1970 · Dodge · United States
1970 Dodge Challenger: Nine Engines, a Trans-Am Special and the Last Seat at the Pony-Car Table
Dodge's first pony car arrived as a 1970 model with nine advertised engines, base, SE, R/T, and R/T SE hardtops, two convertibles, and a one-year Trans-Am homologation special, the T/A.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
Dodge's launch catalog for the Challenger, form 81-205-0050, lithographed in August 1969, made its argument with a table instead of a slogan. Nine engines ran across one page: the 225 Six, the 318, the 340, three versions of the 383, the 440 Magnum, the 440 SixPack and the 426 Hemi. The caption claimed that was more engines than any other model in the Dodge line offered, and the advertised ratings climbed from 145 horsepower to 425. Dodge's own later history calls the Challenger the last entrant in the pony-car ranks. The catalog reads like a division determined to arrive late with the longest menu in the room.1
The car underneath was Chrysler's new E-body, shared with the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, but Dodge stretched its wheelbase to 110 inches, two inches longer than the Plymouth's, and gave it a 191.3-inch overall length. The launch line offered a base Challenger hardtop and convertible, the R/T hardtop and convertible, and a Special Edition formal-roof hardtop in both series. The SE package added a vinyl roof with a smaller rear window, leather-faced bucket seats and an overhead consolette with warning lights. It cost a reported $232 over the base hardtop and $272 over the R/T, which made it the cheapest way to look expensive in the new car.1,2,3
Prices, as the production tables report them, ran from $2,851 for a six-cylinder hardtop to $3,535 for an R/T convertible. The R/T started at $3,266 in one table and $3,226 in another, a likely transposition that stays visible. The R/T's standard engine was the 335-horsepower 383 Magnum; above it sat the 375-horsepower 440 Magnum at a reported $234, the 390-horsepower SixPack at $249.55, and the Hemi. Even the Hemi's price is contested: one reference lists $871, while Old Cars Weekly prints $1,228. The larger figure may include required companion equipment, but neither source says so, and that question stays open.2,3,4
Buyers answered in large numbers, although not in one agreed number. Dodge's heritage releases say just over 83,000 Challengers were sold for the model year, and trade tables in Chilton's Automotive Industries and Ward's print 83,032. A second lineage of reference books, from Peter Sessler through Robert Genat and Randy Leffingwell, prints 76,935 with lower rows throughout; a domestic-versus-export difference is plausible but unproven. One reference table adds the T/A as a separate row to reach 85,431. Within the 83,032 lineage, the base series accounted for 63,094 cars and the R/T for 19,938, so roughly one Challenger in four left the factory as an R/T.1,5,6,7,8,2
Inside the R/T line, the production lists show how few buyers actually ordered from the top of the menu. Scott Ross's production list gives 287 Hemi R/T hardtops, 150 with TorqueFlite and 137 with four-speeds, plus 58 R/T SE Hemi hardtops and nine Hemi R/T convertibles, against 8,939 R/T hardtops with the standard 383 Magnum. The SixPack went into 1,640 R/T hardtops, 296 SE hardtops and 99 convertibles. Several of Ross's printed totals do not equal their own transmission splits, so the numbers are shown as printed. Steve Magnante counts 184 Shaker hoods, a $97.30 option, and sets them against the 76,935 total rather than the larger figure.9,2,10,4
