Photo: classicamericancars4sale/instagram
The story of the 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster (more on this below) and this aura only goes deeper for the example that's currently parked on our screens.
Back in the day, Dodge wanted to make it big in the Trans American Sedan Championship, which led to the birth of the Challenger T/A racecar, which, as per the homologation rules, had to receive a road-going equivalent.
Now, the Challenger was already lighter and more agile than the Charger, so a Trans Am racer made for a brilliant idea. Alas, while the resulting motorsport toys did make it to the podium on a few occasions, the insufficient funding, as well as the questionable reliability of the Keith Black-supplied 303 ci (5.0L) engines meant the carmaker exited the state after the 1970 season.
As for the street version, this kept the 340 ci (5.5L) motor, while adding three two-barrel carbs over an aluminum intake manifold. The resulting 340 Six Pack came with an official output of 290 hp, which meant the new air and fuel hardware brought an output premium of just 15 hp.
And while the side pipes were a sweet addition, the rear suspension actually had to be raised for this hardware to be accomodated, while the smaller rear tires meant understeer could be an issue at times.
Nevertheless, with Dodge having built just 2,399 units of the '70 Challenger T/A, collectors cherish the special nowadays.
Now, the example we have here is listed as an original, with a numbers-matching V8—the motor isn't in place, though—while the build sheet and fender tags are also present—you'll find these in the image gallery (hat tip to Instagram label classicamericancars4sale).
The authenticity is also confirmed by a Galen Govier report (we're talking about a specialist that decodes VINs, fender tags, and broadcast sheet information for Mopar machines).
Sure, the Plum Crazy paint isn't exactly in good condition, but rust is reportedly not an issue, which may have something to do with the fact that the muscle car is located in California.
However, while the seller (not the said label), has gathered multiple parts for the vehicle, there are some key TA elements missing, namely the transmission, carburetors, air cleaner, and the intake.
The vehicle is listed for $15,500 and, once any potential owner gets a hold of the said parts, the vehicle will naturally require plenty of attention before it can return to the road.
Now, the Challenger was already lighter and more agile than the Charger, so a Trans Am racer made for a brilliant idea. Alas, while the resulting motorsport toys did make it to the podium on a few occasions, the insufficient funding, as well as the questionable reliability of the Keith Black-supplied 303 ci (5.0L) engines meant the carmaker exited the state after the 1970 season.
As for the street version, this kept the 340 ci (5.5L) motor, while adding three two-barrel carbs over an aluminum intake manifold. The resulting 340 Six Pack came with an official output of 290 hp, which meant the new air and fuel hardware brought an output premium of just 15 hp.
And while the side pipes were a sweet addition, the rear suspension actually had to be raised for this hardware to be accomodated, while the smaller rear tires meant understeer could be an issue at times.
Nevertheless, with Dodge having built just 2,399 units of the '70 Challenger T/A, collectors cherish the special nowadays.
Now, the example we have here is listed as an original, with a numbers-matching V8—the motor isn't in place, though—while the build sheet and fender tags are also present—you'll find these in the image gallery (hat tip to Instagram label classicamericancars4sale).
The authenticity is also confirmed by a Galen Govier report (we're talking about a specialist that decodes VINs, fender tags, and broadcast sheet information for Mopar machines).
Sure, the Plum Crazy paint isn't exactly in good condition, but rust is reportedly not an issue, which may have something to do with the fact that the muscle car is located in California.
However, while the seller (not the said label), has gathered multiple parts for the vehicle, there are some key TA elements missing, namely the transmission, carburetors, air cleaner, and the intake.
The vehicle is listed for $15,500 and, once any potential owner gets a hold of the said parts, the vehicle will naturally require plenty of attention before it can return to the road.
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