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1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 Hemi Barn Find!

One of the most incredible aspects of finding old muscle cars is realizing that the previous owners just saw it as a used project at one point – even an incredibly rare bird like this 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, a genuine 426 Hemi car outfitted with numerous desirable options from the factory. These include Track Pak, automatic transmission, Dana 60 rear end, N96 shaker hood, and more, and it was originally a B5 Blue car with blue interior before being painted orange and black long ago. It’s a true barn find car found hiding in Illinois, and is now listed here on eBay with the reserve met.

Of course, like so many old muscle cars, many of the numbers-matching components are long-gone. The engine was previously replaced with a 440 six-pack and the Dana 60 is long gone; it has since been fitted with a date-coded 426 Hemi to bring it closer to its original configuration. Unfortunately, it retains the replacement 8.75 rear differential and 727 transmission that it was purchased with, so there’s still plenty of parts to track down if you wish to restore this one back to its factory configuration. And why wouldn’t you? That’s really the only logical path forward on a car like this that is historically significant to the Mopar crowd. The seller believes it is one of less than 150 cars built in this configuration.

The interior has patches of its original blue finish poking through the black paint that it was covered with, and overall, the cabin is in need of a complete gut and makeover. Still, at least it was parked indoors for a spell, to help avoid some of the usual destruction that occurs when left outside for decades. The seller notes that before its long slumber, the Challenger was used as a daily driver for ten years and shows evidence of moisture getting locked into all the wrong places. Overall, the Challenger is still far from the biggest basketcase we’ve seen, and while the floors may be soft, at least we can’t yet see daylight poking through.

This in-the-barn shot reveals there was at least one other vintage muscle car hiding out with the Challenger, so someone had a good day when they stumbled upon this iconic R/T. The seller notes one rear frame rail has some rot but is likely fixable; the trunk floor will need to be replaced and some patchwork done on the lower quarters. Surprisingly, the doors, fenders, inner fenders core support, and cowl are all solid, making this Challenger a pleasingly sound discovery considering how long it’s been neglected and treated like any other throwaway project. An important find for virtually any muscle car fan, and one that the Mopar boys are likely salivating over. What would you be willing to pay?

Comments

  1. Avatar Moparman Member

    Bring a bio-hazard suit for the interior; looks like serious moisture intrusion, not good for electrical components! Will cost lots of $$’s to restore, but there is someone out there willing to take this project on! GLWTA!! :-)

    Like 21
  2. Avatar Todd Fitch Staff

    Holy hemi barn-find Batman! Currently at $63k with five days left. Not surprised, even with the NOM. This one will get the royal treatment. So few will ever experience a hemi-powered E-body. The “before” pictures will be displayed with pride. Be sure to enjoy it for a year or so before you sell it. Nice one, Jeff!

    Like 16
  3. Avatar flmikey

    Bidding is all the way up to 63K….and I am guessing the reserve is off…I have been around this hobby forever, and would have never guessed prices would be this out of control…I get that it is a Hemi, but come on….

    Like 42
  4. Avatar jokacz

    $63000 2020 dollars is $9400 in 1970 dollars. About twice what this car cost new.

    Like 17
  5. Avatar JohnfromSC

    Not that it matters since everything will have to be redone, but this appears to have originally had a Brilliant Blue interior, which just looks stunning with a B5 Blue exterior compared to the current black. Hope it gets restored back.

    Like 9
  6. Avatar Troy s

    Yea, about twice what it cost new, in brand new condition with 0 miles, Haha, looks a little tired now. A real screaming mother of a car no doubt, at the top of the ladder or near it as far as real muscle goes.
    It’s kinda strange, for as long as these have been huge with collectors to see one like this still, all ragged looking but not quite a total pile of rust and mold. Better late than never I guess.

