Question for an E body fan

[FY1 Charger]

I'm tossing around the idea of getting a challenger or a 'cuda, I know the basics for the cars but what how many models where avaliable in 1970? For the challenger was there just the base, the SE and the R/T? For the 'cuda was there just the barracuda, the gran coupe and the 'Cuda? Or are the barracuda and the cuda the same model? Another thing I heard was that the 340 engine was the best for the power to weight ratio the E body platform. Any help and clarification would be appreciated, thanks.

[Alaskan_TA]

'70 Challenger - Base, 340, R/T & R/T SE plus convertibles models of all but SE.

Mid-year introductions were the Coupe & T/A hardtops.

'70 Barracuda - Base, Cuda, Gran Coupe plus convertibles models of all.

Mid-year introductions were the Coupe & AAR hardtops.

(edited per the posts below)

[6bblgt]

there are Gran Coupe convertibles (BP27) for 1970 - 

[Alaskan_TA]

True. I had the hardtop stuck in my head. I'll see if I can edit that above.

Thanks Dan.  

(edited)

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I owned a very nice 1970 RT/SE 440-6 4-speed 4:10 Shaker car 30 years ago. In the E-body world, It doesn't get much better than that (except for a Hemi), but that was the 1st and last E-body I've ever owned. That tells you what I think of them.

[Mopar Nut]

1970 is the best year for a Challenger and 1971 is the best year for a Cuda if you can find one.

[69 OUR/TEA]

I owned a very nice 1970 RT/SE 440-6 4-speed 4:10 Shaker car 30 years ago. In the E-body world, It doesn't get much better than that (except for a Hemi), but that was the 1st and last E-body I've ever owned. That tells you what I think of them.

I have a friend who calls them shit-can E-bodies . They look nice , but drive/ride like shit . Yet the big craze about owning one .

[FY1 Charger]

I owned a very nice 1970 RT/SE 440-6 4-speed 4:10 Shaker car 30 years ago. In the E-body world, It doesn't get much better than that (except for a Hemi), but that was the 1st and last E-body I've ever owned. That tells you what I think of them.

Why don't you like them? Like I said I'm only tossing around the idea I'm not heart set on one so I would like to hear all the pros and cons of them. They aren't cheap and I don't want to regret buying one when I could pick up another charger.

[Alaskan_TA]

I have had them all, A, B, E & C bodies too, they all drive just fine.

[polywideblock]

    being from oz and never having driven/rid in one , I'd always assumed that E body's  would drive/ride like a  3rd gen B body  

                   have always wanted a 71   challenger

[viper r/t]

I owned a very nice 1970 RT/SE 440-6 4-speed 4:10 Shaker car 30 years ago. In the E-body world, It doesn't get much better than that (except for a Hemi), but that was the 1st and last E-body I've ever owned. That tells you what I think of them.

I have a friend who calls them shit-can E-bodies . They look nice , but drive/ride like shit . Yet the big craze about owning one .

Especially compared to B bodies.

[Patronus]

You should get one if you like turning left and right.

[hemi-hampton]

Don't forget the Deputy Model. LEON.

[Mopar Nut]

I owned a very nice 1970 RT/SE 440-6 4-speed 4:10 Shaker car 30 years ago. In the E-body world, It doesn't get much better than that (except for a Hemi), but that was the 1st and last E-body I've ever owned. That tells you what I think of them.

Why don't you like them? Like I said I'm only tossing around the idea I'm not heart set on one so I would like to hear all the pros and cons of them. They aren't cheap and I don't want to regret buying one when I could pick up another charger.

I had a 70 Challenger SE that drove just fine, wished I still had it, sold it to move West.

[skip68]

It's all preference and taste.   

[Mike DC]

            
The E-bodies were built with shitty quality when they were new.  The B's were much better.  

Whether that makes a difference 40 years later, when a decent example of either model will have been hand-built by restoration . . .  that's a different matter.  The individual car you get has more to do with it than anything else by this age.  

E-bodies are a short-wheelbase version of the B-body. So they are wider & more durable & heavier than most "ponycars" like Camaros or Cougars.  The wider & more durable parts aren't bad.  The heavier part is.  





Engine-wise?  

Anything will handle better with a lighter motor, even a huge C-body fullsize.  Anything will run stronger with a bigger motor, even an A-body compact.  The question is where you draw the compromise line.    


It's generally accepted that putting a big-block (383/400/440/426) motor into a compact A-body is bad for anything except drag racing.  The balance is quite bad, there isn't enough room for stuff in the engine bay, and the small-block (273/318/340/360) motors are enough to make A-bodies into good sports cars without all that trouble.  So A-bodies like small blocks.

