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These 1970s Dodge Muscle Cars Spent 40 Years in Hiding, All Are Time Capsules

Stumbling upon a classic muscle car that spent decades in storage is as exciting as barn finds get, but things become even better when the garage in question is home to not one, but three Mopars from the golden era. Just like this trio of 1970s Dodge muscle cars.
1971 Dodge Super Bee 7 photos
Photo: Auto Archaeology/YouTube
1971 Dodge Super Bee1971 Dodge Super Bee1973 Dodge Challenger1973 Dodge Challenger1972 Dodge Charger1972 Dodge Charger
Documented by YouTube's "Auto Archaeology," this small stash of classic Mopars has been hiding since the 1980s. Yes, I know they look too good to be true, but these aren't your regular barn-found cars with thick layers of dust and rust holes around the wheel arches. Even though they spent almost 40 years off the road, these cars have been taken care of.

So what exactly do we have here? Well, the video kicks off with a red 1972 Dodge Charger SE. Yes, I know the 1972 version isn't as popular as the 1969 or 1970 with the Mopar crowd, but just look at how clean this muscle car looks after more than three decades in storage.

And don't mind the empty engine bay, the mill powering this coupe still exists. This car left the factory with a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB V8 under the hood, so it's not a slouch either. With the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8 discontinued after 1971, the 440 was also the most powerful option in 1972.

While the Charger SE isn't exactly rare, the 1971 Super Bee behind it is a hard-to-find gem. Introduced in 1968, the Super Bee was based on the Coronet until 1970. For 1971, its final model year on the market, the Super Bee became part of the Charger lineup.

This green beauty is part of that one-year production run, which spawned only 5,054 cars. Unfortunately, it's not one of the only 22 HEMI cars built, but 383-cubic-inch-powered (6.3-liter) models like this one are rare too. Especially if you narrow it down to this lovely shade of green. And just like the Charger parked in front of it, it's a perfect time capsule.

Finally, there's a 1973 Challenger parked all the way back in the garage. It appears to be a Rallye version, but the owner replaced the original bumpers with earlier units. There's no word as to what's under the hood, but 1973 engine options were limited to the 318- and 340-cubic-inch (5.2- and 5.6-liter) V8s.

So why would anyone keep a trio of perfectly good muscle cars in storage? Well, it turns out that two of them were put back on the road right after this footage was shot. Both the Super Bee and the Challenger are now running and driving, leaving only the Charger still locked up in the garage. But that will change as soon as the V8 finds its way under the hood.

All told, this is a fine mini collection and an example of how classic cars should be tucked away in long-term storage.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

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.
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