As a car enthusiast, stumbling upon a classic automobile found neglected or abandoned in an old garage, or sitting on an over grown field, is distressing to say the least. Most would agree the preservation of these rides is of importance not only for historical purposes, but also for the next generation of car enthusiasts to enjoy. Sadly though many of these classic cars are left to weather and rust away.

Fortunately our friends over at Cars in Barns often showcase many of these forgotten car finds; some of which are for sale and some that are not. In a recent finding, we have a case of an owner unwilling to part with a classic Dodge Charger 440 that has been found sitting under an old collapsed storage unit on a flood plain, of all places. Often the owners of these type of finds either don’t have the funds to restore them or it is one of those “gonna fix it up someday” projects. Unfortunately, either scenario typically results in these sweet gems ending up in a scrap yard for that final roll down the long green mile.This sleeping beauty, sporting the original 440 cubic inch 7.2 liter RB powerplant backed by the original transmission, would make a great restore and restoration project if someone could just convince this stubborn owner to part ways with this piece of American muscle.

The 440 RB engines were produced from 1965 through 1978. A raised-block version of the B engines, the 1978 was the last version of the Chrysler RB big block motor. All RB engines have a 3.75 inch (95 mm) stroke, with the bore being the defining factor in engine size. The RB engine was used as the powerplant in everything from the mid-sized car of the day to trucks, vans, and even motorhomes and van conversions (class B campers).

From 1967 to 1971, the high-performance version was rated at 375 brake horsepower at 4,700 rpm with a single four-barrel carburetor, and from 1969 to 1971, the highest-output version had an intake setup with three two-barrel carburetors (“440 Six Pack” for Dodge and “440 6 Barrel” for Plymouth) producing 390 brake horsepower. The high-output 440 was marketed as the Magnum in Dodges, the Super Commando in Plymouths, and the TNT in Chryslers.

As an automobile enthusiast, we would like to save them all. We can only hope this owner will get it in gear and fix this beauty up or come to his senses and part ways with his old friend. What do you think? Do you have a, “gonna fix it someday”, project that you just can’t let go of?