Dodge finally joined the “pony car” movement in 1970 at just about the time that interest in those kinds of automobiles was peaking. Sharing a new platform with the Plymouth Barracuda, the Challenger would see a single generation of just five years before Chrysler got out of that market space (along with AMC). This 1970 Challenger is a fairly basic example that was parked in the original owner’s backyard in 1978 and left there for 45 years. It’s quite rusty and will need a lot of work and money thrown at it if a restoration is desired. Located in Amsterdam, New York, this Mopar is available here on eBay where $2,300 isn’t enough to trigger the seller’s reserve.
Sales of the new Challenger were strong out of the gate in 1970 at nearly 77,000 copies. But it was downhill from there with production dropping by two-thirds the next year. Of those, 37,000 had a V8 that wasn’t an R/T, T/A, SE, or even a convertible. The 318 cubic inch V8 was the first step up from the Slant-Six with an output of 230 hp. The decoding of the VIN that the seller provides about this car gives no surprises.
For whatever reason, this Dodge was parked when it was eight years old and had 62,000 miles on the odometer. The seller provides photos of the car trapped in the woods, then on the back of a trailer, and finally on his/her property with a little cleaning done. There is no title since New York didn’t deal with those until 1973, so it’s technically a one-owner automobile. We’re told the machine is a complete car except for a missing grille.
There is plenty of rust here to keep any body shop in business for some time. It needs new floors and a trunk pan, and the frame may have issues. You’ll be able to get the auto to roll, but not much more. The seller says this is a restorable vehicle but confirms that it’s “not for amateurs.” Its future might be less questionable if it was a performance model with a 383 or 440 V8. But it’s not. Is this a rescue that you’d undertake?
The auto shifter looks mysteriously low…
One of those going to fix it someday cars?
What a shame. 62,000 miles and left in the woods! Maybe something happened to the 318 and never got around to it. At least it didn’t fall apart going on the flatbed. This is a parts car. The front is down torsion bar shot? Or rust got to the area that supports it. Tops on this is $5,000 and that’s being fair. Good luck to the next owner project. 🐻🇺🇸
Cool thing is that you can inspect the torsion bar set up…from the inside of the car, haha!
i’d say torsion bar anchors at the rear (many a mopar had that issue and there is even a weld in replacement in the catalogs). the other common rust out was the upper control arm but the tires would be canted over and it wouldn’t roll.
i agree parts donor and you are spot on money-wise.
Leaving pets outdoors and neglecting them is a crime. Doing the same to certain cars should be, also.
This is one of them. Sad.
Junk
This car wasn’t worth much when parked and understandable back in the day. It might have been a part’s car held for a replacement purchased.
Its still a parts car to me as sitting on the ground destroys cars.
Goid luck 🍀
Looks like its been lowered… into the ground over 45 years.
I of course don’t know the reason for the car being parked in the dirt for almost 1/2 a century, so I try not to judge, but do you remember that video of Nancy Kerrigan saying “Why? Why? Why?” after the guy hit her ankle? That’s what I think of when I see a once-beautiful car molding and rusting to pieces for decades rather then selling it, at some point, to someone who could use it.
Rust in peace
There are still plenty of junk cars like this sitting in yards because stupid people put them there. Gonna fix it up some day. Some dreamer will buy this and make it a replica V Code or put a new Hemi in it.
Pics in the eBay auction have it out of the woods and different rims now. Road Wheels replaced with three Cragar SS.
Sitting in the woods, grille, headlights, cragars are there. In the driveway and on the tow truck they’re missing.🧐
Looks like whoever pulled it from its grave, robbed the grille and factory wheels. Wonder what other parts are missing. Weird how there’s no mention of frame rot nor any underside photos. Also, the ad mentions the lack of title, but what about the NY registration card? Those are transferable. You, the buyer, sign the back, as does the current owner/seller. Does the seller have that or will there be a need for title search etc? Just done things to ponder…..
Amazing how the original grille and headlights went buh-bye…. probably the only parts worth saving. Watch for it to show up on Ebay soon. Bidding up to 3K. Yikes.
Rust in peace! 318 car I’m not to far from this car and if it was 300 I wouldn’t bother looking at it. I know , I know but put a big block in it. After you take care of the rest of the car chances are you wouldn’t have money for a tired old big block. Then again a deep pockets will probably grab it. Glwts
A member of more money than brains club newbie is needed here. LOL
Not even 3 G’s can buy a block of Swiss cheese these days?
OMG!, an old Mopar stripped of anything good. Let me bid millions so I can be part of this insanity. Haven’t you herd, a hemi went for two million so this one has to be worth 550,000.00, after all it’s a 318 2bbl with no options.
Four words: Good money after bad. Parts car at best and that could be a stretch.
Someone parked this in 1978 because they thought there might be more value than $25 that they would get in a junkyard. Sadly, they were right. After rotting away for 45 years one would think it would be worth less, but in this crazy market I guess there are a few folks that think a bottom-less car has value.
Hopefully, another car hoarder will buy it, and let it settle into the ground for a few more decades. Then it’ll be really rare.
Color “It” Gone!
Scrap metal
Hit it with a piece of 350 (grit) and watch it fall apart.
This is ridiculous….
(one of those)
Remember that guy with the trailer that stopped and offered you $300 years ago?
Shudda took it! (moments)
Nah, it will bring a little more at the shred around here. I just got rid of a few of my I will fix or somethings one day.
Nancy Kerrigan wasn’t hit in the ankle, or by a guy. She was clubbed in the knee by a fellow female figure skater to remove her from competition. It was a damn cruel thing to do. The world turned on that witch. Her life spiraled downhill as it should have.
Kent-
Well, Nancy was hit in the knee (not ankle) but she was hit by a guy.
(You’re thinking of Tonya Harding but she didn’t do the job.. a guy did).
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/skater-nancy-kerrigan-attacked
In the interest of accuracy, Nancy Kerrigan was assaulted by Shane Stant, hired by skater Tonya Harding and her husband.
Harding actually made a decent career from this incident. She was on several reality shows (I remember her commentaries on Worlds Dumbest) and even was a celebrity boxer, IIRC.
I could be argued that, if this incident never occurred, no one would have known the name of Tonya Harding – she was never the best in her sport.
Too bad the dynacorn chally body has been discontinued.