1970 Challenger R/T 340 4bbl

[Shifty556]

Hey all, this is my first post so I hope to make it a good and basically beg you all for info!

3 weeks ago I put my '95 Viper in a tree. They valued the car at $850 after the wreck, and I bought the wreck back to sell for $7000. Just an hour from me is the 1970 Challenger in question, and the owner wants $11k for it.

The interior (I do not have great pictures of it) is incredible. The reason this car caught my eye is that I've always been turned off by the need to do interior work. I am ok with a cut-off wheel and a MIG, and I can do body work and paint to an acceptable level (little to no orange peel). The guy is including skins for the rear quarters, basically the lower halve of the quarters that I will weld on in place of the old ones. I may pay to have someone do that.

So...check out the pics and let me know if this is worth it. For $11k, when I can do the paint and body work, maybe even a good bit of sheetmetal work...this is one of the better starting points I've seen. End goal is a 440 supercharged Vanishing Point Challenger (gee, real original, I know!). Thanks to anyone that can offer me any advice!

 

[Shifty556]

Pics to come

 

[DetMatt1]

What are the first 7 digits of the vin? Is there a fender tag with the car? The general condition of it is one thing and if it were originally a 318 car with a Rallye hood added and some R/T badges, I'd say the price is high for the amount of rust. If its a numbers matching 340 car, it is still not an R/T but could be worth that kind of money. If its an original R/T that someone put a 340 in at some point it could also be worth that kind of money. You need to know more details about what it really is before an accurate value could be placed on it.

 

[DetMatt1]

Under hood should be body color, the heater core is bypassed and the engine was obviously painted poorly. Looks like a potentially sweet Charger in the garage too. Just some observations....

welcome to the site from the Motor City, btw.

 

[Shifty556]

Fair enough. So, worst-case scenario, a 318 car with a hood added and R/T badges, what are we talking?

I took a picture of the plate with the VIN but it turned out like crap, almost pitch black. The guy will text me the VIN today. I do not believe it's a numbers matching car...as the seller never made a big deal about it and usually that's quite a selling point. Guy also has a 68 Charger, 440, that was beautiful. Bit outta my price range....

 

[Shifty556]

Under hood should be body color, the heater core is bypassed and the engine was obviously painted poorly. Looks like a potentially sweet Charger in the garage too. Just some observations....

welcome to the site from the Motor City, btw.

The repaint was HORRIBLE. Thankfully I'm a good shot with a paint gun. I would paint the engine bay. The owner said that, because it's a 340, it should be blue and not orange. He freely admitted that the idiot before him painted the engine and car poorly. Not a big deal to me, any Challenger I choose to restore will be re-painted.

 

[Shifty556]

Also, what am I looking at for a "good enough" restoration. I don't want to put 25k into it. I could see 15k+ over the life of the car, considering I am capable of a lot of the labor. It'll never be a super-duper show car, it's just for my own enjoyment, and I can deal with quite a bit. A straight body and a 440 I build over time, rack and pinion, yada yada, would suit me fine.

 

[Shifty556]

JH23GOB193535

Looks like it was never an R/T

:/

Any idea of how much more I should talk him down?

 

[DetMatt1]

Yep, 318 car, bummer! A 340 in a Challenger would have been orange in 1970. How are the floors and framerails? A rusty 318 Challenger that needs a total exterior resto I would say you shouldn't pay more then 6 to 8K. I would seriously consider using the 340 if I were you, it's a great engine for an E-body, that is if you can make a deal on it.

 

[Shifty556]

Yep, 318 car, bummer! A 340 in a Challenger would have been orange in 1970. How are the floors and framerails? A rusty 318 Challenger that needs a total exterior resto I would say you shouldn't pay more then 6 to 8K. I would seriously consider using the 340 if I were you, it's a great engine for an E-body, that is if you can make a deal on it.

Even for a car that needs zero interior work?

I'll present this info to the guy and see how far he will come down.

 

[DetMatt1]

If the interior is that nice then maybe, if you like it enough you could go up to 9K but only if the underside is solid. I see it has power windows. Is it a console auto? Does it have standard or Rallye gauges?

 

[Shifty556]

 

[Shifty556]

Underside seemed solid...I mean its rusty down there, but it's gonna be...I dunno much about that's sorta thing.

It'll never see rain/snow again, if that matters. But rust doesn't sleep

 

[DetMatt1]

Nicely appointed car, no fender tag or build sheet? I see the Rallye cluster, rear defogger, tape player with microphone. Very interesting. Take an ice pick along with you to see if you can poke through the rails and torsion bar crossmember towards the ends.

 

[Shifty556]

Well, I already checked out the car...and two guys showed up to look at it while I was there. I put down a $250 deposit just in case.

I know this is not the best reason to buy something, but if I buy within 30 days of my Viper insurance claim, then my insurance pays tax title and license...so that's a factor too.

I can check the frame just prior to paying.

 

[RUNCHARGER]

That car is a mess. No way it's worth 10ish. $6k tops because it has the rallye gauges, a decent interior and a scooped hood. Expect junk floors and bad rails on this one.

Sheldon

 

[challenger6pak]

Good chance of ending upside down in this car value wise. You can buy a real R/T that is in the same condition for $10,000 - 15,000 and it will be worth the work to redo.

 

[Bill]

This may or may not help.

http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/4157053462.html

 

[Shifty556]

Good chance of ending upside down in this car value wise. You can buy a real R/T that is in the same condition for $10,000 - 15,000 and it will be worth the work to redo.

If it helps, this isn't a money making venture, haha, I just want to build a cool car. Believe it or not, having to track down interior parts is more daunting to me than dealing with rust.

I wouldn't be averse to getting a roller, the extra cash saved could land me a brand new motor, or an entire interior, etc.

I'd like more pics of that NH roller car, perhaps I will call the guy.

 

[Shifty556]

Side note...if I wanted to offer to buy the interior from this car, what would a fair offer be?