The Real Deal: 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi
You don’t have to be a Mopar fanatic to appreciate this incredible find that recently popped up on eBay. You see, this 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T isn’t just a real deal Hemi car, but a low mileage survivor! It has been parked the barn since the ’70s. The seller had plans of getting it back on the road, but they’ve decided to let it go rather than let it sit any longer. They claim it’s one of just four Hemi Challenger’s built in ’70 and is the only one with power windows. They also believe it’s the lowest mileage of the four, with 25,301 miles on the clock. With a BIN of $199,875 it certainly isn’t cheap, but when will you have another chance to own a Hemi powered Challenger that’s wearing its original paint? Be sure to have a look at the seller’s ad here on eBay in Illinois.
Look at how shiny that bright red paint is! It’s hard to believe it’s all original, but with such low mileage and the fact that it’s been indoors all these years, it’s possible. The red on red interior looks to be in good shape, which backs up the mileage claim. The seller notes that the previous owner messed with the car a bit by adding some gauges and a rear spoiler. The gauges shouldn’t be too difficult to remove but expect there to be holes in the dash.
Fixing the holes from the spoiler might be more of an issue. I like the seller’s solution though, he found plugs that fit the holes. It’s not the prettiest solution, but if the paint really is original it would be a shame to mess with it.
The seller started working on getting this Hemi roadworthy, but as you can see it still needs work. They have quite a few parts for it, including a new wiring harness. Before putting it back together, I would want to give the engine bay a complete detailing to get it looking good again. It’s a bit curious as to why the engine bay is so dirty with so few of miles and given just how shiny the outside is. My guess is that the seller has been focused on making the outside look good, since we all love a shiny red muscle car. If you are dropping $200k for it, you will probably want to go have a look in person before making an offer.
While I don’t blame the seller one bit for not wanting to deal with flippers and tire kickers, this statement makes me a bit nervous, “My preference is for a nice easy sale to the right steward and the right steward will want to come and see it without a large entourage of “experts” to tell him that it’s real. If you can’t look at it and tell that it’s real, you are likely not my buyer nor the right steward“. While I agree if you are really interested in buying it, you probably should be educated on Mopars, I don’t see anything wrong with bringing a Hemi Mopar expert to help you out. It will be interesting to see if this seller finds the right buyer. I sure wish I was the right buyer, or even just had this kind of money to spend on a classic car, but sadly it’s way out of my price range. So what do you think, is this Mopar worth the seller’s asking?
Auctions Ending Soon
1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1Bid Now12 hours$7,100
2003 Porsche Boxster SBid Now13 hours$6,250
1966 Lincoln ContinentalBid Now15 hours$500
2000 Jaguar XJ8LBid Now4 days$1,250
1977 Datsun 280ZBid Now5 days$275
Comments
The car a lot of us dreamed about owning back in 1970 (and I had the fun of cruising around SoCal, driving my dad’s 383 or my buddy’s 318…).
I know that these are supposed to be ‘progress photos’, but find it interesting that a six-figure vehicle has no decent pics of the whole machine.
Look forward to reading what the others have to say.
The 318 was a by far better purchase in every way imaginable, not just price. Let the rich boys buy this and have their “investment”, I just wish the true 1970 318 was still affordable. This was meant for one thing only, drag racing in a straight line, anything else and it falls on its face, if you believe otherwise, you are either foolish or fooling yourself. I was young when these were new, could have bought one if I had scrimped and saved, but even then I knew it was a stupid idea. I owned a 318 1970, damn fine car, ran well, good gas mileage, handled the corners well, and my insurance agent didn’t laugh all the way to the bank at my expense.
I thought the 340 was the best engine of the lot for a Challenger/Barracuda/’Cuda, back in 1970. The B-Block cars were way too nose-heavy.
You’re right, the 318 was a nice engine and with a few bolt-ons, they could go surprisingly well.
When my buddy went into the local Dodge dealer with his father, he wanted to order a Western Sport Special, which was being promoted at the time. When he asked about the availability of a 340-equipped car, the salesman proudly replied that “it was a great choice,” as the 340 was a “racing engine.” My buddy’s dad said he was getting a 318… LOL
Oh oh….toomuchouzoagain.
That’s his Ebay ID, not something I made up.
I think we have seen his listings before, possibly put on after too much ouzo.
It’s a funny Ebay ID, so I had some fun with it.
Now to get serious….
No VIN, so best to go there and closely examine all of the many VINs and other IDs on the car, especially the main 13-digit VIN, which does not appear in the Ebay listing.
