[T/Alover1964]

What made you decide to purchase a T/A as opposed to some other package?

My story; I loved Dodge and Plymouth cars since I was a kid. I loved the garish high impact colors and the bold stripes. My first love was the Plymouth Road Runner. I soon developed an infinity for the Charger and the Barracuda but I actually didn't even see my first Challenger in real life until I was in college. I fell in love with the car, especially the T/A due to it's stripe package, side exhaust, and P-51-like hood scoop. But I was in no position to buy.

Fast forward 40 odd years. I loved the new Challenger since it was released and always thought someday I would own one. About a year ago, I was delivering face shields to hospitals in downtown Los Angeles and a red Challenger with T/A stripes crossed my path and I was amazed. I had no idea the new Challenger had come out with a T/A version! I instantly hopped online and fell in love all over again.

I wanted a Go Mango T/A with a manual transmission, while Yellow Jacket was my second choice. There wasn't much choice of manuals to be found. As luck would have it, I found at Yellow Jacket T/A in Las Vegas in great condition at a great price and purchased it. On my way home, I cut across the desert from the 10 fwy to route 66. I was in the middle of nowhere with 1970's rock and roll playing, going like a raped ape down a road that looked like it was pulled out of "Vanishing Point" and I was in heaven. My memory of that trip home with the car is so vivid, it feels like I can remember every second of it.

I've had my T/A for a couple months now and still absolutely love it. What's your story?

 

[T/Alover1964]

 

[TheBlasterMaster]

Wow, I have a similar story. As a kid I had a beautiful orange 69 Road Runner. I ran it at the original Irwindale 1/4 mile in Southern California. I hung out at In-N-Out and got in street races also when I wasn't crus'in Whittier Blvd looking for the same. I wanted a Cuda but that was $200.00 more LOL. I then created a family and had fuel efficient 4 door commuter cars from then on. For the past 40 years I dreamed of an AAR Cuda. That is my dream car. Then they released the new Challenger. Not an AAR Cuda but a reliable alternative with old school looks and performance. But I was not retired at that point so I held back because I would have just run up the miles. I am retired now and I bought a 2012 Yellow R/T. Liked it until I saw a 17 T/A. What!!!! Thay have the sister car of the AAR? I sold my 12 R/T and bought a loaded 17 T/A + with 2,500 miles. I wanted bright green but found a Yellow Jacket and that was close enough (Mopar's MUST be in obnoxious colors) As it turns out, I like it best but still like the green. Because I am somewhat of a purest, my T/A could only have the 345 if you know the history of the T/A and Trans Am racing. The 392 is a great engine but not in a T/A IMHO. I just ordered my custom license plate "TRK-PAK".

I think you and I are brothers from another mother!

 

[T/Alover1964]

Wow, I have a similar story. As a kid I had a beautiful orange 69 Road Runner. I ran it at the original Irwindale 1/4 mile in Southern California. I wanted a Cuda but that was $200.00 more LOL. I then created a family and had fuel efficient 4 door commuter cars from then on. For the past 40 years I dreamed of an AAR Cuda. That is my dream car. Then they released the new Challenger. Not an AAR Cuda but a reliable alternative with old school looks and performance. But I was not retired at that point so I held back because I would have just run up the miles. I am retired now and I bought a 2012 Yellow R/T. Liked it until I saw a 17 T/A. What!!!! Thay have the sister car of the AAR? I sold my 12 R/T and bought a loaded 17 T/A + with 2,500 miles. I wanted bright green but found a Yellow Jacket and that was close enough (Mopar's MUST be in obnoxious colors) As it turns out, I like it best but still like the green. Because I am somewhat of a purest, my T/A could only have the 345 if you know the history of the T/A and Trans Am racing. The 392 is a great engine but not in a T/A IMHO. I just ordered my custom license plate "TRK-PAK".

I think you and I are brothers from another mother!

View attachment 278887

LOL! I agree! I just ordered my license plate TA LOVR. Word has it, I'll get it in 6 months, if I'm lucky... I got a 5.7 because I couldn't afford the bigger motor and it was plenty enough speed for me!

 

[TheBlasterMaster]

My new 345 T/A is a bit faster than my 383 Magnum Road Runner. I was looking for 70's fast anyway.

 

[Lurker123]

The T/A stripe looks cool. And I liked the high impact color of the T/A in the middle of the showroom floor. Plus that T/A had a big motor. Okay, well, mostly because the wife liked it and gave it her stamp of approval.

 

[Cruizer71]

Really couldn't afford a T/A back in '70...but had other Mopars and a variety of muscle cars cars after that. But after buying the SRT-10 ten years ago now...I thought this was the fastest and coolest looking ride I have ever owned...well until last October when I spotted a Surf Blue T/A on my local dealership website (below)...and right away I said..."I gotta have it!"..the rest is history as they say.

 

[GLHS592]

I wish I had the money to buy a 1970 T/A back when you could find nice original or restored ones under $20k. I like the T/A because of the retro looks. I still wish it had a 1970 T/A style hood, but this 1970 'Cuda AAR style looks pretty good. I think the contrast between the black and white makes the white ones look best.

