WTB Looking for JS23NOB440736

[472HEMI]

Contact Seller
Wanted to find JS23NOB440736. It's a '70 Challenger R/T I bought new at Sharpstown Dodge in Houston on 10/24/70. Blue/Blue bucket seat, column automatic, A/C, AM radio. Last know in Texas. I'd like to see us re-united...

 

[340challconvert]

Wow, it looks like you found your old RT Challenger!

 

[moparlee]

Did you really find it already, or was that a mistake? When you originally bought the car, it must have been the last one on the lot.

 

[472HEMI]

Did you really find it already, or was that a mistake? When you originally bought the car, it must have been the last one on the lot.

I actually had a typo in the VIN on the original post (D vs B) and couldn't correct it so I closed it and reopened a corrected one. Yes, bought in late November 1970 where the 71's were offered on Sept 1. I've still got multiple documentation documenting the VIN number.

 

[472HEMI]

Not the last Challenger on the lot. They had 3 HEMI challengers at that time. I was 17 and bought the car for college. Would have loved to had one of the HEMI cars but.... One of the cars was an FM3 color. I know the experts say a HEMI Challenger FM3 didn't exist but I sat in it and started it up (dealer would not let me drive) on November 24, 1970.

 

[moparlee]

Hope you find it, that would be awesome. I was able to find my original 71 Challenger R/T 383 4 spd. Ordered it new in October 1970, sold it in 1978, found it in 1989 and restored it back to original. So it does happen. Good luck!

 

[jeff968]

pretty cool you guys. I purchased my first challenger in 1978. I was 16 and it was an old used car at that point. By 1978 all we had was crap in the dealer showrooms and it would be that way for the next 15 years. I remember going to look at new Trans Ams in 1979. They looked great but 150hp!!! Slugs. You guys were lucky to come up in 1970.

With that VIN your car was super late in the model year. Definitely a July 1970 build and one of the last 70s.

 

[472HEMI]

Still looking for JS23N0B440736. A few leads like sold at Kruse auction in San Antonio in 2009. Trail is cold.

 

[472HEMI]

Found it after 37 years! What are the odds it survived and then being able to find/buy it back. I'm happy...

 

[340challconvert]

Wow, you found and bought back your old RT Challenger!
Congrats

 

[moparlee]

Holy mackerel and it's restored! Congrats to you! Tell us the story on how you tracked it down. Man that is a beautiful looking Challenger.

 

[472HEMI]

Been searching since 1995 but really no leads until recently when I googled the VIN. Sure I got some feedback that my car was seen in xyz. I once found where it had a Texas state inspection back about 1997 but the trail ran cold.

Earlier this year I again set out on a campaign to attempt to find it. The google search yielded results of a Dan Kruse auction selling this car at auction in 2009. The write up included VIN decoding by Galen. Sooooo, I contacted Kruse auctions and GTS. Diane at GTS was very helpful but could only put me in touch with the folks that did the VIN work. From there I found Mopars of Texas (Jim Donahue) restored it in 2009 and took it to the auction. He didn't know the buyer so back to Dan Kruse. Repeated telephone calls and emails only got a cursory response. Too busy to look, at an auction, gotta get the buyers permission, etc. I even offered them the 4% sellers feed if I was successful based on their help. 2 days after I found the car DK auctions indicated they emailed the buyer to get permission for contact (about 2 months worth of work. I found the owner thru the Texas DMV database and made contact thru Linkedin. I had to convince he and the wife that I truly was the original owner. Did so and bought it back. I'm happy

 

[DANSTERZ]

That is an awesome story with a great end result! Enjoy that bad boy!

 

[472HEMI]

Thanks! What are the odds it survived 37 years and I could find it AND buy it back????