The 1970 Dodge Charger 500 was not a rare car. More than half of Charger production for the year was the 500 model. However, when you drill down to the 383 cubic inch V8 with 4-speed, the number drops to 1,335. Add to this that this seller says this car was one of Dodge’s White Hat Specials painted in B7 blue. It’s far from perfect condition and said to be a runner, although the photos all show it on jacks and pretty dirty. And the asking price is rather stout at $45,000. It’s located in Glenview, Illinois, and available here on craigslist. Thanks to Gransedan for bringing this tip our way.
When Dodge launched the Charger 500 model in 1969, it was a limited production car fashioned after the racers at Daytona. No more than 500 were made (some sources say 392). The following year, the 500 went mainstream and dominated Charger production without all the special features of the 1969. Who remembers the Dodge White Hat Specials of the late 1960 and early 1970s? They used advertising sex appeal that focused on accessory packages offered at discounted prices. Girls wearing white hats, mini-dresses, white chain belt, and white Go-Go boots helped bring buyers into showrooms to check out all of Dodge’s youthful-looking cars, Chargers, Coronets, and Darts.
The seller says this 1970 Charger 500 was a special-order White Hat Special car with medium blue metallic paint and a white vinyl top. He acquired the car from the original owner who purchased it new 51 years ago. It has not been restored or repaired due to any major damage, but it’s not rust-free. The rocker panels will need some attention in that area, at a minimum. It appears to have been in storage for some time, so being garage-kept has helped preserve the car. We’re told it runs strong with the only things replaced overtime being the gas tank, exhaust, and alternator. So are we to assume the engine and transmission are numbers matching?
While the seller also says the interior shows very well, it looks as though there is a rip in the driver’s seat back and the carpeting may be iffy. This is one of those cars where documentation was held from Day 1, so the buyer will receive things like the window sticker, a copy of the original check from the purchase of the automobile, a build sheet, and delivery papers. 98,000 miles are said to be the reading on the odometer.
Hagerty pegs a ’70 Charger 500 at $42,000 on the high end, but that doesn’t consider the 383 or the 4-speed. And that’s Concours condition. No doubt the seller believes he has a rare property at his asking price, but if it’s as good a car as he says, why not bring it out in the daylight and detail it a little? No full-length photos of the car are even offered.
This is not a $45,000 Charger. $25K – while still high – is probably realistic given the still-current desirability of 68-70s.
Jim, I’m in complete agreement with you on this one. You can score a very nice car with 45K. The only thing that makes this car interesting is the 4 speed. I don’t think that’s a 20K add on.
I would probably disagree. I think this car is at least in the high $30Ks. With minimal rust, matching #s, a 4-speed, and documentation this car won’t last long.
If it was closer to me where I could actually see it before purchase, I would spend that much if it is as described.
$45K Chargers are pretty much non-existent. They are unfortunately either $20K rust buckets or $85K show queens
RobA I would probably and do agree with you. This is a pretty rare Charger with docs. $40k makes sense.
A lot of these guys on the comments are very ignorant. It is extremely rare to find a one owner untouched 99% sheet metal car! I can find you over 100 done restored cars as for a one owner Survivor with paperwork.🤦🏻♂️ Get real….cool car
Seller makes no mention of the build sheet, Russ.
In checking, the seller mentions original options sheet. I mistook that for build sheet as the seller’s run-on description of the car wasn’t the easiest of reading! Corrected the language.
Observing the ad pricings for 70 Chargers in various conditions, is leading me to re-access the valuation of my own 318 c.i. ’70 Charger 500 which, although unrestored, is in infinitely better shape than the majority of the “unrestored” presentations lately! As an example, I present a picture of my interior. :-)!
easily worth 30,to 35,000 if there were any like this at 25,000 it would not be for sale it would be sold and driven already. a modern car cost 25,000 to 45000 junk in 5 years.
Guys COME ON. This is a rag!!!!!! Engine needs hardened valve seats to burn todays unleaded fuel.. Fire extinguishers were not a factory option in 1970. The floor console in the picture looks like it has been chipped of should go ro the back of the front seat. Do not see the trunk mat. No heater hoses going to heater core, that probably leaks. You are probably looking at a flywheel, clutch , throw out bearing, and pressure plate repacement. Also, car does not have A/C. Pass big time.
