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Monday, December 5, 2011

Barn find: 1974 Dodge Charger project car


Driving a classic car leads to more old cars. Ham Lake, Minnesota’s Joe Marano experienced the powerful ability an American muscle car has to ignite a conversation. Marano was minding his own business, walking to his red 1968 Chevy Nova SS in the church parking lot, when a stranger started a conversation about his own old car. “I was jokingly asked if I wanted a Dodge Charger?,” said Marano. “He said it had been parked in his garage since 1990 and that I could have it for what he paid for it, $500.”

Marano soon had the 1974 Dodge Charger washed and running.

“I said yes!” 
Marano didn’t hesitate to say yes. He followed the man home after church and found a bronze 1974 Dodge Charger covered in dust and buried under boxes and a mattress packed in a tight, one-car garage. “After I got the Charger home I had it running in 10 minutes,” said Marano. After rebuilding the brake lines and topping off the transmission fluid, Marano was driving the ’74 B-body around his neighborhood. 

The 1974 Charger's interior is original and in good shape. 

Pay it forward
Marano, who already has a handful of project cars, no longer owns the Charger. Being a ‘car guy,’ Marano wanted to see the Charger land in good hands. “A fellow muscle car buddy owns it now and is going to build it for one of his boys,” said Marano. “I'm kind of partial to father-son projects since I built my ’68 Nova with my dad.” 

Rust as taken up residence in the ’74 Charger's rockers and quarter panel.


More to come
Don’t worry, you will see more barn finds and projects from Joe Marano. He has another Charger, a 1969 model, and runs across quite a few classic cars while running his junk car business called Junkers Towed by Joe

– Jody Potter, junkyardlife.com


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1974 was the last year for the third generation Chargers.


How many garages look like this?

This 1974 Dodge Charger has reflective side stripes.

Interior of a 318-V8 column shifted 1974 Dodge Charger.

This ’74 Charger spent 20 years in this garage in Minnesota.


Know of a junkyard I need to visit or want to send me photos and info about a junkyard?
 Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.

4 comments:

Chris said...

I wonder how those plain black wheels would look painted to match the body with some nice chrome rings, or painted to match the roof.

Joe Marano said...

my friend who owns the charger now is planning to do just that and to paint the rims to match the body.
Joe

Unknown said...

Is the car still available and how much very interested

Unknown said...

My father has this same optioned car spring addition. 1 of approx 215 cars made. It was beautiful. Drove great never any problems.