The magazines got their cars in the autumn of 1969, and the tested numbers belong strictly to the tested cars. Car and Driver's R/T SE Hemi with TorqueFlite and a 3.23 axle weighed 3,890 pounds at the curb, reached 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds at 103.2 mph. Its drum brakes needed 294 feet to stop from 80 mph. Motor Trend's pair of test cars held a small irony: its air-conditioned 383 R/T SE automatic needed 7.8 seconds to 60 and 15.7 seconds in the quarter, while a plainer 340 four-speed with a 3.55 axle ran 7.4 seconds and 14.9 seconds.11,12
The most specialized Challenger was built for a racing rulebook. The T/A existed to homologate the car for the SCCA Trans-American sedan series, and Old Cars Weekly reports that Chrysler allowed Dodge to schedule 2,500 of them. Dodge's heritage site counts 2,399 T/As, 989 four-speeds and 1,410 TorqueFlites; Ross prints 2,400 with one more automatic. The street car used a 340 with three two-barrel carburetors, rated 290 horsepower in Dodge's history, a fiberglass scooped hood, side-exit exhausts and E60 front and G60 rear tires. It listed at a reported $4,056, and 124 were painted Panther Pink, according to Old Cars Weekly.13,14,9,1,15,2
Hi-Performance CARS tested a T/A four-speed with a 3.91 Sure-Grip axle in the summer of 1970. The car weighed 3,475 pounds, carried a $4,000 as-tested price and reached 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. Poor weather kept the magazine off the drag strip, so its quarter-mile figures were estimates and do not belong beside measured results. The spec box also records Holley carburetion on an Edelbrock aluminum manifold, 10.50:1 compression and a close-ratio gearbox with Hurst control. The magazine printed horsepower as not available, which leaves Dodge's 290 as the only advertised rating, and a race-car figure is a different matter entirely.16,1
The race program itself ran through Ray Caldwell's Autodynamics organization in Massachusetts, with Sam Posey driving. The official 1970 result sheets show Posey starting all eleven completed rounds; rain had canceled the twelfth date, at Dallas. He finished third at Lime Rock, Road America and Kent, and never won. At Road America on July 19 he followed Swede Savage's Plymouth home, both behind Mark Donohue's Javelin. Across 13 starts the Autodynamics Challengers recorded six finishes and seven retirements. Under the best-nine-results scoring, Dodge ended with 18 net manufacturer points, against Ford's 72 and Plymouth's 15.17,18,19
What followed shows how quickly the moment passed. Dodge's own history says the T/A was dropped for 1971 as the racing involvement ended, although a 1971 Challenger T/A still appeared in Dodge's 1971 Scat Pack advertising, which proves only that it was advertised. The Challenger paced the 1971 Indianapolis 500, and Dodge built 50 Hemi Orange convertible replicas. The first year remained the big one: by Dodge's count, about 188,600 Challengers were sold across five model years, and more than 83,000 of them came in the first. The nine-engine catalog had been a debut, not a habit.1,14
Fact sheet · 1970 · United States
The numbers
1970 Dodge Challenger — Dodge's first pony car arrived as a 1970 model with nine advertised engines, base, SE, R/T, and R/T SE hardtops, two convertibles, and a one-year Trans-Am homologation special, the T/A.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- Dodge's heritage releases say just over 83,000 Challengers were sold for the 1970 model year.1,20
- 2,399 Challenger T/As were produced; Dodge's heritage site splits them as 989 four-speeds and 1,410 TorqueFlite automatics.14,13
- Old Cars Weekly reports that Chrysler allowed Dodge to schedule 2,500 T/As, of which 2,399 were produced.13
- The launch catalog lists nine engines, which Dodge called more than any other model in its line: 225 Six, 318, 340, three 383s, 440 Magnum, 440 SixPack, and 426 Hemi.
