Using the Chrysler B-body platform, the Dodge Magnum replaced the 1976-7 Charger Daytona as that Chrysler division’s mid-size performance-minded machine. The GT focused on muscle while the XE aimed at personal luxury buyers. The seller has two of these automobiles, one each from the GT/XE camps. The goal would be to make one good car out of two bad ones, with the GT being the “winner.” Located in Mount Airy, Maryland, this pair of Mopars is available together here on eBay where an opening bid of just $1,900 has yet to be cast.
With the muscle car era of American iron mostly in the rear-view mirror, cars like the Dodge Magnum were expected to suffice. After all, the baby boomers who bought hot American cars in the 1960s were growing older and starting families. So a car like the Dodge Magnum would sell, right? Well, the answer is maybe. Dodge produced 47,827 Magnums in 1978 and just 382 were the so-called hot version, the GT. While all Magnums had slick transparent headlamp covers (which lifted when the lights were switched on), the GT got exclusive fender flares that further accentuated the Magnum’s bulging wheel arches.
When you checked the A75 GT-only box on the order form, you got color-keyed polyurethane fender flares, heavy-duty shocks, GR60-15 raised white letter radial tires on 15×7 inch slotted steel rims with chromed lug nuts, trim rings, bright center caps, two-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a few more items. You could also upgrade from the ho-hum 318 V8 to one that displaced 400 cubic inches. Horsepower sounded meager at 190, but it was a far cry better than the basic engine in terms of oomph.
The seller had intended to fix up the GT here by harvesting items off the companion XE. Besides the GT having the bigger motor, it was fully loaded including a factory moonroof. The car may not be as rusty as it looks with surface rust on the roof but we’re told the floors need some work and that may be why much of the worn-out interior has been removed.
On the other hand, the XE (which has no engine or transmission) has what appears to be a largely intact and good-looking interior, so the two could be merged. That would give you something of a GT/XE if that means anything. Is this a project you would undertake or wait for a nice Magnum survivor to come along if there is such a thing?
Find a Hellcat drivetrain to transplant out of wreck and call it the Magnum Hellcat GT XE….and 6 figures to do so.Probably not doable but Would be cool though.
Yeah that WOULD be cool. You definitely would have a unique Magnum. I guess that if you actually did it, it would be because you want it for yourself. Well in today’s world it is possible,for sure. The way these two cars sit, the only way to pull it off would be to get them both for $2,000.00 tops – out the door. And – do all the work yourself. Mmmm. Nah. Good luck though. Nice article!
The headlight lenses lifted when the headlights were turned on!. did they really do that?
Depending on what the undersides look like and you are doing it yourself FOR yourself, put all the GT goodies, especially the engine, on the XE. Get a little more HP out of it with some fresh paint and have fun with it.
I hope whoever junks it removes the wing on the trunk first so it can die with dignity.
Thanks for the find! I can honestly say I never knew there was such a car as a Magnum GT. In my opinion, these cars were the last good looking automobiles that Chrysler made, until they brought it back as a wagon. Hopefully, one of the MOPAR fanatics out there, will save these two.
The Dodge Magnum was by far the best looking car of this body run hands down. A relative had a black t top with red that was a real looker at the time. The one here is a 300.00 parts car at best and is nothing more than a two week row warmer at a pick-a-part yard. Parts, what few there are. Another example of every old piece of scrap is a lotto jackpot.
Who stole the fine Corinthian Leather? Ricardo? Half scale Herve?
Guido!! Where have you been hiding old bean? It does a heart good to ‘hear’ your voice after your lengthy hiatus off the radar…oh, I’m sorry, we’re supposed to be talking about the Magnum, poor old thing. I’m with Maggy on this one, this thing needs to be transformed into the beast it’s always wanted to be, but never really was. A friend in high school had one, and it was a pig! My ’77 T-bird would smoke it, and it would grab 2nd while doing so. Even though I always thought that was a tranny problem…
Been awhile since I swiped a set of these wheels off a Magnum for my Galaxie (with the 8″ wide versions on the back), but I thought the GT was a package added to a Magnum XE. Another ChryCo fact I/m unsure about, is the 400 a B block or RB? It’s just a huge small block isn’t it? Why are the 400s the ones you guys base your strokers on?
Pretty sure it is a big block, what replaced the 383. At this that time, I feel a 360 was a better bet, just for the handling alone. Not much difference in performance.
Not much different from the factory, but a 400 can be punched out to 451 CID, at which point there WOULD be a difference.
No, a 400 is a big block B engine.
(Low deck) The 413, 426, and 440 have a raised block (taller deck) to accommodate the longer stroke of the RB engines. The 400 is a better platform popular for a stroker motor because of it’s big cylinder bores 4.34 vs a 440 4.32 and because of it’s lower deck height will fit smaller engine bays better. i.e. the A body Darts and Barracuda.
I remember back in 1985 my dad had a Black Dodge Magnum GT and I thought the nearest thing on the car were the headlight covers and how they flipped up when you’d turn the lights on. He did a coupe things to it to make it faster, at least it sounded like it was, like dual exhaust and a big tall air cleaner off of our dirt track late model and some big old spark plug wires that were bright yellow, chrome valve covers and whatever else u could throw on an engine in the mid 80s u could add under the hood to make it look like it had a ton of power but in reality didn’t do a single thing to add any power at all. Boy those were the days !!!!
Neatest not nearest