It’s fascinating to see a modern car already being treated to the “rat rod” option, as this 2013 Dodge Challenger SRT8 showed up at a salvage auction with a bad 392 Hemi engine. The seller claims it sucked up water so it was likely in a flood situation or otherwise left in a situation where it ingested water, and it’s been given a quick-and-dirty revival in the form of a replacement engine and 18 inch wheels from a Dodge Charger. The cosmetics are still fairly rough and who knows what other lingering effects you might find of the water-related damage, but it likely goes like stink and sounds like a million bucks with an aftermarket exhaust and no mufflers. Find it here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $14,950.
That’s short money for one of the best performing modern muscle cars out there, so if you can live with a salvage title, your dollar will go pretty far with this one. Most SRT8s in good shape are going for close to $20K as a cost of entry, so the seller is offering a decent discount for one with the same performance on board, just in a slightly more wrinkled wrapper. The seller notes a few other flaws have occurred as a result of its being in an accident or lingering in a salvage facility, as the badges have all been stolen and the front lip is missing. The radio has also disappeared, so it seems this Charger has been left to the elements in more ways than one.
Still, the replacement engine likely delivers the same thrills as the damaged 392 and the seller notes there are no issues with the automatic transmission or the brakes. This Challenger would benefit from a thorough detailing, but it seems the seller is trying to keep his investment as low as possible, and I can’t say I blame him. The Challenger is in an odd spot on the used performance car market today, as anything below the Hellcats could end up in the hands of an owner who likes the idea of a brawny performance car but really isn’t equipped to drive or maintain one the way it should be. As a result, there are plenty of trashed examples out there for sale, and ones that aren’t too far off price-wise from this one and still with their matching engines.
Is the Challenger destined to be a future collectible? If so, it may make more sense to hold out for one with the original engine still installed, even if it’s cosmetically beat. I can’t quite tell what’s going on with the interior, if it’s just dust from months of being parked with its windows open in dusty salvage facility like a Copart, or if there’s some lingering effect from whatever water situation caused the original engine to hydrolock. The seller doesn’t reveal whether this car was involved in a minor flood or driven into water that went over the hood; either way, some detective work is likely advisable so you don’t end up with more headaches down the line. Is this reborn Challenger SRT8 a brilliant buy? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Adam C. for the find.
I’d be worried this thing got completely waterlogged. Too many good ones for not much more. Buyer beware.
Ck out the back seat legroom …
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yQ8AAOSwaZhgxMzc/s-l1600.jpg
Lot more in a 2nd gen bird or camaro.
Imagine back in 1980 a used 8 yr old Chally for
$15000-25000($4500-$7500 adjusted for inflation).
Unlike the std hemis, the stainless srt8 exhaust system is loud enuf & sounds good & should last a good long time. Why it was replaced, & with no mufflers yet, has got me scratching my head.
Water= moisture damage potential in everything electrical end to end in the car.
Parts Car, unless you are a Vegas gambler………..
I have fixed and driven a lot of salvage cars in my life,
most have been great cars. The problem with flood cars you are forever chasing the next electronic issue. No flood cars for me!
VIN shows it is a flood car out of Mississippi. I wouldn’t touch this with a ten foot pole.
SRT8s of approximately this age are available with mileage in the low 100s in the low-mid $20K range. I’d take 100K plus miles over flood damage any day.
Eight years is a long time in car design yet these are everywhere, maybe not SRT8, but late model Challengers in general, they are down at Carl Burger Dodge world right now…plenty around to choose from. And yes they are quite fast and make wonderful noise.
EIGHT yrs? – the same basic Chally actually came out in 2008! – thats 14 yrs ago & still no sheet metal changes, i believe.
& its Euopean based platform is a lot older than that!
I would estimate the car is no more than 50% North American content. I don’t think the auto trans is from this side off the pond either..
The standard hemi challenger’s exhaust , at least on my friend’s ’10 Chally was too quiet & he had a muffler shop remove the resonators. (I wonder if Calif CAFE would allow that.)
One thing for sure is that today’s V6 pony cars with an aftermkt exhaust sound terrible!! – best left alone!
Even some factory V6 “perf” exhausts sound bad.
& even worse, the “tuiners”. The only common man’s 4 cyl car that sounded good to me was a ’72 pinto 2000 cc with 4 bbl, offenhauser, 3/4 race cam & turbo muffler. Nowhere near as loud as many fart can muffler “tuners” today, & he got several tickets back in the ’70’s for the “noise” – he eventually had to quiet it down! Where’s the enforcement today?
Got that right, Joe! Yeah, I was referring to this particular year 2013 Dodge and to be honest I couldnt actually remember the first year these modern Challengers came out. Its been so long, haha. Dodge can’t deviate from the classic retro styling that much without blowing it,,my opinion of course.
Got to be a V8, nothing sounds better at least to me. No sixes, fours are annoying with fartmobile exhaust, even the V10 misses the ear candy.
Catalytic converters are a no touch in CA, but judging by my ears many of these late models have very loud pipes, not stock, except for some GT Mustangs with the dial-a-volume stock exhaust…thats crazy stuff!!
Everyone is into loud aggressive sounding exhaust these past few decades, trucks and cars more than ever before. I mean LOUD too not just a change of tone. Its all different now…..loud exhaust? Factory claims of 500 plus horsepower and thats light…..nobody attacks them like Ralph Nader or Washington anymore which is fine with me.
Just so long as it’s a V8.
I’ve always believed these are an unappreciated bargain – full stop. Four wheel ,independent (who cares the source) huge brakes manual shift and so on. I’m always spying for a good buy and expect to own one sometime. However, this at $15k isn’t close. Too much risk to reward.
Ended: Sep 07, 2021 , 10:16AM
Sold for:US $14,950.00
Located in:
Miami, Florida