1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Flaunts Ultra-Rare Factory Option

The Hemi version is the most obvious one. Only 356 cars were ordered with the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8, a powerplant that turns the Challenger into a sought-after, six-figure classic. The R/T convertible is also rare, with only 963 examples made. This number includes all four powerplants that were available with the R/T model.

If we add the Special Edition (SE) package into the mix, we get a couple more R/Ts that have three-digit production numbers to brag about. Only 875 units were born with the four-barrel 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB, while 296 got the six-barrel variant of the same mill (also known as the 440 Six-Pack).

However, many other Challengers are rare due to certain options that weren't popular at the time, regardless of what they have under the hood. The R/T you see here, for instance, is not a convertible and was born with the base 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter). It's one of 9,067 hardtops fitted with this powerplant, but it was also ordered with an option that we rarely see today.

At first glance, this Challenger R/T may seem a bit mundane. Yes, the four-speed manual transmission narrows its production number to only 2,720 units, but that's far from being in rare territory. But look close enough and you'll notice that it has a brownish roof. That's not a vinyl top; Dodge didn't even offer vinyl in that hue. What you're looking at is a painted roof.

In addition to a color-keyed top and the optional vinyl roof, the Challenger was also available with a so-called "two-tone paint" feature. The latter allowed customers to choose a roof color that was different than the main body hue. The option added the code V02 on the fender tag, and, needless to say, this Mopar has it. So it's not some sort of day-two mod.

How rare is the two-tone paint option? Well, Dodge did not keep detailed records, but Mopar experts agree that it's a super-rare option. And we can get a better idea by looking at the 1970 Challenger T/A registry: only two of the over 1,000 units documented have the V02 feature. This means that only four or five R/Ts fitted with the 383/four-speed combo may have been specified with two-tone paint.

But the precise figure is a bit irrelevant here. This Mopar is most likely a one-of-one classic due to its color combo. The original owner went with a very unique Go Mango body with a Burnt Orange roof. He also opted to pair the interior with the top color. You probably won't see another one out there. 

The Challenger is waiting for a new home at American Steel Classics, a Mopar-focused dealership in Celeste, Texas. It's a "nicely restored car" with a numbers-matching drivetrain. Both the suspension and the engine have been rebuilt, with the latter sporting Hooker headers and an Edelbrock carburetor. It has all-original sheet metal except for the center of the trunk floor.

How much to take this two-tone beauty home? Pricing is a fixed $95,000. That's a lot of dough for an R/T with a standard engine, but likely worth it to the right people due to the rare paint option.