Car detailer shocked to strike gold with 1971 Dodge Challenger barn find

A car detailer unearthed this super-rare, low-mileage 1971 Dodge Challenger and gave it its first wash in 40 years. 

Dodge released the Challenger for the model year 1970 and it became a popular choice with motorists. 

In its first two years alone, more than 100,000 Dodge Challengers were sold. 

But that’s not to say there aren’t some rare finds tucked away in barns and garages throughout the US – such as this 1971 model, which is one of only 10 of its kind.

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The 1971 Dodge Challenger was left parked 40 years

The 1971 Dodge Challenger had spent a staggering 40 years parked in the same spot and it had a coat of dust, dirt, and grime to prove it.

The nephew of Challenger’s owner reached out to the experts at WD Detailing, who you may remember as the team who salvaged this Honda Acura NSX that had become an unlikely home for a family of mice. 

Thankfully, there were no rodents for WD Detailing to tackle when it came to this job, but it was still a pretty mammoth task. 

Hailing the Dodge Challenger a ‘piece of American history’, the team wasted no time in hauling it out of the garage it had been stored in and into the WD Detailing, where it could be given a much-needed sprucing up. 

Armed with an array of jet washes, soaps, sponges, and brushes, the team was able to get the car’s exterior gleaming. 

The Dodge had remarkably low mileage

Inside was a bit more of a mixed bag, while the seats and dashboard were still in great condition the floor had rusted away so badly that the driver’s seat couldn’t even be reattached after it was taken out for cleaning. 

Not ideal, but there was better news on the odometer as it showed that the Challenger had done just 19,208 original miles (30,912km).

The owner also claimed that the Challenger was pretty rare thanks to its 5.2 liter (318-cubic-inch) V8 and three-speed manual transmission. 

This rig paired with the Challenger’s Bahama Yellow/white top color combination, makes it one of only 10 of its kind ever produced.

Sadly, it’s engine, while original, had seen better days and someone would most likely need to spend a fair wedge of cash to get it back on the road again.

Here’s hoping someone is happy enough to take on the challenge.