It's tough being a race car. First, you get driven to the limit to win races, and once you become obsolete, you're parked into a garage for decades. Sure, famous race cars end up in museums, with car collectors, and hit classic racing events on a regular basis. But not this 1974 Dodge Challenger, which isn't famous enough for such a glorious retirement.
I don't know the background of this rough-looking Challenger, but it used to be a race car at some point. The golden muscle car era was already dead and buried in 1974, but enthusiasts continued to take modified Challengers at the track and the drag strip well beyond 1975.
This Mopar was probably recovered from the junkyard or purchased as a barn find. It now resides in the DD Speed Shop, known for turning junk cars into drivable vehicles. Needless to say, this Challenger looks like it has been sitting for a few decades, but it's actually seen some drag strip action in 2020. It hasn't been driven on public roads for a whopping 40 years, though.
It's very much a work in progress and needs a solid restoration to recapture its former glory. The original paint is chipped and faded, there are big cracks in the upholstery, and the engine isn't yet running as it should. But it looks like a proper race-spec engine, and the folks at the shop are planning on dropping a supercharger on top.
It's a full-fledged garage build focused on performance rather than looks. The aluminum door panels, the provisional hood scoop, and the barn find appearance all prove that this Challenger will never be a concours-winning classic. But it's as cool as they get.
If you're not into garage talk and watching a guy sand and repaint a hood, you'd better skip over the first few minutes. But make sure you stop at the 12-minute mark because that's when all the fun begins with an engine start-up. The V8 is so loud at idle that the owner puts on a set of earmuffs before sticking his head under the hood.
Things become even more obnoxious from the 16-minute mark when the Challenger hits public roads for the first time in four decades. The beater looks are obviously deceiving, as this Mopar is quite the brawler. And it's fast too, possibly even quicker than a Hemi-fitted Challenger from the golden muscle car era. But you don't need to take my word for it; you can see for yourself in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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