This 1970 Dodge Challenger has been off the road for many years, and it’s going to take some work to get it back to io a roadworthy state once again. Complete restoration would have this classic really standing out, and the owner has included a few new parts to get the ball rolling. If a Mopar project is high on your wish list, then maybe this is a car that is worth a serious look. The Challenger is located in Royal Oak, Michigan, and listed for sale here on eBay. The reserve hasn’t been met on the vehicle at this stage, but the bidding has been pretty healthy, taking the price along to $6,689. As a point of interest, there are also 160 people who are currently watching the listing.
The Challenger is finished in Dark Burnt Orange with a Black vinyl top, but there is plenty of evidence around the car to show that it has received at least a partial repaint. The owner states that the rockers and frame are really solid, but the floors and trunk pan need work, while the rear quarter panels will also require replacement. One of these has already been replaced in a pretty rough fashion with a secondhand item at some point, but to assist the next owner to get a bit of a start on the restoration, a new set of quarter panels and a rear valance are being included in the sale. The trim and chrome appear to all be present, but some of it will require restoration.
The photos of the Challenger’s interior aren’t great, but one thing that they do seem to indicate is that apart from missing the original radio, the dash itself appears to be complete, and in pretty reasonable condition. Unfortunately, the dash pad sports a pretty decent crack, while the headliner and rear parcel tray look like they are gone. The bucket seats that are included with the Challenger aren’t original, but it looks like the original rear seat is present. The door trims appear to be okay, but the rest is a real lucky dip. I think that the safest approach for the next owner will be to budget for a complete interior restoration, just to be on the safe side.
The Challenger was originally powered by a 340ci V8, backed by a TorqueFlite transmission. The original engine is still present, although it has been removed from the car, and its condition is unknown. The original rear end is also present, but the TorqueFlite has been replaced with a 4-speed manual transmission at some point. This is also included in the sale, so the next owner will face the choice of either fitting this, or attempting to source a date-correct TorqueFlite if a faithful restoration is to be attempted. It also isn’t clear what peripheral items such as the alternator, air cleaner, radiator, etc. are present, so the next owner might have to undertake a bit of shopping to locate the correct replacement parts.
There is some promise locked away in this Dodge Challenger, and the number of people currently watching the listing suggests that I’m not the only one who can see this. Fully restored, it could be a pretty potent and stunning car. Of course, the next owner might choose to forego a faithful restoration and slot something with a pile of extra horsepower under the hood. What would you do if you bought it?
Only $6,600 with 2 days to go? Could the Gravy Train be slowing down?
Its possible the Covin-19 may affect for a short period and slow down purchases.
This is probably a good time to get a mopar at real pricing!
Buyers are probably to busy hunting down cases of Toilet Paper and being crazy. 😷🥺
Everyone needs to calm down the US makes TP
“The U.S. has been mass producing toilet paper since the late 1800s. And while other industries like shoe manufacturing have fled the country, toilet paper manufacturing has not. Today there are almost 150 U.S. companies making this product.” 😂
I know I probably went through a box of kleenexes due to closing sports 🥎 and NCAA tournaments cancelled…🥺
It is possible with peoples investments dropping by a third, that some common sense has started to stare some of us in the eyes. The days of foolish speculation may be over, just too bad it took a tragedy of such massive scale to make it happen. Hopefully next year when this is all over, I hope people use better judgment in all things financial, plus spend more time cherishing what is more important in life.
Well said. Of course, it has now jumped up to $7,600, which is probably more than that 2,900 mile 1989 Corvette is going to fetch, but still less than recent history would lead one to expect it would be at at this point in the auction. The reserve is of course not met.
I’m a firm believer in capitalism but people have really been spending money foolishly – or at best recklessly – over the last few years in this hobby. It’s somewhat understandable given that the blue collar class has been completely taking it in the shorts for decades and now has some glimmer of hope. So I get it. But you have to be careful. Things can turn down pretty quickly, as we’re seeing (hopefully on a temporary basis) now.
Classic Steel – I thought of posting something similar to what you said about tp but decided not to go there. I’m glad you did though. This current ongoing panic frenzy is absolutely absurd. On Facebook I shot with both barrels but I choose not to post on here because the stupidity really gets me worked up and I didn’t want to go off on here. Kudos to you for handling it in a much calmer fashion than I probably would have.
The hack job cutting and welding to replace that quarter goes far beyond typical quarter panel rust repair – maybe a low cost collision repair when this was just another used muscle car? Perhaps that’s what prompted the installation of the aftermarket vinyl roof (as evidenced by the black roof trim around the base where Dodge used chrome).
In 1977 I passed on a one owner burnt orange 340 Challenger R/T with a factory painted black roof (a bonafide option – they used the vinyl roof trim at the color break). It was the seller’s grandfather’s car, and needed a valve job; I thought the $1200 asking price too steep.
Oh no… I also had a chance at a cool Mopar, a ‘70 sport Fury with a 383. Yes it had an automatic, but it was purchased new by a former B-17 waist gunner I used to work with. Still sad about passing on that car…
Too big a project. Given it’s current condition, missing parts ( and you’ve gotta rebuild the engine), the only reason to buy this is not to be at even money. You will be upside down. Rather, the only rationale is you want to restore it so you know exactly what you have, when it is done.
I wouldn’t fret about the 4 speed. The increased value of a manual based on desireability offsets the value of a matching slush box, given that this is a vanilla 340 car. However if it were me, I’d go with a 5 or 6 speed modern manual at this point.
Waiting on Cool Joe Machados comment on the ultra rare Hemi(s) he owned or passed on. Surely this old heap triggers a tall tale he’ll likely share with us!
Hopefully, the seller is smart and takes the $8k offer, if it’s legit.