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Rare 318: 1970 Dodge Challenger Convertible

This 1970 Dodge Challenger Convertible might look pretty tired, but closer investigation reveals that it is a structurally sound classic that is begging for a new owner to return it to its former glory. This process will involve a bit of work, but very little of it will revolve around rust repairs. With the ongoing popularity of these vehicles, especially those with a V8 under the hood, it is a challenge that should be worth accepting. Located in Northford, Connecticut, you will find the Convertible listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $23,000, but the option is available to make an offer. Once again, Barn Finder Larry D has demonstrated how well tuned his radar is by referring the Challenger to us. So, thank you for that, Larry.

This Challenger is a bit of a mystery machine. There is evidence that it has worn various colors during its life, and while the owner supplies a shot of the Fender Tag, it is so blurred that it is impossible to read. However, there is evidence in a few spots that suggest that it may have rolled off the line wearing a shade called Light Green. Regardless of the truth, the buyer will be facing a lot of preparation before they can consider grabbing the spray gun and going to work. From a positive perspective, while there is an ample supply of surface corrosion for the buyer to tackle, they won’t be working overtime with the grinder and welder. The panels look clean, and the shots that the owner supplies of the vehicle’s underside reveal no dramas. The side exhaust is not original, and I would probably “lose” that during the restoration. The Black soft-top is in respectable condition, although the seller has gone ballistic on that with the detailing spray. The rear window looks cloudy around the edges, but the glass is in good order. The buyer will need to invest some cash in exterior trim, but some pieces might respond to restoration or some old-fashioned work with polish.

The owner claims that this is 1-of-963 examples of the 1970 Challenger Convertible that Dodge produced that features the 318ci V8 under the hood. I haven’t been able to confirm that exact figure, but it doesn’t seem to be far off the numbers that I have seen across various resources. The original owner also chose to order the Convertible with a 3-speed TorqueFlite transmission. With 230hp on tap, the Challenger should be capable of romping through the ¼ mile in 16.7 seconds. The seller indicates that a previous owner treated the 318 to a rebuild in 1980, so plenty of water has flowed under the bridge since then. Regardless, the owner says that the Convertible runs and drives, and new components like the master cylinder suggest that he has been swinging the spanners on this classic. If it isn’t roadworthy, getting it to that point may not be difficult.

When you consider the state of the exterior, the interior comes as a pleasant surprise. The driver’s door trim looks pretty grotty, and a new carpet set will need to go onto the buyer’s shopping list, but that seems to represent all that this interior will need. The dash and pad are in excellent order, as is the console. It looks like the seats wear relatively new covers, while the wheel, woodgrain, and plated trim pieces also look pretty good. It isn’t an interior that is loaded, but the original owner’s decision to order the Challenger with air conditioning is a bonus for the buyer. I firmly believe that a new driver’s door trim and some carpet will have this interior sparkling.

It would be easy to look at this 1970 Challenger Convertible and dismiss it out of hand due to its appearance. That is why we should never judge a book by its cover. Below that faded and patchy exterior rests a structurally sound classic begging to be returned to its former glory. This fact has led to a situation where there are already fifty-one people watching the listing. Purely from a potential future value perspective, a faithful restoration would be the safest bet. However, given the state of the paint, its future appearance is a blank canvas. While it would look stunning if returned to a factory-fresh state, the buyer could have other ideas. The 1970 Dodge color palette offers the buyer plenty of alternatives, so the world will be their oyster. But why limit themselves to that model year? If a color change is being contemplated, they could let their imagination run wild. What color would you choose to make this classic stand out in a crowd?

Comments

  1. Avatar Fahrvergnugen Member

    Well, it’s a Dodge, so I’d paint it Color Me Gone.

    But I never thought any 318 would make this car ‘rare’. Guess its just in the numbers…

    Like 5
  2. Avatar Jim

    ” This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing.”

    Like 2
    • Avatar Steve R

      Which often means they sold it off eBay.

      Steve R

      Like 8
    • Avatar stillrunners

      It was also listed a while back on here and sold – so what’s up with that ?

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Slantasaurus

    At $23k this is a steal. Swap in a Hemi and do the work to make it look good and this is a $100k car, that leaves plenty of room to make a profit. Numbers matching or not, this is worth more swapping the 318 out.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Gary

      Mr Slanty, I think there is going to be more to this than some paint and a new Hemi. That hemi is going to require at least a more stout tranny then the 318 came with. (904? 727 might do it, but a modern tranny of some vintage would be better, then how do you fit it? ) The suspension is not going to handle that engine, total rebuild. New brakes all around.. Not sure where you get your numbers, but if you can do all the work yourself, you better be retired, because it will be a full time job and the parts will cost a small fortune. (as usual, the middle men make most of the profit). Then, 100K seems a little high when you can buy a new(ish) Hellcat for a lot less. Best thing to happen to this old eyesore besides a merciful crushing, would be for someone to quietly work on it weekends and evenings, keep the original drivetrain, then love it. That is the way this hobby worked for ages, it was only when the idea of crazy profit came, that is when it all went to hell.

      Like 14
      • Avatar Steve R

        On eBay, all inclusive master front suspension kits can be found for under $300 and a power disc brake conversion, $649.

        A build like described above isn’t going to be cheap, but won’t break the bank of a disciplined owner.

        Steve R

        Like 4
      • Avatar CCFisher

        I think it’s a safe bet that most of the folks who frequent this site would pay $100,000 for a well-executed, restomod 1970 Challenger convertible before we would pay $70,000 for a Hellcat. Speaking of which, the Hellcat is available as a crate engine, should one be inclined to build a car that represents the best of both eras.

        Like 2
  4. Avatar CCFisher

    There were only 3173 1970 Challenger convertibles built, so any 1970 Challenger convertible is fairly rare. Promoting it as one of 963 with a 318 is equivalent to saying “one of only 963 completely ordinary versions built!”

    Like 5
  5. Avatar Ed Casala

    My buddy just picked up a used Hellcat motor and tranny with 10K or so miles on it for less than 10K. His plan is to stick it in his 67 Cuda. All the conversion parts were less than 5K. Now he is putting in frame mods to handle that beast. It can be done on the cheap.

    Like 4

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