1970 was the best year for the Challenger, as Dodge sold over 83,000 units, with the hardtop accounting for most units rolling off the assembly lines – 53,337 units.
The convertible was the most expensive (without including the R/T), carrying a price tag of $3,120 in the base configuration, so only 3,173 examples rolled off the assembly lines.
One of them is here, albeit I wouldn’t blame people if they walked away after checking it out. The car comes in horrible shape, though it still looks restorable with the right skills, time, and money.
The first thing you must know is that its condition is the result of the car being parked in a garage by the original owner. They didn’t check the roof, so after the Challenger was put in storage, it had to face the terrible effects of a leaking roof. The outcome is clearly highlighted in the photos – hats off to eBay seller carguy5739 for perfectly exposing all the bad parts of this Challenger – so fixing it isn’t for the faint of heart.
The seller says they bought the Challenger a year ago specifically to restore it, but the project didn’t yet get a chance to come back to life due to other cars being prioritized. It’s now someone else’s job to save this convertible.
The car was painted Banana Yellow before it left the factory, and it still wears part of the original finish on the rough body. All tags are still on the car, but the rough time in the leaking garage turned it into a rusty Challenger whose restoration will include a painful amount of metal work. The owner says the car will need new floors, a new interior, a new carpet, and a convertible top.
The engine under the hood is a period-correct 340, and probably the best news so far is that the mill starts and runs. It’s a fantastic starting point for a restoration job, especially as the owner has also installed new spark plugs and new wires. The car comes with fresh oil, and the transmission shifts correctly, albeit you shouldn’t consider this Challenger road-worthy. It’s also recommended that you check the brakes.
The selling price makes sense for a Banana Yellow Challenger with a convertible roof despite the roof no longer being usable. The owner expects to get $13,700 for their project, but they also enabled the Make Offer button, so you can send another offer if you want the car. The Challenger is parked in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, and considering its rough shape, you’ll need transportation to take it home.
The listing will expire in 26 days, so you have enough time not only to convince your SO that this Challenger is worth a second chance but also to inspect the car in person before committing to a purchase.