When it comes to barn finds, nothing’s more disappointing than traveling to inspect a car only to find out it’s not as advertised. It’s even more disheartening when the said vehicle is supposed to be a rare muscle car, like a 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A.
That’s exactly what happened to the folks at Mopars5150, who were hoping to add an example of the limited-edition Challenger to their collection following an estate sale. Already on the road to buy a pickup truck and deliver a pair of 1969 Dodge Charger Daytonas, the crew made a stop in Arkansas to check out the muscle car before registering for the auction.
The ad showed a photo of a dusty Challenger said to have a 340 Six-Pack engine under the hood. It didn’t specifically say it was a T/A, but the six-barrel 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8 was exclusive to this model in 1970. The car had a suitcase air scoop atop a black hood, a defining feature for the T/A.
Upon arrival, they immediately noticed the “R/T” badge on the front grille and the lack of T/A-specific stripes on the sides. Unlike the R/T, which was offered with no stripe or a stripe across the belt line, the T/A had a thicker stripe on the upper front fender and door areas, as well as “T/A” and “340 SIX PACK” decals.
With these features missing, our host wanted to check out the VIN mounted on the dash. But the plate was missing, and the owner had no idea what happened to it. This red flag was followed by another one under the hood, where the crew discovered a home-built air cleaner. The Challenger was also missing the rear spoiler we usually see on T/As. At the same time, the hood included hints that it was an OEM unit.
The engine, on the other hand, appears to be a true-blue 340 Six-Pack (apart from the air cleaner, of course), which pretty much confirms the Challenger is an R/T with a swap. It most likely left the factory with a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) big block and got the 340 many years ago.
Somewhat disappointed by the outcome, our host inspected the car inside and out to asses its condition. He eventually concluded he could join the auction and try to purchase the Challenger for the 340 V8 under the hood. But only if the Mopar sells cheaply, which makes sense, given the severe rust issues.
One of the rarest iterations of the 1970 Dodge Challenger, the T/A was built in just 2,399 units, which accounts for only 3.1% of the total production run. A one-year-only model, the T/A was designed to homologate the Challenger for SCCA Trans-Am racing. This one is definitely not one of them. Check it out in the video below and tell me how much it’s worth.