1970 was the year when the Challenger came to be, and the first iteration was also the most successful Dodge ever produced. The company sold 83K cars in 1970, way less than it had hoped before launching the Challenger, with the hardtop rapidly becoming the king of the castle with over 53K units.
The hardtop was also the most affordable at $2,851, but approximately 6,500 customers decided to pay at least $3,083 and get the Special Edition hardtop. The convertible was the most expensive at $3,120 and convinced only 3,173 buyers.
The R/T accounted for approximately 14,900 units of the entire product, and the hardtop was again the most successful despite a $3,266 price tag.
The Challenger in these pics wears the R/T tags, but it’s unclear if it’s the real deal or if someone turned it into a clone. However, it’s a restoration candidate still sporting the complete package, with seller dzruss explaining that this car hasn’t moved for 15 years.
The car spent this time inside, and the concerning news is that the owner didn’t start the engine once. It’s unclear what happens under the hood today, but if you’re interested in an original Challenger, I’ve got bad news. The original 383 installed by Dodge before this Challenger left the factory is no longer there, and in charge of propelling the car is now a 360 paired with an automatic transmission.
Otherwise, this Challenger seems to check many boxes for a restoration project, especially because it’s still complete. Sure, this doesn’t mean that everything on this Challenger can be saved, but a complete project is typically easier to overhaul – you’ll have to remove everything before determining how much work it requires.
The rust has already invaded the undersides, and hats off to the seller for posting so detailed pictures. You’ll need the typical undercarriage work to deal with the rust, but this Challenger is far from becoming a rust bucket.
The car receives a lot of attention on eBay, and the auction site indicates that 72 people have already added the vehicle to their watchlists. This means that buyers are interested in this Challenger but likely want to see how the bidding goes, possibly to make an offer at the last minute.
Unfortunately, the auction doesn’t go well for this Challenger. The car has indeed received 5 offers, but the reserve is still in place. The top offer is $5,800, and it’s unclear how high the bidding must go to trigger the reserve. The auction will end in approximately one and a half days, so time is running out for the car to find a new home.
If you want to see it live, you must travel to Locust Grove, Georgia, and you’ll need a trailer to take it home.