Dodge Challenger - Muscle Car

Dodge Challenger - Muscle Car

Survivor. It''s a word you hear a lot when dealing with collector cars these days. There''s been a resurgence in the appreciation for original un-restored cars ranging from that amazing 1911 Oldsmobile that was discovered still sitting on the tattered remains of its original tires and sold for $1.65 million to more realistic survivors like say this heavily-optioned 1970 Dodge Challenger RT/SE with 18788 original miles on it. Most enthusiasts will agree that a survivor carries its original power-train (it must be matching numbers) a good portion of its original paint and trim and most of its original interior. Clubs are starting to recognize this growing trend with preservation classes just for these cars (for example I think the Buick club insists that the paint be 85% original for a car to qualify for ''survivor'' status). This Plum Crazy Challenger is an ideal candidate for the guy who has already done the restoration thing and now wants to take his hobby to the next level. Yes a survivor is most certainly the next level in the collector car hobby. Anyone with a big enough checkbook can have a perfectly accurate restored car but the supply of authentic honest original un-restored vehicles is notably short I don''t care how much money you have. Investors are starting to recognize this fact and are attaching a great deal of value to it. That ancient Oldsmobile I mentioned probably won''t get restored despite its admittedly geriatric condition and its value will only go up from here. Somewhat less fragile and far better preserved and therefore much more fun is this 1970 Challenger RT/SE. Packing a 4-barrel 383 and a TorqueFlite automatic all of which are matching-numbers of course this is an excellent example of a true survivor no matter whose definition you use. Loaded with options like A/C and an overhead console and fully documented with a window sticker and Chrysler Corporation Broadcast Sheet this would be an amazing car in any condition but with just 18788 actual miles and in 96% original condition it is flat-out astounding. Heck it still comes with its original tires! Options? Here''s the fender tag which is incredibly hard to read because it''s trapped under the original A/C lines (it''s just one option away from being a 2-tag car): E63383-4 BarrelD32H-D A-727 TorqueFlite TransmissionJS29J = Dodge ChallengerS = Special29 = 2 Door Sports Hardtop N0BN = 383 330HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL0 = 1970B = Dodge Main Hamtramck MI USA198708Sequence Number ''198708''FC7Paint Code: Plum Crazy Purple / In-Violet Irid H5X9Trim Grade/Style/ColorH = High5 = Cloth and Vinyl Bucket SeatsX9 = Black 000Upper Door Frame: Full Door PanelB19Date Built: 11 / 19 / 1969119263Order Number: 119263V1XRoof Type OR Color: Full Vinyl Top – BlackA01Light PackageA363.55:1 High Performance Axle PackageA62Rallye Instrument ClusterB51Power Assisted BrakesC15Special Sound Insulation Package 70s80C16Console w/ BucketsC26Over Head Roof ConsoletteC55Bucket SeatsG31Right Hand Outside Mirror - Manual / ChromeG33Left Hand Outside Mirror - Manual / ChromeH51Single Air /w HeaterM21Roof Drip Rail MoldingsM25Wide Sill MoldingM31Belt Molding 69-70N41Dual Exhaust w/o TipsN42Chrome Dual Exhaust TipsN85TachometerS83Rim Blow steering wheelV6WWhite Longitude Sports StripeY05Built to U.S. specifications2626 inch radiator So yes the paint is 40 years old. Concours it isn''t but for a preservation class it''s absolutely perfect. There are a few chips that have been touched up here and there and one golf ball-sized spot where there was a repair and a repaint but I''d say that more than 90% of the paint on this car is original. It has a shine that looks as good as possible thanks to the expert ministrations of our detail shop. This car has never been disassembled and all the panels are 100% factory steel as installed by the guys at Hamtramck on November 19 1969. The doors don''t sag the hood fits extremely well and the trunk opens and closes without effort. Those white R/T stripes on the flanks are original and in outstanding condition front to back with no fading checking or peeling.