- In the 1970 Trans-Am season Sam Posey drove the Autodynamics Challenger in all 11 completed rounds without a win; his best finishes were thirds at Lime Rock, Road America, and Kent, and Dodge ended the season with 18 net manufacturer points.18
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 1970 Challengers (Dodge heritage statement)1,15 not stated Printed as 'just over' / 'more than' 83,000; the exact figure is not given. Treat 83,000 as a floor, not a count. | 83,000 | sold, model-year | Reported |
| All 1970 Challengers, four body rows summed by the source3 base, SE, R/T, R/T SE · hardtop and convertible · not stated Equals the source's base hardtop (59,921), base convertible (3,173), R/T hardtop (18,868), and R/T convertible (1,070) rows. Whether the 2,399 T/As sit inside this figure is not stated. | 83,032 | built, model-year | Reported |
| All 1970 Challengers (period trade tables)5,6,9 not stated in snippet Period trade tables and Ross agree on 83,032. Same figure as the all-except-T/A row above; the T/A question in the conflicts section applies. | 83,032 | built, model-year | Reported |
| All 1970 Challengers (Sessler lineage)7,8 not stated A second book lineage (Sessler, Genat, Mueller's 2004 Essential Muscle Car, Leffingwell, Magnante) repeats 76,935. Its body rows are lower than the 83,032 lineage; a domestic-versus-total scope difference is plausible (Mueller and Glatch label later years' higher figures 'including exports') but is not stated for 1970. | 76,935 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| All 1970 Challengers including T/A (Over-Drive table)2 all incl. T/A · not stated The table adds a separate T/A row (2,399) to 83,032. It conflicts with Dodge's 'just over 83,000' unless the T/A is counted outside Dodge's figure; see conflicts. | 85,431 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger hardtop, six (Sessler)7 Challenger · 2-door hardtop · 6-cyl · not stated | 9,929 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger hardtop, V8 (Sessler)7 Challenger · 2-door hardtop · 8-cyl · not stated | 39,350 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger R/T hardtop, V8 (Sessler)7,4 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 8-cyl · not stated | 13,796 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger SE ('sports hardtop'), six (Sessler)7 Challenger SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 6-cyl · not stated | 350 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger R/T SE ('sports hardtop R/T') (Sessler)7 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 8-cyl · not stated The 83,032 lineage prints 3,979. | 3,753 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger R/T convertible (Sessler lineage)21 R/T · convertible · V8 · not stated The 83,032 lineage prints 1,070. | 963 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger two-door hardtop (base, excluding SE)2 Challenger · 2-door hardtop (JH23) · six and V8 · not stated | 53,337 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger SE hardtop2 Challenger SE · 2-door formal hardtop (JH29) · six and V8 · not stated | 6,584 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger hardtops including SE3 Challenger incl. SE · 2-door hardtop · not stated Equal to 53,337 + 6,584 from the Over-Drive table; the two sites share a lineage and are not independent confirmation. | 59,921 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger convertible2,3 Challenger · convertible (JH27) · six and V8 · not stated | 3,173 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger R/T hardtop (excluding SE)2 R/T · 2-door hardtop (JS23) · V8 · not stated The same site's text prints 14,899; Old Cars Weekly prints 13,796. See conflicts. | 14,889 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger R/T SE hardtop2 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop (JS29) · V8 · not stated | 3,979 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger R/T hardtops including SE3 R/T incl. SE · 2-door hardtop · V8 · not stated | 18,868 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger R/T convertible2,3 R/T · convertible (JS27) · V8 · not stated | 1,070 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 1970 Challenger R/Ts (Sessler lineage)8 R/T incl. SE · hardtop and convertible · V8 · not stated The 83,032 lineage prints 19,938. | 18,512 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger (non-R/T) series total2 Challenger incl. SE · hardtop and convertible · not stated | 63,094 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger R/T series total2 R/T incl. SE · hardtop and convertible · V8 · not stated | 19,938 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger T/A14,13,22,2 T/A · 2-door hardtop · 340 three two-barrel · not stated DodgeGarage words it as 'sold', Schild as 'built'. Scott