If you’re looking for a rare Dodge Challenger to restore (besides a ’71 Hemi) convertible), you might want to consider the ’74 Rallye. That was the last model year for the “pony car” and the only year that a 360 cubic inch V8 could be ordered. It also had the lowest production totals of the car’s five-year run. This ’74 Challenger Rallye checks all those boxes, but is in rough physical condition, though it does run (but not stops). This “challenging” project is in Los Banos, California, and available here on eBay where the bidding stands at $3,550 but the reserve is unmet.

The Dodge Challenger was the last major player to enter the space the Ford Mustang is credited with starting in 1964/65. It was also one of the first to fold up tents in 1974 when Chrysler perceived the market for those cars was largely played out. Because so many of the automobiles were set up as muscle cars, that space was hit hard by rising insurance premiums and emerging emissions controls. And the OPEC oil embargo and resulting higher gasoline prices of 1973/74 didn’t help either. From a peak of 77,000 Challengers in 1970, less than 12,000 were built in 1974. The Plymouth Barracuda, which shared the Challenger’s E-body platform, saw comparable results and was gone in 1974, too (AMC closed shop on the Javelin at that time as well).

This rusty Mopar has the Rallye package, which replaced the R/T and Challenger 340. It’s a numbers-matching car with the drivetrain still intact. The car originated at a dealer in Massachusetts in late 1973 and we’re guessing the harsh winters of New England took their toll on the machine before it found its way out to the Left Coast. It’s also a two-owner car, so there hasn’t been a revolving door of ownership. It left the factory with B5 blue paint (still on the car), a white vinyl top, and a blue interior.

The shorter list might be to note where there isn’t rust on this automobile. Whoever buys the car is going to make some body shop very happy. Borrowing from the seller, the list of problem areas includes the front driver’s side frame rail, rear frame rails, driver’s inner fender, front fenders, hood, the lower section on doors, rocker panels, rear quarters, deck lid, tail panel, rear inner fender wells, driver side floorboards, rear inner fender extensions, roof, and lower radiator support.  Not much is left of the fender tag and no build sheet has survived.

On the plus side, the car does run by jumping the starter (the ignition is shot). But don’t expect to drive it up on a trailer as we’re told the brakes are no good. Given the amount of work needed, oddly the back seat has survived intact. At 76,000 miles, there can’t be that many of these vehicles left today. Records show that out of 11,354 Challengers built for 1974, a little more than half or 6,063 had the 360 V8, and two-thirds of those had automatic transmissions like the seller’s car.