Finding rare cars at the junkyard is not unusual, but the hard-to-find classics are the ones that go first, so you need a lot of luck to get them. You're more likely to discover rare gems in someone's private collection, like this stash of Mopars hidden somewhere in the hills of Tennessee.
Documented by YouTube's "Auto Archaeology," this mini collection is pretty much a hoard of classic Mopars scattered around someone's yard. But it includes a bunch of cool vehicles from the golden muscle car era, starting with a 1969 Plymouth GTX.
Introduced in 1967 as an upscale-trimmed version of the Belvedere, the GTX was one of the more expensive muscle cars in Plymouth's lineup. As a result, it didn't sell as well as the Belvedere and the Road Runner, which makes it a rare classic today.
Granted, the 1969 version is not all that difficult to find with almost 15,000 units built, but maintained survivors and restored examples can get quite expensive, going for more than $100,000 a pop. Sourcing a car that needs to be restored is perhaps a better option financially and this one appears to be a solid survivor.
Retired from the road in 1995, this GTX is still in solid condition despite sitting for almost 30 years. It obviously comes with a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 under the hood since the Hemi cars are as rare as they get with only 224 examples built (including convertibles and Canadian cars).
The guy also owns a 1969 Road Runner with a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) mill and a pair of 1970 Dodge Challengers. The latter are parked in a barn, so they're safe from the elements, but they've seen better days. One of them is quite the desirable gem, having left the factory in Plum Crazy purple with a white top.
The yard is also home to a pair of Dodge Darts, but the real highlight here is a Li'l Red Express pickup truck. Introduced in 1978 as a limited-edition version of the third-generation Dodge D Series, the Li'l Red Express is now considered one of the forerunners of the high-performance pickup truck.
Powered by a 360-cubic-inch (5.9-liter) V8 engine rated at 225 horsepower, it was America's fastest factory vehicle at the time of its introduction. Yes, 225 horses don't sound like a lot, but it was the Malaise Era and muscle cars barely hit the 200-horsepower mark at the time.
Sold for only two years, the Li'l Red Express was built in just 7,000 units. Some got lost on the way, so every truck still out there needs to be saved. The one you'll see at the five-minute mark is a solid candidate.
The cool thing about this property is that it was discovered completely random thanks to a derelict car parked by the side of the road. So make sure you keep your eyes peeled for such vehicles while traveling, you might just end up discovering a big collection of classic cars.
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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