Ross prints 2,400 (1,411 TorqueFlite, 989 4-speed); see conflicts. No source exposes the underlying Chrysler record. | 2,399 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger T/A (Ross production list)9 T/A · 2-door hardtop · 340 three two-barrel · not stated Differs from the 2,399 / 1,410 figures by one automatic car. | 2,400 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger T/A with four-speed manual14 T/A · 2-door hardtop · 340 three two-barrel · 4-speed manual · not stated 989 and 1,410 are printed together as the split of 2,399. | 989 | sold, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger T/A with TorqueFlite automatic14 T/A · 2-door hardtop · 340 three two-barrel · TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic · not stated | 1,410 | sold, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger T/A in Panther Pink13 T/A · 2-door hardtop · 340 three two-barrel · not stated Single secondary source; denominator is the 2,399 T/A total. | 124 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| R/T hardtop, 426 Hemi9 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 426 Hemi · not stated | 287 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T SE hardtop, 426 Hemi9 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 426 Hemi · not stated The same line's transmission split (37 + 22) totals 59; see conflicts. | 58 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| R/T convertible, 426 Hemi9 R/T · convertible · 426 Hemi · not stated | 9 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T hardtop, 440 Six Pack9 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 440 Six Pack · not stated | 1,640 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T SE hardtop, 440 Six Pack9 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 440 Six Pack · not stated | 296 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T convertible, 440 Six Pack9 R/T · convertible · 440 Six Pack · not stated | 99 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T hardtop, 440 Magnum9 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 440 Magnum 4-bbl · not stated The printed split (1,906 + 916) totals 2,822, not 2,802; see conflicts. | 2,802 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| R/T SE hardtop, 440 Magnum9 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 440 Magnum 4-bbl · not stated | 875 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T convertible, 440 Magnum9 R/T · convertible · 440 Magnum 4-bbl · not stated | 163 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T hardtop, 383 Magnum9 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 383 Magnum 4-bbl · not stated The printed split totals 8,919, not 8,939; see conflicts. | 8,939 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| R/T SE hardtop, 383 Magnum9 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 383 Magnum 4-bbl · not stated | 2,476 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T convertible, 383 Magnum9 R/T · convertible · 383 Magnum 4-bbl · not stated | 684 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Challenger hardtop, 340 4-bbl9 Challenger (non-R/T) · 2-door hardtop · 340 4-bbl · not stated The printed split totals 9,106, not 8,837; see conflicts. Whether SE hardtops are included is not stated in the snippet. | 8,837 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Challenger convertible, 340 4-bbl9 Challenger (non-R/T) · convertible · 340 4-bbl · not stated | 264 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| R/T hardtop, 426 Hemi, TorqueFlite9 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 426 Hemi · TorqueFlite · not stated | 150 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T hardtop, 426 Hemi, 4-speed9 R/T · 2-door hardtop · 426 Hemi · 4-speed manual · not stated | 137 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T SE hardtop, 426 Hemi, TorqueFlite9,23 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 426 Hemi · TorqueFlite · not stated | 37 | built, model-year | Reported |
| R/T SE hardtop, 426 Hemi, 4-speed9,23 R/T SE · 2-door formal hardtop · 426 Hemi · 4-speed manual · not stated | 22 | built, model-year | Reported |
Rows are separately scoped; do not add them. The series totals and grand totals are the sources' own printed figures.
Engine and engine-by-transmission rows come from Scott Ross's 2016 CarTech guide, read through Google Books search snippets (page numbers not displayed). The snippets did not expose base-series six, 318, or 383 two- and four-barrel rows, SE (non-R/T) engine rows, or the 440 and Hemi SE convertible question; those remain unknown, not zero.
Several Ross lines print totals that do not equal their own transmission splits (R/T SE Hemi, R/T 440 Magnum, R/T 383 Magnum, hardtop 340). Values are shown as printed and flagged disputed.
