Mopar E-body fans looking to keep busy will find much goodness in this pair of Dodge Challengers (along with a major stash of extra parts). The cars are located in Nashville and offered here on eBay with a current bid of $3,350 (reserve not met) and a BIN of $10,000.
As is often the case with package deals on project cars, each vehicle has different strengths and weaknesses. The ’72 has rust in both rear fenders, roof, rockers, and at least one door. An accident sometime in the car’s life caused the front sheet metal to be swapped out, and its currently wearing the hood from the ’73, although the seller states the original hood is also in perfect condition.
The listing makes short mention of the running gear in the ’72, but aside from a few go-fast aftermarket parts, the well-equipped 318 appears mostly original. The seller states it “might” run with a new battery. If the small block doesn’t appeal to prospective buyers, the seller is also including a built 440 as part of the deal that could be dropped in either car.
The ’73 is disassembled but has far less rust than the ’72. Per the seller, the rot is limited to a spot on the back deck ahead of the trunk opening, some spots on one door rail and door, a bit behind on the cowl, and in the headlight bowls of the fenders. The VIN tells us this was originally a 340 car, but when the seller purchased the car it had been swapped to a 440 powerplant.
And here’s that big block. It is said to have been professionally rebuilt with high-quality internals and is dressed in the correct blue color for the year. To get this running would require the addition of a carb, torque converter, and high-quality electronics.
The sale also includes a large collection of both new and used parts. Too much to list here, but suffice to say that obtaining all of these bits individually today would be a challenging (heh) and pricey endeavor. Which leads to the larger question of whether this collection would be best reassembled as one or two cars? The significant rust in the ’72 makes the body restoration on that one an expensive proposition, and being a 318 car its market value will never approach that of a hi-po model. Still, any E-body is a valuable commodity, and there seems to be quite a bit here to work with. Which way would you go?
My only question is why these were not crushed decades ago.
Because there were too many Mustangs and Camero’s in the same shape.
This is an insult to junkyard cars .
Sell the engine and part these beasts out and scrap
Some assembly required.
Batteries not included, obviously.
Parts only. The idea of turning all that into a decent running, functioning car is insanity.
I know I don’t have the capabilities/knowledge of most or possibly all of the Barnfinds readers, but I think that for the price, someone will get quite a bit to work with.
I wonder if the package deal were mustangs or camaros would the comments be the same?
I’m not sure. I love all E-bodies, even more than Camaros and Mustangs, but looking at dash boards just lying there and thinking about all that would need to be done just to wire all that up scares the crap outta me. I guess my comment is based more on my own personal fear of knowing I could never complete such a task. I wish I could…
The commentator asked .. which way would you go ?
I would not go anywhere near this scrap pile
Honest keyboard restorer response.
Interesting comments – if the cars were assembled, a lot of disassembly would need to be done to clean up the wiring, install carpet, etc – so why the quibble? Half the work is done. If you are looking for something turn key, you wont find it stored outdoors..
Tearing a car apart and tossing the parts on the floor is half the work? Not by a long shot. Especially if someone else did it. Even a keyboard restorer should know that, which I am not.