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Vehicle Description
West Coast Classics are proud to present a rare and no expense
spared frame off restored example of this 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
Hemi Convertible clone with a date correct crate 528c.i. 600+HP
8.6L V8 Hemi Mopar engine matched to an automatic 'Torqueflite'
Hemi transmission with Posi rear end. This particular car was born
with a 318 V8 engine but now boasts a crate 528 Hemi V8 engine with
the date correct 2468330 casting number engine from 1964-71 and a
2881489 original 8 3/4 Mopar 489 Posi 'Sure Grip' rear end. The 426
RB block was introduced to power the big and heavy Chrysler, Dodge
and Plymouth intermediates and full size cars in 1964. This street
Hemi engine was the ultimate big block after the 375HP 440 cid V8.
Chrysler was heavily involved with racing at the time and the Max
Wedge engines were doing well on the drag strip but they were not
as competitive on the NASCAR circuits. The Wedge just could not
breathe as well as their competitors and Chrysler knew that the
reintroduced hemispherical combustion chamber cylinder heads for
use on the 426 cid RB blocks was the best design for producing the
most power. Rather than build a completely new engine from the
ground up Chrysler chose to fabricate hemi cylinder heads and use
them on their existing RB engine block. The result was the 426 Hemi
from which Chrysler built a great variety of hemi-head engines
starting in 1964-65.The drag race hemi engines were different from
the circle track engines with each using different intake setups,
internal components and with different displacements. The drag
engines were offered in 415 amp; 426 HP versions whilst the circle
track engine was rated at 400 HP with a single 4BBL carburetor.
Chrysler first used the engine in the most prestigious NASCAR race
of all - the Daytona 500. Hemi powered Plymouths took the first 3
positions in the 1964 race and although Ford won 30 races that year
compared to Chrysler's 26, it was obvious that Ford's 427 Wedge
days were numbered which resulted in Ford building its own hemi
engine, the 427 SOHC.It should be pointed out that the 426 Hemi and
other engines used in sanctioned racing were special, low
production engines that were never really intended for use on any
street vehicle. Indeed the engines were only produced for street
cars after NASCAR ruled that if either Chrysler or Ford wanted to
race their complex and expensive hemi-head engines then they would
have to build a certain amount of street cars with these motors and
sell them first to the public. Ford famously declined but Chrysler
went ahead and so the legendary 426 street Hemi was born in 1966.
Ford eventually did build its own street hemi, the Boss 429, but
not until 1969.This particular car is the recipient of a full frame
off restoration with no expense spared and boasts a crate 528c.i.
610HP 8.6L V8 Hemi engine matched to an automatic 'Torqueflite'
Hemi transmission and Posi-traction rear end. The car looks very
impressive with the desirable 'Shaker Hood' and in it's striking
'Blue' color with a 'White' interior and matching 'White' power
soft top. The car was born as a 1970 Challenger Convertible with a
318 V8 engine in 'Bright Red' with High Trim Grade with Bucket
seats, full door panels, a 'White' top, 'Light Package'; amp; the
'Basic Group' which includes Power steering, left remote mirror, AM
'Music Master' radio, 3 spd wipers; Center console with woodgrain,
chrome driver side adjustable racing mirror amp; Power convertible
top.The car now has a crate top-of-the-line 528c.i 610Hp 8.6L V8
Hemi engine with the following specs:Heavy-duty Siamesed Bore Cast
Iron Block with cross-bolted mainsAluminum Cylinder HeadsBlack Cast
Aluminum Valve CoversBreathersStainless Steel 2.25" Intake Valves
and 1.94" Exhaust ValvesHeavy-Duty Single Valve SpringsPremium
Material Valve Stem Seals292 Hydraulic Camshaft - 0.524"/0.543"
liftForged Pistons - 4.50" bore, 10.25:1 compression ratioAluminum
Dual Plane M1? 4-bbl Intake ManifoldForged Steel Crankshaft - 4.15"
strokePrecision Double Roller Timing Chain and SprocketsChrome
Front Cover6-quart Rear Sump Oil Pan (1970-71 B- and E-body
style)Spark Plug WiresHigh-Performance Electronic Distributor The
car has been restored with great attention to detail as an original
1970 Challenger R/T Hemi Convertible with the crate 528 Hemi V8
engine being ridiculously powerful and strong with few miles since
the build and with the functional shaker hood. This particular car
drives like a dream, the transmission shifts smooth and the engine
temperature always runs cool. This is one very rare and highly
desirable fully frame off restored example of one of the most
iconic, desirable and outstanding muscle cars of all time, the 1970
Dodge 'Hemi Challenger' R/T Convertible which along with it's close
cousin the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda 'Hemi Cuda' Convertible, have
the highest repute amongst collectors for both their beautiful
lines and simplicity and unsurpassed high performance at the
pinnacle of their development in 1970/71 and most especially their
rarity!In 1968 the entire Chrysler B-body lineup was redesigned and
the Dodge Charger was further differentiated from the Dodge Coronet
models. A new high-performance package was added, the R/T which
stood for 'Road/Track' and which came standard with the previous
year's 440 'Magnum' with the 426 Hemi optional. The Chrysler
Corporation began an ad campaign featuring a cartoon bee with an
engine on its back promoting models called the "Scat Pack". The
Coronet R/T, Super Bee, Dart GTS, and Charger R/T received
bumble-bee stripes (of two thin stripes framing two thick ones).
The 1968-70 Dodge Charger was, and still is, a styling sensation
when introduced in 1968. The R/T was the extreme sporting model
identified by it's designated XS29 VIN and 'Scat Pack' bumbleebee
striped tail and was comprehensively equipped for grand touring
American style including the competition style gas filler gap. The
Hemi version cost $604.75 in 1968 dollars which might explain why
only 475 such cars were ever sold with only 211 boasting the 4
speed manual transmission (which was a no cost option!). With these
cars Detroit achieved a rare combination of classic lines,
outstanding performance, and better than average quality control.
Unfortunately styling along with performance deteriorated after
1970 and although the name continued through the '70's it was never
to achieve the cult status and collectible desirability of this
1968-70 generation.The Dodge Challenger coupe debuted in 1970 as a
near cousin to Plymouth's third generation Barracuda apart from
outer body panels and a 2" longer wheelbase. Too late to do Dodge
much good in a declining pony car market with a rapid sale decline
in the this very first year leaving some now very rare and
collectible low volume R/T and even sportier T/A offshoots built in
1970 only and created for SCCA Trans Am racing and roughly
equivalent to the AAR 'All American Racing Team' of Dan Gurney
'Cuda. Even rarer and more exclusive and now extremely collectible
was the Dodge Challenger Convertible which when it came along with
it's close cousin the 'Cuda could eventually claim to have the
highest of collector status when in it's ultimate incarnation and
optioned with the Hemi engine! Only 3,173 1970 Dodge Challenger
Convertibles were ever built of which this R/T Replica is one, with
only 1,070 actual R/T Convertibles actually built and with only 9
actual factory R/T Hemi's built which today, at the peak of the
market, could expect to bring well over $1M. The Hemi 'Cuda
Convertible was the first muscle car to break the $1M mark in 2002
and recent sales had topped over $4M for the last year of
production in 1971.As a result, some of the most desirab...for more
information please contact the seller.
