Feb 5, 2018  •  Uncategorized  •  32 Comments

Green Clean Slate: 1972 Dodge Challenger

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Some people want to restore an older car by starting with a clean slate. Others want to preserve the originality and even history of the car. This 1972 Dodge Challenger is definitely for the former restorer style. Or maybe for someone who just needs some parts. Find this relatively rust free Challenger body here on eBay in Bozeman, Montana for $2,995 plus $1,500 shipping.

This car has an all-too-familiar story: someone bought a wrecked Challenger that had parts for their restoration project and now they are trying to sell the leftovers to recoup some of the costs. That might save some money for someone who has a Challenger, Barracuda or ‘Cuda that needs a roof, rear quarters, inner fenders or some other unusual parts.

If someone truly wanted to build their own custom Challenger from the ground up, this wouldn’t be a bad place to start.  It appears that the roof was cut or has some rust around a weld seam. The floors and trunk floor will need to be replaced but the quarters look unusually good. The seller says that this was wrecked in the front right corner and will need some straightening. He also checked and found that this was originally a 318 powered car so restoring it to the original specs wouldn’t result in a high dollar car. But it might be the right car for the right person! Is this a lesson in “buy the best example you can afford” or would this be a good candidate for a restoration?

Comments

  1. Sparkster
    Feb 5, 2018 at 2:09pm

    Do the cinder blocks come with the car ? That could be a deal breaker if not.

    Like 1
    • Bill McCoskey Bill McCoskeyMember
      Feb 6, 2018 at 6:59pm

      I agree, those blocks will probably double the value.

      Like 2
  2. Steve R
    Feb 5, 2018 at 2:24pm

    Since when is a stripped parts car with no VIN or title, that has rust issues and a bent front frame rail worth $4,500 ($2,995 + $1,500)?

    This is the same clown that’s selling the Buick Roadmaster wagon that was pulled from a ravine which was highlighted on this site a few months ago.

    Steve R

    Like 1
    • slickb
      Feb 5, 2018 at 2:32pm
    • Mountainwoodie
      Feb 5, 2018 at 3:21pm

      And some folks complain about the price folks ask for P cars….. Sheesh!

      Like 0
    • Lance
      Feb 7, 2018 at 4:43am

      Steve it is indeed. And hey lets not forget about the mid 1930’s bus carcass he wanted 6,000 for .It was on on ebay for about a year. Well asking and getting are two different animals.

      Like 1
  3. John M.
    Feb 5, 2018 at 2:34pm

    For $2,995, one can get a solid and good running used car. I’ll pass.

    Like 0
    • Steve R
      Feb 5, 2018 at 2:56pm

      Not an early Challenger. Maybe a late-60’s early-70’s four door or a later model generic economy car, but that’s about it.

      Steve R

      Like 0
      • Billy 007
        Feb 5, 2018 at 3:38pm

        Really? My daughter for some reason loves Saturn Ions (oh well). She is thinking of picking up a pristine 2004 2 door, fully loaded with a sunroof and power everything, has 56K miles. Perfect body and paint. Asking price? 3 grand. Is that a Challenger? Nope, but a by far better bargain then this. Even if you do all the work yourself (for months and years), it will be tens of thousands of dollars to complete. Maybe I am grumpy because I come form the era when a used 72 Challenger with low miles and looked pretty much brand new, was well under a thousand dollars I feel the hobby has gotten out of hand. This should be a free item to get out of your yard, at best. I paid 25 bucks to have my 70 RR hauled away and crushed in 1980, and it ran fine, hardly rusty at all, pristine interior (Just had a bad tranny and Ma and Pa didn’t want it in the driveway while I finished college)

        Like 1
  4. CCFisher
    Feb 5, 2018 at 2:48pm

    I’m no E-body expert by any means, but I do know that the Challenger was on a longer wheelbase, and most of the outer sheetmetal was different. Probably not much here that would benefit someone with a rusty Barracuda.

    Like 1
  5. Poptheclutch
    Feb 5, 2018 at 2:49pm

    Looks like the Grinch had a go at it.
    This challenger is stripped to the stripped.
    Wouldn’t take it if it was free!

    Like 1
  6. redwagon
    Feb 5, 2018 at 3:06pm

    the highest and best use for this vehicle is to offer it up for comments on a website somewhere.

    seriously, there is not much here to work with. Certainly not $4,500 worth. maybe not $450 worth.

