1970 Dodge Challenger RT

The Dodge Challenger was a bit bigger, and often faster than the Pony Cars from the other manufacturers. New for the 1970 model year, the Challenger, like its revised E-body fraternal twins, the ‘Cuda and Barracuda, were late to the party.

Challenger customers were faced with many choices, including some of the greatest hues and names ever applied to automobile colors, including Plum Crazy, Sublime, Go Mango, and Panther Pink. Just as the ‘Cuda was the performance version of the Barracuda, Dodge offered the base Challenger and the higher performance Challenger R/T. Engine options included anything from a slant six to a 318cid V-8 for the Challenger and choices from a 335hp 383cid to a 426 Hemi or a 440 for the R/T version. Transmission choices were a three-speed manual, four-speed manual and a three-speed automatic.

This Hemi-orange Challenger two-door hardtop left the Hamtramck, Michigan plant with the 335hp 383, breathing through a single four-barrel carburetor. It now has a 440 with a single carb with four-big throat.

Found stored in Northern Michigan, the exterior looked good, although mice had ravaged the inside. As a result, the interior and area under the dash had been thoroughly chewed and the entire area needed a heavy cleaning. With the interior gutted, fresh carpets, interior panels and seat covers were installed, leaving the passenger compartment looking even better than the exterior.

While not a matching numbers car, this Challenger is powerful, good looking, and finished in one of Dodge’s boldest and most eye-catching colors, for which the original owner payed a whopping $14.00 premium.