Carburetor Fire Victim: 1972 Dodge Challenger

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With pony and muscle car sales declining, Dodge dialed back its options for the Challenger in 1972. Gone were the big-block engines (383, 440, and 426 Hemi), with the 340 being the top engine. And the performance model, R/T, was replaced by the Rallye, which was akin to the Challenger 340 of the year before. This ’72 Challenger Rallye looks good at first, but a closer inspection reveals the damage caused by a carburetor fire that the seller discloses. Available from an estate sale, this Mopar is in Conway, South Carolina, and is available here on eBay for $25,500 OBO.

After a successful launch in 1970, Challenger sales had dropped from 77,000 units to 23,000 in 1972 (the Plymouth Barracuda suffered a similar fate). The “new” Rallye model captured nearly 40% of sales while the base inline-6 engine only went into 842 Challengers before being retired from a lack of demand. A dealer is apparently involved in the sale of this Dodge as 18 vehicles from various estates are referenced as available. This automobile must have been loved by its prior owner for it to still be wearing its original FE5 paint after 52 years – and it still presents well.

We’re told this Mopar has had its automatic transmission and rear end rebuilt. And the engine was removed and resealed (perhaps from lack of use over the years?). However, it appears the carburetor fire in question happened recently under circumstances not disclosed. We’re told the car runs and drives around the lot, but the work needed to get this machine back on the road could be extensive.

The fire burned up the dashpad, the headliner, and some of the bits and pieces under the hood. The underside of the bonnet shows there was some degree of smoke. I’d be concerned about the components that you can’t see that could have melted, like some of the wiring. Fortunately, the 340 is numbers matching and probably will recover from whatever happened to this machine. The trunk is full of parts and pieces, some of which were damaged while others may be new. People familiar with the hidden nature of car fires and how rebuilt titles work are more likely to have interest in this project than casual Challenger fans.

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Comments

  1. John EderMember

    I don’t know much about Challengers, but this looks like a smokin’ deal…

    Like 20
    • Shuttle Guy Shuttle GuyMember

      lol!

      Like 2
  2. 1980flh1200

    John that was awful. but funny InNH we’ don’t have rebuilt
    titles if it was built before 2000 you don’t need a tltle

    Like 3
  3. Mike76

    Hate to see that. Good news is the fire looks to have been controlled fairly quickly. I’d be concerned about the state of the wiring too but at least the damage is all fixable. Good reminder to all of us that drive these old cars to check your fuel system components intermittently and keep a serviced fire extinguisher where it is easily accessible, I.e., not in the trunk!

    Like 6
  4. sparkster

    Is this considered a “fire sale ” ?

    Like 5
  5. BigBear🇺🇸

    I had my share of carburetor fires. But not like this. Never seen one before that the dash and headliner are toast. We don’t have the full story. How did it get passed the firewall? I bet the electrical wires under the dash somehow caught fire.. overheated? The flames came up toasted the dash then the fire jumped to the headliner. I mean, was anybody around, to put this out. Somebody wearing a jacket could of put this fire out. I am 65 and saw my share of engine fires. Always put out before anymore damage. Well good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸

    Like 13
  6. Steve Weiman

    Has all the signs of the dreaded Mopar ammeter fire. (ask me how I know)
    Fire starts at any point of connections/gauge that break down over time, melt and short to ground, fire starts, then goodbye dashboard…….
    This looks like the damaged started inside the car then the shorted wiring traveling into the engine compartment and created minor damage there. No typical engine fire here…..

    Like 17
  7. John EderMember

    If my late mother were still alive, she’d take a butter knife out of the drawer and scrape off the black parts of the dashboard and headliner and then say, “There you go- good as new. Quit complaining.”

    Like 10
  8. Roland

    I have to wonder what really happened here – did the fire start under dash or under hood. At some point the wiring caught on fire and there is a lot to do with the dash. What’s weird is that someone replaced some parts – the windshield and ignition wires, but did not deal with the rest – why? The windshield will have to come out to get the dash out, and I don’t know what good the plug wires are doing anyone given what the rest of the harness looks line on top of the engine. Good luck to the next owner, who hopefully gets the car for way less than the current asking price.

    Like 2
  9. Stan 🏁Member

    Roger that Bear 🐻

    Like 0
  10. SS

    Looks more like the Ammeter burned up, subsequently spreading to engine bay. Not the first one I’ve seen.

    Like 6
  11. frank

    Way to much money, 5-8k tops

    Like 1
  12. Robert Atkinson, Jr.

    Can you say, “restomod”? Sure you can! not an over the top, fire breathing big block restomod, but keep the numbers matching pieces, with a new wiring harness, EFI to go with the electronic ignition that was standard in Chrysler products by 1972, and some suspension upgrades to go with the new paint and interior! Tried lightly, and even that 340 will make more power than anyone thought possible in 1972!

    Heidt’s makes a bolt-in IRS kit for 1970-74 Chargers and Challengers, that combined with some subframe connectors, will make this classic handle like its modern descendant at a fraction of the price!

    https://www.heidts.com/shop-by-application/?mk=40&md=286&y=1970-1974

    Like 0
  13. Robert Atkinson, Jr.

    Can you say, “restomod”? Sure you can! not an over the top, fire breathing big block restomod, but keep the numbers matching pieces, with a new wiring harness, EFI to go with the electronic ignition that was standard in Chrysler products by 1972, and some suspension upgrades to go with the new paint and interior! Tried lightly, and even that 340 will make more power than anyone thought possible in 1972!

    Like 1

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