The majority of the time, the vehicles that are auctioned off at various locations across the United States are in excellent shape. No matter how each build began, the ultimate product is always a gleaming piece of metal that fetches a high price.Naturally, there are also wrecked cars that are sold at auctions, but even those have undergone some sort of modification.
An ugly outer appearance can be improved, for example, by a thoughtfully designed interior or an excellent engine that makes the unpleasant body unimportant.It’s not that often that we come across cars in their pre-customization condition. But such a thing has been known to happen, and when it does all sorts of ideas pop into our heads.
The car in the gallery above is a 1972 Dodge Demon – the original, 2-door fastback based on the Dart of the same era. It comes with no upgrades whatsoever, and seems like a perfect canvas for a customization process.
The exterior is covered in rust – or, to use the industry’s favorite word, patina. It spreads like cancer to the hood, over the cracked windshield and onto the roof and all the way to the rear end. As an extra, there are holes where the Demon badges used to be, a touch of unreadable graffiti on the side, and no rear window.
The interior is in even worse shape: cracked dashboard, seats that can no longer hold themselves together, dangling wires, and inches upon inches of dust.
Under the hood, a once glorious 340ci V8 engine (5.6-liters) sits in a rusted bay, and there’s no indication that it is still in running order.
The Dodge Demon, exactly as seen in the gallery above, goes under the hammer this week during the Mecum auction in Glendale. It may not be the best catch, but it could surely make an interesting starting point for a future classic build.