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1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Six Pack Project

Eagle-eye readers have already spotted the red “SIXPACK” letters on the hood of this black primer pony car. The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T in Temecula, California is offered as a true V code (440 cid 3 x 2bbl) coupe. While collectors might place the 426 cid Hemi’ on a higher pedestal, the 440 SixPack made a more practical and highly potent weapon on the street. The listing on Craigslist shows a solid project car including minimal rust in some low-angle pictures, “date-correct” 440 with a complete six-pack induction package, and boxes of parts. The asking price of $25,000 buys the whole enchilada. Thanks to reader Rex m for spotting this California classic.

The non-running R/T (Road/Track) reportedly came from a collector’s barn in California, and the 440 cid (7.2L) V8 clearly gained some aftermarket speed parts before a long slumber. The lack of heater hoses (or even a heater core apparently) would not shock our southern California friends. In stock form, the ’70 V-code 440 made 390 HP and a foundation-shifting 480 lb-ft of torque at 2300 RPM, according to Allpar. Temperate driving uses the thrifty center two-barrel carburetor. Stomp the go-pedal, though, and the outboard carburetors stand at attention, ingesting air, pollen, and any unfortunate creatures straying too close to the air intakes. Joking aside, these air vents channeled air into the engine compartment and not directly into the air filter housing. A three-speed automatic transmission chooses the gears on this R/T.

Originally red with a white vinyl top, white stripes, and a black interior, this Challenger would have been one red hot pepper. This stunning fully-restored version shows the potential of a solid starting point. We’ve seen Mopars with every sign of being dredged out of a swamp sell for $16,000 or more, making the $25,000 asking price on this R/T seem almost reasonable.

For a never-restored muscle car, those floorboards look extremely solid. The aftermarket stereo suggests an installation from the late 1980s or early 1990s, a time-frame corroborated by the bright yellow Accel SuperCoil under the hood. With the metal looking fairly sound, restoration may be a simple case of prep and paint plus ordering parts and putting them in the right places. Hopefully, the 440 can be saved! Can you picture yourself dropping the hammer on this blacked-out Challenger’s SixPack-inducted 440?

Comments

  1. Avatar gaspumpchas

    could be a mud queen, need to take a magnet if you go look. Looks like doors and trunk lid off another car. Seems pricey but Seen worse for the $$$. Good luck and stay safe.
    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 9
  2. Avatar Troy s

    For people like me who enjoy going from one stop light to the next real quick and being heard doing it a mile away here is the ride. I slow down for curves, you can read into that numerous ways if you want, there’s no shortage of ‘curves’ in southern California.
    440 six pack is at least as legendary as the Hemi, one for the street crowd. I’ve never owned or driven one, so I ask yet again. The secondary carbs work off vacuum, is it smooth or herky jerky when they open/close?
    Potential killer ride.

    Like 8
    • Avatar Mopar144

      Secondary open smoothly as long as they are still vacuum and someone hasn’t made them mechanical

      Like 3
    • Avatar SMS

      Had a 340 with a six pack. The transition from 2 to 6 required a determined input from your right foot. Was easy to do it smoothly in a straight line and a little tricky around a corner.

      Remember one night taking a right turn, my foot shifted on the accelerator, suddenly pushing it down further. Backend got very out if shape. Had it been on purpose would have looked impressive. Being on a busy street looked like a jerk.

      Like 11
  3. Avatar K Gun Offense

    A lot to like here. Too bad it is not a numbers matching car. Thay would make it fantastic. A lot of work to do but if you make a point to do it all except the body prep and paint work you could get out of it pretty reasonable. It seems like most everything is there. The one thing I question is the date codes motor. I hear all the time date codes motor and it turns out to not be period correct for the particular vehicle. I myself would have it painted back to the red it is supposed to be and put the white vinyl top on it. Would look pretty sharp. I might have missed it but I didn’t see anything about a build sheet!! Get her right and you will have a monster roaring down the road looking sharp!!

    Like 5
    • Avatar Joseph

      that car is looking beautiful for its age. never seen a more good looking classic muscle car than this 440 beast.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar timothy herrod

    Not a 70 intake, it would be cast iron. Chrysler figured it would be cheaper to have their own intakes poured instead of buying them from Edelbrock like they did for the 69s. Not trying to nit pick the car, could you imagine what the asking would be if it was a charger in the shape.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Keith

      Intake could be original early 70 cars with this engine had this manifold. Some one might no what date started cast iron manifold for 70.My family owned a Chrysler/Plymouth dealer in Canton,Ohio back then.

      Like 4
  5. Avatar Nick

    The lack of heater hoses and heater core means that’s just more stuff you have to buy to restore the car. It’s certainly not a “heater delete” optioned car because you can clearly see the heat/defrost controls in side to the left, below the steering wheel and the holes for the hoses are clearly visible on the firewall. That said, a heater delete car would be very unusual in any state that gets weather below 50F, California included. And “those air vents” on the hood were/are non functional, the only incoming air is through the grill.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Randy

      Not true onthe air vents. Two screws removed the plate which made them functional.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Nick

        They were not functional from the factory.

        Like 1
  6. Avatar arkie Member

    Don’t misunderstand me. I like this Challenger and I think it could be a good deal on a real winner. I see the V- code in the VIN, but shouldn’t there be a Dana rear and a slap-stick shifter? Maybe someone can straighten me out on this.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Keith

      Dana rear was a option in a 3:54 track pac or a 4:10 Super track pac. Standard gear was a 8 3/4 gear set non dana axle

      Like 2
      • Avatar SJMike

        Thanks- I learned something today- I thought all V code cars had a DANA rear.

        Like 0
  7. Avatar Tooyoung4heyday Member

    Good starter for someone. Definitely on my radar but not sure id go over $20k. V codes dont come up often for cheap. Lots to redo and aquire. Being a non numbers car not sure if id redo it in original colors or something more to my liking. The red/white/black does sound attractive but 70 was a great year for more exciting colors from mopar. Do it up as a 500″ stroker and see how heavy my foot gets.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Steve Thompson

    Those cut outs on the mufflers – where did they come from – I’ve never seen them like that before are they a MoPar thing ?

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Jack in RI

    At least it doesn’t look like the car Barry Newman/aka Kolwalski delivered to California

    Like 0
    • Avatar timothy herrod

      You do know that was a camero or a firebird they crashed into the dozers. If you stop the movie you can clearly see the wing windows on the doors as its going up in flames

      Like 4
      • Avatar Jack in RI

        Yea it was a camaro you can clearly see it when they show the credits, but the other 2 hours of the movie is an R/T Challenger, supposedly supercharged according to one of the cops chasing it! :)

        Like 2
      • Avatar Bmac777

        The camaro was stripped of its drivetrain and They used one of the 383 powered movie cars as the tow vehicle to pull the cable that ran between the dozer’s

        Like 0
  10. Avatar Stinger

    Have a good look at this car. It maybe a California car but there has been rust. The inner fenders have been replaced, you can see the spot welds over the RH shock tower and if you look very close at the LH rear quarter, you can see the patch panel. That being said, if the car checks out frame/floor pan wise, this is well worth the price, as finished 6pk cars bring a substantial amount of $$$. The original combo will be stunning.

    Like 2
  11. Avatar SJMike

    Had a V code Challenger in High School – Back then it was like 9 years old and the most beautiful car I’d ever seen. Wish I’d not sold it. I will say it handled like a covered wagon.

    Like 0

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