Geography is not stated by any of these sources; US-only versus US-plus-Canada/export scope is unknown.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Challenger hardtop, six2,3 | $2,851 | base price as reported (manufacturer's suggested retail assumed; basis not printed), 1970 model year |
| Challenger hardtop, V82 | $2,953 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger SE hardtop, six2 | $3,083 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger SE hardtop, V82 | $3,185 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger convertible, six2,3 | $3,120 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger convertible, V82 | $3,198 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger R/T hardtop2 | $3,266 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger R/T SE hardtop2 | $3,498 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger R/T convertible2 | $3,535 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
| Challenger T/A hardtop2 | $4,056 | base price as reported, 1970 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 225 Six 1-bbl 225 cu in · 1-barrel | 145 hp @ 4,000, 215 lb-ft @ 2,400 (gross (period advertised; standard not printed in brochure)) | standard, Challenger (non-R/T) | Not yet sourced |
| 318 V8 2-bbl 318 cu in · 2-barrel | 230 hp @ 4,400, 320 lb-ft @ 2,000 (gross (period advertised)) | standard V8, Challenger (non-R/T) | Not yet sourced |
| 340 V8 4-bbl 340 cu in · 4-barrel | 275 hp @ 5,000, 340 lb-ft @ 3,200 (gross (period advertised)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 340 V8 three 2-bbl (T/A)1,16 340 cu in · three 2-barrel (Holley on Edelbrock aluminum manifold per Hi-Performance CARS) | 290 hp (period advertised (standard not stated)) | T/A only | 2,39914 Reported |
| 383 V8 2-bbl 383 cu in · 2-barrel | 290 hp @ 4,400, 390 lb-ft @ 2,800 (gross (period advertised)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 383 V8 4-bbl 383 cu in · 4-barrel | 330 hp @ 5,000, 425 lb-ft @ 3,200 (gross (period advertised)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 383 Magnum V8 4-bbl 383 cu in · 4-barrel | 335 hp @ 5,200, 425 lb-ft @ 3,400 (gross (period advertised)) | standard, R/T | Not yet sourced |
| 440 Magnum V8 4-bbl 440 cu in · 4-barrel | 375 hp @ 4,600, 480 lb-ft @ 3,200 (gross (period advertised)) | optional, R/T | Not yet sourced |
| 440 SixPack V8 440 cu in · three 2-barrel | 390 hp @ 4,700, 490 lb-ft @ 3,200 (gross (period advertised)) | optional, R/T | Not yet sourced |
| 426 Hemi V811 426 cu in · two 4-barrel | 425 hp @ 5,000, 490 lb-ft @ 4,000 (gross (period advertised; Car and Driver prints 'Power (SAE)')) | optional, R/T | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 3-speed manual, floor shift | standard with 225 Six, 318, 340, and 383 4-bbl V8s (brochure); R/T text also describes a full-synchro three-speed with the standard 383 Magnum | Not yet sourced |
| TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic11 | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 4-speed manual16 | optional; T/A test car used a close-ratio four-speed with Hurst control (2.47/1.77/1.34/1.00) | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
440 SixPack V8 (R/T)4 | $249.55 | Not yet sourced |
|
Heavy-duty TorqueFlite automatic (with 440 or Hemi)4 | $227.05 | Not yet sourced |
N96sales code |
Shaker hood10,4 | $97.30 | 18410 Reported |
|
440 Magnum V8 (375 hp)2 | $234 | Not yet sourced |
|
383 V8 2-bbl (290 hp)2 | $70 | Not yet sourced |
|
383 V8 4-bbl (330 hp)2 | $138 | Not yet sourced |
|
Sure-Grip rear axle2 | $42 | Not yet sourced |
|
SE (Special Edition): vinyl roof with smaller rear window, leather-faced bucket seats, overhead consolette with warning lights3 | $232 | 6,5842 Reported |
|
R/T SE package3 | $272 | 3,9792 Reported |
D21sales code |
Close-ratio 4-speed manual with Hurst pistol-grip shifter (T/A standard)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
D32sales code |
727 TorqueFlite automatic, floor or column shift (T/A option)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
D91sales code |
8.25-in Sure-Grip rear axle (T/A)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
D56sales code |
3.55:1 axle ratio (T/A standard)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
D57sales code |
3.91:1 axle ratio (T/A option)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
574sales code |
Fast-ratio 12:1 power steering (T/A option)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
577sales code |
16:1 power steering (T/A option)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
U01sales code |
Goodyear Polyglas GT raised-white-letter tyres, E60 x 15 front / G60 x 15 rear (T/A standard)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
