A 1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE is already a serious piece of Mopar history, but this B5 Blue example left the factory with a configuration that would be difficult to duplicate. Its lengthy options list, dealer-demonstrator origins, and surviving original drivetrain make it an especially unusual find.
The deeper you dig into its factory equipment, the stranger the specification becomes. Rare seating, an unusual column-shifted automatic, and one particularly distinctive roof option all contribute to its claimed one-of-one status.
The car is headed to Mecum’s Nashville 2026 auction on September 26, and the auction house describes it as highly original, numbers-matching, and a one-of-one example as equipped with its collection of rare factory options.
There is also an unusual explanation for why this Charger received so much equipment when it was new. It wasn’t originally ordered as an ordinary customer’s muscle car.
This Charger Started Life As A Dealer Demonstrator
The Charger carries the Y13 code identifying it as a dealer demonstrator. It was built on October 15, 1969, and delivered to University Dodge in Santa Cruz, California.
Dealer demonstrators could be heavily optioned to showcase what buyers could order, and this one certainly fits that description. Mecum says all of its listed equipment was present from the factory.
The R/T is also fitted with the SE, or Special Edition, package, adding a more upscale character to Dodge’s performance-oriented Charger. Among its rarer features are CRB5 blue leather bucket seats, which Mecum says were fitted to just 159 examples.
There is also a six-way adjustable seat and the C16 buddy-seat option, which Mecum lists as one of only 50. Rather unusually for a muscle car of this caliber, the three-speed TorqueFlite automatic is shifted from the steering column.
Its Gator Grain Roof Helps Make It One-Of-One
One of the most distinctive pieces of equipment is the Gator Grain vinyl roof. The unusual textured roof treatment was introduced for 1970 and is a rarely seen option today.
Mecum describes the Charger as one-of-one, equipped with its collection of rare options and the Y1G Gator Grain roof. A Chrysler Registry report accompanies the car to document its configuration.
The equipment list goes well beyond the roof. This Charger has factory air conditioning, power windows, cruise control, an 8-track player with dual rear speakers, rear defrost, tinted glass, a tachometer with a clock, bumper guards, and wheel-lip moldings.
B5 Blue paint is paired with a blue longitudinal stripe and blue interior. The car has received new paint, while Mecum says the sheet-metal numbers still match.
The Original 440 Is Still Under The Hood
Power comes from the matching-numbers 440-cubic-inch four-barrel V8 producing a factory-rated 375 horsepower. It’s paired with the original matching-numbers D32 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission.
A D91 Sure Grip rear differential with 3.55 gears puts the power down. Mecum says only 66 cars combined that rear-end configuration with the 440.
Power-assisted front disc brakes provide the stopping power. Factory undercoating and hood insulation are also among the documented equipment.
Its History Comes With Plenty Of Paperwork
Two factory broadcast sheets accompany the Charger, along with a two-page window sticker, a Chrysler Registry report, and a binder containing historical documents. There is even an original 1970 newspaper advertisement showing the car being offered for sale by University Dodge.
The Charger remained in California until 2022 before moving to Florida. That documented history adds another layer of appeal to a car already defined by an unusually specific factory configuration.
Mecum hasn’t provided an auction estimate for the Charger. When it crosses the block in Nashville on September 26, buyers will ultimately decide how much that combination of matching numbers, unusual options, dealer-demonstrator history, and claimed one-of-one status is worth.