1970 Dodge Challenger Convertible 440 Clone

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T clone, great driving car not a trailer queen.

For the enthusiast who wants to drive a classic Challenger and not just stare at or rub it with a diaper. In very good condition, but not too nice to drive, and can retain its value while enjoying it. Paint looks good from 3 feet; look closely and there are subtle imperfections there but nothing major. Of course opinions on paint and body can be subjective so see the description below and the photos for details that may bother the perfectionist but not the driver.

Originally a standard convertible in Top Banana FY1 exterior, with white interior H6XW, and a 318 V8 E44, has been highly upgraded to a fierce-looking Bright Red FE5 with a powerful 440-4 barrel. The classic look 15” Magnum Road wheels with BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires (P235/60R15 98S up front and wider P255/60R15 102S in the rear) give the car an aggressive stance that just looks perfect. The Go-Wing, longitudinal striping, and painted hood black out look great on the red backdrop.

Look closely and you will see it is, but it isn’t, an R/T clone. To the layman maybe, but the side striping, hood, grille, and trunk badging are specifically non-R/T, making it a touch different to the Mopar enthusiast. If you could order a standard Challenger with a 440 upgrade in 1970, this would be it.

The car is in the Detroit area now; have paperwork on previous owners: in Wisconsin 2009-2012, Illinois 1989-2009, Ohio prior to 1989, history prior to that unknown. I’ve enjoyed it for 4 years and am selling to make way for a change of pace, a B-Body convertible or Superbird clone.

Numbers:

VIN on dash: JH27G0B138847

Stamping on radiator support: JH27G0B138847

Stamping on cowl: JH27G0B138847

Drivers door decal: JH27G0B138847, build date 9-69

Fender tag:

26 EN1

G33 H51 M31 P37 R11 Y05

V3W A04 A63 B51 C16 C55

FY1 H6XW 000 923 054382

E44 D31 JH27 G0B 138847

Current odometer: 36932 but not sure of actual

Paint/body. Painted in 2003 and driven sparingly since then. Paint is holding up well, looks great from a few feet away but yes there are imperfections, a few waves, barely visible crack on the trunk corner, a few bubbles or chips in the lower rear quarters. Very nice driver quality. All chrome, trim, and stainless are decent, though not necessarily perfect. I had been considering a repaint, but the car is just fine as is to drive and enjoy. No visible rust. Trunk pan replaced at some point, painted black looks good. Floors good.

Underhood. Original 318 has been replaced with a great running 440 with 1973 casting date. Was built and installed 2 owners ago so internal details are unknown. I have not taken it apart to look inside as it runs great so I figure don’t mess with it. Hit the pedal gently and it rumbles down the road like a champ. Hit the pedal hard and wake your neighbors as the tires screech with joy. Mostly stock appearance under the hood, with electronic voltage regulator and orange box electronic ignition. I was ready to install an Atomic EFI set up but the Holley model 3310-3 carb runs so well I kept it. It is mounted on an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake. Has 26” radiator and standard fan with shroud; never have had any overheating issues, even on hot summer days in traffic. It’s an original A/C car, but there are no A/C components under the hood. New starter 2014, date coded wires and new plugs last month. The 727 automatic transmission has no problems other than occasional drips of fluid on the garage floor which is annoying but not so much that I’ve taken the time to fix.

Suspension/Brakes/Underneath. Power steering, power brakes (front disc, rear drum). Rear axle is 8 ¾ with casting 2881489 and 3:55 gear ratio. Exhaust pipes and mufflers (no resonators) are in good shape. All mechanicals are in good shape. I have a local resto shop go through it annually as I am not a mechanic. So all the latest mechanical work was professional with a warranty, not done by me in my garage. The majority of work was in 2013, about 1500 miles ago. Replaced all rubber brake hoses and had full brake job done. Upgraded with Firm Feel Stage II power steering box, fast ratio pitman arm, and tubular control arms at that time too, so handles much better than a standard 70 Challenger. New U-joints, ball joints, tie rods. Underside in general is driver quality, not show quality by any stretch. All underside is painted black except pipes, engine, and trans. Signs of surface rust on exhaust, some flaky paint on oil pan and trans pan due to usage.

Interior. White interior looks great with the red exterior. All panels in good shape, no chalky feel, seats comfy with no tears, no cracks in dash, no rear speaker cut outs. Single speaker dash with AM/FM radio from Antique Automobile (stock looking Mopar radio, but has digital tuning and Ipod input, a nice modern feature). This is an original A/C car, as the vents in the dash and the H51 on the fender tag show. Has all the underdash ductwork, but the HVAC fan is not connected and I haven’t cared since I rarely drive with the top up. Coolant does flow through the heater core so no leaks there, but I never took apart the HVAC unit to see if the doors work or the evaporator condition. There are no A/C parts under the hoo, but with the A/C dash it’s pretty straightforward to get the underhood components from Classic Auto Air or Vintage Air. Then go through or replace the HVAC unit if you want working A/C. Just has not been a priority for me. Instrument gauges all work, has aftermarket oil pressure and temperature gauges below the dash for more accurate readings. Have added a stock-looking tach where the clock delete was in the non-Rallye cluster. This is slick, got it from Redline Gauge Works. Has rim-blow steering wheel. Like new carpeting and mats. Fender tag says white top, but has a black one now. It’s a power top and goes up / down perfectly, rear window is glass, top is in like-new condition.

Full disclosure. This is a 47 year old car that has been cared for well, driven and enjoyed in nice weather only. Is not intended to be perfect or a trailer queen, just driven. Will not handle, run, or sound like a 2016 Challenger, but as a vintage ragtop will receive hundreds more looks and thumbs-ups. In the interest of full disclosure: It rattles and squeaks a bit like a 47 year old car might; the solid rear axle makes you bounce off your seat when you hit a big bump; the engine is loud and having more than one speaker would be nice; the lap belts don’t offer the latest safety, but you could upgrade if desired; the interior lights and horn work most but not all the time; the radio antenna is grounded and doesn’t work, so I installed an underdash antenna that works fine; there is a crack in the front windshield but it doesn’t bother me (previous owner gave me a brand new windshield that is in my basement and comes with the car for you to install or put in your basement); the starter relay seems to go out on occasion and you have to start the car with a screwdriver; there is no spare tire but you can add either a space saver for a show appearance or a real one in case you get a flat, I never put one in as I never saw myself using the 1970 bumper-mount ratcheting jack on the side of the road when I can call AAA or Hagerty to bring a flatbed. Transmission drips a bit but not so much it has bothered me. All of these are minor nuisances, and go with the territory if you want to drive a vintage muscle car. You can decide if you need them fixed or just live with them.

Conclusion. What you have here is a real muscle car, worth driving regularly, nice enough for shows, with the perfect attention-getting looks. This car speaks with the deep throaty rumble of a Mopar 440. Your right foot controls the volume. Took me a while to find it, and you could search a long time to find a similar car you can really enjoy and not be too nice that you’re afraid to drive it. There are too many over-priced clones out there that are so highly restored that they are actually less driveable. This one is a great driver car at a reasonable price with reasonable expectations. Drive it, enjoy it, and customize it to your own tastes.

If you are near Detroit you are welcome to see it in person and test drive it. Or if you’re too far away I can send you a video. Will be at the Dream Cruise on Old Woodward near Maple.

Please make sure you have the funds available for this car before you bid. Full amount due by cashiers’ check or bank wire within a week of purchase. Can store for you while you arrange shipping or just drive it home. Has no problems on long trips other than the unimpressive gas mileage.

Thanks for looking,Rob. Call seven-three-four, six-seven-four, five-nine-one-seven with questions.