W21sales code |
15 x 7 Rallye wheels (T/A standard)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
W34sales code |
Collapsible spare tyre, F78 x 14 (required on T/A)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
J45sales code |
Hood pins (T/A standard with the fiberglass fresh-air hood)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
J82sales code |
Black ABS rear duck-tail spoiler (T/A standard)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
J78sales code |
Front spoilers, dealer installed (T/A option)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
G34sales code |
Painted remote-control driver's racing mirror (T/A standard)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
A62sales code |
Rallye dash (T/A option)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
A67sales code |
Rear window louvers (available on T/A)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
V1Xsales code |
Black vinyl roof (the only vinyl roof available on T/A)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
N96sales code |
Shaker hood (not available on T/A)2 | — | Not yet sourced |
H51sales code |
Air conditioning (not available on T/A; 'No T/A came with factory air')2 | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
A4 |
Silver2 | Not yet sourced |
B3 |
Light Blue2 | Not yet sourced |
B5 |
Bright Blue2 | Not yet sourced |
B7 |
Dark Blue2 | Not yet sourced |
C7 |
Plum Crazy2 | Not yet sourced |
E5 |
Bright Red2 | Not yet sourced |
F4 |
Light Green2 | Not yet sourced |
F8 |
Dark Green2 | Not yet sourced |
J5 |
Sublime2 | Not yet sourced |
J6 |
Green Go2 | Not yet sourced |
K2 |
Go Mango2 | Not yet sourced |
K5 |
Dark Burnt Orange2 | Not yet sourced |
L1 |
Beige2 | Not yet sourced |
M3 |
Panther Pink2 | Not yet sourced |
T6 |
Dark Tan2 | Not yet sourced |
V2 |
Hemi Orange2 | Not yet sourced |
W1 |
White2 | Not yet sourced |
X9 |
Black2 | Not yet sourced |
Y1 |
Bright Yellow2 | Not yet sourced |
Y3 |
Cream2 | Not yet sourced |
Y4 |
Light Gold2 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
T/A interior colour: Black2 | Not yet sourced |
|
T/A interior colour: White2 | Not yet sourced |
|
T/A interior colour: Green2 | Not yet sourced |
|
T/A interior colour: Blue2 | Not yet sourced |
|
T/A interior colour: Burnt Orange2 | Not yet sourced |
|
T/A interior colour: Red2 | Not yet sourced |
|
T/A cloth houndstooth seat trim2 | Not yet sourced |
|
SE: leather and vinyl bucket seats (with overhead consolette)2 | Not yet sourced |
|
Base Challenger: all-vinyl high-back bucket seats with integrated head rests2 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase2,11 | 110 in | all bodies |
| Overall length2,11 | 191.3 in | all bodies |
| Overall width2 | 76.1 in | all bodies |
| Front track2 | 59.7 in | all bodies |
| Curb weight, R/T SE Hemi automatic test car11 | 3,890 lb | Car and Driver test car only |
| Curb weight, R/T SE 383 automatic test car12 | 3,590 lb | Motor Trend test car only |
Period road tests
| Test | Car tested | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Car and Driver, 1969-11110-60 mph | Challenger R/T SE hardtop, 426 Hemi (425 hp), TorqueFlite, 3.23:1 limited-slip, F60-15 Polyglas, power steering and brakes (drums)86 F, 1-3 mph wind, 43 ft altitude | 5.8 s |
| Car and Driver, 1969-1111standing quarter-mile | Challenger R/T SE hardtop, 426 Hemi (425 hp), TorqueFlite, 3.23:1trap speed 103.2 mph | 14.1 s |
| Car and Driver, 1969-111180-0 mph braking | Challenger R/T SE hardtop, 426 Hemi, TorqueFlite, drum brakes0.72 g | 294 ft |
| Motor Trend, 1969-11120-60 mph | Challenger R/T SE hardtop, 383 4-bbl (335 hp), TorqueFlite, 3.23:1 Sure-Grip, air conditioning and power optionstwo aboard; Lapeer Dragway; transmission shift-gate problems noted | 7.8 s |
| Motor Trend, 1969-1112standing quarter-mile | Challenger R/T SE hardtop, 383 4-bbl (335 hp), TorqueFlite, 3.23:1trap speed 90 mph | 15.7 s |
| Motor Trend, 1969-11120-60 mph | Challenger 340 4-bbl, four-speed manual, 3.55:1, no power options or air conditioning (body/trim not stated)two aboard | 7.4 s |
| Motor Trend, 1969-1112standing quarter-mile | Challenger 340 4-bbl, four-speed manual, 3.55:1trap speed 91 mph | 14.9 s |
| Cars (Hi-Performance CARS), 1970-08160-60 mph | Challenger T/A, 340 three 2-bbl, close-ratio four-speed, 3.91:1 Sure-Grip, 3,475 lbPoor weather prevented drag-strip testing; the magazine's quarter-mile figures were estimates and are not recorded here. | 6.2 s |
A road test result belongs to the one car that was tested, with its engine, gearing, tires, and conditions. It is not a figure for every car of the year.
