1970 Dodge Challenger T/A Tribute

Description

If your tastes run towards muscle that can handle, then you can't overlook the Challenger T/A. Born of the same Trans-Am racing series that created the Boss 302 and Z28, the T/A was Dodge's entry, capable of ferocious speeds, both on the straights and in the twisties. This stunning Hemi Orange T/A tribute certainly looks authentic for a fraction of the cost, and packs a serious 408-cubic inch punch.

A high-visibility car like the Challenger T/A means you have some pretty serious hardware underneath, because there's no way you're going to sneak around unnoticed in this one. Complete with the blacked-out hood with that giant snorkel, side exhaust, and a wicked ducktail spoiler, there's little doubt that this looks the part of a race car. Beautifully finished with exceptional attention to detail, this Challenger certainly nails the Chrysler hi-po look and gets all the little stuff right. Correct black T/A stripes were applied along the flanks, along with the requisite '340 Six Pack' decal on the front fender, just in case the bright paint wasn't enough advertising. Other correct details include the racing style flip-up gas cap, sport mirrors, and a T/A badge on the rear spoiler. Chrome bumpers have been expertly refinished, and the black vinyl top prevents it from being too much orange, tying in nicely with the blacked out hood (which cost $1500, by the way). Refinished by the guys at the Muscle Rod Shop in Texas, it gets everything right and lets the hardware do the talking.

The black bucket seat interior is the right choice with Hemi Orange, giving it a purposeful, all-business look that seems appropriate given the car's racetrack credentials. There's a console surrounding the 4-speed manual transmission, which is complete with pistol-grip shifter, and the three-spoke steering wheel is slightly smaller in diameter and a little fatter than the original, but I don't think anybody will complain. There are correct seat covers, door panels, and fresh carpets, and of course no T/A would be complete without rally gauges and a factory tach. In fact, everything works in this car except the original radio, which you won't miss anyway, and A/C is included, a feature on the original T/A's options list. The trunk is shockingly clean, needing nothing more than a reproduction mat to be complete.

The original 340 was certainly potent, but this one now boasts 408 cubic inches thanks to a stroker crank and a slight overbore. Topped by a correct Six Pack induction setup with three Holley 2-barrel carbs on an Edelbrock intake, it still snarls like a high-strung small block but makes torque like a big block. With that giant air cleaner (fully functional), you don't even notice the modern A/C compressor underneath, but beyond that little detail, the rest of the engine compartment is pretty correct. There's an aluminum radiator to keep things cool and long-tube headers feeding a correct side exhaust system with polished trumpet tips just ahead of the rear wheels, one of the T/A's defining features and it sounds AWESOME. The 4-speed snaps through the gears and spins an 8.75-inch rear end, which is as fresh as everything else under the car, a testament to the thoroughness of the restoration. Classic Rallye wheels wearing fat 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials (how appropriate) complete the look.

When I was building race cars, we had a saying: I can get my small block around the track faster than your big block, and nowhere is that more true than with this Challenger T/A. Call today!