At first glance, most rational human beings would dismiss this 1971 Dodge Challenger as a rotted metal yard ornament. Yet, as the eBay seller boldly claims, a full restoration remains “technically possible”, assuming your wallet is bottomless and your optimism borders on delusional. Some brave collectors are really capable of the impossible.
Born during a turbulent era when skyrocketing insurance rates and strict emissions killed muscle car fever, 1971 Challenger sales plummeted from over 83,000 units the previous year to a meager 29,883. Buyers predominantly favored the budget base coupe (over 23,000 sold starting at $2,858), while convertible sales scraped by at 2,165 units. To make matters spicier, this particular car left the factory wearing coveted High Impact Plum Crazy paint.
Then came a series of tragic life choices. A previous owner committed the cardinal sin of repainting the iconic Mopar hue a dreary blue. Eventually, the car found its way outside in 1985, where it sat under blue tarps that disintegrated decades ago.
Exposed to the brutal New Hampshire elements for nearly forty years, nature took its course. The floorboards have completely dissolved, the frame rails are hidden beneath a crust of rot, and the front wheels are frozen solid, though, in a miraculous twist of Mopar luck, the rears still roll.
Purchased from the deceased owner’s widow, the missing engine is almost a blessing; a factory 318 V8 would have seized into a solid block of iron anyway. On the bright side, it retains rare convertible structural components and an intact rear glass window.
Located in Epping, New Hampshire, this extreme project is currently listed in a no-reserve auction with a $4,976 starting bid. Over 20 watchers are hovering, waiting to see who will brave bringing a flatbed for a rusty dream that used to be Plum Crazy.