Neighborhood Yard Find for me!

**njsteve** · #1 06-09-2023, 10:51 PM

In my Heckitty thread I mentioned a couple days ago that I wanted to find a manual transmission Challenger so I could teach my son how to drive a stick (if he ever wanted a chance at getting the Viper from me, he'd better know how to drive it).

So I guess the Mopar Dieties heard me beseaching them.

Last Friday, I was driving home and got 1/4 mile from my house when I see a Toxic Orange 2011 Challenger R/T parked on my neighbor's lawn. He was taking photos of it. I'd never seen the car before and like me, he has lived here 20+ years. I didn't think much of it until Saturday when I was perusing the facebook marketplace and I SEE THAT EXACT CAR in a listing that just popped up! And it's a 5.7 with a manual transmission, 3.92 Super Track Pack and the Boston Acoustic Stereo! And it has only 24,000 miles. And it is all of 6 houses away from our house!

It's completely original and stock other than muffler delete and a Mopar Performance cold air kit. Absolutely perfect condition. He is moving to Florida this week and needed to sell it NOW since he was building a new house there and had no place to park it while the house was being built. Great guy. His girlfriend was not happy he was selling it, but warmed up to us after we all got talking.

The car is perfect, other than the 7 year-old Goodyears (with 100% tread left on them). Luckily we happen to have my Redeye's original Pirellis and a new set of Brass Monkey Redeye wheels that should fit nicely.

He bought the car back in 2015 with 8,500 miles on it from a friend. No accidents ever. All original paint. Sold new at Dover Dodge in New Jersey in 2011.

My son has been sitting in it ever since I picked it up this morning, practicing his shifting and clutch pedaling in the garage. (and making fake engine noises)

BTW, this is the second neighborhood car I've bought in the past 15 years. The other one was a yellow 1987 IROC-Z parked under a carport, that I would jog past every morning for 5 years. The day I finally walked into his driveway was the exact moment he was walking out of his garage with a for sale sign in hand, to put in the window. I yelled "SOLD" from the end of his driveway and we both had a laugh. Got that one for a good price, too.

**AnthonyS** · #2 06-10-2023, 01:35 AM

Pretty cool!

**scuncio** · #3 06-10-2023, 01:41 AM

Cool car! You have great karma, Steve.

**WILMASBOYL78** · #4 06-10-2023, 02:00 AM

https://www.drivingline.com/articles...modern-muscle/

Looks like you made a good choice

**njsteve** · #5 06-10-2023, 02:11 AM

Thanks for the link! Yeah it's a great car and we paid a little over a $ a mile for it. Cool car with a 91 octane fuel requirement. The 376hp 6-speed, 5.7 engine is different from the 87 octane, 372hp automatic equipped version as it does not have the variable displacement cylinder shutoff that has plagued the 5.7 engines for years.

Here's a Motortrend test back in the day: 13.5 @106 mph for the 6-speed 5.7

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...enger-rt-test/

**Lynn** · #6 06-10-2023, 02:13 AM

"That thing got a Hemi?"

**Lynn** · #7 06-10-2023, 02:13 AM

Nice score.

**Crush** · #8 06-10-2023, 03:07 AM

Great story!!

**PeteLeathersac** · #9 06-10-2023, 03:27 AM

‘

Obviously all meant to be also awesome color too!

~ Pete

.

**TimG** · #10 06-10-2023, 11:55 AM

What a great story, Steve. I still sit in my cars and make engine noises sometimes.......

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