The seller says that *copies* of the “original window sticker, sales order, and bill of sale are included as provided to me by the original owner”
And that “The originals, still in the hands of the original owner, MIGHT also be available if I can persuade him.”
OK, this is starting to make me even more gunshy than I was before. To begin your due diligence this would be a good place to start—once you have those all-important numbers:
http://www.challengerspecs.com/challenger_vin_decode.htm
It’s time for some facts:
Dodge made 347 Hemi Challengers in 1970.
In excellent condition they have sold for a median price of $146K at recent major auctions.
The B-I-N price for this car is already significantly above that median sales number.
Be careful out there folks.
Hmmmm…the interior tells a different
Story!….not to mention the greasy engine!
All should be cleaner than that!
Agreed. Left carpet and dash show too much dirt for 23k miles unless it was stored for the summers only.
Duct tape covering the 2nd inlet port on the manifold, rusty holes in the block for the water pump??? This guy must have rocks in his head if he thinks someone is gonna pay that sort of money for a half assembled car that can’t be test run or driven, for that money it should be absolutely pristine with nothing to do, It takes all kinds sadly !
If he is so sure that this is the real thing why would he be worried about bringing in a Mopar expert considering the price tag. He should encourage it as a confirmation that it is real and only adds to the value.
This is one of my dream cars but I would be Leary if it. Too many questions for a car with so low miles. Why is the engine and compartment so dirty looks like many hard miles on it. Seems to be a lot of parts taken off as well. Also someone asking 200k for a car should take some decent pics or is there a reason he isn’t. He couldn’t even remove the cheap floor mats.
I wonder why he prefers overseas buyers. On and on.
You can’t blame the guy for being leery. If a potential buyer brings in a Mopar expert, or even someone who’s read a Mopar magazine or two, then he/she could potentially call BS and ruin the seller’s jackpot dreams. He’s protecting his investment (or rather, lack thereof).
One would think that for this kind of money, the engine would be in one piece, and that one could get behind the wheel, start it up, and drive away. Prices are getting more insane everyday, rare or not, it’s still a car. Just a car.
Man a hemi and cool car 🚗 but no four speed😮
Is it me or does this author call every dodge “the real deal”
Maybe he was a fan of Evander Holyfield?
Hides half the fender tag, no serial #, poor pics. Seller should really just run it through one of the two hype auction houses. Looks nice, that kind of scratch should be no assembly required. Why no providence? There is a green one on ebay turn key that has the paper work and tags/shown for 160k start bid. I would think they are looking for the same kinda cash. Even a nod from Glover or some other known credible mopar verifier. I think this guy has been jacked around too often and regards his as the grail. All the power to him. People are probably all trying to be a middle man and get a cut of the pie. It looks like a car with a couple weeks of wrenching evenings it could be whole and running. Then and only then he can drop his dick on the table spout that car as gospel and command 200k. Or whatever…
Also why is there a 6 pak breather on the passenger floor?
Nrg8, the air filter housing top was used on 440 4bbl, 440 6 pak, 426 4bbl and 426 2x4bbl engines, using different brackets, all thread and wing nuts. Same top, different base.
Unbelievable! $200k. LMAO!!! 😂😂😂
But,….there’s one born every minute
You could buy a matching pair of new Challenger Demons for that and have a lot leftover.
Must be one big dude to split the seams in the driver seat, OR there are more miles on this car.
I recently sold a 2008 Mercury Mariner for $6,800. I posted pictures of the outside and inside that were clear and showed a clean car, no dirt on the black carpet or floor mats. The buyer got a very nice car for a fair price.
This bozo is asking for the price of a nice home in southern Indiana and can’t even take decent pictures or clean it up. These people show no respect for the buyer or for the car itself. Even if I were in the financial position to acquire this car I wouldn’t buy a used skateboard from this seller.
Maybe it’s just the cranky old man in me but I believe in presenting the best face when you’re trying to sell something. And you don’t have to equivocate when you describe the car. You want someone’s $200K? Be honest.
My dad was fond of saying, “The truth never had to stand up in a fight.”
Agreed on low miles claim and lotsa miles it looks to be run…maybe hard ?
Paint it white and do a rerun of ‘Vanishing Point’ ?
Vanishing point with Barry Newman was a 440, though the TV remake was a hemi.
They didnt crash a challenger in that movie.
Really. So what was it that ran into that bulldozer blade, was it an allusion? Looked like a Challenger to me
KKW: They used a 67 Camaro for the bulldozer crash. Maybe all the Challengers they had for filming the movie were too used up by the time they got to the grand finale?
