Photo: Scott Bradian/eBay
Introduced in 1966, the original Dodge Charger remained in production through 1978. Dodge produced four different generations, all with unique characteristics in terms of design and performance.
The first-generation version arrived as a high-performance fastback with an upscale interior. In 1968, Dodge gave the Charger a significant makeover that included a sportier look and a more mundane interior.
1971 saw the arrival of the third-gen model, most notably famous for its fuselage-style sheet metal. This was the last Charger offered with high-compression big-block engines, which were discontinued at the end of the 1971 model year. In 1975, Dodge repositioned the Charger close to the personal luxury car market.
Some 50 years later, the Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic vehicles from the golden era. However, not all model years are sought-after. Collectors usually chase the 1968-to-1971 versions, which are preferred due to their high-performance drivetrains. The first-gen Charger is also nearly as desirable.
Cars built after 1971, on the other hand, don't get as much love. Sure, they have become a bit more popular in recent years, but most are still rotting away in junkyards, and solid survivors don't break the bank. The fact that Dodge built quite a few of them doesn't help either. But even so, some iterations can be very scarce. This 1974 Charger is one of them.
Dodge sold nearly 75,000 examples during the 1974 model year, making this particular Mopar very common. However, this weathered example, which just came out of long-term storage, has a feature that makes it a hard-to-find gem. It's not the paint or the drivetrain combo, as it often happens with classic muscle cars, though. This Charger is scarce because it was ordered with a manual sunroof.
This feature was far from new in 1974. Dodge had been offering it for about five years at the time. However, sunroofs didn't really catch on, and orders rarely exceeded 2,000 units per year on most nameplates. According to the Mopar Sunroof Registry, this option was ordered on only 3,790 B-body vehicles in 1974.
The same registry claims that 1,402 of these rigs were Plymouth Satellites and Road Runners, which leaves only 2,388 Chargers. That's only 3.2% of the total production that year. Granted, it's not what I would describe as "super rare," but it's definitely a feature you won't see too often nowadays. Especially on a car in this condition.
Speaking of which, this Charger was last driven in 1984. That's a whopping 40 years as of 2024. It has been sitting in a garage ever since. Discovered in Sherburne, New York, the coupe has the typical rust and paint issues you'd expect to find on a vehicle parked for 40 years, but it's still in one piece.
It's unclear whether it still sports the factory paint, but it could be the case since this Charger was on the road for only a decade. Fortunately, it still has the original fender tag, which confirms Mopar left the factory with an optional sunroof. Moreover, it also confirms the drivetrain combo.
Specifically, this Charger was ordered with a 400-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) V8 engine and a four-speed manual transmission. The 400 was one of five units available that year and the second-most potent option. Rated at 250 horsepower, it slotted only below the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) big-block. The latter delivered 275 horses.
Interestingly enough, the seller claims this Charger is one of only 115 cars made with this combo. I'm unable to verify this number, but if it's true, we could be looking at a one-of-one gem (if we also factor in the sunroof).
The car starts and runs when fueled from an external source, but it will need a lot of work to drive again. It's the kind of rig I'd love to see restored, but it looks like an expensive job relative to the vehicle's value. If you're up for a labor-of-love type of project, this Charger comes with a $22,000 sticker. It's a bit steep, given that many restored examples rarely exceed the $35,000 mark, but the market has gone wild in recent months.
1971 saw the arrival of the third-gen model, most notably famous for its fuselage-style sheet metal. This was the last Charger offered with high-compression big-block engines, which were discontinued at the end of the 1971 model year. In 1975, Dodge repositioned the Charger close to the personal luxury car market.
Some 50 years later, the Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic vehicles from the golden era. However, not all model years are sought-after. Collectors usually chase the 1968-to-1971 versions, which are preferred due to their high-performance drivetrains. The first-gen Charger is also nearly as desirable.
Cars built after 1971, on the other hand, don't get as much love. Sure, they have become a bit more popular in recent years, but most are still rotting away in junkyards, and solid survivors don't break the bank. The fact that Dodge built quite a few of them doesn't help either. But even so, some iterations can be very scarce. This 1974 Charger is one of them.
Dodge sold nearly 75,000 examples during the 1974 model year, making this particular Mopar very common. However, this weathered example, which just came out of long-term storage, has a feature that makes it a hard-to-find gem. It's not the paint or the drivetrain combo, as it often happens with classic muscle cars, though. This Charger is scarce because it was ordered with a manual sunroof.
This feature was far from new in 1974. Dodge had been offering it for about five years at the time. However, sunroofs didn't really catch on, and orders rarely exceeded 2,000 units per year on most nameplates. According to the Mopar Sunroof Registry, this option was ordered on only 3,790 B-body vehicles in 1974.
The same registry claims that 1,402 of these rigs were Plymouth Satellites and Road Runners, which leaves only 2,388 Chargers. That's only 3.2% of the total production that year. Granted, it's not what I would describe as "super rare," but it's definitely a feature you won't see too often nowadays. Especially on a car in this condition.
Speaking of which, this Charger was last driven in 1984. That's a whopping 40 years as of 2024. It has been sitting in a garage ever since. Discovered in Sherburne, New York, the coupe has the typical rust and paint issues you'd expect to find on a vehicle parked for 40 years, but it's still in one piece.
It's unclear whether it still sports the factory paint, but it could be the case since this Charger was on the road for only a decade. Fortunately, it still has the original fender tag, which confirms Mopar left the factory with an optional sunroof. Moreover, it also confirms the drivetrain combo.
Specifically, this Charger was ordered with a 400-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) V8 engine and a four-speed manual transmission. The 400 was one of five units available that year and the second-most potent option. Rated at 250 horsepower, it slotted only below the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) big-block. The latter delivered 275 horses.
Interestingly enough, the seller claims this Charger is one of only 115 cars made with this combo. I'm unable to verify this number, but if it's true, we could be looking at a one-of-one gem (if we also factor in the sunroof).
The car starts and runs when fueled from an external source, but it will need a lot of work to drive again. It's the kind of rig I'd love to see restored, but it looks like an expensive job relative to the vehicle's value. If you're up for a labor-of-love type of project, this Charger comes with a $22,000 sticker. It's a bit steep, given that many restored examples rarely exceed the $35,000 mark, but the market has gone wild in recent months.
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