Frame Up Built Charger R/T 426 HEMI Dual Quad 4 Speed

In the hands of restorers, classic cars have a tendency to become something greater than they started out as. This 1970 Dodge Charger definitely falls under that category. It left the St. Louis assembly plant in October of '69 sporting a 318cid V8, automatic transmission, Light Gold Metallic paint and a black vinyl top. It was a car well suited to daily driving but the 230 horsepower mill certainly wasn't going to earn any drag strip cred. Fresh out of an extensive restoration, this car now features a 426 Hemi, A833 four-speed, Dana 60 rear and High Impact paint. In March of this year, we sold this similarly equipped numbers matching “'70 Charger R/T”:http://rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/top_sales#!/1970-Dodge-Charger-R-T/132890 for $290,000. Want a similar spec page for a third of the price? Give this '70 Charger a closer look.

Before we get into the specifics, here's the decoded fender tag for those of you with questions about the car's former life:
From bottom to top, left to right:

E44: 318cid V8 with 2-barrel carb
D31: 904 automatic transmission
XP29: Charger 500
GOG: 318cid V8, 1970 model, built at the St. Louis manufacturing facility
146179: Build sequence number
FY4: Light Gold Metallic exterior
C5XA: Charcoal and Black cloth buckets
TX9: Black upper door frame paint
A20: Scheduled built date of October, 20th 1969
008822: Order number
V1X: Black vinyl top
A04: Radio Group package
B51: Power brakes
C21: Center armrest/buddy seat
C55: Bucket seats
G33: Left hand remote mirror
H51: Air conditioning
J25: 3-speed wipers
M21: Drip rail molding
M25: Body sill molding
M31: Body belt molding
R11: Music Master 2 watt AM radio
26: 26” radiator
END: End of sequence

The second generation Charger is arguably the greatest designs of the muscle are era. With its sawed off nose, raked C-pillar and bulged fenders, the shape is aggressive regardless of the trim level. In full R/T regalia, it looks like a car capable of devouring lesser vehicles whole. This Charger looks especially good thanks to its expertly massaged body panels. Every piece is laser straight with even panel fitment as Chrysler Corporation designers likely intended. Sprayed with a smooth even coat of Hemi Orange, this car doesn't have a bad angle. It's eye catching and aggressive just as you'd expect a Hemi car to be.

Up front, electrically operated hideaway headlights in a full-length black grille are framed by a large wraparound chrome bumper. Above that grille, the hood features twin scallops painted black with Hemi callouts facing outward. At the sides, R/T scoops add some period-correct visual flair. Above them, all brightwork appears in good condition as does the vintage glass. Out back, a black bumblebee stripe wraps around the tail end reintroducing the black from the hood. The classic black taillight panel parallels the look of the front grille. When you see a modern Charger with its LED taillights, this is the shape it's imitating (though the original looks a little more sinister). Below the taillights, a full-width chrome bumper tucked close to the body sits just above the rectangular exhaust tips.

Like the hood callouts say, there's a 426 Hemi living in the K-frame. This one is a crate motor from Mopar Performance. While it may not have been installed in St. Louis, it would take most car show attendees considerable time to notice the difference. Up top, a correctly decaled Hemi orange open element air cleaner conceals twin Edelbrock Performer Series 600cfm carburetors mounted to an Mopar Performance aluminum intake. At the sides, cast iron Hemi heads with stainless steel valves are hidden under chrome valve covers and breathers. The block itself is a cast iron piece with cross-bolted mains, a forged steel crank, forged aluminum pistons and a hydraulic flat tappet cam. Naturally it's been painted Hemi Orange. Mopar Performance rates the package at 465 horsepower and 485 ft. lbs. of torque – a significant step up from their late-60s siblings. Despite the upgraded power, the sound is pure Hemi thanks to factory manifolds breathing through a factory-style exhaust. The bay has been dressed to factory standards with a correct 26-inch radiator, Group 24 battery and period-correct decals.

Peek underneath and you'll find a nicely detailed undercarriage with solid floors painted body color. Nestled in the center of those floor pans is a A833 four-speed manual transmission that channels power to a rock solid Dana 60 rear end. Suspension has been kept within factory limits with a torsion bar configuration up front and leaf springs out back. When it comes time to stop, manual drum brakes offer an authentic driving experience. The steering is also manual but the ratio is easily manageable. At the corners, a set of 15” x 7” Magnum 500 wheels are wrapped in BF Goodrich Silvertown red line radials.

Chrysler interiors of this period are always a high point and this one is no exception. Open the doors and you'll be greeted by a fully restored black vinyl interior. Everything from the headliner to the carpeting has been reset to showroom condition. From the driver's re-covered black bucket seat, a three-spoke rim blow steering wheel sits in from of the factory fresh dashboard. From left to right, controls for the lights sit next to the dimmer for the dash lights. A Tic-Toc-Tach sits to the left of the speedometer and odometer which was reset after the restoration and shows a mere 17 miles. Small gauges keep tabs on fuel levels, temperature, oil pressure and generator output while the wiper controls sit just below. In the center of the dash, the original R11 Music Master AM radio still pulls in signal loud and clear with controls for the heater and defroster hanging just above. Between the bucket seats, a console covered in wood applique offers storage space while housing the authentic pistol grip shifter. Unlike many interiors of this era, this one is comfortable even by modern standards.

Documentation for this Charger includes a large stack of receipts for the work performed during the course of the restoration. There are also assorted pages of information for various components installed such as the Mancini Racing intake manifold and carb setup.

With High Impact paint, a 426 Hemi and an aggressive demeanor, this Charger looks and feels right in every way. If you're ready to hit the strip in one of the toughest cars of the era, don't miss your chance to claim this 1970 Charger!