440 Six-Pack: 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
If you were in the market for a new muscle car in the late 1960s or early 1970s, there is no doubt that you found yourself spoiled for choice. It seemed that every manufacturer wanted to join the arms race and to bring something unique to the table. Dodge was no exception, and the Challenger R/T could hold its head high in the best of company. This 1970 R/T is a tidy vehicle that is a numbers-matching classic. It has been sitting for a while, but fresh life has been breathed into it in preparation for it to find a new home. The Challenger is located in Fremont, California, and has been listed for sale here on Craigslist. Simply hand the owner $90,000, and this one can be all yours. I have to say thank you to Barn Finder Ikey H for referring the Dodge to us.
The Challenger is finished in the distinctive Sublime and features a Black vinyl top. The owner refers to the color as being original, but it isn’t clear whether the paint is. A repaint may have been performed at some point, although there is no glaring evidence that this is the case. The paint does wear a few nicks and marks that look like they have been there for a while. This suggests that the paint is either original or any repainting work was performed a long time in the past. The vehicle has spent its entire life in California, and this augers well when it comes to the question of potential rust issues. I’ve examined the supplied photos closely and can see no apparent problems in any of the usual trouble spots. All of the trim and chrome is present, but several pieces sport some damage. If spotless presentation is planned for this car’s future, those pieces will probably need to be replaced. The car rolls on its original wheels, and these seem to be in respectable order. I can’t spot any problems with the glass.
The original owner obviously liked a touch of luxury because they chose to equip the interior with the optional leather inserts on the Challenger’s bucket seats. Rally gauges, a console, and wood trim were also part of the deal. I think that there might be some minor damage to the driver’s seat upholstery, but the rest of it looks good. The radio has been removed, and I suspect that an aftermarket stereo may have been installed at some point. There is now a hole in the dash, but there are also speakers cut into the kick panels. Everything else looks to be in good order, and the interior does feature the oh-so-cool pistol grip shifter.
This is the moment where I express my frustration. The defining characteristic of this car is what resides under the hood. Amazingly, the owner supplies no engine photos. What we know is that this Challenger is equipped with the 440ci Six-Pack V8, which is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. In its prime, this was not an engine to be taken lightly. With 390hp on tap, this classic could storm through the ¼ mile in 13.8 seconds. No matter how you cut it, that’s not hanging about. The good news is that the Challenger is a numbers-matching car, which is an important consideration when we come to consider its ultimate value. It seems that the vehicle has been sitting unused for 25-years, but a recent service has seen it roar back into life. It isn’t clear whether the Dodge is roadworthy, so there might be some work to do before it terrorizes the tarmac once again.
From a personal perspective, I find the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T to be one of the most attractive of the muscle cars from that era. I have long been a fan of the Blue Oval, but I think that the styling of the Challenger was just right. There is no doubt that some cosmetic work could have this car presenting at its best once again, and it is to be hoped that it is completely rust-free. Fully restored, this is a car that has the potential to command a healthy six-figure value. It does represent a substantial investment as a project car, but if it is rust-free and numbers-matching, it might well be worth the money.
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Comments
I see a repaint in it’s past, and some body work, a lot of minor imperfections, nothing too bad, the front bumper is pretty wonky on the left side. It looks like a decent car.
No through the valence exhaust tips should mean that it’s an original California spec car. It would be nice too see the engine though. 90k is too rich for almost all the prospective buyers, restored (at some level) cars go for that.
45k-60k and it will sell tomorrow.
A friend of ours just sold his 70 Challenger RT,440,pistol grip 4 speed,all original,numbers matching,plum crazy purple,for 80K.Sold in one week. Pretty crazy especially during these times.
That really is about the best looking interior I’ve seen in an old Challenger. Bet this car was somewhat expensive to say the least.
440-6 is the real highlight, especially with the 4 speed, just wonder if it’s as clean or stock as the rest of the car. The 90 thousand dollar question.
Way overpriced! Maybe 30 tops!
I respectfully suggest you check the prices of 70s muscle cars in general. $30,000 gets you a Vette with ripped up interior, Camaros without numbers matching, or plenty of others that need another $40-50K put into them to reach this level
$40-50k plus 2 put in them? U r high! Do all U toads have a shop @ $150 an hour 2 do ur work? Can’t do it yourself?
I don’t think that’s an accurate depiction of people that want a car like this. These were the sort cars me and most of my friends lusted after when we reached driving age, in the early-80’s. We all wanted a Hemi, Shelby, Z28, LS6 Chevelle, GTO Judge or some other muscle car like this one that was at the top of the food chain. Several of my friends bought them, others, like me didn’t want to or couldn’t save the money to buy one. Even though they were inexpensive by today’s standards, they were significantly more expensive than the base engine muscle cars. Nobody cared or even knew about the concept of exclusivity. All we knew was these were the cars that filled the pages of enthusiasts magazines. I still like looking at them, so do my friends, so far none of the owners of these vehicles like this, we have come across act the way you describe owners of these car to be like.
