The modern muscle car wars in Detroit have resulted in some seriously impressive and powerful cars, from the Dodge Challenger Demon to the new Shelby GT500, which leaves the factory as the most powerful roadgoing Ford of all time. Arguably, the big power figures also influenced GM's decision to switch the C8 Corvette over to a mid-engined layout. But as sweet as all these modern monstrosities might seem, there's still something about the old classics that can't be beaten, though in terms of performance, owners might find them a bit lacking. Enter a 1971 Dodge Challenger Convertible currently listed for sale on the auction website Bring a Trailer sporting a stroked 505ci V8 under its long, bright-yellow hood.
No Replacement For Displacement
From the factory, this Challenger would have been quite a handful already. Originally equipped with a Mopar 440ci V8, somewhere along the way someone decided that wasn't quite enough for the modern age and had the engine bored out to 505ci. With a trio of Holley two-barrel carburetors, a hydraulic roller camshaft, exhaust headers, and Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads, the engine now seems more ready for some quick blasts off the line.
A Sense Of Humor
Hilariously, the car still wears its "440" badging to go along with black stripes and R/T script. That particular paint tone is Citron Yella, while the interior is finished in black vinyl. Other goodies include power rack-and-pinion steering operated via a woodgrain steering wheel, while upgrades include Wilwood disc brakes all around, coilovers from Reilly Motorsports at the front end, and staggered 18-inch Magnum wheels.
Perhaps the only downside might, for some, be the automatic transmission, though the sad truth is that the unit, which does feature a rebuilt rear differential, is probably ideal for hard launches off the line. Bidding already sits at $27,900 with six days remaining until the final gavel.
Source: Bringatrailer, Driving