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1970 Dodge Challenger Drag Races 1969 Chevrolet Corvette, Mopar Fans Won't Like It

The Dodge Challenger and the Chevrolet Corvette are arguably the coolest performance vehicles from the golden muscle car era. Which is the faster, more powerful one? Well, it depends on drivetrain layout, but here's a drag race that settles things between GM's 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) and Mopar's 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 mills.
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T vs 1969 Chevrolet Corvette drag race 6 photos
Photo: Cars And Zebras/YouTube
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T1970 Dodge Challenger R/T1969 Chevrolet Corvette1969 Chevrolet Corvette1970 Dodge Challenger R/T vs 1969 Chevrolet Corvette drag race
In the metallic green corner, we have a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T equipped with the brand's largest V8 engine at the time. While not as powerful as the race-bred, 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Hemi, the 440 comes in a four-barrel carburetor layout and packs 375 horsepower and 480 pound-feet (651 Nm) of torque.

To make things that much more interesting, all that oomph is guided to the rear wheels by a four-speed manual gearbox.

In the red corner, a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette is waiting to take on the Challenger. Many argue that 1969 was the best year for GM's iconic sports car and that's something I can't say no to, especially if the Corvette in question sports side-exiting exhaust pipes. Like this beauty here.

Coming out of those pipes is the growl of a 427 big-block V8 that cranks out a juicy 390 horsepower and 460 pound-feet (624 Nm) of torque. And just like the Challenger R/T, this Corvette also features a four-speed manual transmission.

These cars are very similar on paper, while the Corvette has a slight advantage being some 200 pounds lighter. But is that enough to win against Mopar's finest?

The first race proves that such races can be of the photo-finish variety. The Challenger R/T runs the quarter-mile in a spectacular 13.20 seconds, while the Corvette covers the distance in 13.23. The Chevy driver hit the red lights and was disqualified, but the Challenger would have won anyway.

The second encounter is even tighter, with the muscle cars set apart by only... wait for it... 0.02 seconds. The win goes to the Corvette with a 13.04-second sprint, while the Challenger stops the clock at 13.06 clicks.

With the score tied, the drivers line up for a third race to settle who takes the win. Unfortunately, this one goes south for the Challenger driver, who is off to a slow start with no chance to catch up on the Corvette. Even though the latter ran a rather slow quarter-mile at 13.54 seconds, the Dodge was even slower at 13.88 clicks.

The Mopar driver has to admit defeat, but it's still an entertaining race to watch. And we definitely need a rematch without red lights and bumpy starts.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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