In the world of fantasy that sometimes surrounds the first year Challenger, it’s easy to get caught up in the myth that Dodge intended for every one produced in 1970 to be a pavement-pounding, high-performance muscle car that could outrun just about everything in sight. However, in reality, many of these were originally equipped with a 318, with a few even leaving the factory with an inline 6. Several that began life with one of these smaller engines have now been transformed into something more gratifying, and this 1970 Dodge Challenger here on eBay in Brick, New Jersey, would fall into that category. This purple E-Body is priced at $39,950, but you can also make an offer.
Curvette, thanks a lot for bringing this one to our attention! Looking at the exterior now, it’s hard to imagine that the original color was Bright Blue Metallic. Although that’s also a fine hue for a Dodge muscle car, the owner decided to go with something a bit more attention-getting, and now the outside sports FC7 Plum Crazy paint. The seller says this Challenger recently underwent a restoration that took approximately two years, with the body reportedly sanded down to bare metal before the new purple finish was applied. Thankfully, 90% of the sheet metal is claimed original, so this one sounds like it was still in pretty good shape before the work began.
A 318 was originally in the bay, which certainly wasn’t a bad choice for Challenger buyers, as it proved reliable and offered adequate performance for most seeking a daily driver. However, that small block has been swapped for a 440, and the big block is attached to a 727 TorqueFlite automatic, known for its ability to withstand all the abuse these powerful engines can dish out. There’s no word on the engine’s source or date code, and the seller only tells us it’s built, so asking some questions here may be in order before deciding how much you’re willing to spend.
The interior has also been gone through and now presents nicely overall, and it’s good to see that this one once had air conditioning, although I’d rather find a Rallye dash than those now non-functional A/C vents. There are both positives and negatives to consider here, with improved performance and a flashy color certainly a plus for many potential buyers. However, for Mopar purists, this one’s now yet another example that’ll never be a numbers-matching original again. What are your thoughts on this 1970 Dodge Challenger, and its transformation from mild to wild?
Good looking Mopar. Those tail pipes got to go.
It still has the 7.25″ rear axle, which I’m shocked is still in this car. It won’t be long till it blows up behind that 440. Just another 318 car that transformed into R/T wanna be.
Makes you wonder if the torsion bars and other suspension components were addressed or ignored, same goes with the brakes.
Steve R