Introduced in late 1969, the Dodge Challenger was met with great enthusiasm and moved nearly 77,000 units in its first year on the market. That's notably more than its Plymouth twin, the third-generation Barracuda (about 49,000 examples), and a number large enough to make the 1970 Challenger a relatively common classic.
But while the word "common" can be used to describe the nameplate as a whole, it can't be applied to specific versions of the car. That's because some of them are pretty rare.
The HEMI is arguably the scarcest iteration of the 1970 Dodge Challenger. Only 287 customers ordered the mighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8, a figure that also includes 60 Special Edition models and only nine convertibles. The cars equipped with the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Six-Pack V8 were also sold in limited numbers, with only 1,640 delivered. And just 99 of them had soft tops.
The six-cylinder Challenger may not be a desirable classic, but it's quite scarce with the Special Edition bundle or the convertible top. Dodge sold only 350 and 378 units, respectively.
Speaking of which, the convertible is by far the rarest body style. That's because only 5% of the 76,935 Challengers sold in 1970 left the assembly line with a retractable roof. We're talking about 3,884 units. And only 963 of them also got the high-performance R/T option. The Top Banana example you see here is one of them.
The result of a thorough restoration, this spotless Mopar packs a 440-cubic-inch RB under the hood. It's not the beefed-up Six-Pack version, but it's almost as potent at 375 horsepower. The engine makes this Challenger one of only 163 drop-tops equipped with the four-barrel 440. Additionally, it's one of only 129 units fitted with the three-speed automatic gearbox.
The Top Banana paint likely decreases that number significantly since it wasn't a popular hue in 1970, but it doesn't make much of a difference. This Challenger is already a one-of-one thanks to a tiny feature. I'm talking about the yellow-and-blue "Mr. Norm's" sticker on the trunk lid. Because it's the only known U-Code Challenger R/T Convertible sold by the Grand Spaulding Dodge dealership.
Unfamiliar with the name? Grand Spaulding Dodge was established in 1962 by Norm Kraus. And much like Yenko Chevrolet and Royal Pontiac, it focused on performance upgrades. This strategy turned it into the most prominent Dodge dealership, and "Mr. Norm" cars are now highly sought-after.
This Challenger doesn't have extra goodies under the hood, but its one-of-one status and flawless restoration make it one of the finest and most valuable classic Mopars out there. We will find out how much it's worth when it crosses the auction block at Kissimmee 2024 on January 13. Until then, check it out in the video below.
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. Full profile
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