Ultra-Rare 1978 Dodge Magnum Force GT Found In Michigan

Sometimes the rarest Mopars aren’t hiding at auctions or in private collections—they’re sitting quietly in a Michigan garage, just waiting to be rediscovered. That’s exactly what happened when Ryan Brutte, known online as “The Auto Archaeologist”, uncovered what may be the last surviving 1978 Dodge Magnum Force GT.

This ultra-rare machine is a little-known piece of Dodge history. The Magnum Force wasn’t a factory-produced special edition—it was a dealer-installed appearance package inspired by NASCAR and the 1978 action film Magnum Force starring Clint Eastwood. Born from a Car Craft Magazine project, the original car was meant to blend race-inspired looks with street-friendly style. Dodge loved the look enough to turn it into a limited-run kit that could either be installed at the dealer or bought and installed by owners themselves.

Built on the B-Body platform, the 1978 Dodge Magnum replaced the outgoing Charger as Dodge’s full-size coupe. It was designed with oval track racing in mind, with NASCAR legend Richard Petty even driving one early in the 1978 season before switching to a Chevy Monte Carlo due to performance issues.

What makes this barn find so special? It’s believed to be the only known Magnum Force GT still in existence—a car that wears the package with pride, including the beefy front bumper, rear spoiler, and stripe kit. While most known Magnum Force cars were based on the more common Magnum XE trim, this example is the only documented one built on the higher-performance Magnum GT (Gran Touring) model, making it a true one-of-one survivor.

This particular car still runs and drives, and it shares garage space with other late-‘70s Dodge and Plymouth “kit cars.” According to the owner, he first spotted the car by chance while driving his wife and daughter to the hospital. It was sitting in someone’s front yard. He made a deal with himself—if it was still there on the way home, he’d stop and buy it. Sure enough, it hadn’t moved. He followed through, and the Magnum Force GT became his pride and joy.

Before the dealer package came to life, Dodge reportedly built a concept version that had side scoops, a targa-style roof with louvers over the opera windows, and a special black rear panel. Chrysler execs eventually scrapped that concept, and the package became a lower-cost dealer-installed offering instead. No one knows exactly how many of these were built, but it’s safe to say the number is incredibly small.