Time and the elements can be kinder to some classics than to others, and it would seem that both of these factors have combined to exact a pretty heavy toll on this 1970 Dodge Charger. Having said that, this hasn’t stopped it from generating its fair share of interest since it was listed for sale. There have been a total of ten bids submitted, and this has pushed things along to $5,101. That has seen the reserve met, but in addition, there are 75 people who are currently watching the listing. If this one has piqued your curiosity, you will find it located in West Creek, New Jersey, and listed for sale here on eBay.
The Dodge was parked in a barn at some point in the 1980s and has only recently been brought out of hiding. The owner claims that the Charger is wearing its original White paint, and given the condition of said paint, I’m really not sure whether that counts as a strong selling point. Let’s face it, the paint doesn’t look great and is definitely beyond the point of being revived by a cut and polish. The Charger has also had a vinyl top, but it isn’t clear what color that was. Still, given the other issues that the next owner is likely to face, that is a fairly minor consideration. This is a car with some pretty significant rust issues, and if it is to be returned to its former glory, then someone will be putting in some very long hours with the grinder and welder. I think that it is probably easiest to start by listing the panels that haven’t been impacted by obvious rust. There’s the hood, along with the…um, that’s it really. Every other panel has rust in varying degrees. For some, like the passenger side door and the trunk lid, relatively small patches could potentially address the problems. From there, we work our way up the scale to some pretty catastrophic levels of rot. Sadly, the problems aren’t merely skin-deep. The rear frame rails will require replacement, as will the majority of the floors. There is rust visible in the inner front fender on the driver’s side, but the owner does state that the front rails are pretty solid. To give you an idea of just how severe the issues are, I was looking at an underside photo of the car taken from the rear, and there was something hanging down beside one of the shocks. It took me a minute to realize that the fuel tank has rotted so badly that the fuel filler neck has detached from above and fallen through the bottom of the tanks. That’s not something that you see every day. I’ve included that photo at the bottom of this article so that you can see it for yourself.
One glimmer of hope with the Charger is that it is a complete vehicle. That means that you will find a 318ci V8 under the hood, while it also comes equipped with a TorqueFlite transmission and power steering. The reality is that this combination wouldn’t result in this Charger ever being considered a muscle car. Nonetheless, the performance would still be respectable in a 1970s context. However, if originality is not a key objective in restoring a car like this, it also isn’t hard to give this combination a bit of a tweak without spending mountains of cash. A better carburetor and intake, along with a set of headers, could really liven things up. I suspect that this old girl might need a bit more than that. It has been sitting since the 1980s, and I am guessing that the last time that the engine fired was when it entered the barn in which it was found. The owner says that he hasn’t tried to fire it up, but he also doesn’t indicate whether he has checked to see if the 318 turns freely. Once again, even if the basic drivetrain is okay, there will still be plenty of mechanical fettling required before the Charger could be considered to be mechanically roadworthy.
If I’d told you that the Charger’s interior was original and in pristine condition, there’s a fair chance that you wouldn’t have believed me. I’m glad that I didn’t, because it isn’t. Apart from the fact that the radio is missing, the rest of the interior is at least complete. It will require a full retrim, so most of our readers know what that is going to entail. Interior trim kits are pretty easy to find, and generally retail for around the $1,500 mark. At that price you won’t receive a dash pad, so you would need to add a further $500 or so to cover that. This brings the total to a nice round $2,000, but the interior would then present very nicely.
I look at this 1970 Dodge Charger and what I primarily see is a restoration project on a colossal scale. The rust issues are extensive, but there doesn’t appear as though there will be any aspect of the car that won’t require significant attention. My initial impression when I looked at the vehicle was that the sheer volume of new metal that this Dodge is going to require to be structurally sound would raise some major questions about the financial viability of any restoration project. However, it appears that three people have seen some merit in it, and have been willing to put their money where their mouth is by actually bidding on the Charger. I still have my doubts about its viability, though. What do you think?
Dose not look any better than the crushed 911 but at least there are some parts there.
I love this year Charger too, but there’s not a lot here to work with unless you’re a upholsterer/metal fabricator/mechanic or have a 1970 Charger size trunk of money to throw at this poor thing..
This reminds me of so many cars I saw at AMS Obsolete, the Mopar place north of Atlanta. They have some 600 cars strewn about the woods there in rural Georgia, and if you’re a Mopar guy, you gotta go there, if you can find your way back there!
Here’s a photo I took last summer. The warehouses are chock-full of NOS and other Mopar parts, it’s unreal.
There used to be a place here in Oregon called Wildcat that was the same way. Up in the hills and just tons of Mopar’s strewn everywhere..
Why only Mopar’s end up like this?
Wildcat still exists, but I think they are paring down.
Someone has bid this beautiful mess up to $5,100. No title either.
Owners friends get it going…It’s a scam like tons of other sale items…
Gosh, what a great car!
Parts car, the wraparound front bumper looks ok. If this thing was in a barn it had been in salt water a good amount of time. And the guy didn’t do himself any favors by not cleaning out the gut or the trunk, but on something this bad I guess the point is moot. No attempted has been made to polish thus turd. SMFH.
Cheers
GPC
Looks like they just pulled it out of the woods…
Recently, one of the writers here commented on “perfect patina” on a Ford Bronco. If this isn’t perfect patina then nothing is.
