Photo: Mecum Auctions (modified)
Now one of the most iconic nameplates from the golden muscle car era, the Dodge Challenger was the last to arrive at the high-performance party. It was introduced in late 1969 on the then-new E-body platform, which it shared with the third-generation Plymouth Barracuda.
Both nameplates are now highly sought-after in specific configurations. The HEMI cars are the rarest. While Plymouth sold only 780 HEMI 'Cudas in the US in 1970 and 1971, Dodge delivered only 427 HEMI Challengers over the same period. The cars equipped with the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) six-barrel V8 are also pretty rare.
As for body styles, the convertibles are the scarcest. Of the 65,359 Barracudas sold during the aforementioned model years, only 2,812 had a soft top. That's only 4.3% of the total production. And only 5,741 of the 104,312 Challengers sold in 1970 and 1971 were ordered in the drop-top layout (5.5% of the total output).
Combining the convertible body style with the 426 HEMI V8 produces extremely low production figures and seven-figure stickers for all-original cars. Yup, these open-top rigs are worth anywhere from one to $5 million in 2023.
The 440 six-barrel convertibles aren't exactly cheap either. When equipped with the right options and still sporting numbers-matching engines, these classics fetch more than $300,000. The 1970 Challenger/'Cuda pair you see here, for instance, is expected to go under the hammer in January 2024 for nearly a million bucks.
What makes them so expensive? Well, for starters, both are V-code cars, which means both rely on the 440 RB V8 fitted with three two-barrel carburetors. Dodge calls it the Six-Pack while Plymouth sold it as the Six-Barrel, but the mills are identical and deliver 390 horsepower. Second, both Mopars are part of that rare lineage of 1970-model-year E-body cars.
A quick look at the production statistics available reveals that the Challenger is one of only 99 440+6 convertibles sold in the US in 1970. The Dodge also features a four-speed manual, which makes it one of only 61 units built like this. The 'Cuda is even rarer, as Plymouth sold just 29 440-6 drop-tops that year. It's also a manual car, which makes it one of only 17 delivered.
But that's not all. Both are the first 1970 convertibles of their kind equipped with the 440-6 V8. And not only do they wear low serial numbers, but they were also used as pilot cars by the automotive press. Both feature numbers-matching drivetrain components and were restored to their original specifications. Finally, these cars were built on the same day: August 4, 1969.
The pair is scheduled to cross the block at Mecum's Kissimmee 2024 auction from January 2 to 14. The organizers estimate the Mopars will change hands for anywhere from $750,000 to $900,000.
As for body styles, the convertibles are the scarcest. Of the 65,359 Barracudas sold during the aforementioned model years, only 2,812 had a soft top. That's only 4.3% of the total production. And only 5,741 of the 104,312 Challengers sold in 1970 and 1971 were ordered in the drop-top layout (5.5% of the total output).
Combining the convertible body style with the 426 HEMI V8 produces extremely low production figures and seven-figure stickers for all-original cars. Yup, these open-top rigs are worth anywhere from one to $5 million in 2023.
The 440 six-barrel convertibles aren't exactly cheap either. When equipped with the right options and still sporting numbers-matching engines, these classics fetch more than $300,000. The 1970 Challenger/'Cuda pair you see here, for instance, is expected to go under the hammer in January 2024 for nearly a million bucks.
What makes them so expensive? Well, for starters, both are V-code cars, which means both rely on the 440 RB V8 fitted with three two-barrel carburetors. Dodge calls it the Six-Pack while Plymouth sold it as the Six-Barrel, but the mills are identical and deliver 390 horsepower. Second, both Mopars are part of that rare lineage of 1970-model-year E-body cars.
A quick look at the production statistics available reveals that the Challenger is one of only 99 440+6 convertibles sold in the US in 1970. The Dodge also features a four-speed manual, which makes it one of only 61 units built like this. The 'Cuda is even rarer, as Plymouth sold just 29 440-6 drop-tops that year. It's also a manual car, which makes it one of only 17 delivered.
But that's not all. Both are the first 1970 convertibles of their kind equipped with the 440-6 V8. And not only do they wear low serial numbers, but they were also used as pilot cars by the automotive press. Both feature numbers-matching drivetrain components and were restored to their original specifications. Finally, these cars were built on the same day: August 4, 1969.
The pair is scheduled to cross the block at Mecum's Kissimmee 2024 auction from January 2 to 14. The organizers estimate the Mopars will change hands for anywhere from $750,000 to $900,000.
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