Identification
- Model numbers
- Production tables list Challenger as JH23 (hardtop), JH29 (SE hardtop), JH27 (convertible) and R/T as JS23, JS29 (SE), JS27 (convertible). The same table prints the T/A as 'SS23', which is unverified and should not be used for identification without a factory source.2
- Catalog form number
- The launch catalog is form 81-205-0050, lithographed 8/69.
Where the sources disagree
R/T hardtop (non-SE) production
Two lineages. The 83,032 lineage prints 14,889 (its own text once says 14,899, a likely slip); the 76,935 lineage (Sessler, repeated by Old Cars Weekly) prints 13,796. Show both with their totals; do not choose.
Total 1970 production
- 83,032 (period trade tables; Ross; Grist; Langworth; Dodge's 'just over 83,000')5,1,9
- 76,935 (Sessler; Genat; Leffingwell; Mueller 2004)7,8
- 85,431 (83,032 plus a separate 2,399 T/A row)2
Lead with 83,032, which period trade publications and Dodge's own releases support, and present 76,935 as a second, internally consistent book lineage whose scope is not stated. For 1971, 1972, and 1974 Mueller and Glatch label the higher lineage's figures as including exports, which suggests but does not prove the same explanation for 1970. Do not add the T/A to either total.
Challenger T/A total and automatic count
Lead with 2,399 as the manufacturer-heritage and majority figure and show Ross's 2,400 beside it; the one-car difference sits in the automatic count. Do not pick a winner until a Chrysler build record is seen.
Ross production lines whose totals do not equal their transmission splits
- R/T SE Hemi 58 vs 37 + 22 = 59; R/T 440 Magnum 2,802 vs 1,906 + 916 = 2,822; R/T 383 Magnum 8,939 vs 6,014 + 2,570 + 335 = 8,919; hardtop 340 8,837 vs 6,933 + 1,830 + 343 = 9,1069
Show the printed totals and splits, flag the internal mismatch, and do not correct either side. The snippet text may carry OCR errors; confirm against the printed page before publication.
426 Hemi option price
Show both. The larger figure may include mandatory companion equipment, but neither source says so; do not reconcile.
Identification
Read a 1970 Dodge VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1970
- AMC AMX The last two-seat AMX: a restyled nose, a 360 base V8 and a 325-hp 390. At 4,116 cars it was the rarest of the three two-seat years.
- AMC Javelin Penske and Donohue brought the Javelin to Trans-Am, and the showroom answered with 2,501 Mark Donohue Javelins and 100 red-white-blue Trans Am Javelins, while total production fell to 28,210.
- AMC Rebel and Rebel Machine AMC's intermediate supercar: a 340-hp 390, four-speed and Hurst shifter in the Rebel hardtop, first in white with red-white-blue stripes. Totals reported for the one-year run range from about 1,200 to 2,326.
