The restomod is a slippery slope that often leaves vehicles at the bottom covered, wrapped cheesy fiberglass, and looking worse than they did off the factory line. However, sometimes they can be one of the classiest vehicles on the road. Unlike many goofball restomod cars, this 1972 Dodge Challenger not only saw the slippery slope but put it four-low and climbed that hill like a boss. Many muscle-car/truck people might see this classic as an abomination, and I could almost understand that feeling if this monster-truck Challenger wasn’t so damn cool.

This is the coolest Dodge Challenger ever

Not only is this incredible Challenger a classic worthy of drooling on your keyboard, but it is, as of this writing, for sale on the only platform worthy of such a sled, Craigslist. And, before you get too forlorn and begin rending your garments from the despair of assuming that this incredible ride will have an incredible price, it can be yours for only $29,000. I’m not saying that is cheap, but it is on Craigslist, after all. That magical “OBO” might just pertain to this muscle machine. 

What exactly are we looking at here?

According to Auto Classics, This Challenger was removed from its original chassis and welded onto an M1009 military frame and chassis. That isn’t what you were expecting, was it? Me neither. If the suspension wasn’t enough of a lift, the Challenger sits on 37/12.5/R17 BFGoodrich KM2 off-road tires, and as the listing notes, they still “have plenty of tread left.” 

The powerplant is a 5.7-liter V8 with a few modifications. The big V8 has a new alternator, new aftermarket Holley fuel pump, new plugs and wires, a new air filter, and even more upgrades that the owner has left off the listing. (editor’s note; Unfortunately, the link to the listing is broken.)

The Challenger 4×4 is also fitted with an automatic transmission, you know, for easier rock crawling (never before said regarding a 1972 Dodge Challenger.) To be more specific, the transmission was recently rebuilt 4L80E automatic transmission, and it also has an NP205 transfer case with a front Dana 44 axle with locking hubs and rear Dana 60 straight axle with 2H, 4H, and 4L gears.

What is the interior of this Dodge Challenger 4×4 like? 

The interior has been tended too, but nearly as much as the chassis, suspension, and the engine has been. The interior is a bit more understated, but the owner did replace the gauges to be more accurate to the modifications. The owner also gave the Challenger a Sony stereo with Bluetooth, an additional amplifier, a reverse camera, and an additional rear-mounted LED light.

Not to do it halfway, the owner also restored the headliner, door panels, carpets, and seats to a more factory original state. You know, he didn’t want the Challenger to look ridiculous. 

How much does it cost to get a Challenger like this?

Well, as previously stated, this monster car can be yours for $29,000. If that feels like too much money, keep in mind that the owner claims he has over $40,000 into the custom build. Honestly, I’m surprised that it isn’t more than that. 

To buy a decent Challenger body alone could run $15-20k, not to mention the Military vehicle, engine, transmission, all of the interior pieces, and then the time spent actually to build it. 

At first glance, this thing looks like a redneck, Shadetree job, but that is not what’s going on here. As I haven’t driven nor even seen the car in person, I can’t speak to build quality, but you can tell there was a lot of thought and time spent here. Even if it was a complete dud and never ran, you could still just look at it – and that might be worth close to $30k on its own.