The Charger 500 was created by Dodge in 1969 as a NASCAR-worthy competitor. It had exposed headlights with a flush front grille and a rear window without the tunnel surrounds on regular Chargers. This was done to help make the car slipperier on the track and 500 copies were built for public consumption. Then came 1970 and the street cars lost their special appearance and became largely a trim option, accounting for 60% of Charger production. Located in Medford, Oregon, this almost complete and solid Charger has emerged from storage after more than 30 years. It’s available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $32,000 with the reserve unchallenged.
Second-generation Chargers were built from 1968-70 and the first two years set sales records for the nameplate. But demand dropped by 45% in 1970, perhaps due in part to there being a new kid on the block, the Challenger, which debuted that year to do battle with the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. The fact that the Chargers were also little changed may have had something to do with it. They received a heavy loop front bumper that surrounded the full-width grille with a single horizontal bar across the middle with hidden headlights. The 500 differed from the standard Charger mostly due to a snappier interior with bucket seats rather than a bench.
As far as projects go, this ‘70 Charger looks like an easier one than some we’ve seen here on Barn Finds. After sitting in a shop since 1990, the seller went to work fixing whatever rust the car may have had. The trunk pan was replaced, and new metal was applied to the rear window wings and lip. There was a bit of corrosion also in the rear quarters and that was cut out and patched. The paint had been reapplied in the 1980s, and the vinyl top was removed a decade later. There remains a small dent in the front valance.
The interior looks good except for the front buckets which will need to be reupholstered. The carpeting was also taken out years ago to help preserve the floorboards which only show some surface rust. The Charger’s 383 cubic inch V8 will run with some starter fluid as the carburetor needs to be rebuilt. There is a new gas tank and fuel pump already in the Dodge, along with a modern aluminum radiator. The front calipers on the brakes were taken off and will come with the car. New tires are on all four corners and the seller has the automobile’s build sheet. It shouldn’t take much to have this Charger at least back out on the road.
This is a neat car. I could have had one somewhere back in the 90,s.for $1200,nice car, but i didnt know how rare the are. In my head back then was,if it didnt say r/t it was nothing-wrong. Goodluck to the next owner!
I passed on a nice 68 Hemi Charger body, four speed no motor along with a nice T/A Challenger four speed no motor for $1500.00 for the pair back in 1982.
The ’69 with flush mounted grill and rear window would’ve been the 500 version to have. Back in the day (1979) I passed on one because there was a ’68 R/T I had my eye on. Didn’t end up with it either as my Step-dad wanted me to buy my brother’s ’68 Mushstang (Yep I meant mushstang, because 6 sled dogs would’ve moved it faster).
I don’t feel like internet searching, some one educated me,I thought 500s didn’t have hideaway lights?
69s used a coronet grille and flush rear window, 70s were just a trim package.
That’s right. Nothing special. Still, a nice looking car but worth nowhere near that figure. Are people finally coming to their senses or are they finally tapped out of cash to beg, borrow, or steal? Always thought these were a great looking car and I am old enough to have maybe bought a pristine one for a twentieth of what this will sell for, but even then I didn’t like how they drove. Handled poorly, and that Chrysler power steering? What in the hell were they thinking? Someone is going to make out like a bandit here and someone is going to get conned for a large chunk of change. Now is the time to exit this insane bubble, actually, yesterday would have been even better.
The 500 didn’t have the “tunnel” rear window!!! This shows to have the “tunnel” rear window!!!
This is not a “500”!!!
You appear to have missed the author’s point that the flush grille and backlite were features of the 1969 model. He clearly states that on the 1970 model (this one) the 500 version was simply a trim option.
This is a “500”!!!
The ’69 with flush mounted grill and rear window would’ve been the 500 version to have. Back in the day (1979) I passed on one because there was a ’68 R/T I had my eye on. Didn’t end up with it either as my Step-dad wanted me to buy my brother’s ’68 Mushstang (Yep I meant mushstang, because 6 sled dogs would’ve moved it faster).
I have no idea why this posted twice but I’m certain it’s because I did something screwy.