1970 Dodge Challenger T/A Is a Rare Survivor With Numbers-Matching Everything

Come 2022, and the 1970 Challenger is a highly desirable classic. While many of them spend their retirement years in junkyards and barns, the cars that still run fetch big bucks at public auction.s

The HEMI version is arguably the most desirable. Not only because the mighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) is a race-spec V8 good for 425 horsepower, but also because the HEMI Challenger is a rare bird. Dodge made only 356 of them in 1970.

While not quite as rare, the 440-powered version is also difficult to source if you're looking for unmolested examples. Only 2,035 units left the assembly line and many got lost on the way.

Then there's the Challenger T/A. While not as rare as the HEMI or the 440, the T/A was exclusive to the 1970 model year. How many were made? Well, Dodge built 2,399 units to homologate the car for the Trans Am championship. How many of them are still around? Well, there's no statistic to run by, but the cream example you're looking at has to be the finest survivor out there.

Yup, this T/A was never restored and still has all of its original components. And I'm not only talking about internals like the engine and the transmission. This muscle car is a numbers-matching classic from bumper to the bumper, including the body panels.

How did it survive in such good condition for more than 50 years? Well, the current owner bought it in 1976 and pampered it like it was the rarest and most expensive car ever built. Yes, the original cream paint shows chips and patina, while the driver's seat displays some wear and tear, but this 1970 Challenger T/A is in fantastic condition for a survivor.

Things look just as good under the hood, which hides a 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8 rated at 290 horsepower. Oh, and because the mill mates to a manual gearbox, this T/A is one of only 989 examples sold in this configuration.

So what sets the T/A apart from other 1970 Challengers besides the engine? It also sports a black fiberglass good with a large air scoop and racing pins, side-exiting exhaust pipes, and a Rallye suspension with heavy-duty parts. The T/A was also one of the first muscle cars to use different size tires at the front and rear.

Dodge reportedly planned to offer a T/A version in 1971, too, and even advertised a 340 V8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor. However, since the company retired from Trans Am after 1970, the T/A was also discontinued. As a result, Dodge's competitor for Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 and Ford Mustang Boss 302 is a one-year gem.