Photo: jeff_mopar/eBay
When Chrysler developed the E-body platform for the 1970 model year, Plymouth chose to use it for the third-generation Barracuda. The nameplate had previously employed the A-body underpinning. Dodge, however, opted to keep the Dart on the compact platform and introduced a brand-new vehicle on the E-body chassis. The Challenger was born.
The last iconic car launched during the golden muscle car era, the Challenger lost its high-compression big-block V8 privileges after only two years. But those were enough for the nameplate to become an iconic vehicle on the classic car market. The HEMI version is arguably the rarest, most desirable, and most expensive iteration, but the Challenger lineup includes a few other gems. The T/A is one of them.
Although it's not a Dodge we usually associate with racing, the first-generation Challenger hit the SCCA race tracks in 1970. The nameplate actually marked the company's return to Trans-Am after a two-year hiatus.
Dodge joined the series in 1966 with a race-spec version of the Dart. The company proved too slow for the Ford Mustang. The 1967 season didn't improve, as the Dart scored just one win. Dodge did not return in 1968 and 1969, leaving Chevrolet and Ford to dominate the "over 2.0-liter class." When the Challenger appeared on the drawing board in 1969, Dodge saw an opportunity to make a comeback.
The T/A hit the track with a 304-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) V8, which was actually a 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) powerplant destroked by Keith Black. The engine proved troublesome, and the T/A failed to win a single race. Dodge finished fourth in the standings, with only Plymouth (and its similar AAR 'Cuda) below.
Even though the T/A had a disastrous Trans-Am campaign, it spawned one of the rarest and coolest street-legal Challengers. Due to regulations that required a certain number of cars to be sold to the public for homologation, Dodge put together a "civilian" T/A. It hit showrooms with a unique stripe package, a suitcase-sized air scoop, a matte-black fiberglass hood, and side-exiting exhaust pipes.
Unlike the race car, the production Challenger T/A got the regular 340 V8. However, Dodge dropped a Six-Pack carburetor setup on top, which increased output by 15 horsepower. The T/A hit the pavement with 290 horses, an output that aligned with rivaling homologation specials like the Chevy Camaro Z/28 and Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Dodge built 2,399 units, which accounts for only 3.1% of the total production run in 1970. The T/A was discontinued at the end of 1970, so it soldiered on as a one-year gem. How many of them are still around? Well, that number is a mystery, but the T/A seems to enjoy a surprisingly high survival rate compared to other versions.
Most examples are now paraded as fully restored classics. But amazingly enough, some live as unrestored and highly original survivors. This black-striped yellow example is one of those cars.
Still sporting the original Top Banana paint, this T/A shows some wear and tear inside and out, but it's in fantastic condition for a vehicle that remained unaltered for more than 50 years. The 72,000-mile (115,873-km) reading on the odometer strongly hints that the Mopar spent much time in storage.
However, this T/A hides one secret that prevents it from being a fully-fledged survivor. The 340-cubic-inch V8 has been fully rebuilt. Also bored .030 over, the mill now packs recondition rods, forged pistons, and a Racer Brown six-pack cam. The 727 automatic gearbox, which makes this T/A one of 1,410 built with this drivetrain configuration, was also rebuilt.
While diehard enthusiasts may refrain from calling this Challenger a survivor, I think the rebuilt engine is not a big deal. And based on the $58,050 high bid topping the eBay auction as of this writing, it seems many Mopar gearheads agree. The auction is far from over, though. The reserve is still in place, and bidding is allowed until June 12. How much is this T/A worth to you?
Although it's not a Dodge we usually associate with racing, the first-generation Challenger hit the SCCA race tracks in 1970. The nameplate actually marked the company's return to Trans-Am after a two-year hiatus.
Dodge joined the series in 1966 with a race-spec version of the Dart. The company proved too slow for the Ford Mustang. The 1967 season didn't improve, as the Dart scored just one win. Dodge did not return in 1968 and 1969, leaving Chevrolet and Ford to dominate the "over 2.0-liter class." When the Challenger appeared on the drawing board in 1969, Dodge saw an opportunity to make a comeback.
The T/A hit the track with a 304-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) V8, which was actually a 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) powerplant destroked by Keith Black. The engine proved troublesome, and the T/A failed to win a single race. Dodge finished fourth in the standings, with only Plymouth (and its similar AAR 'Cuda) below.
Even though the T/A had a disastrous Trans-Am campaign, it spawned one of the rarest and coolest street-legal Challengers. Due to regulations that required a certain number of cars to be sold to the public for homologation, Dodge put together a "civilian" T/A. It hit showrooms with a unique stripe package, a suitcase-sized air scoop, a matte-black fiberglass hood, and side-exiting exhaust pipes.
Unlike the race car, the production Challenger T/A got the regular 340 V8. However, Dodge dropped a Six-Pack carburetor setup on top, which increased output by 15 horsepower. The T/A hit the pavement with 290 horses, an output that aligned with rivaling homologation specials like the Chevy Camaro Z/28 and Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Dodge built 2,399 units, which accounts for only 3.1% of the total production run in 1970. The T/A was discontinued at the end of 1970, so it soldiered on as a one-year gem. How many of them are still around? Well, that number is a mystery, but the T/A seems to enjoy a surprisingly high survival rate compared to other versions.
Most examples are now paraded as fully restored classics. But amazingly enough, some live as unrestored and highly original survivors. This black-striped yellow example is one of those cars.
Still sporting the original Top Banana paint, this T/A shows some wear and tear inside and out, but it's in fantastic condition for a vehicle that remained unaltered for more than 50 years. The 72,000-mile (115,873-km) reading on the odometer strongly hints that the Mopar spent much time in storage.
However, this T/A hides one secret that prevents it from being a fully-fledged survivor. The 340-cubic-inch V8 has been fully rebuilt. Also bored .030 over, the mill now packs recondition rods, forged pistons, and a Racer Brown six-pack cam. The 727 automatic gearbox, which makes this T/A one of 1,410 built with this drivetrain configuration, was also rebuilt.
While diehard enthusiasts may refrain from calling this Challenger a survivor, I think the rebuilt engine is not a big deal. And based on the $58,050 high bid topping the eBay auction as of this writing, it seems many Mopar gearheads agree. The auction is far from over, though. The reserve is still in place, and bidding is allowed until June 12. How much is this T/A worth to you?
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