    Like 1
    • Classic Steel
      Feb 5, 2018 at 5:11pm

      Really it looks good to me… I wonder if the brakes are up to drive :-)

      Like 0
  7. Crazyhawk
    Feb 5, 2018 at 3:20pm

    One word that freaks me out more than any other word when it comes to cars is “bent”. It can look like a little but end up being a lot. E-body Challengers are awesome looking cars, but I wouldn’t take a chance on one that’s “BENT”. Especially when most of it is “GONE”.

    Like 1
  8. Steve A.
    Feb 5, 2018 at 3:31pm

    Oh, MAN! THANKS! I needed a good laugh today!
    What is WRONG with people!?

    Like 0
    • F.I.B.B NOVA
      Feb 6, 2018 at 7:43pm

      ’72 Challenger? Least desirable of ’em all. Cut your loss& scrap it for your $69.

      Like 0
  9. Classic Steel
    Feb 5, 2018 at 5:09pm

    God bless the good old USA where one can have dreams and believe that even a heap of metal can be a car again.

    Yes folks as we all know that reproduction DODGE and CHRYSLER parts are the most sky high over price items and perfect to buy to restore this baby back..

    So for around 40 grand you can get all the pieces to rebuild.

    Fenders and front valance is around one grand… keep adding and buy this puppy!

    Like 1
  10. Mark
    Feb 5, 2018 at 6:10pm

    I think the term “relatively rust free” applies to the parts that are missing.

    Like 1
  11. Peter
    Feb 5, 2018 at 8:00pm

    Where is my sandblaster…

    Like 0
  12. jcs
    Feb 5, 2018 at 8:57pm

    There is no way I would give someone I don’t know $1500 (the “shipping” cost) on the verbal promise that they will give it right back. Nope! Nope! Nope!

    Like 0
  13. Billy Raudabaugh
    Feb 6, 2018 at 6:59pm

    Its a stripped out piece of… call the scrapper.

    Like 0
  14. Del
    Feb 6, 2018 at 7:55pm

    Pile o-Crap

    I will buy the barn instead.

    A 318 car witnout a fender tag.

    UNREAL. Why post a piece of scrap ?

    No wonder they voted for……

    Like 1
  15. Sparkster
    Feb 6, 2018 at 9:50pm

    Does the delivery price include the cinder blocks ? Or are those two blocks another $1500 extra ?

    Like 0
  16. wes
    Feb 6, 2018 at 11:33pm

    Ain’t worth that if the trailer came with it.

    Like 0
  17. EHide Behind
    Feb 7, 2018 at 12:44am

    When younger used to circle track and something like this rig could be bought sans title from wrecking yards for under $100 bucks with running far and 6 or it bitty 8’s.
    But buying one with beat to he’ll front, no way.
    This is rip city.
    Yet I bet the guy sells it.

    Like 0
  18. Pete
    Feb 7, 2018 at 9:47am

    If you live in the rust belt and you need 60 % of the sheet metal that this carcas has left on it to fix what you got. Then it might be worth 500 to 1000 bucks to you to get it and cannibalize the rest of what is left to make your car happen. It is a fairly solid skulliton except for that banged up passenger front.

    Like 0
  19. PRA4SNW
    Feb 8, 2018 at 12:55pm

    The paint in the engine bay looks like the original paint color of the ’73 Barracuda that I had. When I got it in ’78, it was painted a dark green metallic and done very badly. Whenever a piece of paint would chip off, this color was underneath it, no primer layer.

    Can anyone identify what this color would have been called?

    Like 0
    • Ward W
      Feb 12, 2018 at 8:10am

      You would need to see the vin (or call Mark Worman) but this is a start. http://rickcarey.com/color-names/

      Like 0
      • PRA4SNW
        Feb 12, 2018 at 10:29am

        Ward W: Thanks. I’ve been through some paint color websites and haven’t found anything close to the color for a 73 Barracuda. This car comes close, so it might be a fact that the color is faded over so may years, or the fact that my memory is faded after so many years. ;-)

        Like 0
      • Ward W
        Feb 12, 2018 at 10:42am

        Try this is you remember the vin. http://www.musclecardrive.com/vin-decoders/plymouth-cuda-vin-decoder.php

        Mark Worman of Graveyard Carz says that you have to look on the door pillar or somewhere the sun has not touched.

        Like 0
  20. Ward W
    Feb 12, 2018 at 8:08am

    Looks like a job for Graveyard Carz. After watching this show for a few years, this is a great value buy.

    Like 0
  21. PRA4SNW
    Feb 12, 2018 at 4:47pm

    I wish I did have the VIN. It’s been gone for so long….
    I kept a copy of the registration of almost every car I’ve owned, but not that one, it was my first car.

    I watch GYC too. I learned that the VIN is also on the trunk lip, underneath the rubber molding.

    Like 0

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