If you’ve been following me, you probably already know I’m nuts about classic Mopars in “high impact” colors, particularly Sassy Grass, Plum Crazy, and Panther Pink. And I don’t care much about black muscle cars unless it’s the iconic Challenger “Black Ghost.” Or so I thought until I saw this black 1970 Plymouth GTX.
Showcased by YouTube’s “JC Fernandez,” this GTX is rather atypical for a Mopar from the golden age of muscle cars. That’s because black wasn’t a very popular color at a time when Chrysler’s 20-color palette was made up almost entirely out of flashy hues. And I guess buyers also wanted to stand out.
But whoever ordered this car back in 1969 made a great decision because the GTX looks downright fantastic in black, especially when there’s no vinyl top. After all, it was called “the gentleman’s muscle car.” But things get even better thanks to the white interior and the reflective yellow stripes, both of which provide a great contrast against the glossy black paint.
And this combo also turns this 1970 GTX into an extremely rare muscle car. According to the owner, the GTX registry includes only nine cars finished in this hue. And just one of them was also ordered with the yellow side stripes. Yup, it’s the car you’re looking at, which is a one-of-one gem that you won’t see anywhere else.
But how come it looks so fantastic for a car that’s 53 years old as of 2023? Well, this GTX went through a rotisserie restoration that included a professional repaint, an engine rebuild, and a refurbished interior. It’s not as original as other survivors out there, but this thing looks better than new and it’s ready to win trophies at any Concours d’Elegance.
To top it all off, it comes with a 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8 under the hood. It’s unclear if it’s the original, numbers-matching mill, but it could be since the owner say he still has the original radiator and other parts he swapped while rebuilding the mill. If the 426 V8 is indeed the factory unit, this GTX is one of only 71 that were ordered with a HEMI for the 1970 model year.
As a brief reminder, the 426 HEMI was Chrysler’s most powerful engine at the time and the range-topping option for the GTX. The fancied-up Road Runner came with a four-barrel 440 as standard, while the 3×2-barrel version of the RB bridged the gap between the latter and the HEMI. The 440-4 delivered 375 horsepower, while the 440-6BBL was rated at 390 horses. The HEMI V8 delivered 425 horsepower in stock form but I have a feeling this GTX’s upgraded mill packs notably more punch than that.
But that’s enough talk for today, now hit the play button below to meet the coolest 1970 Plymouth GTX I’ve seen in a very long time.