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Pony car

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 Hemi

Pony car powered by Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8.

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 Hemi in Sublime; Commons caption identifies the car as a 426 Hemi example.
Powertrain 426 Street Hemi V8, 425 gross horsepower
Make/model Dodge Challenger R/T
Engine 426 cu in Hemi V-8
Build pathway Factory production

Story

Why it matters

Dodge launched the Challenger for 1970 as its E-body pony car, and the R/T trim was the performance version buyers looked for when they wanted big-block power. Ordered with the 426 Hemi V8, it became one of the highest-profile factory Dodge muscle cars of the era: dual four-barrels, 425 gross horsepower, heavy-duty driveline expectations, and the R/T look wrapped around the new Challenger body.

The clean identity for this page is a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T equipped with the Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8. The public target does not specify hardtop versus convertible, so this page treats body style as a detail that must be proven from VIN, fender tag, broadcast sheet, invoice, or equivalent paperwork before any individual car claim is accepted.

The useful collector checks are the VIN engine code, fender tag, broadcast sheet, engine and transmission stampings, axle evidence, and original paperwork. Hemi, R/T, stripe, hood, and color claims are useful context, but they are not proof on their own because Challenger clones and drivetrain swaps are common enough to demand documentation.

This page uses factory literature and registry-hosted reference material for the broad specifications, then keeps exact axle ratio, body style, and production breakdowns as car-level verification items unless a source directly supports the claim.

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 Hemi coupe front three-quarter view.sv1ambo via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

  • Price guide value $127,000

    Jul 27, 2026 · Hagerty Price Guide · Current guide point

    Hagerty Price Guide #3 Good value for the exact 1970 Challenger R/T two-door hardtop with 426cid/425hp dual-four-barrel Hemi. · unknown · good The current guide value is preserved as a dated condition-specific benchmark, not as a completed sale or a value for an individual chassis.
  • Auction sale $280,500

    Jan 24, 2026 · Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale

    Hemi Orange R-code hardtop JS23R0B221736 with four-speed, period-correct Hemi, two authenticated broadcast sheets, and a detailed specialist restoration. · restored · unknown Hagerty records the completed Barrett-Jackson sale and exact 426 Hemi hardtop specification. A reviewed sale listing documents the restoration and Wise 1.5 condition score.
  • Auction sale $1,072,500

    May 19, 2023 · Mecum Indianapolis

    Unrestored triple-black R/T SE hardtop JS29R0B193271, known as the Black Ghost, with matching Hemi drivetrain and Historic Vehicle Association Register No. 28 provenance. · survivor · unknown Mecum records the completed sale, original paint and interior, same-family-since-new history, and extensive factory documentation. Its exceptional historical provenance makes this a labeled outlier, not a normal hardtop comparable.
  • Auction sale $502,000

    Oct 7, 2022 · Bring a Trailer

    Hemi Orange R-code hardtop JS23R0B204037 with four-speed, A34 Super Track Pack, 6,300 displayed miles, and extensive factory and Wise documentation. · survivor · unknown Bring a Trailer records the completed sale. The car was stored from 1972 until 2021 after limited period repairs; the engine stamp matches the chassis and the Wise report calls it a benchmark vehicle.
  • Auction sale $100,000

    Oct 12, 2020 · Bring a Trailer

    Bright Blue R-code hardtop JS23R0B220416 with numbers-matching Hemi, automatic transmission, repaint, and Galen's Tag Service report. · restored · unknown Bring a Trailer records the completed sale, repaint in the original color, replacement 1971 center console, matching engine stamp, and 63,000 displayed miles with total mileage unknown.
  • Auction sale $107,500

    Nov 14, 2018 · Bring a Trailer

    Bright Red R-code hardtop JS23R0B155925 with automatic transmission, replacement Hemi block, broadcast sheet, Wise inspection report, and Chrysler Registry listing. · restored · unknown Bring a Trailer records the completed sale and a 2006-2007 refurbishment with inner-fender repairs and a repaint in the original color. The replacement engine block and 69,000 displayed miles are explicit.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Transmission

  • Factory transmission heavy-duty 4-speed manual
  • Factory transmission TorqueFlite automatic

Options

Source-document visual for reviewed 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi evidence that documents Sure-Grip limited-slip and heavy-duty rear-axle context; not a differential photograph.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

Authenticity

1970 Dodge Challenger exterior at the Louwman Museum; model-line visual context only.Alf van Beem via Wikimedia Commons · CC0
  • Hemi drivetrain identity 426 Hemi V8 identity supported by VIN/fender tag/broadcast sheet plus engine and transmission stampings on an individual car · VIN plate, fender tag, broadcast sheet, engine pad, transmission stamp, axle evidence, and original paperwork · numbers matching
  • R/T and body-style documentation Challenger R/T trim and hardtop or convertible body style must be corroborated by factory tags and paperwork · VIN/body tags, fender tag, broadcast sheet, door label, invoice, and ownership history · fraud detection
  • Axle and transmission evidence Transmission and rear axle ratio should match the fender tag, broadcast sheet, drivetrain stamps, and ordered Hemi equipment · Fender tag, broadcast sheet, transmission stamp, axle stamp/tag, and service records · numbers matching

Still Researching

  • rear axle Exact axle ratio and sales/order code were not verified from a target-specific build record.
  • production No factory production ledger was captured that safely breaks the target by body style and transmission.

Codes & names

Names & Engine Codes

Common names and codes are grouped so LS6 references point to the same engine, not separate pages.

1970 Challenger R/T period-show context with RT426 registration and captioned engine-code detail; treat as visual context, not proof for another car.Jeremy via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
426 Hemi Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
426-cu.in. Hemi Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
426 CID Street Hemi Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
Street Hemi Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
426 Hemi V-8 Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8

Photo and video gallery

Gallery

4 photos and videos

Sources & Documentation

Reader contributions

Improve the record

Send a correction, source, or photo lead. Updates are checked before they appear on the car page.

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