When the first-generation Dodge Challenger was released in 1969 on the brand-new E-body chassis, it was an immediate success, selling close to 77,000 vehicles in its first year of sales. And although it might appear quite standard, there were a few uncommon jewels in the 1970 Challenger lineup.
Only 18,512 R/T vehicles remained after over 73% of the cars were ordered in standard trim level. Just 6,231 vehicles were specified with the larger 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB and 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI mills, while the majority of the latter came off the assembly line with the 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8.
The HEMI is arguably the rarest 1970 Challenger, with only 356 examples made. Just 60 were also ordered with the SE package, and only nine were convertibles. The 440 Six Pack version is also rare at 2,035 examples, while the regular four-barrel 440 found its way into 3,840 vehicles.
However, Dodge also created a gem of a little block that was only occasionally used. I refer to the Challenger T/A. The T/A was only on the market for a few months in 1970 and was designed to be a homolog of the Challenger for the SCCA Trans-Am championship. Furthermore, just 2,399 street-legal versions were produced during its brief time on the production line and sold.
Aside from its side-exiting pipes and low-restriction exhaust system, the T/A also has a fiberglass hood, a bigger air scoop, and a heavy-duty suspension. Along with the 340 cubic inch (5.6 liter) V8 engine with a triple two-barrel carburetor arrangement, this automobile is unusual in its striping scheme.
An upgrade over the more common four-barrel 340, the Six Pack layout gave the T/A 290 horsepower to play with. And even though it’s nowhere near as powerful as the big-block cars, the T/A has a solid advantage in terms of curb weight and handling.
Come 2023, the T/A is one of the most desirable versions of the 1970 Challenger. And while many cars are still around as restored gems, some are rotting away in junkyards and barns, often missing vital components. The Sublime green example you see here is one of them. But unlike other abandoned T/As, this survivor got a second chance at life, and it’s roaming the streets again.
Documented by YouTube’s “Auto Archaeology,” this T/A spent most of its life off the road. According to our host, the Challenger was parked for unknown reasons sometime in 1977. So that’s only seven years on the road and more than four decades in storage.
Parked with a four-barrel carburetor instead of the Six Pack setup, it remained in storage in Memphis and Arkansas until 2022. That’s when the car was sold and dragged out of its barn. And surprisingly enough, the T/A emerged in surprisingly solid condition.
Sure, the Sublime paint has faded away, and the black vinyl top is long gone, but the body is straight and almost rust-free. There’s some rust on the trunk floor, but it’s an easy fix with a regular Challenger pan, which is relatively easy to find.
When the car was rescued, the engine block was still in place, but the engine compartment was empty. It also included a period-appropriate unit, even though the Six-Pack carb was no longer available. The car still has its original wheels (extremely uncommon), air filter, automatic gearbox, and driveshaft.
Speaking of which, this T/A is one of 1,410 cars with this combination of drivetrains thanks to the automatic. The vinyl top further reduces that figure. If a V1G gator grain top was included, it’s one of only 33 T/As constructed in this manner, however this is questionable.
But the really good news about this Challenger is that it has since been revamped and put back on the road. It hasn’t been restored just yet, but it’s not a solid survivor that’s no longer rotting away in a barn. And that’s a win in my book.