Dodge was the last manufacturer to join the “pony car” scene – and would be one of the first to exit. The original Challenger only ran for five years (1970-74), although the name would continue as a Japanese import and a variant of the Charger in the 21^st Century. The Rallye was the performance-oriented version of the car, but it was more show than go. This ’74 Challenger looks to have been sitting outside for years and its condition reflects that. This project car is in Cambridge, Nebraska, and available here on eBay where the bids stand at $3,550, although there is still a reserve to be met. Hats off to Tommy T-Tops for this tip!

The original Challenger’s short lifespan is largely tied to the decline in the demand for muscle cars. The cost of insuring performance cars rose substantially in the early 1970s and the cars also had their engines detuned for lower emissions. As a result, while you could get a 426 Hemi in a Challenger as recently as 1971 but by 1973-74 an optional 360 cubic inch V8 was the limit. Challenger sales dropped from nearly 77,000 units in its first year to just over 11,000 in its last when Chrysler pulled the plug on both the Challenger and the Plymouth Barracuda in the middle of the model year.

Standard in the 1974 Challenger Rallye was the basic 318 V8 (the 360 was extra). But you still got things like a performance hood, blacked-out grille, fake fender vents with strobe tape stripes, the Rallye instrument cluster, and the Rallye suspension. This description reflects the seller’s car, which appears to have been finished in KY5 Yellow Blaze paint when new. While we don’t know how long this car has been dormant, the seller says that documentation from its original owner has survived.

“Typical Midwest rust” is present, which is another way of saying it’s in the fenders, quarter panels, and trunk floor, though the passenger floors are said to be solid. The interior looks to be pretty well shot, with the seats and headliner in need of work and the shifter gone. On the plus side, even though this is a 318 with automatic transmission, we’re told the drivetrain is original to the Dodge. While the ’74 models were the least powerful of the Challengers, they were the last of the line which may make them a little more desirable.