    Like 10
    • Avatar K Gun Offense

      After reading the Ebay ad, I guess I am not understanding. It talks about coming from the car lot with a 440 six pack and then talks about a period correct hemi. Then the ad says it is an original hemi car. By the way the date correct hemi in it now the ad says from 1966. That is not date correct if that is true. Once hemi is mentioned of, you know the price of the car will shoot to the moon. Needs loads of work, like someone previously mentioned you can tell the interior reels of moisture. I bet there is a lot more rust under the floors and rails than what is being g told. Still very worth restoring whether it’s a 440bor hemi car. If it was numbers matching g it would easily be 100 grand in this condition. Hope whoever’s gets it brings the exterior and interior to it’s original blue. If you can’t have plum crazy purple, that blue is beautiful on these old molars! Love it and good luck to the new owner!!!!

      Like 4
      • Avatar Troy s

        Yeah, K Gun, it’s like the ad could be misunderstood a little,
        This was an original Hemi Challenger when new, the Dana 60 rear end all that heavy duty stuff then at some point the engine was changed to a 440 six pack and the Dana 60 had been switched out to I’m guessing a Dana 44(?), who knows why that happened really. And now it has a 426 Hemi back in there, a little older than the car.
        Hemi powered Mopars are probably more sought after now than they were back in those glory days, now that the rarity and demand equal huge money. Yes, I’d take blue over purple all week and twice on Sunday when it comes to paint color, but with black interior…

        Like 0
  7. Avatar benjy58

    hidden rot will be the killer and broken driveline parts also. It was parked for a reason and not because the interior had a bad smell.

    Like 9
  8. Avatar Skorzeny

    Jeff, I for one, do not find an automatic transmission a ‘desirable option’. Nonetheless, I love Mopars so want to see it restored. With a car like this, money is not a factor.

    Like 6
    • Avatar Poncho

      Money may not be factor, except to the guy shelling a lot of it out. I’m sure that person would like to get most of the money he dumps into this car back if/when the car is to be sold again. There are limits to everyone’s check book.

      Like 5
  9. Avatar Mark

    Clean it up, get it mechanically operational and if the rust doesn’t prevent doing so from a safety perspective, drive it.
    That would be an attention getter…probably more than a full blown restoration.
    Nice find. GLWTS.

    Like 7
  10. Avatar Leo

    There’s something unique about this car few people have caught onto. It was coded for an N96 Shaker, but left the factory with a power bulge hood. I also have one like it, but mine is yellow and build August 1969. Mine was also coded for a Shaker and left the factory without it. Mine is a column shift auto. I’ve only heard about 3 or 4 with such an N96 story. In the Mopar world this makes it a very unique car and that’s why I’m keeping my barn find as- found but mechanically and electrically sound.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Duwane McKnight

      What do you mean power buldge that is the n96 shaker hood some people bolted them to the hood back in the day but that is most definitely the shaker hood

      Like 0
  11. Avatar Greg Spalding

    A number one condition car would be about $200K in value. This will never be that without a numbers matching drivetrain and a full nut and bolt restoration will likely be over $100K.

    Like 2
  12. Avatar John

    The thing about all these Mopars at auction is they never disappoint my morbid curiosity!

    Like 4
  13. Avatar Lynn Member

    Bids are so high because, “that thing gotta HEMI?” Before I die I would like to drive one or at least get a ride in one!!!

    Like 6
    • Avatar Troy s

      Also high because it originally came equipped with a Hemi, being a rare optioned speed king. Yeah, I would like to at least go for a short, about 1/4 of a mile or so, ride in one of these too as the only older hemi powered rides I remember were way out of tune, probably needed more 104 Octane boost, lousy launch with smoke pouring out of the tail pipes to a thundering…..16.lousy second time slip. Sad but true.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Jim

        I rarely saw Hemis back in the day. One exception- my mom worked with a guy who had a 68 Hemi Charger- the only smoking it did was the tires. But, I do remember a lot of clapped out jacked up Camaros and Chevelles with glass packs, a hood scoop, and at least one primered body panel’which usually sounded and ran like crap.

        Like 11
      • Avatar SDJames

        My dad worked at a Skelly station when he was in high school in the late 60s. He said that the 6 pack and dual quad cars would clean up everything on the streets on Saturday night, but be in the shop on Monday because those carbs got out of tune quickly when rompin’ on them. He would also rip pages out of the local policeman’s notebook (with the name of his friends in it) whenever they brought their cars in for service. :)

        Like 13
      • Avatar Troy s

        Great stuff! Serious car for serious folks, then and now for different reasons.

