Ikey Heyman brought another gem to our attention. It is a 1974 Dodge Charger SE with a 440 cubic inch V8 engine and automatic transmission. The Charger is listed here on Craigslist for $29,900 and is located in Fort Myers, Florida. The Charger is red with a black interior. It is said to be in original condition and to have never had a repaint. There are some dings and dents and the rear quarter panel below the body line is crunched.
The seller states that the 440 cubic inch V8 engine under the hood is the original, numbers matching motor. I believe the 440 cubic inch V8 engine was rated at 280 horsepower using net horsepower ratings. The engine compartment looks clean and the engine and the base of the air cleaner look as if they have been recently painted. The radiator also looks to have been replaced with an aluminum unit to keep that big motor cool. The odometer reflects about 80,000 miles. The 1974 Charger was the last year of the third generation body style of the Dodge Charger and you could still order a 4 speed manual transmission with the 440 cubic inch V8 engine.
The black bucket seats look nice as do the console, carpet, and dash. Even though the car is located in Florida, the ad states that it was originally a California car and has the N95 emissions option. I hope that is not like an N95 mask that restricts breathing! Options on the car include air conditioning, full console, automatic transmission, rally gauges, solid-state AM/FM radio, painted sport mirrors, stripe package, rear defrost, power steering, and power brakes.
The styling and amenities seemed to veer more to a personal luxury car in 1974 rather than the early years as a muscle car. The seller states that this Dodge Charger SE was one of 800 produced in 1974 with the 440 cubic inch V8 engine. With the gas crisis in full swing, the 440 cubic inch V8 engine was not as popular as in prior years. This seems like a rare car if the body style is your cup of tea. I sure like it.
I never really connected with this era of Charger, since it seems so many of them are lazy velourmobiles for the “personal luxury” set. But outfitted like this, in that color with those stripes, it’s a shockingly good looking car.
Optional hood ornament on a 440 charger?! Not quite appropriate for the Dukes or Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, let alone Bullitt.
It would be ridiculous if there is no tach in the dash here – with that huge clock front & center. If this was a beater, i would pull it out & throw it in the river. lol & find a tach that would fit in its place.
Anyway, this car is in spectacular condition. & tho i am not a fan of vinyl roofs AND racing stripes(say on 1st gen camaros), they do work here.
It’s interesting that the first picture is the only one that includes the hideous rubber front bumper guards. These cars (make that all cars) look so much better without them.
Always liked these but not the opera window.
Always almost liked these, but not quite.
I’ve never been a fan of the ’71-’74 Chargers. They seem bloated and overdone compared to the ’68-’70 versions. This one, however, proves that colors and appearance options are very important. I like this it as much as I disliked my neighbor’s green-on-green-on-green base ’73 version.
LoL. I feel the feeling you felt
1974 440 4 barrel was rated at 275 BHP, and a 4-speed was NOT available with the 440.
You are spot on. I have a 74 Rallye 440 with the optional 3.55 gears and the sales brochure stating 275. Also in 74 the hood was no longer black as the 73s were.
I’m pretty sure 1972 was the last year you could get a 440 4-speed Charger. Muscle Car Review did an article on a 1974 Charger Rallye with a 440, sunroof, and a bunch of other desirable options and it was a beauty. Next to the 68-70 Chargers I’ve always liked the 71-74 Chargers
That sunroof car is on eBay right now.
Very limited amount of the 73 & 74 chargers came with a 440. I thought the same thing until I did some reading on production numbers and options.
I own a red SE exactly like that one except it has a 400.
4spd/440 must be unicorn. However there is a one owner Black on black 74 in SF. I saw it driving back in 1982 while working. Love Chargers and ran after it to talk the owner. Apparently if you had the money and were persistent enough you could order it your way still.
Not a chance. You were fed a line of b.s. There were zero 440/4-speed cars in ’73 or ’74. No Road Runners and no Chargers. You could get a 400/4-speed in those last two years though, upon which many have had 440 emblems placed and engines installed, lol.
Saw it with my own eyes. Tx9 black on black owner was extremely proud of it. Been into Chargers since late 70’s. It was real 3peddle car. Just like 72′ Hemi/6pk cars “don’t exist” either. Right?
Actually, ’72 Six Pack cars do exist…and it was listed in the brochure as an option. They were early production though, and they only made a couple.
However…they did not make ANY 440 cars with a 4-speed, Six Pack or otherwise. There were zero produced. Sorry, no one will buy that story.
I believe you that you saw a 74 440/4 Spd. Because as recently as 1997 if you spent enough time with a good dealer you could order stuff that other dealers said was unavailable so I’m sure could in 74. Case in point. In 1997 Dodge Ram SST trucks were only available in regular cabs, 245 hp. 5.9L with a more aggressive sounding exhaust, in 4 colors. Red, white, emerald and black. The non SST trucks were 235 hp. My father spent the time, and insisted and got a metallic moss green SST, extended cab with the enhanced 245 hp 5.9. He also ordered it “sticker delete” came with no SST callouts of any kind. Again I’m positive if he did a special order in 96 for a 97 you could have easily done it in 73 for a 74 model year car.