Do a check on this eBay seller I think he is a loser but that is just me I would show up with at least 3 MOPAR experts if it was me!!
Well, it was many years ago, and probably a few beers the night I saw that movie, sure looked like a Challenger, but I guess it could have been one of those bowtie things. Just glad it wasn’t a Mustang, now that would’ve been a bummer.
Anyone else see theat the intake manifold isn’t painted? Which means not original or otherwise modified. Clearly been off the engine. I also don’t see a fast idle solenoid on the carb. On a 426, that’s a $500 part. I’m really suspicious of the mileage claim.
Anybody notice there is only one four barrel carb on this engine?
Without question, the most bad-axx Chrysler product you could buy. The Hemi Challenger (although, some say the 440 6 pak was a tick faster) This car, pure baloney. Who they trying to kid? Anybody who is anybody that would be interested in this car, would know right off the bat, it’s not a low mileage car. ( new fuel pump on an oily motor?) The price may be justified, spoiled brats lay this out all the time for these at auctions, but come on. If it is 24K, it was a 1/2 mile at a time ( 1/4 mile down, 1/4 mile back).
Dont forget the trips to the gas truck and to the pizza stand
@Rube Goldberg – Since my brother and I have owned both, I am here to tell you that (in street trim) the Six Pack was quicker than the Hemi. Properly set up for racing 1/4 mile at a time, just leave it at the fact that Ronnie Sox, Butch Leal and Carroll Fink didn’t run Six Packs.
$200,000 price tag, $20 camera. What is this? Craig’s List?
I just don’t get it??? Why are all these old Mopars so expensive? A 426 Hemi is a bad @SS engine but these old Mopars are nothing but junk. 200k is crazy stupid!
I don’t think it’s the car so much, as the time period it represents. These were tinny, light weight cars, poorly constructed and as someone said, they did one thing well, go fast in a straight line. Before the feds ( and insurance) cracked down, Detroit wanted to do one thing, sell cars, and whatever the public wanted, they made available.( unlike today) I’d say, most of these types of cars are sold to either people who missed this era,( and got a huge inheritance) or someone that wants to relive it, and apparently, are willing to spend a fortune( to us) to do it. They are incredibly exhilarating vehicles to drive, in a straight line, that is.
Where is the 2nd carb?, was it mentioned and I missed it?
Not all hemi’s had 2-4barrels.
@KKW – I beg to differ. All street Hemis were delivered with 2X4. Some of the earlier Hemi Chryslers from the 1950’s had a variety of intakes, but they had no parts in common with the later Hemis. If you are speaking of the NASCAR engines, those manifolds were installed to meet rules, never delivered on a street machine.
Back in the late 70’s I knew of a guy (friend of a friend) that had picked up about a dozen+ Hemi cars when Opec first reared it’s ugly head in the mid 70’s. When there were gas lines and the prices had jumped from 30 cents to over 70 cents a gallon, so may people wanted to dump these cars for anything they could get for them. He had Hemi Polaras, Furys, GTX, Cudas to name a few, even had a Hemi Drag Dart. Most were fairly decent shape and he had them in a large shed. IIRC he said he’d gotten most of them for under $1K each, and many were a lot less. I got in there once, and it was an experience.
I haven’t seen him for over 30 yrs, but if he’s still alive and still has them, he’s sitting on a gold mine there.
well considering chrysler never offered a hemi in a polara or a fury unless it was a ttransplant! but anyhow I hope he has kept them up and not let them rot
Really? Well, one of my father’s buddies bought a brand new Sport Fury in 1964 with a Hemi. I remember it well.
In 64 & 65, if you knew the right person, you could get a hemi in the Belvedere, Fury, Coronet & even a Dart. And it was the high compression race hemi at that. Not a lot built, basically just enough to try convince NASCAR that it was a production option.
@86 Vette Convertible – Me, too. It was a wonderful time for people who understood what they were looking at. Wish I’d had the wherewithal to have kept them all.
” My preference is for a nice easy sale to the right steward and the right steward will want to come and see it without a large entourage of “experts” to tell him that it’s real. ” could NOT be a more red flag for me. 200 large and no due diligence? lol
The guy HAS probably been jerked around by eBay sharpies, Middle men, and quick buck artists, Got a LOT of them in my region and I screen very carefully now to avoid them.
–What an ORIGINAL IDEA!,, Buy peoples stuff on Craigslist and then resell it again!!–
But I agree, the ad here is terrible, And never ceases to amaze me the delusional sellers who dont research quality ads and try an copy that and instead shoot themselves in the foot.
Coming next year to a Mecum Auction near you…….