It is easy to take a look at this Challenger and see what it once was before someone parked it in a barn. This car has a 440, which makes me think someone had a lot of fun with this old Dodge once upon a time! Having been pulled from its barn after a 20 year slumber, this Challenger will need a lot of work to look pretty once again. It seems like this was started as a project long ago, but for some reason or another the project stopped. Fortunately, a lot of rust repair has been done and if it has been done well then the new owner has less work to do! Oddly enough, the auction ended as I was writing this and the car sold for $12,700 in Maryland. Check out the now ended listing here on eBay!
The interior on this Challenger is rough. In fact, the whole car is rough, but not rusty. Though it can’t be seen in this picture, there have been new floor pans installed as well as trunk floors. The frame rails are all solid and as far as rust goes, this car has very little considering what it is and its present condition. The dash looks solid, but the seats will definitely have to be recovered. The console/bucket seat combination is a favorite of many Mopar enthusiasts, and certainly helped add to the value of this car. Evidently, it may also need a glovebox latch! The car also comes with its original build sheet, which is pictured still tucked into the seat springs. Though it is mostly intact, in my experience removing it without destroying it might be a challenge!
Under the hood sits a Chrysler 440 cubic inch V8. This car is not currently running and was sold as-is. Though it is not directly mentioned anywhere in the listing, this 440 is not original to this Challenger. Aside from the seller stating that the K-member was replaced when the 440 was installed, the numbers “74 440” can be seen on top of the air cleaner. This was likely originally a 318 or a Slant Six equipped car. While a nicely built 318 is lots of fun, I’m sure a 440 is more fun in a Challenger!
Look everyone, quarters! There’s a reason this car sold for $12,700 in this condition. With hopefully minimal body work, coupled with some mechanical and interior work somebody is going to have a really sharp 1970 Challenger. With minimal sheet metal required, it is likely they may actually see their money back out of it should they decide to sell it post-restoration. I would do this car up in similar fashion to how it is currently, and go cruising! What would you do?
Very good price and starting point
When I think of a barn find, this is exactly what comes to mind. Moderately priced project that has huge potential to be a fun driver. Would love to have the fender tag decoded, what color was it, are the stripes original? White interiors can look terrific with some exterior colors. With deep pockets this could be a fun graveyard car.
For what Mopars go for these days someone got a heck of a deal.
JH23:
Dodge Challenger
High
2 Door Hardtop
C0B: 225 145HP 1-1BBL 6 CYL
1970
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA
106208: Sequence number
E24: 225 cid 1 barrel 6 Cylinder 145hp
D31: A904 3-Speed Auto Trans.
EW1: White Exterior Color
H6B5: Trim – High, Vinyl Bucket Seats, Blue
000: Full Door Panels
822: Build Date: August 22
013127: Order number
EW1: White Top Color
C55: Bucket Seats
M21: Roof drip rail moldings
R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
Y05: Build to USA Specs
EN2: End of Sales Codes
Yup. A genuine, bonafide, no excuses plain Jane….
A genuine, bonafide, no excuses plain Jane….with a 440 dropped in for good measure.
white w blue buckets – gotta admit i don’t think i ever saw that color combo on the street back in the day. would be a nice color combo. this one is far, far, far from original. but that’s ok, it just means that you can make it what you want w/o worrying about all the original nannies voicing their opinions.
There was a white over blue Barracuda on eBay just a couple months ago. It is a decent color combination. The thing this really had going for it is the early build date. Now that the 225 is gone, that’s been rendered irrelevant.
Who welds in new floors and then puts the old beat up interior back in?
Joe Dirt.That’s who.
Such a shame that a proud and loyal slant six was tossed out like garbage to put a rude and nasty 440 in its place. Kind of like dumping your plain but wonderful wife for a lipsticked floozie. It is only later that you realize the harm you have done and what you let slip away in a moment of weakness.
Now your floozie wife dances at the campfire in leather for all your friends and has wet t-shirt contests just for you in the garage, takes calendar shots for your boys with their cars and would never leave you cuz of your bad ass pink challenger hot rod 440..
There is zero logic in your comment. How is a 440 not the end all get all? Ya, a 340 would be sweet but you are pining over a freaking slant six? I simply cannot fathom where you are coming from.
Looks like someone made it look like a T/A with the hood and side stripe.
I loved my 73 Dodge challenger. It had the 318 with the slap stick auto trans. The car was tan when I bought it. I repainted it a metallic blue and put an R.T. hood on it. My ex wife wound up getting it court. I sure do miss that car. Bruce.
Love the R/T hood. My dad horse traded for a ’70 Challenger convertible circa 1983. It was Root Beer brown with black top and interior. Someone had put some super wide chrome Magnum 500’s and G-60 ‘Grab-n-Go’ slicks on the back (had regular road wheels on the front). They had also installed the R/T hood. It was powered by… wait for it… an ultra rare powertrain combination for ’70 convertible… a Slant 6 with a 3-speed manual! They made less than 100 in that combo. Again a case where rarity doesn’t increase value. Even perfectly restored I think it would have a hard time to hit $50K today. The tin worm was well established in around the rear shackles and he ended up trading it for a turquoise ’68 GMC truck. Those were my ‘learning’ year’s to be sure.
Bruce, in my opinion, that’s how a Challenger should sit! Especially on classic Cragers. You had a beautiful one. I lost my 1970 big block, every option available that year, Monte Carlo in a divorce as well. That one hurt!
Haven’t had a divorce that didn’t hurt!
I’ve been divorced twice & they were both worth it!
I grew up with a ’70 Challenger convertible, true R/T, 383 magnum, slapstick auto. Candle Apple red, white top and white interior. Sold it at a classic car auction outside Athens, Ga in 1984. Stoopidest decision of my life.
Haha!
lots of labor
Factory 383 4 speed dana rear end 356’s ordered as seen from factory.
Bruce, I love that 73, perfect looking car!
I had a 70 Challenger in high school, about 1980 or so. Orange with a white interior & white vinyl top, had a 383 & 4 speed. I kept the car only about 6 months because I hated that interior, traded it for a 70 Chevelle SS. The car ran like a raped ape, as long as it was a straight line, but you needed the length of a runway to get it to stop & forget about going around a curve.
If I was to ever get another one, which is doubtful, I think I would want a 72 or 73 small block car.