Everything you say can be remedied , and some easily .I think you could remove the extinguisher if you dont care about your old car . A clutch is no big deal, and would be something I’d change soon after I purchased it.. No trunk mat ? They get brittle with age and fall apart – replacements are available .Heater cores are about $45.00 , and are not a problem to change .The engine, if its a good runner can run with lead additive until the time comes when you want to remove the heads and have the seats redone . And the lack of A/C ? Except for luxury cars, most cars did not have A/C , and this is a big block 4 speed car ! Its a true muscle car . A/C systems are heavy , not what you want in a muscle car . The car is now 51 years old, its going to have some things that need repair or replacement, but its a low production, desirable car and its unmolested . Its rare to find one like that. Its hardly a rag
Where’s the rest of the console ?
@stillrunners: ??? The console as pictured started in 1968, with the only changes being to the top plates. There was a one year only full length console in the 1966 Charger. IIRC, the 1967 console had the option of an armrest on the back of it. :-)
@Moparman stillrunners is referring to the car for sale and some of it IS missing compared to the image of your Charger, or any Charger of that generation with a console. You can see a bracket between the seats. It looks like the seller went with an “open air” look for the console. The car is about 20K too pricey for what it is.
Why is the steering wheel green?
While not original, putting some Magnum 500 or Chrysler Rally Wheels on this would improve the looks dramatically. Those hubcaps = woooof.
(Also, while I’m in no way a Mopar pricing expert, 45k seems to be a lot for a car with a decent amount of needs)
To: J-Paul: Those are actual FULL WHEEL COVERS shown in the picture. Hub caps cover only the lug nuts and have part of the wheel exposed.Those wheel covers were used for the 1970/71 model years .
Thank you for correcting him George. Hubcaps are hubcaps and wheel covers are wheel covers. Words mean things. I drive my gal nuts because I measure exact in the kitchen too.
Very cool car, probably my favorite car of all time, I owned 2, 70 Charger 500’s, so I am a bit partial to this. That said if I was ultra wealthy I’d buy no questions asked as you don’t see these equipped like this to often. For the regular Joe it may be 10k over priced, but, where you finding another? Great find.
I think it is time for Dynaco (?) to start making 69 Charger replica bodies. That would end this silliness. People could have the look of the original, yet have brand new steel with a good fit, plus set it up the way that only a man with 50 years of tech improvements can do. Just think of the engine possibilities, both old and new, maybe even a zippy electric motor. Better suspension, better brakes, better everything. You could build a General Lee that would embarrass the old General Lee. Best of all, these old over priced headaches in a bottle would disappear into the low priced realm of Craigslist where they belong.
I can’t figure out why the value on these cars have gone up so much. I have 70 chargers in the family and I don’t think there any different than other manufacturer big blocks. I was at an auction 5 years ago that a 440 4 spd one that was mostly complete went for 16k. At the time I thought that was to much. Boy was I an idiot! Don’t get me wrong, I love these cars because our history with them. Just can’t justify 45k for this one.
White top a White Hat Special does not make.
There was no White Hat Special option in 1970, ended in 69.
B7 Blue was a regular production paint color on the 70 Charger.
Lots of BS on this one.
The thing about selling, is you sell for what you think it’s worth. It’s up to the buyer if he thinks it’s worth what’s being asked for said item. I bought a 1970 Charger 500 (XP29L0G) with a 440/six pack/ 4 speed with original pistol grip shifter over a year ago. It’s a non matching number engine and tranny. (Correct engine was a 383) I looked at probably 500 different chargers over a 5 year span and could never really pull the trigger on a buy, none just seemed to have what I wanted and I was really interested in the 69 Chargers. After I seen this 1970 Charger 500, I did some research on it and learned that they’re a rare Mopar these days. The color is Go Mango Orange, original interior (redone), they added the magnum 500 rims, has the rag top, and some idiot butchered the hood and put a cal induction scoop on it and painted it black…but it’s grew on me and gets a lot of compliments. I wanted original but sacrificed the numbers matching due to the engine, the six pack, and the four speed. All that said, I gave well way over what it was truly valued at. They where asking $80k and I offered $45k…we meet in the middle after a two month negotiating war. I paid for it, had it shipped to my door step, and have been enjoying it since. I will eventually over haul the motor but other than that, there’s no way I would ever sell this rare Mopar and if I was the guy selling that one, I wouldn’t take one penny less than what he’s asking. A Mopar like that, given the details are true, it could be restored easily and the asking price would double…just my thoughts on it!
I owned a 70 Charger 500 from 72-76, it was a 383 Magnum 4 speed. F4 green black interior no vinyl top, had the 3:91 sure grip rear, and had the red brake drums with looked good with the magnum 500 type rims. It really wasn’t the car that I wanted but the insurance company had it classified as a family car HaHa. Paid $2 grand and sold it for $1,500. It was a better looking car than this one in my opinion. I guess I should have kept it if I had known it would be worth $45,000.