The saying goes "old guys have more fun." Well, that certainly is the case for Steve Lauderdale. Steve is the proud owner of a 1970 Dodge Challenger Trans Am 340 Six Pack. A car which originates from the famous Mr. Norm's car dealership in Chicago.
Steve, a self-confessed gearhead from a very young age, bought the car in 1983. He somehow managed to persuade his wife to take out a Credit Union loan to purchase it and since then he's been driving it on a regular basis for the past forty years.
A Challenger T/A Tuned By The Legendary 'High Performance King'
The name Norm Kraus holds a special place in the hearts of '60s and '70s muscle car fans. Nicknamed the 'High Performance King,' he offered all of his customers free dyno-tunes with every purchase. All of the cars that left his dealership were tuned to the max.
It was this ingenious activity that made his Chicago showroom the largest Dodge dealership in the world, in 1972. And something that made Mr. Norm a household name. Cars which were once sold through his legendary dealership are now extremely sought after, and Steve's amazing example is no exception.
How Does Steve's Dodge Challenger T/A Hold Up?
Dodge produced the Challenger T/A in a bid to break into racing. They were keen to participate in the Sports Car Club of America's Sedan Championships. So they loaded the Challenger with a 340 cubic-inch, V8 powertrain and installed a trio of two-barrel carburetors.
The 340 T/A is an iconic car that looks great from every angle. It ticks all the muscle car boxes. It's the perfect shape. The suitcase-sized air-scoop pitched above the matt-black fiberglass pinned down hood is just insane.
Steve's car is an immaculate example. Everything is pretty much original apart from some components that he's added inside the engine compartment. The interior is factory spec, and all of its manufacturer labels are in order. It even has the original Mr. Norm sticker on the rear spoiler.
The chrome gas cap is the stuff of legends, and the blue paintwork looks really tidy. Steve did the restoration work himself around twenty years ago. And it doesn't just look great, it runs great too.
The sound of those side exhausts is just epic. When the car's fired up its like music to your ears. A loud gravelly rumble that just takes you straight back to the muscle car era.
When Steve lets Lou takes the Challenger out for a spin, he's bowled over by the awesome classic. It drives smoothly and sounds fantastic as it barrels down a quiet country road. Lou's wearing a huge beaming smile as he turns to Steve and says "This car's delightful, just delightful!"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A Values Today
According to Classic.com the average value of these first generation cars is around $85,000. One recently sold for $114,400. But these rare rides can command as much as $198,000 at auction. So why does Steve still use it as a daily driver?
"I put 8 years of my life into this thing. I enjoy driving it. it brings out the teenager in me. I meet people with it and I like taking them out in it," said Steve.
Fair play Steve! We hope that you get many more enjoyable years out of it too.