However, to run in Trans Am, all cars had to abide by the Sports Car Club of America rule, which stated that a minimum of 2,500 vehicles sold to the general public were required for the respective nameplate to be allowed to run on the street circuits. Since it was the only all-new car launched in 1970, the Dodge Challenger was replicated in a most desirable 340-cube Six-Pack form, the single-year Challenger T/A.
Although the rules were crystal clear about the production numbers required to homologate it, the 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A did not make the bar, stopping at 2,399 examples. That’s a rare Mopar, no matter how we look at it, and it usually draws attention, especially when one pops up for sale. But strangely, there’s one example in Utah that seems to fall short of buyer’s interest, given how it’s been on the market for ten weeks, and no one bought it.
The example – which is said to have the original paint and interior – is located in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, and advertised on Facebook Marketplace at 85,000 dollars. The owner, who doesn’t believe too much in the power of visual incentives, given the quality of the photos, is firm in his claims – and couldn’t care less about possible trades.
Unfortunately, the ad doesn’t show the interior at all (which is curious, to say the least), and it does not mention the mileage. Allegedly, the car runs and drives (‘awesome,’ if we are to believe the owner), but we don’t know if the motor is a factory-installed piece or a replacement. We do get to see the three dual-barrel carbs sitting atop the 5.6-liter V8, but we are left in the dark about the transmission.
Rated at 290 hp and 335 lb-ft (295 PS, 454 Nm), the Dodge Challenger T/A was most probably understated for insurance-dodging reasons. Ter production run was dominated by automatics that outnumbered the four-speeds by over 50%. 1,410 self-shifting autos were ordered, while only 989 came in a three-pedal guise.
Instantly recognizable after its signature hood scoop (a massive air inlet that could), the T/A has other unique features: a special side stripe, big decals on the sides, and its ducktail rear spoiler and the thin front one.
If you’re interested in this car, it’s best to message the seller and set up an inspection – and it’s probably reasonable to do so. I’m curious if this car has had its quarter-mile times dialed in by any of the former owners and why the tires needed a replacement.
There are too many questions in one place, and the answers to them do not come cheap. Who knows? This may be a cool survivor with a neat story, but who’s willing to throw in a buck for a definitive answer?