        Like 2
  14. Avatar TCOPPS Member

    Now THIS is a Barn Find! WOW. Glad it’s getting saved! Now don’t be like Jennings and swap in a 6cyl.

    Like 8
  15. Avatar Whynot Member

    To much money. This car will be saved and show up again at Barnet Jackson . Listed as all original 700 miles Hemi. Date coded Hemi is a fancy replacement for the word (Clone) . It’s not original now and no matter how much money is thrown at it still will never be an original. Most were purchased for what they were built for to run fast and driven hard. I remember as a kid checking out the muscle in the high school parking lot . Thinking in a few years I’m going to have one of those. Not ! As gas prices went crazy . Seams like those cars vanished.

    Like 2
  16. Avatar Arthell64

    Lots of Chinese parts needed for this project. I’m not sure the sum of the parts adds up to the price but I hope the price keeps going up. Makes original cars worth more.

    Like 1
  17. Avatar KKW

    Ah yes, another trashed out Mopar, worth it’s weight in gold.

    Like 4
  18. Avatar Jim

    Sounds like I’m the only one, but I can’t fathom $63,500 for this rusted hulk….no matter what model it is.

    Like 13
  19. Avatar Mark

    Genuine hemi car , but without the actual original hemi ? What am I missing here ?

    Like 3
  20. Avatar MB

    About $100k in restoration cost should get that back to looking like it should. Unfortunately it will never again be numbers matching so the value might not even justify restoration costs. But for someone looking for a driver muscle car, it’s still one of the unicorn cars.

    Like 4
  21. Avatar Terry Bowman

    This day in the age of computers, I don’t see it that difficult to trace back through ownerships and relocate the motor and dana 60 rear. Even if owners have Passed, someone knows unless there was theft involved. :(

    Like 1
  22. Avatar Jerold Lyons

    63,000 dollars ? Are you kidding?… that car is shot !
    This is where we are now ?
    Will it ever be worth 100k ?

    Someone with money will do what they want with it (as always) but it will never be as it was original…
    Paint it pink, change it to something else later.

    Like 5
  23. Avatar Steve Bush Member

    Agree with the others that the prices on these are nuts. For $1500 over the current bid, you could buy the 1970 Challenger T/A for sale here and have a much better car you could drive now.

    Like 9
  24. Avatar Tom Throneberry

    Depends on who buys it. These cars have a mysterious way of finding the correct engine and low and behold its a numbers matching car again. Who knows

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Camaro guy

    Not so sure this was originally equipped with a Dana 60 rear end Hemi and 440 6 pac with a 4 speed trans had Dana 60’s the automatic trans car’s got the 8.75 rear axle. so if this was an original Hemi with a torque flite transmission it likely came from the factory with the 8.75 the thinking was torque converters were much easier on rear gears then clutches

    Like 1
    • Avatar Terry Bowman

      Almost true, Camaro guy. The 4 speeds had the Dana 60, but the Automatics could have the Dana 60 as an option. I also believe the 440 4bbl, with the option 4.10 gear could also get the Dana 60 as an option. No sure if 4.10 gearing is correct (everyone seems to call it that), because I had a 4.11 Dana in my Stock 72′ Van.

      Like 1
      • Avatar mike

        The super track pack option included the dana 60 even if it was an automatic….dana used even number gearing…4:10…3:54 ect.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Camaro guy

        Your right Bowman I forgot about that I think it was an option on all 440/426 cars regardless of transmission so yeah i suppose this car could have been optioned with the Dana axle thanks for reminding me

        Like 2
  26. Avatar mike

    The super track pack option included the dana 60 even if it was an automatic….dana used even number gearing…4:10…3:54 ect.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar lee

    i would leave the paint as is, jack that rear end into sky and make a mean street machine out of this thing. Have an extreme v-tec killer on your hands!

    Like 0
  28. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Ended:Oct 05, 2020 , 4:44PM
    Winning bid:
    US $63,500.00
    [ 41 bids ]

    Like 0

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