Steve R
That paint ain’t SubLime, it’s Earl Scheib Pickle Green. Hole in the dash, no R/T side stripe, and God only knows what else lies beneath.
$90K? No way.
Those front seats do not appear to be leather, they look like the standard vinyl covers.
$90G’s I hope he gets it because my son’s generation aren’t really interested in the old muscle cars. I have a 63SS convertible LS3 and a 66 ChevelleSS LS3 and he will sell them when I am too old to drive(71now). He has a Hellcat Challenger and is getting the TRX Hellcat truck. I will have to admit, I would buy a Hellcat before buying this Challenger for more money.
I wouldn’t buy a new Hellcat any other new plastic piece of garbage, U can’t work on them & have pay shop w/computer $150 an hour up just 2 look @ it. My newest car daily driver is a 69 mustang fastback, I’ll keep my 34 roadster,35 pickup, 65 mustang fastback & Harley, U jokers enjoy ur plastic smog cars
“jokers” ?? a bit judgmental eh? So no one should ever buy a new car or slightly used “new” car and there goes the auto industry. Okay….what’s next? Am I damned for trading in my 2013 for a brand new 2017 Harley or should we kiss Milwaukee goodbye too?
Now I see above we’re also “toads”. I do all my own work thankyouverymuch and it’s still a hefty price tag when working from a base much less than this car being presented. Your insults have no place on this site. Maybe you need to get laid.
That’s true. What one generation lists after the next seems to find something new.
I am not in the income bracket nor do I really desire to own something. ….. because really, it owns you at this level.
My knee jerk reaction was…..
$90,000? Really?
I sure do not recall having “Leather seat Inserts” as an option for 1970 Challengers. I can see vinyl seat inserts as the seat choice. This car new probably had a sticker close to $5000.00 new, which was pricey for people making $3.58 an hour plus 5% shift premium for working second shift im 1970.
You’re spot on George. We weren’t making huge bank in the early 70’s. 5K would have been out of the question.
$90000 dollar Barn find? I love the challenger. It was my favorite of the muscle cars. But at this price who can afford it. No wonder the kids today wouldn’t even consider trying to own these cars. As beautiful as this is it really isn’t what I’d call a Barn Find.
I agree with Philip. I’m getting tired of paying 10 bucks a month to seeing this high end crap that I can see on Hemmings for free. Let’s see more “Barn Finds” and less trailer queens and auction dogs. Just saying!
I agree with Philip. I’m getting tired of paying 10 bucks a month to see crap like this. I can see them on Hemmings for free. Let’s see more “Barn Finds” and less cars that no one will buy off Craigslist anyway. Just saying
Don’t know why this came up twice.
Why do so many people these days refer to vinyl as leather? This car has the common vinyl interior, not leather.
You’ve heard from me before….grew up with a 70 Challenger R/T convertible with 383 and slapstick auto. Given this cars condition, numbers, and Cali history (no rust), it will pull close to $100,000. It’s not about sanity, it’s supply and demand. Most of the Challengers left are true barn finds and in need of unbelievable work. Assuming the engine is okay, this one is rare.
I guess you just can’t please everyone. Does the price suck for most of us?!? Sure, but V code E bodies have been going for $75k+ for years so this price should be no surprise. 6 pack and 4 speed this is fairly average. My opinion on the members complaining about paying $10 to see cars like this us in many ways interesting. The description is vague and we’re forced to assume the car sat in a garage unused even though it only states kept in garage for 25 years. If indeed it sat in garage for 25 years then it fits this site perfectly. Usually everyone is complaining about the barn finds showing as found. Full of dust, dirt, grime and so on. So that fact that someone actually cared and cleaned this one it’s an issue?!? The newer cars are fine too but there is something special about these old ones that you can’t replicate. Someday they will again be affordable to the majority. There are many old musclecars in the $30-40k range that are nice turn key cars, but it is true you currently have to pay for rare. This doesn’t only apply to cars. Rare things just cost more than average things. Im in my mid 30’s and would love this car in my garage so don’t rule all of us out in a certain generation and I know of guys and girls younger than myself driving old cars too. Some of us would like to own both. Why not a Hellcat and this in the garage? Plenty of car people have new and old corvettes, mustangs, camaros….
If I was gonna put another car in garage next 2 my 69 mach1, I’m thinking a 69 GTX w a Hemi. We talking ‘smokin’
More like go lay some rubber on the street. Two patches from each side or the axle. BURN “EM UP!!!!!!!!!!!!