There are few guarantees in life, but a good bet is that even the rustiest 1970 Challengers will eventually be restored. If it is a big-block car painted in a “High Impact” color, all the better. This one may have had to wait a little longer than the others because it has the lowliest of big blocks under the hood, a 383 two barrel. Still, it has air conditioning, and with its original Top Banana paint job and black “gator grain” vinyl top, it will be an eye-popping pony car when it’s done. But call up Auto Metal Direct if you bid, because the seller says that it’s “a major project” that “has rust everywhere.” If you have a fat wallet and a strong stomach for iron oxide, this one’s on eBay now.
Yes, you will need all the panels in the catalog and then some. That gator grain roof really trapped the moisture, so you’ll be searching for a new roof skin before you even bother worrying about the floorpans, quarter panels, trunk floor, etc.
There are a lot of talented restorers out there in the Mopar world who could easily make it happen. It was an exciting time in Mopar history, even if the company was starting to flounder and the Challenger was nothing like the hit that Chrysler hoped it would be. Time heals all wounds, and the Challenger’s reputation is such that Challenger 2.0 recently wrapped up a much more successful run than the original (I love my Sublime ’23 model). This one has a fender tag filled with options and the owner thinks it may be “1 of 1.” But we’ve all heard that before.
It appears that someone somewhere has swapped a four-barrel manifold onto the 383, and unfortunately that missing carburetor is not blocking any moisture at all. The images of horror on your borescope might make for an interesting discussion at your local bench racing session, but let us hope it’s not that bad. Big-block Chryslers aren’t rare, but that doesn’t mean you want to search for another one. The 383 was one of Chrysler’s mainstays, and it made 290 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of trailer towing torque in two-barrel form.
Someone took advantage of that with this Challenger if that big ugly hitch has anything to say about the matter. Even with all the pitfalls and land mines that stand between this Dodge and the road ahead, I don’t fear for its existence like I do with so many of the projects we see here on Barn Finds. It’s a well-loved model and the values prove it. Still, this one’s going to take a fortune. It’s located in Missouri and the high bid is currently $3,550.
📞 1-800-the-hook 🛻🪝
These beautiful, rotten old MOPARs are like crazy girlfriends. Everyone thinks “I can fix her” but only one in ten million actually gets a happy ending. The rest end up broke and in tears
Best post of the year! Right on all counts!!!
Eddie,
Your comment is one of the funniest but one of the truest I have ever read on this forum.
You gave me visuals in color. I’m still laughing.
Confirmed. Been there, done that. Both with the cars and the girlfriends.
You’re a poet, Eddie. I printed your comment, framed it, and hung it next to my computer. So every time I browse on BarnFinds, EBay, and Facebook and those Mopars start messing with my mind, your insights will serve as the antidote!
Great analogy. Spot on.
Yes, the crazy/hot chart verifies that…
The person who wins and gets the rust out mess… be careful dragging it out of the yard. You may get two Challengers!! 🤣🤣
All the complains about the rusty Mopars, but a rusted out wrecked Camaro gets posted and everyone’s drooling . All pony cars still are desirable, and now they’re worth more if it was equipped with some odd option because most people want something that the other guy doesn’t have. Cars with the Marti report are notorious for that ; if the rusted away car was one of only two that were light green and had the factory clock as well as a Ford tissue dispenser, its worth $5000 more. Some one will buy this Challenger , it may take a while, but it will be driving on the road again
This is sad!
I wouldn’t be surprised if this actually was a 1 of 1 car with those options.
Bone,
Personally I think all MOPARS are over rated and priced. How many have you owned? Do you recall the sound from closing a door? I do.
It reminds me of dropping a empty sardine can into a steel trash can.
Chrysler never intended for their cars to have a shelf life. They were terrible about any type of rust proofing to slow corrosion.
To top that. I had a good friend who retired from the Michigan State highway department. He worked his way up the ranks. Became the highway maintenance superintendent for the state of Michigan. He told me that he got to know numerous people who worked for the R&D section of Chrysler Corp. He always wondered why they were interested in why they wanted to know the percentage of raw salt that was being mixed in with the sand and aggregate during the winter season. Chrysler viewed their vehicles as disposable. They never intended for them to last. It is truly sad. They designed some of the koolest looking cars ever, and relatively cheap.
Actually, I have owned a lot of them in the last 45 years ,in fact mostly Mopars, and still do. from daily drivers, restored cars, street stocks etc. Their sheet metal was no different than any U.S car line at the time. I also managed a salvage yard in CT. the 1980s and saw what came in, and what took them out . Did Chryslers rust out? sure, did GM and Fords ? just as bad . Imports ? even worse . We had 7 year old square body Chevy trucks come in with every body panel rusted out . G body GM cars with no rear frame rails , only 7-8 years old . Ford made over 500,000 Mavericks their first year alone, yet there are more 70 Darts around even though they sold far less- what killed them ? Severe rust, just like all the pre 74 Mustangs and Cougars . You know why there are so few pre 68 Chevy 2s around compared to the other compacts of the time ? premature rust out . – All cars are built to be disposable from the factory , they have to be or the companies wouldn’t be able to stay in business.
Bone,
Have you ever put a micrometer to different parts of different manufacturers cars?
I agree with your comments on all manufacturers models.
We live in a throw away world. That’s what is sad. Just the way it is. So, consequently the remaining few become the wanted. Human nature. I always remember days as a kid playing marbles circa 1959. I’m taking my marbles and going home.
I have noticed tho, more and more older collectors letting more of their favorite “shooters” out of their bags.
Have fun, my friend.
Look behind the banana at how they’re storing those cars, shameful, and now they want a fortune to take it home. These cars deserve better.
Talk about full Flow ventilation even the roof of course could be a convertible No problem just jack up the radiator cap roll another under
“Ah wuz gonna fixer up, so I parked her in the nicest spot ah could find in the backyard. Where we could keep a keen eye on her.”
L code (383 2V) cars are very rare. They’re not even mentioned in most production listings. I used to have an L code convertible that was probably one of ten or fifteen built. With options it was one of one.
That’s 600 or 700, if not more hours work to get it “Right”
Given how low the front end sits, it’s possible the torsion bar mounts on the frame have rotted out. Possibly from water in the interior that’s rotted the floor boards and that water in the interior may be an indication of a rotted out cowl/firewall. Sad shape, once a cool car.
Looks like it’s already started melting into its surroundings! No me baby.
Even someone named Rustytech thinks that this one is too far gone.
Grin.