Chrysler’s E-body twins, the Challenger and the ‘Cuda, were a measured and calculated response to the Mustang. Sure, it took them five years to get to it, but when they did deliver, they absolutely nailed it. Available with a wide variety of engines and options, cars like this 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T convertible could be custom-tailored to almost any customer’s tastes. The R/T models (with R/T standing for road and track, no relation to the magazine), were Dodge’s performance-oriented models, akin to a Mustang Mach 1 or a Camaro SS, and packed arguably the most potent engines of the period. Styling was a home-run, with ideal proportions and the cockpit-oriented styling emphasized the driver, making them the cars to own if you liked to go fast.

This particular 1970 Challenger R/T convertible is a fantastically original car that shows what we believe to be 59,438 original miles. It has been repainted just once in its original B5 Bright Blue and carries its numbers-matching 383 cubic inch V8. Original cars are some of our favorites, because there’s just no way to restore the factory feeling back into a car once it’s been disassembled, and this car is no exception. The doors close with confidence, not the usual rattle you get in an ancient convertible, and the super-straight bodywork is 100% factory-issue. The high-quality respray was done a few years ago, and uses two-stage urethane to give the B5 Blue a deep gloss that’s better than anything Ma Mopar was offering in 1970 and the white bumblebee stripe around the tail was applied under the clear for a seamless feel. Oddly enough, the fender tag shows that this car had a black bumblebee stripe, but that seems incongruous on a blue car with a white interior and top, but stranger things have happened at the Hamtramck factory. Here’s the full breakdown on the fender tag:

JS27: Dodge Challenger, Special, R/T Convertible
N0B: 383 330 horsepower 1x4 barrel 8 cylinder
1970
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA
367944: Sequence number
E63: 383 cubic inch 4-barrel V8, High Performance
D32: Heavy Duty Automatic Transmission
EB5: Bright Blue Metallic (Dodge), Blue Fire Metallic (Plymouth) Exterior Color
H6XW: Trim - High, Vinyl Bucket Seats, Black/White
000: Full Door Panels
608: Build Date: June 08
060911: Order number
V3W: White Convertible Top
A62: Rallye Instrument Cluster Package
C16: Console w/Woodgrain Panel
C55: Bucket Seats
J54: Sport Hood
M41: License Plate Frame
N42: Chrome Exhaust Tips
N85: Tachometer
P37: Power Convertible Top
R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
V9X: Bumble Bee Stripes, Black
Y05: Build to USA Specs
EN1: End of Sales Codes

Personally, I like the lines of the Challenger, being a little longer and sitting on a slightly longer wheelbase, and it was intended to be the more “grown up” of the E-body twins. From the twin-headlight front end with recessed grille to the twin nostrils in the hood to the handsome kick-up in the quarter panels, there’s just no angle from which this car doesn’t look awesome. The chrome bumpers surely help, and the quality of the brightwork suggests that it’s been restored, but we’re pretty sure it’s original and simply very well maintained. This is a really nice car.

The white interior is all original, including the seats, door panels, and even the black carpets, and should tell you all you need to know about the care this car has received. The upholstery is still supple and comfortable and shows no major stains or discoloration, and even the black carpets have minimal fading, suggesting that even when the top was down, this car was always sheltered. It features a console with Slap Stick shifter, a full array of Rallye gauges, and the factory-issued R11 Music Master AM radio. The gauges are all fully functional except the tachometer, which is not compatible with the modern MSD distributor on the engine today, but it should work if you convert it back to an OEM unit. The steering wheel with its fat rim should look and feel familiar to any Mopar performance fan and the stubby shifter falls easily to hand, where even the automatic transmission is a joy to run through the gears manually. The dash pad isn’t cracked or baked by the sun and the woodgrained appliques are bright and clear, with the one on the center console perhaps being a replacement piece. Overhead there’s a great-fitting white vinyl convertible top that uses the correct vinyl material and a glass rear window, and it stows under a matching white boot that’s a new acquisition from Legendary. The trunk is outfitted with a correct mat and jack assembly, and you’ll note that the quarters wear original textured undercoating, so they’re unquestionably original.

The engine is the original, numbers-matching 383 cubic inch V8, and it runs superbly. It starts quickly and idles well, even on the choke when it’s cold, and thanks to a relatively recent detailing, it looks quite correct. Except for the aforementioned billet aluminum distributor, it’s factory correct throughout, with proper hoses and clamps, a wrinkle-finish air cleaner, and Hemi Orange paint on the block itself. Close inspection will reveal that the paint on the inner fenders, firewall, and radiator support is original, more evidence of a very nice car from a friendly climate. Even the unique exhaust manifolds are in good condition and it exhales through a great-sounding Flowmaster exhaust system with oversized pipes and correct quad tips out back.

The chassis is original, because this really is a very original car, and while it’s not detailed for show, there are no signs of panel replacement or rust issues underneath. The 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission shifts crisply and we believe there are 3.23 gears in the 8.75-inch rear end. The suspension is stock and it currently rolls on a set of original Magnum 500 wheels with 225/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials, but it also includes a set of shiny Boyd Coddington alloys with staggered 17- and 18-inch tires.

Clean, straight, matching-numbers, and a joy to drive, this Challenger delivers on all levels. It’s not a show car, it’s not perfect, but it is a big block Challenger that’s properly sorted and you can’t beat the color combination. I know Mopar guys and Camaro guys aren’t cross-shopping cars, but cars like this Challenger make you reconsider your allegiances.