The mirrors should be painted the same color as the car , Maybe they aren’t original to this car, but they could be repainted easily
Your right Bones.. The mirrors are the original. They were painted to match the strip. The grill should be the original grey color with red stripe/trim piece through center. I know this cause this is my husbands ride. Thank you for mentioning on BarnFinds. This vehicle is a time capsule!! Well worth asking price. Those of you who know cars, would understand. 🚗💨
This barn find is totally redone, with all matching numbers. Red, as we call her, is headed to Mecum on Jan 2025. It’s been some project but finally done. It’s already in Mecum catalog. The red paint makes her stand out. A lot of time,love and headaches went into this. Check her out.
Nice car, but it needs body work and it isnt the most popular Charger body style . I dont think its worth anywhere near 30Gs , maybe half of that.
Yeah, that’s what they said about ’71’s and ’72’s a few years ago, too, lol.
Never liked the 73/74s compared to the 71/72 Chargers but man is this one striking car. Just goes to show how the right colors and trim can make or break a car. Nice job.
vin tag attached with screwz??
The fender tag has always been attached with phillips screws.
Had one as my car, a 74 in 1980 yellow with black. Could shift the automatic from 1st to second at 72mph.
Love the B body Chrysler products, pretty much any year. Love the listed car, opera windows and all. E86 275 net hp (280?) dropped to 255 net hp in 1975 (no cats) while the E85 option (440 4bbl, single exhaust and catcon) was rated at 215 net hp (Imperial, Gran Fury, Monaco). Charger was practically a Cordoba clone in 1975
Recall reading the E86 was available on various B bodies until 1978 depending on the model, jurisdiction and scheduling decision. In the sales brochures, the B body could only max out at the 400 4bbl, single exhaust and catcon, for 190 net hp. E68 400 (4bbl, dual exhaust, no cats) dropped from 235 net hp in 1975 and was also ‘special order’.
The widely known E58 360 option dropped to 220 net hp in 1975 (4bbl, duals and no cats) and dropped further in 1979 to 195 net hp (4bbl, duals, cat cons?) was also ‘special order’ through 1978 and standard on the 1979 Chrysler 300 and optional on the 1979 Dodge Magnum XE. I’m doing this from memory.
The 1970s were interesting years for Chrysler Corporation with many memorable cars.
Most interesting is my 2020 Chrysler 300s 5.7L (345 ci) is reported to produce 363 net hp on regular fuel. People who have dynoed these cars report they make around 305 RWHP on 87 and around 325 RWHP on 93.
AllPar is publishing the 1975-1978 E86 only made 195 RWHP, while the 1971 E86 only made 305 RWHP. My car has a 2:65 rear diff and ZF 8 speed auto – plenty fast. A product of the Chrysler/ Daimler era.
Damn gorgeous Dodge Charger SE 440! Love the 3 opera windows styling!
Don’t know what these cost brand new and I’m sure Mr. insurance agent was grinning ear to ear price gouging cars like this, price of fuel went thru the roof, and….performance was on a downward spiral especially by ’74 so it’s no wonder the sales were way down. All that trouble and for what? A car that was a dog compared to just a few years prior, why bother really. I can’t help but think that was one more reason for the decline in big engine sporty cars like this here Charger. It’s a great looking car now, but in ’74 I suppose a few potential customers just kept their older and stronger running ’69 Charger R/T with the warm 440 Magnum for thrills., it was paid off anyways.
Nice ride.
I found this window sticker of a similar 1971 model with similar equipment. http://www.kiphuth.com/images/charger/wp29u1a142369_ws_1.jpg
Yes, Joe Sewell. Five thousand bucks for that ’71…..that wasn’t a cheap car by any means! Being a ’71 that 440 still had plenty of bang in it and Chevron Supreme, the high test gas, hadn’t been replaced with the new unleaded fuel yet as an example. By ’74 the low compression 440- 4 was a smog motor and to get it running like the ’71 was gonna take some work. Gas mileage was unaffected, Haha, I think for five grand and less power same mpg I would have bought used in ’74. Or tried for a SD 455 Firebird. Thanks for the feedback.
I was always a 1st Gen Fan until I got my 73 SE in 1977.
Sold it in 80, I was getting 9MPH the way I drove it.
Got Married and traded it for a Toyota Corolla. Always regretted it.
Regretted trading or getting married, Hank?
LMAO, don’t take us there Boatman !
Gus Fring: Here’s an interesting article concerning the 1972 440/6 cars. https://www.hotrod.com/articles/check-out-the-1972-plymouth-road-runner-gtx-4406-chrysler-swore-never-existed/
Article states one Road Runner and two Chargers were built. I recall an article from years before that described a 1972 Charger 440/6 restoration in progress. Owner stated he was told 6 were built total. Production was stopped due to emissions concerns.
Mine in High School, had the 400 also. With dual exhaust and a POSI TRACK rear end. I could light my tires up for 50 yards. I got a speeding ticket the next day after a cop came up behind me and I took off and left him. I came home after school and a cop car was sitting in the driveway, Cop was in house talking to my mom. I got a ticket for going 127mph. There is a whole lot more to the story!!!!
Johnny Walker
I bet you didn’t have to spend a WHOLE DAY in court like i did in the early ’90s – for playing a low power mickey mouse cassette player “loud” on the crusing strip with no subwoofer(nothing compared to what i hear today coming from 1 out of say 20 vehicles drivin by my house – even with all the windows closed – mine & the vehicle driving by).
I got a $150 fine(adjusted to $344 today).