Dodge Challenger 340 got its first satisfying wash in 40 years but the detailer almost cried when opening the hood

  • This iconic American muscle car was abandoned in a barn
  • The car’s condition was quite bad when it was found
  • However, it looked pretty cool after getting cleaned

Published on Sep 11, 2024 at 3:37 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat

Last updated on Sep 12, 2024 at 3:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

The Dodge Challenger is one of the most iconic cars from the ’70s — so it’s quite sad to see one in a sorry state.

One such car had been sitting in a barn, crammed in with two other famed muscle cars from the same era.

The last time it ran on public roads was forty years ago in 1984.

Since then the condition of the Dodge Challenger 340 has deteriorated quite a lot, but some folks managed to give it a nice bath after four decades.

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Dodge Challenger 340 rotting in a barn

According to the current owner of the Dodge Challenger 340 (who’s had it for at least three decades), the muscle car had been sitting in his shed for quite a few years.

And the time has not been kind to it.

Thankfully, the owner was contacted by WD Detailing, who offered to restore the car.

Before setting the car aside, the owner also changed the color scheme to a two-tone design.

Which looks quite good when cleaned up.

Due to the paint job, the car looks reminiscent of a Plymouth Barracuda.

However, the Dodge Challenger 340 doesn’t have an engine in it.

Missing engine

The reason the car was decommissioned and set aside in the first place was because its engine broke down.

Fortunately, the original motor is still with the owner so he can either try to restore the Challenger to its original state or get a modern engine.

The latter solution is what the folks at WD Detailing were considering to surprise the owner with.

Other than the Challenger, the barn also held a 1972 Plymouth Satellite and a crazy-rare 1972 Dodge Charger SE Brougham with a sunroof.

Car wash

After cleaning the car it looked almost new but the process also revealed a few more flaws.

Like a few holes in the floor pan, rotten front fenders, and a devastated interior.

That’s why it’s important to store your cars in an isolated space away from the elements to properly preserve them.

However, considering the original state of the Dodge Challenger, it turned out quite well in the end.


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Nalin Rawat

Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.