- Buick Riviera The 455 (370 hp gross) arrived with a restyle; production fell to about 37,300 with some 3,505 GS cars.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX Buick's GS went to a 455 rated at 510 lb-ft, the Stage 1 option added 10 advertised hp, and a mid-year GSX package was built 678 times in two colors.
- Buick Wildcat The final Wildcat, Custom trim only, with the 370-hp 455; 23,645 built.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The year the Chevelle Super Sport split into RPO Z25 SS 396 and RPO Z15 SS 454, with the LS6 454 rated at 450 gross horsepower.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Last year the source engine table lists the big-block (as 402) in the Nova. Enthusiast-compiled production: 307,280 cars; Super Sport 19,558.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS The Malibu/Custom El Camino could carry either RPO Z25 SS 396 or RPO Z15 SS 454, including the 450 hp LS6; the El Camino share is not separately published.
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS The first Monte Carlo, with the SS 454 as RPO Z20: 3,823 of 145,976 Monte Carlos per Chevrolet-report-derived tables.
- Dodge Charger The last year of the second-generation body: a new full-width grille, three series (Charger, 500, R/T), the 440 Six Pack added to the R/T, and production roughly half of 1969's.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The final Coronet-based R/T and Super Bee: the R/T fell to 2,615 cars, while the Super Bee added a 3-speed manual and kept its Six Pack and Hemi options.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon With the GTS gone, the Swinger 340 was the only performance Dart; it kept front discs, Rallye suspension and a twin-scoop hood and sold about 13,800 beside the new Challenger.
- Ford Fairlane The last Fairlane year: the name survived only on the Fairlane 500 beneath the new Torino, with a mid-year Falcon sharing the body at the bottom of the range.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The Grabber appearance and tire package arrived in mid-1970 on the new two-door Maverick; no Grabber count for 1970 was found.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Torino-based Ranchero GT could take the 429 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet; reference counts give 3,905 GTs, while Barn Finds rounds the GT figure to about 3,600 of 21,640 Rancheros.
- Ford Thunderbird The 429 at 360 hp was the standard and only engine listed in the 1970 catalog.
- Ford Torino A new, longer body on a 117-inch wheelbase; the Torino Cobra became its own model with the 429, offered in 360, 370 (Cobra Jet) and 375 (Super Cobra Jet) horsepower forms.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone A new, longer Montego-based Cyclone in three versions: the 429 Cyclone, the small-block Cyclone GT that outsold both others, and the Ram Air 429 Cobra Jet Cyclone Spoiler.
- Mercury Cougar The last first-generation Cougar moved to the 351 Cleveland, kept the Boss 302 as an Eliminator-only engine, and built 2,268 Eliminators.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The second and last year of the 1969-70 Marauder: production fell to about a third of 1969's, with the X-100 near half of it.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 got a standard 455 rated at 365 hp, the W-30 went to 370 hp, and the small-block W-31 moved to the Cutlass and F-85 coupes.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The E-body redesign split the line into Barracuda, Gran Coupe, and 'Cuda hardtops and convertibles, put every Chrysler performance engine through the 426 Hemi on the order form, and added the one-year AAR 'Cuda for Trans-Am homologation.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 Plymouth's new Valiant-based fastback coupe arrived with a 275 hp 340 performance model priced at $2,547; the Standard Catalog lineage counts 24,817 Duster 340s among 217,192 Dusters.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite Now hardtop-only, the GTX fell to 7,748 cars while its 440 Six Barrel option cost just $119.
- Plymouth Road Runner Production halved from 1969, the 440 Six Barrel became a regular option, and the winged Superbird was built as a Road Runner hardtop to put Plymouth back on NASCAR superspeedways.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A late-arriving, coupe-only second generation: 48,739 Firebirds, 3,196 of them Trans Ams, and 88 Ram Air IVs.
- Pontiac GTO A new Endura nose, a 455 added beside the three 400s, and GTO production falling to 40,149.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The SJ took a 370 hp 455, Hurst built the SSJ, and production fell to 65,750.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The T-37 and GT-37 bring budget performance to the Tempest.