Few numerical combinations in American automotive history trigger immediate salivation quite like 1970, Dodge Challenger, R/T, Convertible, and Hemi. If you managed to check every single one of those boxes back in the day, congratulations: you were one of just nine lucky humans on earth.
Out of a staggering 76,935 Challengers that rolled off the assembly line for the 1970 model year, the performance-minded R/T package accounted for 18,512 orders. Most buyers predictably opted for the hardtop (13,796 orders) or the plush S/E trim (3,753 orders), leaving drop-tops as a statistical rarity regardless of what lurked beneath the hood.
A closer look at the convertible engine breakdown reveals that 692 buyers took home the standard 383, 163 chose the optional 440, and a mere 99 sprang for the infamous 440 Six Pack. The holy grail, however, remained the legendary 426 Hemi, ordered by a microscopic nine buyers. Which brings us directly to the gorgeous muscle car currently parked in Auburn, Washington, sitting on the auction block with a starting bid of $75,000 and an undisclosed reserve.
This car is living a glorious, unapologetic lie. It was not born with that legendary big-block monster under the hood. It actually left the factory powered by a modest 383 V8. But somewhere during its life, a previous owner decided that strict factory authenticity was severely overrated, installing the pinnacle of Mopar power alongside a factory shaker hood.
Purists might clutch their pearl necklaces and cry foul over non-matching numbers, but let’s be entirely honest: nobody in their right mind turns down a Hemi. Besides, the execution here is practically flawless. The car retains its original sheet metal, and rust is completely absent. The seller even notes that the undercarriage looks every bit as clean as the top side.
Complete with a clean title and ready to drive anywhere, this build bridges the gap between unattainable million-dollar unicorns and real-world muscle car dreams. Sure, it’s a clone, but when a fake roars and looks this good, purism feels like a boring handicap.
