Yesterday we launched auctions for three Dodge Challengers that were just pulled out of a barn in Texas. They were found by the guys over at Restore A Muscle Car and Gas Monkey Garage. After dragging them back to the shop, they went through everything to make them roadworthy, and boy did they turn out nice! Keep reading to get the full story and be sure to check out the auctions if you’re interested in bringing home one of these Mopar muscle machines!
These cars have sat in this barn since the ’90s. Apparently they were parked because the cops would pick them up every time they left the driveway. Supposedly they even outran the police a few times! We are not sure about that, but it is obvious that the previous owner loved his Challengers (he owned 5 at one point). Each of these cars was well cared for setup to drive fast. The big dog has to be this Plum Crazy purple one because it’s a 383 R/T car.
Forming a plan of attack. There’s a video of all the antics below, but it’s kind of hard to understand the seller. It sounds like these cars were souped up a little and that he had a lot of fun with them. The 383 car may be the quickest, but the HEMI orange one with the plaid seats has gotta be the coolest! Then again, the 360-powered black one looks sinister and will probably be the cheapest…
After short negotiations, a deal was made! The seller said he would have given them to his kids, but they weren’t interested. Bet they are kicking themselves now! Richard and the team got a killer deal, but they were also there with the cash and willing to put in the work.
Negotiating was the easy part! Time to load them up.
Looks like hard work guys…
In the end, it was all worth it though! Check out how well these Challengers cleaned up. Any one of them would be awesome to own. Let us know which one is your favorite and why in the comments section. You can review each auction and watch the video below:
Auction your car here on Barn Finds for only $99!
Can’t afford any of them, but I plan on keeping track of the auction. I like the black one
My favorite would have to be none of the above! Not that I don’t like Challengers, but the V6 AWD model they sell is .3 seconds slower through the 1320 than the venerable 340, gets way better gas mileage, and best of all, the tops of the front fenders won’t rust through by next spring.
I think your on the wrong car sight ,you need to be on one of the new car chat forums , of course we all know the new versions of our favorite muscle cars out perform the old ones in every aspect, but that’s not the point is it.
The tops of the front fenders didn’t rust through on the E bodies, that problem was with the A bodies and 70 and earlier B bodies.
Yah but you can’t soup them up as easily- new cars aren’t made for people who prefer to build, upgrade and work on their street/drag cars. It’s STILL cheaper and they have way more personality. Stroke,bore out, change the gears and stomp modern challengers all day for WAY less money. Plus insurance is cheaper and no car payment. Why bother with newer ones? Everyone and their mother has one now. I still like seeing the new ones on the street- but they just aren’t as special.
I had a 1970 383 4 speed in the same orange
A 360 is not period correct for any of them.
You are correct Pat, that was going to be my comment. You beat me too it. The 340 one would be my choice and I doubt the 383 would be the fastest of the three. The bids reflect this.
The R/T 383 is the most valuable of the three.
$38k +$10k finder fee for 3 challengers……steal!
The old man seemed like he was not all there.
He’s spent time in the bottle for sure. Probably just aquired his retirement.
Dontcha just hate it when these TV guys ( gas monkey) steals cars like these from innocent people and then sell them for 2 arms and 3 legs
No, it’s a business ad everybody is in business to make money. If we buy one of these cars, don’t use it for the next ten years, and then sell it for three time what we paid for it, does that make us flippers? I had a connection that hated me for having a classic car outlet from which I made a lot of money, but when it came time for him to sell his beautiful Mercedes 280s, who did he ask to sell it for him at a big profit to what I know he paid for it? You guessed it.
I’m willing to bet the seller came out just fine. Yes, the price paid for the cars looks like a steal, but the seller probably got a big payment for agreeing to be on-screen as part of the show.
I started watching the Gas Monkey video, but had to tap out at 4 min when the owner came out and started talking. Couldn’t take more than 30 seconds of that guy.
I found the owner to be entertaining. Reminded me of Foster Brooks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkW35T1jQB0
It all boils down to people being “Lazy”. Similar to “Pawn Stars” (one of my favorite shows). People want money “NOW” and don’t want to spend the time to do the research for the true value of items. Any business must buy lower than the cost of resale to stay in the profiting zone. Also remember, the cost of something is only part of the expense of making a profit, incidentals must be factored in. “LOST & PROFIT” reports, must be used and understood.
My older daughter graduated HS & did Running Start and had her Associates before her diploma. Ended up with a violinist scholarship atop a full ride, so I gave her a choice of car that we would order through a friend’s dealership network. Set up an order for a Mustang GT with two non-standard production subs; when Ford couldn’t give a scheduled production date, my buddy is like” I can get you a Bullit or GT350 executive drive car for the same or less.” So my daughter has a GT350 she plans on taking with her to Eastern Europe (and back)- she will keep all the paperwork, tags, and take plenty of pics of the car when she takes it out & about in Europe. That way, it is a Shelby with a very cool unusual history and once it becomes a “Vintage” car, it will be worth quite a bit more than any other similar GT350.
By some here, that is probably a scam/planned history, but if it comes to fruition, it will be the genuine story of the car and increases it’s value
If these guy’s are that tired out from pushing a car out on level ground and hooking up a tow strap, and winching a car on a trailer with a cable…..It would be funny to see them cut, split, stack fire wood. All great looking cars, happy there saved. They did a nice job cleaning them up.
In the video it looks like they pushed two of them across a field so it was worse than it appears in my post. I just thought it looked funny!
From the photo’s on site, It looks like there all in a big pole shed covered in dust. I did not watch the video, sorry. If they were outside, I hope they get some rain soon. Still, They are all great looking cars all around, Past-Present- future owners will be happy. I know I would be.
Three beautiful cars and I do agree that being on TV is a big part of his success!!! I’m sure that 90% of people on barn find that love cars had the same opportunity they would take it in a heartbeat!! So should we hate the guy for it??? Should we hate the guys on American pickers or any other show that has had there business promoted on TV???
They might be having their business promoted on TV now but I have to wonder just HOW they got to be on TV in the first place? They must have put in the very hard, start up work, in the first place for many years before becoming successful enough to be picked up by a network that figured they would be able to make an entertaining show out of what they do. Fast ‘n Loud might contain a lot of BS but let’s face it, they do rescue a lot of great cars that would otherwise have gone to the crusher or back to Mother nature. I found Fantom Works to be a far more realistic show than all of the others and am sorry that it is no longer with us. Dan Short really told it like it is. Fortunately I am still able to follow him via his weekly newsletter updates.