I don’t think people really understand what goes into fixing up a rusty Mopar. These have a unibody construction so it’s not just a matter of welding on a quarter panel.
“You will find it located in West Creek, New Jersey.”
You mean, actually in the creek itself? Makes sense, from the look at it.
**from the look OF it. Sheesh.
(reminds self not to post to Barn Finds before coffee)
Please introduce me to the coming up new owner so I can offer a complete resto at $120.000
Seems a risky bet when the all original low mile ’71 340 Cuda just on here couldn’t even draw a single bid at 47.5! You’d probably be at 47.5 on this thing after just the metal and paint work, assuming it’s even fixable.
*removes MoPar cap & holds it over heart*
Rust In Peace, once-mighty Charger…Rust In Peace”
This is one of the most cringe worthy posts I’ve seen on this site
My god what a wreck!!
Complete wreck with no title. I’m curious what people are bidding on? Is it the VIN tag? I didn’t think that was of use without a title…
Buttttttttttt, where will the mice family live now? Sooooooooooooo cruel. Not to mention, all those familys of wasps. I thought we had a moratorium on evictions right now.
Yep…75 people watching the bidding….not to purchase but to see how high it goes so they know what to set the price at for whatever rusted mopar hulk they may want to get rid of…..
Yes, rusting into the ground for decades, being an eyesore for all around forced to look at it while some lazy good ol’ boy dreams of future riches and fine beer drinking. All of a sudden there is mass panic and the call to sell is on. I am afraid the eyesores will be rotting away for the foreseeable future, too bad, they could have gone to the crusher, two or three times already, each time reborn into something shiny, and new. …..and wanted.
Civil War survivor?
In all my years I don’t ever recall seeing a bench seat in that body style (68-70) Charger. Or any other year to my recollection.
There were more bench seats in these then buckets, at least from the factory. For regular comfortable cruising, do not discount the humble bench, I know they fit my butt perfectly and I miss them on modern cars.
All 9000 base 1970 Chargers came with bench seats. You had to step up to the 500 to get buckets, and 27,000 of those were made. So yes, you do see more with buckets.
1970 was the first year for the bench seat in a Charger, and it was one of the cost cutting methods they used to get the price of a base Charger to be lower than the year before.
This rarity explains the high cost. I think I will bid now.
Hey bobbi jo, gat da siding from da twailer and pud it wear da flo used to be. Now, dat iz worf mo moanie.
I hear the rust museum is looking for items to display humanities abuse of machinery. Call fe fo fe, fi fe fo fo.
Found a 70 Charger RT, 4-speed worse than this, running. $20,000. in Canada. Go-Mango. 22 inch radiator. When done, ran too hot for our desert. Went to Chicago. Where its way cooler.
Well let’s see here usable body panels NOPE, hot big engine with lots of HP options NOPE transmission worth saving NOPE high performance drive train worth rebuilding NOPE. Perfect or at least salvageable interior NOPE! That about sums up the worth of this junk! NOPE!!
Real rusty 318 charger, whistling on the way to the crusher.
$5100 and reserve not met? Are you kidding me? OK,OK, now I get it. The VIN tag is in good shape, wink, wink.
I smell fish, no way , uh-uh, noone is paying 5 grand for this vin, 75 people watching not to pounce at the auction end but to be grateful thier money is still in thier pickets, this ones coming apart
sold for 6100…amazing..
Nope, it’s at 7001.00. Unbelievable. What gives?
23 hours to go.
I think it was stored in the Atlantic Ocean for 10 years
A ’73 Charger? My room mate had one in college with a 383. His car was in nice shape until backing out of a parking space in a parking lot and smacking that long front fender against a telephone pole. One thing that seems to be getting overlooked for these cars…they are big, long, and heavy. Hard to recognize the performance when you are trying to motivate a land barge. This one looks like it was pulled out of a stream or creek somewhere. Would only need just about everything. Not worth the time, effort, and gas to put on a trailer to bring home in my book.
Quick! Notify the dude in charge of Health. Corona has now moved to the brain.
$6101.00….unbelievable!
Is all this car is worth is junk price that’s it any body who pays over that is throwing money away. I don’t think the car by the pictures can justify paying any more then junk price unless I’m not seeing it. Good luck who ever boy’s this hope u have about 120,000 to 130,000 to restore this junker.
Cover it in duct tape, fresh paint, sell it on line, move after transaction
This car was ugly when it was new…. junk
No, going to cost more than buying one already done.
The red on taupe Saab 9000 just sold for $5800. To put this rotted husk in perspective. I think I’d have a better time with the Saab honestly…
What am I missing here? I see nothing worth 5.00$ I am not an experienced car collector but I have looked at this hulk a few times and still see nothing?
Should have been used for a jump in the Duke’s of Hazard…with a 69 grill…so it would be put out of its misery….
The comment about the unibody repairs is correct… but not only regarding the Mopars. Mustangs are full unibody too
GMs like Camaro and Firebird are Unibody/sub frame wich means frame up front but the rear floors quaters ect are structural unibody and need just as carefull repairs to be safe as well
P.T.Barnum said “a sucker born every minute”.
God bless America
I LIKE IT!
Well, I mean I like the comment of using it in a Dukes if Hazard demolishing jump.
But hey look on the bright side, the tail lights look good!