Photo: crprice440/eBay
A brand-new car for the 1970 model year, the first-generation Dodge Challenger moved nearly 77,000 units in its first year on the market. Sales dropped below 30,000 examples per year through 1974, leaving 1970 as its best-selling year.
These figures create an interesting situation. On one hand, the 1970 Challenger is arguably the most common iteration of the series. On the other hand, it's also the most desirable due to its design and powertrain options.
1970 was one of only two model years when the Challenger was available with Chrysler's magical big-block V8 trio. I'm talking about the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB in four-barrel and Six Pack configurations and the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
Unlike the inline-six and the small-block V8 units, these large displacement mills were restricted to the R/T model. Short for "Road and Track," the R/T was a performance-oriented package that added a beefier suspension, heavy-duty brakes, a Rallye instrument cluster, and a choice of three stripe options. The engine lineup also included the 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8 in addition to the 440 and 426 HEMI.
The R/T bundle was quite popular at the time, finding its way on nearly a quarter of the Dodge Challengers sold in 1970. Specifically, the company delivered 18,512 cars.
But the R/T wasn't the only package available. Dodge also offered the Special Edition (SE) option. Aimed at buyers looking for a more premium offering, the SE package came with leather and vinyl bucket seats, a woodgrain steering wheel, unique pedals, and turn signal indicators mounted on the hood. Dodge sold 9,976 Challengers equipped with this package.
And here's the interesting thing: Dodge allowed customers to bundle both packages together. The resulting R/T SE is the ultimate 1970 Challenger because it blends high-performance features with luxurious (for the era) appointments. The R/T SE is also rare because only 3,753 buyers wrote checks for both options. The derelict Mopar you see here is one of those cars.
Recently taken out of long-term storage in Wichita, Kansas, this hardtop spent at least 30 years in hiding. It's been sitting for about 25 years with the current owner and "at least the prior five years" under previous ownership. But despite being stationary since at least the early 1990s, this Challenger is still very solid. And that's mainly because it was parked inside all this time.
Sure, the Burnt Orange paint has seen better days, and there's a bit of rust here and there, but this Mopar is in great shape for a vehicle parked for over three decades. The interior doesn't look half bad either, except for the missing front seats (the floor doesn't need a major overhaul).
It's not all good news, though. The trunk pan has been cut out due to severe rust, while the original engine block is gone, having been replaced by a 1971 unit. The fuel tank, the fuel door, and the carburetor are also missing.
On the flip side, the car still retains most of the original drivetrain components, including the automatic gearbox, and comes with a long list of NOS parts. All told, it's a solid candidate for restoration. One that could be worth six figures upon completion.
This Challenger left the factory with a 383-cubic-inch V8, which makes it one of the most common R/T SE cars. That's because 2,522 of the 3,753 units built got the entry-level big-block mill. Of these, 2,076 were equipped with the three-speed automatic gearbox.
It's not the rarest R/T SE out there, but it's definitely scarcer than the 383 R/T, sold in more than 9,000 examples. Speaking of sales, this Challenger is up for auction as we speak, and bidding is at $22,000 with six days to go. The Mopar has a "buy it now" sticker of $28,500. Would you save it?
1970 was one of only two model years when the Challenger was available with Chrysler's magical big-block V8 trio. I'm talking about the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB in four-barrel and Six Pack configurations and the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
Unlike the inline-six and the small-block V8 units, these large displacement mills were restricted to the R/T model. Short for "Road and Track," the R/T was a performance-oriented package that added a beefier suspension, heavy-duty brakes, a Rallye instrument cluster, and a choice of three stripe options. The engine lineup also included the 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8 in addition to the 440 and 426 HEMI.
The R/T bundle was quite popular at the time, finding its way on nearly a quarter of the Dodge Challengers sold in 1970. Specifically, the company delivered 18,512 cars.
But the R/T wasn't the only package available. Dodge also offered the Special Edition (SE) option. Aimed at buyers looking for a more premium offering, the SE package came with leather and vinyl bucket seats, a woodgrain steering wheel, unique pedals, and turn signal indicators mounted on the hood. Dodge sold 9,976 Challengers equipped with this package.
And here's the interesting thing: Dodge allowed customers to bundle both packages together. The resulting R/T SE is the ultimate 1970 Challenger because it blends high-performance features with luxurious (for the era) appointments. The R/T SE is also rare because only 3,753 buyers wrote checks for both options. The derelict Mopar you see here is one of those cars.
Recently taken out of long-term storage in Wichita, Kansas, this hardtop spent at least 30 years in hiding. It's been sitting for about 25 years with the current owner and "at least the prior five years" under previous ownership. But despite being stationary since at least the early 1990s, this Challenger is still very solid. And that's mainly because it was parked inside all this time.
Sure, the Burnt Orange paint has seen better days, and there's a bit of rust here and there, but this Mopar is in great shape for a vehicle parked for over three decades. The interior doesn't look half bad either, except for the missing front seats (the floor doesn't need a major overhaul).
It's not all good news, though. The trunk pan has been cut out due to severe rust, while the original engine block is gone, having been replaced by a 1971 unit. The fuel tank, the fuel door, and the carburetor are also missing.
On the flip side, the car still retains most of the original drivetrain components, including the automatic gearbox, and comes with a long list of NOS parts. All told, it's a solid candidate for restoration. One that could be worth six figures upon completion.
This Challenger left the factory with a 383-cubic-inch V8, which makes it one of the most common R/T SE cars. That's because 2,522 of the 3,753 units built got the entry-level big-block mill. Of these, 2,076 were equipped with the three-speed automatic gearbox.
It's not the rarest R/T SE out there, but it's definitely scarcer than the 383 R/T, sold in more than 9,000 examples. Speaking of sales, this Challenger is up for auction as we speak, and bidding is at $22,000 with six days to go. The Mopar has a "buy it now" sticker of $28,500. Would you save it?
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