 

[T/Alover1964]

I wish I had the money to buy a 1970 T/A back when you could find nice original or restored ones under $20k. I like the T/A because of the retro looks. I still wish it had a 1970 T/A style hood, but this 1970 'Cuda AAR style looks pretty good. I think the contrast between the black and white makes the white ones look best.
View attachment 278909

Yeah, I usually am drawn most to the brighter or lighter colors that are high contrast, though I love all the color combos to one degree or another due to the stripe design. I love the hood that's on it but also wish they'd put something more period correct. Dodge does make a more correct T/A hood that one of the members has on his car. It looks pretty damn good. Someday, I may change my hood out, although mine would have the scoop black too.

 

[TheBlasterMaster]

Yeah, I usually am drawn most to the brighter or lighter colors that are high contrast, though I love all the color combos to one degree or another due to the stripe design. I love the hood that's on it but also wish they'd put something more period correct. Dodge does make a more correct T/A hood that one of the members has on his car. It looks pretty damn good. Someday, I may change my hood out, although mine would have the scoop black too. View attachment 278953

They sorta put an AAR hood on a T/A.

 

[Jelli79]

For me i had seen my car on the lot and had pined over it for a while but it was just out of my price range, when i finally was at the point to go in and talk about a car my intention was to order a R/T but the T/A was still sitting there, the car sat in the showroom for a year, not sure why but it was still there, because our family has bought to many cars to count over the years there and they wanted to sell the car they knocked the price down on my T/A 392 to the same kind of money as the R/T i would have ordered, would have been stupid to not take the deal, been happy with it ever since

 

[T/Alover1964]

They sorta put an AAR hood on a T/A.

Yep. And I like it too.

 

[TheBlasterMaster]

Yep. And I like it too.

I like it too as I'm a bigger fan of the AAR than the T/A. IMO, the T/A was to the AAR what the Firebird was to the Camaro. Or what the Cougar was to the Mustang. Just my opinion.
Nice article.

T/AAR - 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A and Plymouth 'Cuda AAR

It's been more than four decades since the car companies offered high-revving V-8s as a performance option by choice, rather than having engine options dictated by the onerous hand of legislation,...

www.hemmings.com

 

[T/Alover1964]

I like it too as I'm a bigger fan of the AAR than the T/A. IMO, the T/A was to the AAR what the Firebird was to the Camaro. Or what the Cougar was to the Mustang. Just my opinion.
Nice article.

T/AAR - 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A and Plymouth 'Cuda AAR

It's been more than four decades since the car companies offered high-revving V-8s as a performance option by choice, rather than having engine options dictated by the onerous hand of legislation,...

www.hemmings.com

I would agree with you. And I probably like the AAR and the T/A with equal passion. I'd really like to see Dodge come out with a dedicated Cuda' version of the Challenger (i.e. new nose, new tail and Cuda details). There's been some great concept art floating around for years. I doubt they will ever do it but it would be cool.

 

[TheBlasterMaster]

I would agree with you. And I probably like the AAR and the T/A with equal passion. I'd really like to see Dodge come out with a dedicated Cuda' version of the Challenger (i.e. new nose, new tail and Cuda details). There's been some great concept art floating around for years. I doubt they will ever do it but it would be cool. View attachment 279050

With the death of the V8 in plain sight, I don't think that will happen.

 

[T/Alover1964]

With the death of the V8 in plain sight, I don't think that will happen.

Exactly! Too bad.

 

[2018VATA392]

I think the T/A is the most distinctive visually. When I saw my car it just stood out from all the other Challengers on the lot. And I wanted a true performance car in my garage. It is a car made for driving and I don't regret the decision one bit.

 

[T/Alover1964]

I think the T/A is the most distinctive visually. When I saw my car it just stood out from all the other Challengers on the lot. And I wanted a true performance car in my garage. It is a car made for driving and I don't regret the decision one bit. View attachment 279214

I agree completely.

 

[Maxedwell]

As a kid, I saw my first T/A when a couple of young fools were out driving it on a snowy night and went into a ditch in the middle of the night near our house. Rang our door-bell to use the phone. It was lemon-twist or whatever the yellow was in 1970. Fast forward to now; I’ve owned 3 previous Challengers and was actually looking for a Scat Pack with a 6-speed. As someone posted - hard to find. Mine came up on eBay and the original owner had kept the miles extremely low and had done some tasteful cosmetic mods and also some exhaust improvements. I loved the color, the blacked out hood, roof, and deck-lid, and the fact that is was fairly rare compared to SPs and RTs.
As someone else said, Mopar makes a snorkel hood (they put it on the Mopar 10s in 2010) so it is doable but I prefer the hood that is on it now. (Not happy about the fact that it is now offered on just about every model of Challenger since it replaced the ubiquitous Ralley hoood!) The trumpet exhaust pipes coming out before the back wheels can be done - any good muffler shop should be able to do that. So - a person could have an exact replica if they really wanted. Lastly, yes - originally it was a 340 but even that was not the same engine used in the Trans Am racing circuit because the requirements there were that you could go no larger than 305 c.i.; about 5.0 liters. So - the engine is not an issue with me. All in all - beautiful cars that really call for comments!

 

[GLHS592]

Lastly, yes - originally it was a 340 but even that was not the same engine used in the Trans Am racing circuit because the requirements there were that you could go no larger than 305 c.i.; about 5.0 liters. So - the engine is not an issue with me. All in all - beautiful cars that really call for comments!

I never did understand why they allowed Chrysler to use the 340 cubic inch engine in the Trans Am cars. Homologation rules have never been consistent in any of the race sanctioning bodies. NASCAR let Ford put their semi-Hemi in the Mustang instead of the Talladega or Cyclone. I never understood that either.