It's generally accepted than a fullsize C-body needs the power from the big-blocks just to move around comfortably and drive like the luxury car it was intended to be.  And if you wanted handling then why on earth did you buy that model?  So C-bodies like big blocks.


As for B & E-bodies . . . they can go either way. Most people still lean towards bigger motors on the B's but with the E-bodies there are fans in both camps.  The factory made hot R/T's with big blocks and hot T/As with small blocks, and both are considered desirable cars now.  



The stock iron 426 Hemis were too heavy to make a good weight balance in anything. The factory only ever built those street motors to legalize them on racetracks, and they gave the racers Hemis with aluminum heads/intakes.

[Troy]

I'm tossing around the idea of getting a challenger or a 'cuda, I know the basics for the cars but what how many models where avaliable in 1970? For the challenger was there just the base, the SE and the R/T? For the 'cuda was there just the barracuda, the gran coupe and the 'Cuda? Or are the barracuda and the cuda the same model? Another thing I heard was that the 340 engine was the best for the power to weight ratio the E body platform. Any help and clarification would be appreciated, thanks.

I, personally, like small block E-bodies. They're shorter than B-bodies so when you throw a few hundred extra pounds up front it screws with the handling - and it's not like these cars handled great in the first place. The Barracuda is slightly shorter than the Challenger as well. I had a 318 Barracuda and it was a lot of fun. I have a 440 Challenger and it wallows around on back roads like a pregnant pig - but it's a lot of fun in a straight line. I have never driven my 340 Challenger as it's still under restoration. Road tests from "back in the day" showed that a 340 (4bbl) was about as fast in the 1/4 as a 383 and much quicker when you had to turn. We drive a lot on the highway and my dad prefers the B-bodies for "cruising". They seem more stable (less twitchy) and soak up the bumps better.

Troy

[Alaskan_TA]

One thing about quality on the E vs. B topic.

For 1970 models, LA made both at the same time. Same people, same assembly line, so how could quality possibly be better one over the other? 

[ACUDANUT]

The 71's are worth their weight in Gold.   A Challenger Convertible or a 'Cuda are the highest priced Cars every Produced.

[Mike DC]

       

For 1970 models, LA made both at the same time. Same people, same assembly line, so how could quality possibly be better one over the other?

That's assembly quality.  

What about the parts the workers were assembling, both the design and the tolerances?  

[Alaskan_TA]

What would be different? The various models shared vendors (the places that supplied parts), engines & transmissions were made at the same plants, rear ends, electrical parts, tires, wheels etc.

[Mike DC]

          
It's not the drivetrains & suspensions that were junk.  It was the E-specific parts like the whole body & interior.  The E-body program was rushed out to production and they were incorporating a few new things like the side interior panels too.  

Ask people who were around these cars when they were new (and are not too biased on the subject).  This is not a rare opinion.  



I'm not saying E-bodies are categorically pieces of shit.  I'd love to have a decent Challenger or Cuda.  But fit & finish was not their strong point as they left the factory. 

By modern standards, EVERYTHING made back then was shit, when you get right down to it. 


 

[Pete in NH]

         
It's not the drivetrains & suspensions that were junk.  It was the E-specific parts like the whole body & interior.  The E-body program was rushed out to production and they were incorporating a few new things like the side interior panels too.  

Ask people who were around these cars when they were new (and are not too biased on the subject).  This is not a rare opinion.  



I'm not saying E-bodies are categorically pieces of shit.  I'd love to have a decent Challenger or Cuda.  But fit & finish was not their strong point as they left the factory. 

By modern standards, EVERYTHING made back then was shit, when you get right down to it. 


 

I would have to agree with these comments, I was around back then. Chrysler made a big deal out of the introduction of the new E body in 1970. For 1970 they did make quite a splash when they replaced the old A body based Barracuda and for the first time Dodge had a "pony car". 

When I bought my 71 Charger in late 71 I would not have even considered an E body car. Compared to the B bodies the E body interiors came off looking cheap and filled with ill fitting plastic. I had no problem with the tried and true drive trains and suspension systems but the interiors were really poor in comparison.

The new E bodies were clearly a rush job. Chrysler just could not compete with the pony cars from Ford and GM with the earlier A body Barracuda and the E bodies were a " catch up" effort and they clearly showed it.

After the 1970 introduction year they didn't sell well at all and its those low production numbers that make them desirable today. Its too bad because I still think they were very attractive cars but back in their day the build quality was not good and people saw it.

[stripedelete]

Don't forget, Chrysler was circling the drain in 1970 - albeit large circles.  By '73 the circles tighten up.  The rest is history.

[FY1 Charger]

Interesting, I didn't know the E body platform was a rush job. I found a decent one with a 440 in it, I might go look at it this Saturday.