Mr. Norm's 1970 Challenger T/A

As a true Mopar fan knows, the Challenger T/A is a very special car and is fantastic to drive. No matter how you slice it, this 1970 Challenger T/A is a five-star, attention getting, E-Body. Not only does this car have some very unusual options, but it has a darn interesting story.

This 1970 Challenger T/A is a legit Mr. Norm’s car with a staggering amount of original documentation. The original owner, Jeffrey Small, was the son of a Navy doctor, so it goes without saying that they moved around the country quite a bit. The young man’s first car was a ‘66 Olds 442, so it’s obvious his dad didn’t have a problem with his kid driving hot cars. When they moved to Chicago in 1971, the boy headed straight over to Mr. Norm’s. Jeff was immediately drawn to a bright orange 1970 Challenger T/A. It was rare to find an unsold ’70 model sitting on the lot when the ’71 R/T Challengers were everywhere, so he figured he could get a good deal on the ’70. When he spoke to the salesman, he found out why the ’70 was still sitting around. It was stolen off the lot during the 4th of July weekend in 1970, partially stripped, put back together, and now was being sold as a new car. This story may have scared off a few prospective buyers, but not this kid. Jeff asked them to add a rear window defogger and a trunk light, place a Sun tach on the steering column and install hood pin locks. His requests caused the dealer’s invoice to be changed three times before the deal was finalized. Mr. Norm’s gave him $1,700 for his 442 hardtop (serious money in 1971) and the kid began his adventure. 

Within weeks the Challenger was wearing Tri-Y headers, mag wheels, traction bars and hijacker shocks. The boy regularly drove the car back and forth between Chicago and Maryland, which was amazing considering this factory four speed car with 3.91 Sure Grip gears is hardly an ideal set up for highway cruising. He put 30,000 miles on it in the first year, and then decided to sell it when he went to college at Michigan State University. The second owner, Doc Buttermore, was looking for a replacement Mopar after he totaled his Dart. Even in 1972, when he saw the unusual option list, he knew it was something special. He felt it was an investment, and if you need proof, look no further than the documentation and preservation efforts of Doc himself. He kept everything you could imagine, including his first gas receipt. In case you were wondering, he topped off a half-empty tank for a total of $2.80. Yes, you read that right, $2.80. 

Doc replaced the headers, and installed a set of American S200 mag wheels and fat tires. Aside from that, he used the Challenger strictly as a fair weather summer car and weekend cruiser for the next decade. He became very busy with his fabrication business, and the Challenger was tucked away, covered in the corner of his shop, safe from the harsh Michigan winters. He did bring out the 340 Six Pack E-Body to take his wife to the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals in 1977 and 1978. Once in a while, you could also find the T/A at local drive-ins and burger joints, but Doc was always careful to abuse his ride with care. He knew his limits, and he knew the limits of the car, and he didn’t exceed either. Every part that wore out and needed to be replaced, such as the water pump, belts, or hoses, ended up neatly labeled in boxes and kept with the car. Every original part that was ever removed is still with the car, including the original Polyglass tires that rolled off Mr. Norm’s lot. 

Around 1980 Doc had the Challenger’s exterior refinished in its original orange, and had a set of replacement stripes installed. That is what you’re looking at right now, that paint and job and stripes are 30 years old. Doc also removed the vinyl top, and installed a set of 70 series Goodyear Wingfoot tires on the stock steel wheels. A few years later, doc replaced the original FK5 Burnt Orange seat covers with new skins from Legendary Interiors, but kept the original ones in a box in the garage. That was the last of the ‘restoration’ work Doc did to the T/A. 

In 2008, Doc decided to sell the car to its current owner, Dean Herron. For only the third time in it’s life, the T/A had a new owner. Dean reinstalled the black vinyl roof, buffed the paint and cleaned the car from top to bottom. More than anything else, he has been working to preserve the car’s vintage vibe. It still has the factory exhaust on it, and the original Tri-Y headers are in a box nearby. The original 340 runs strong, and has never been apart, and even the vintage Sun tach still works. Dean verified the ‘stolen off the lot’ story with Mr. Norm, who still remembers every detail about the car. While this orange/burnt orange Challenger may have been a steal back in the day, it’s not exactly a cheap commodity anymore. Thanks to decades of preservation, this very unusual E-Body is a true time machine with incredible documentation. After four decades of making people smile, and raising a little hell when the clutch is dumped, this highly collectible hot rod isn’t ready for retirement yet – and we hope is never is. 

See this jewel in person at Vanguard Motors, 15100 Keel St, 
Plymouth Township, MI 48170 | Phone: Tom Photsios  at 248-974-9513 
E-mail: Tom@Vanguardmotorsales.com

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