Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a 10-day series featuring cars to be sold September 24-26 during Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas auction.
The Dodge Challenger was produced from 1969-1974 using the Chrysler E platform and sharing components with the Plymouth Barracuda in an effort to rival the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.
Made only for 1970 was the Dodge Challenger T/A racing homologation car. In order to race in the Sports Car Club of America’s Trans American Sedan Championship Trans Am, Dodge built a street version of its race car which it called the Dodge Challenger T/A.
Although the race cars ran a destroked version of the 340, street versions took the 340 and added a trio of two-barrel carburetors atop an aluminum intake manifold, creating the 340 Six Pack. It breathed through a suitcase-sized air scoop molded into the pinned down, hinged matte-black fiberglass hood. Low-restriction dual exhaust ran to the stock mufflers.
The T/A was one of the first U.S. muscle cars to fit different size tires front and rear: E60x15 Goodyear Polyglas in the front, and G60x15 on the rear axle. A modified chamber elevated the tail enough to clear the rear tires and its side-exhaust outlets.
The Challenger T/A scored a few top-three finishes in the SCCAA races, but lack of a development budget led Dodge to leave the series at season’s end. The street version suffered from severe understeer in fast corners, largely due to the smaller front tires. Only 2,399 T/As were made.
This 1970 Dodge Challenger Trans Am is an original car with the exception of a repaint finished in Banana over the original black interior. This rare Trans Am Challenger was a one-year-only option in 1970 and features a matching-numbers 340 V8 Six Pack and matching-numbers heavy-duty TorqueFlite automatic transmission.
Other options decoded from the Fender Tag include AM radio, black Trans Am stripes, 26-inch radiator, hood pins with lanyards, sport hood, rear Trans Am spoiler, roof drip-rail moldings, side-exit exhaust, fresh-air hood scoop, full vinyl roof, Trans Am package, power brakes, center console, bucket seats and painted race side mirrors.
The original broadcast sheet will be included with the sale of the car.
The 8th Annual Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction will be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, September 24-26. For more information on becoming a bidder, including absentee bidding, follow the link to www.barrett-jackson.com/bid, or call 480-421-6694.
had one with white interior from Mr norms ran 14.07 98mph