Parked In ’93: 1970 Dodge Challenger SE

Based on Chrysler’s E-Body platform, Dodge introduced their First Generation Challenger in 1970. Its first year of production stands as its most successful. In this model year, the company also produced the SE or Special Edition version. These rate as one of the rarest Challenger variants, and good ones can achieve some impressive sale prices. Our feature Challenger SE has lain dormant since 1993 and needs a new owner willing to lavish it with plenty of TLC. It seems to have good bones and could make a rewarding restoration project. Located in Amberg, Wisconsin, you will find the Challenger listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has hit $11,100, which remains short of the reserve. For those wishing to skip the hassles of an auction, the owner offers a BIN option of $16,500.

When it rolled off the line, this Challenger would have turned heads. Decoding the Fender Tag reveals that it wore Dark Green Metallic paint with a white vinyl top. It would be easy to say that its best days are behind it, but you can be sure that there will be plenty of enthusiasts willing to roll up their sleeves and return this classic to its former glory. They will have their work cut out for them because, as is so common with E-Body vehicles, there is rust to be tackled. It has impacted the usual areas like the rear quarter panels, the area around the back window, the floors, and the trunk pan. The good news is that the rear frame rails look pretty good and that the car seems to be structurally sound. Because rust problems are so prevalent, replacement steel is easy to find and affordable. If the next owner is a dab hand with a grinder and welder, whipping this body into shape should not be particularly difficult or expensive. The best approach would be to tackle it as a rotisserie restoration to ensure that the rust is banished forever. Most of the trim appears restorable, and the tinted glass looks okay. There seems to be plenty of promise locked away in this SE as a project build.

Given the state of its exterior, this Challenger’s interior continues the theme of needing plenty of TLC. When it was shiny and new, it was trimmed in a combination of Dark Green vinyl and leather. Some components are missing, but crucial items like the seats and console are present. With the dash and pad cracked, returning this interior to a pristine state will leave no change from $2,000. I’ve seen some potential owners quiver when I quote those sorts of figures, but it is worth remembering that if completed properly, a restored interior shouldn’t require anything beyond regular cleaning for decades. As well as the leather trim, it appears that the original owner ordered this Challenger with a Rally gauge set, an AM radio, and air conditioning.

While Dodge offered buyers in 1970 a wide choice of engines and transmissions to slide under their shiny new toy, the 383ci 2-Barrel motor brought an interesting quirk. Although buyers could order any other engine with a selection of transmissions, this one exclusively sent its 290hp to the rear wheels via a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission. That didn’t significantly hamper performance because the car could still happily romp through the ¼ mile in 15.5 seconds. The bad news for potential buyers hits us on two fronts. The first is that this car last saw active duty back in 1993. The partially dismantled engine reveals that it may need attention before the buyer can coax it back to life. The owner’s revelation that the SE is no longer numbers-matching is possibly more critical. It seems that the original motor has been gone for decades, and what lurks under the hood is a 400ci V8. That will leave the buyer with choices to make. They can throw caution to the window and slot the motor of their choice into the engine bay. Alternatively, they could search for a correct date-coded motor to aim for a faithful refurbishment. The loss of the original 383 will impact the car’s potential value, but it is difficult to nail down a specific figure on that front.

While Dodge sold 76,935 examples of the Challenger during the 1970 model year, a mere 9,982 were the Special Edition variants. The production split makes interesting reading. The most prevalent is the regular SE like our feature vehicle, with a sales total of 5,873 cars. Next in the pecking order was the R/T SE with 3,753, while the title of the automotive unicorn has to fall to the SE with a six-cylinder under the hood with a total of 350 cars. The most desirable is the R/T SE, but a spotless regular SE can still command a value beyond $30,000. This one isn’t spotless, but it appears that it could be a straightforward project. Whether it remains financially viable will depend on how much of the restoration work the next owner is willing and able to perform themselves. If most of it falls within their abilities, this could be an excellent project for the right person. Is it one that you may be willing to pursue further?