Seeing a classic car wasting away in a barn is sad but that’s actually a pretty good fate compared to a vehicle that spent decades outside, because it takes only a few years of exposure to the elements to turn a lovely classic into a rust bucket.
This 1969 Dodge Charger is the best proof we can get. Abandoned in the woods many decades ago, it rotted away to the point you can barely find any useful parts on it. In addition, a tree fell on it during a storm and crushed the roof. All told, it’s wrecked almost beyond recognition.
But even though it’s the roughest 1969 Charger out there, Dylan McCool bought it so that he can attempt a “will it run?” video. Simply because this Mopar still has its original V8 engine and transmission under the hood. That’s a pretty crazy endeavor, especially when the mill won’t turn, but I guess that’s what car enthusiasts do.
And amazingly enough, the old V8 came back to life. It took a lot of work and Dylan concluded that the big block was actually toast and not worth saving, but the fact that it fired up and ran in a car that was falling apart is downright incredible. And it goes to show that old Mopar engines are among the toughest and most reliable out there.
So what kind of big block are we looking at here? This Charger packs a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, a mid-range unit for the 1969 model year. The powerplant delivered 290 horsepower with a two-barrel carburetor, but Dodge also offered a four-barrel version with a healthier 330 horses.
The 383 wasn’t the only big block available at the time. An even bigger 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) powerplant came standard in the Charger R/T. Called the Magnum, Dodge’s biggest V8 in 1969 was good for a whopping 375 horsepower.
The video ends with the 383 going up in flames due to not having a cooling system, but Dylan manages to extinguish it before it engulfs the entire engine bay. He concludes that the mill is in really bad shape due to a broken piston, a cracked block, and mismatched heads, but he suggests that he may try to get the Charger driving again.
I don’t think he’ll succeed given the awful state of the chassis, but hey, I’d love to see such an attempt. Until that happens, hit the play button below to watch the world’s roughest 1969 Dodge Charger roar back to life in the woods.