The original Dodge Challenger may have been the right car at the wrong time. When it debuted in 1970 (five years after the Ford Mustang), muscle cars (perceived or real) were beginning to fall out of favor. So, the Challenger had a great sales year in ’70, then trickled off through the end in 1974. The seller has a mostly nice first-year Challenger that has been largely restored over the past six years, with a few kinks remaining. Located in Lake Forest, California, this “base” model with a 318 cubic inch V8 is available here on eBay for $37,500. Another great tip from – who else – “Curvette”!
Dodge built 77,000 Challengers in 1970 (and Plymouth 49,000 Barracudas, which shared the same E-body platform). Editions like this one were fairly common because they were sporty, but not performance-driven. The seller bought the Mopar in 2018 as a project after it had been sitting for at least 25 years. There are no photos of it back then, so the degree of transformation it’s made over the years is unknown. Both the engine and 904 transmission were rebuilt, but the former has since developed a few leaks.
We’re told the Dodge is 95% restored (so we wonder what the other 5% is). It comes with “special interest” California license plates that may or may not be transferable. The 318 now sports a 340 intake manifold and 4-barrel carburetor, and the originals have flown the coop. The steering and front suspension were also rebuilt with a conversion to front disc brakes with power assist.
The five-year-old paint, vinyl top, and interior match with the codes on the cowl tag (which has been separated from the car for whatever reason). Most of the sheet metal is original, so the car may not have been a rust bucket when the seller acquired it. A new windshield will be needed due to a crack that is getting bigger. The Dodge has the factory Rallye dash cluster. The Dodge has factory air conditioning, but it doesn’t work. The seller is thorough in detailing all the work that has been done on the car since 2020. BTW, he/she has a 340 long block that can be had for some additional scratch.
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