The 1974 model year would be the last for the Dodge Challenger, introduced just five years earlier at the height of the pony car movement. Sales started strong at 77,000 units but would dwindle to just over 11,000 copies as declining interest in muscle cars spilled over into the genre. This ’74 looks like a nice survivor, although it’s had one repaint which might not be the original color. Located at a dealership in Pompano Beach, Florida, this car is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $18,600.
When the Challenger first came out, you could get it with almost any engine that Chrysler built. That included the Slant-Six and a myriad of V8s from the 318 small-block to the 426 Hemi. However, by 1974 you only had two choices: the venerable 318 and a 360 V8 that replaced the potent 340 after 1973. Rising insurance costs, increasing emissions controls, and finally higher fuel prices due to the OPEC oil embargo led Chrysler to pull the plug on both the Challenger and the similar Plymouth Barracuda after the 1974 season.
The seller says this Challenger has been stored most of its life, hence the claim of 53,800 miles. We’re told the Dodge has been repainted once in Hemi Orange, but I can find no records that this color was available after 1971, the last year of the Hemi engine (why continue to advertise the Hemi three years later?). While the paint looks genuinely nice, details might have been overlooked. For example, they repainted the entire master cylinder when they redid the engine compartment. The R/T stripes and emblems were added after the fact as there was no Challenger R/T after 1972.
The white and black interior looks quite sharp, and we’re told the headliner is new. The seller says everything works well, including all the lights and gauges. This is a bucket seat car with a column-shifted TorqueFlite automatic, which would be common with Challengers offered with the 318. The VIN confirms that’s the engine this car came with and the seller says it’s numbers-matching. The car is said to run very well with no issues or noises. A turn-key car that could be driven almost anywhere.
To make that trip as enjoyable as possible, the car has brand new tires on Rallye wheels and a new Flowmaster exhaust system. It’s hard to tell the model year of Challengers built between 1972-74 as the same grille and tail-light arrangements were used, but the bigger bumpers mandated by the Federal government make it a little easier to pick out a 73-74. The lack of changes to the car is a further indication that Chrysler had no long-term plan for the Challenger after its first 2-3 years.
Because all the spunk was gone from the Dodge Challenger by ’74, those editions may be the least sought after today. And yet, Hagerty says a Concours edition of that model year can run as high as $37,000 on the open market. So, depending on how the auction plays out, someone could get a nice Challenger for half of what they might otherwise go for. But they’d only have a 318 car with a color that might not be correct for the year.
This is a nice looking car…a few things though: front hood scoops should be body color, front bumper guards removed, rear decklid trim & corners should be chrome; and it appears that there is no weather stripping around the decklid. Adding the correct exhaust tips & valence for the dual exhaust conversion is a plus! Of course, the R/T stripes as noted were not available for ’74, but they look good. A little overboard w/ the orange paint, but the car/interior presents well. GLWTA!! :-)
Correct on all counts Moparman! I still have a beautiful 74 Rallye that I bought from the original owner back in 1981 that could very well end up here some day…
I always thought that the original Challenger was a
much better/cleaner design.
The engine bay photo looks like a plastic Revell model kit that a 10 year old painted after running out of black, silver, and gold paint.
Looks like the heater core must be bad, it’s been bypassed..
I like this car a lot. Sure, not completely accurate in every detail; sure, engine bay has some issues, but still looks good; sure, 318 with auto; sure, stripes may not be correct for the year; who cares? I’d drive this a lot.
It’s unoriginal enough that there would be zero guilt in resto-modding it into something very potent. I think that is a huge plus given the price.
Probably the last good looking car made in the seventies. Yeah, it has some flaws, but as long as everything is correct, it should bring the money. We were about to see how ugly cars could get, and performance was forgotten.
Firebird was made all through the 70s…one of the BEST looking cars imop, actually 81 was last year for that body style although some don’t like the front end after 79
I had a 1970 Challenger R/T with a 440 and automatic , lime green with the same white interior as this one . My 70 was a rocket loved the power. Everyone makes a lot of noise about the Cuda but, I’ve always liked the Challenger better
I just hate the grille/taillights in the late Challengers, 70 – 71 are much nicer. Nice car
There it is….the 50 year old ugly grille comment.
Only thing I dont like about the front or rear is the ugly protruding rubber rear bumper guards……I’d have to take ’em off.
It depends on what you are used to. I had a ’73 Barracuda with the front and rear rubber bumper guards and now think they look naked without them.
That’s one of the first things I noticed about the front of this car and was surprised that the rear ones were still there.
One has to remember that the Chrysler Corporation stopped the production of both the Dodge Challenger and the Plymouth Barracuda in March 1974, which is why the 1974 Model year production numbers are so low. As far as looks go for Challengers: the 1972 Challenger was probably the prettiest on of the lot since these did not have the BIG BISCUIT Bumper biscuits mandated by the 5 Mile Per Hour bumper standards of 1973.
All you have to do is check any 1972 Challenger or 1972 Barracuda and you will see what these vehicles look like without the big rubber biscuits for 1973. Also there was no R/T version for 1974 it was a Challenger Rallye with a 360 engine option. This “RUSH” paint job has the following wrong painted items. Brake Master Cylinder, should be cast iron with yellow di chromate cover. Oil fume canister should be black, not blue, Air cleaner cover no decals, just black paint Suspect heater core leaks that is the reason for the by-pass set up. No Air conditioning and I do not see a power steering pump. The heater blower motor painted red also incorrect.
I won this auction an still currently own this car. Although I have done some routine maintenance to improve reliability an swapped the wheel setup, this car was a great buy and a fun cruiser. I’ve taken it on 2 hot rod power tours 2021&2022 (starting number 3 sunday) and completed every leg, earning 2 long hauler certificates. Other then the stock radiator giving out and an idler arm on the steering it’s been a solid ride. It even made it in the hotrod magazine as one of the cars they took a photo of for the power tour article one year. The amount of folks that enjoy seeing my driver quality, baby motor, mopar at shows an cruise inns has been fun to watch. Car was originally dark green for those curious. Im glad they went with hemi orange despite the year! Get out there an drive them guys an gals! These old cars bring back so many memories for so many folks. -Cheers