine was now rated at 275 hp SAE net rather than the 375 horses in 1971. These low-production cars could be identified by the U-code in the VIN, which is the case with this white-over-red Charger.

With loads of documentation, such as the car’s build sheet, this 1974 Charger SE seems like the real deal. Its numbers matching and has a TorqueFlite automatic transmission (which I think was the only choice with the 440). The seller says the car is all original, so we assume the red paint, white Landau roof covering, and black interior are all from the assembly process from 52 years ago. We’re told it’s rust-free and all the sheet metal is from the factory.

This is a well-equipped Charger, and all the accessories work properly, such as the factory A/C. The indicated mileage is 94,000, so you might suspect things are starting to get a little tired mechanically, though the seller says it runs and drives as it should, and a video is offered to support its condition. Charger sales were down by a third in 1974 over 1973, but the latter was a record year, and 1974 was when car buyers were feeling the pinch of the OPEC oil embargo.