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Driven by Beat Gubler A special model only available for the 1970 model year was the race homologation car, the Challenger T/A (Trans Am). In order to race in the Sports Car Club of America's Trans American Sedan Championship Trans Am, Dodge built a street version of its race car (much like Plymouth with its Plymouth 'Cuda AAR) that it called the Dodge Challenger T/A (Trans Am). Although the race cars used a destroyed version of the 340 engine, the street versions took the 340 engine and added a trio of twin-barrel carburetors atop an aluminum intake manifold, creating the Six Pack 340 engine. Dodge rated the Six Pack 340 at 294 hp (216 kW), only 15 hp (11 kW) more than the original 340 engine (which also had the same power output as the Z/28 Camaro and Ford Mustang Boss 302). Air entered through a suitcase-sized air scoop molded into the matte black fiberglass hinged bonnet. A low-restriction dual outlet exhaust went to the original muffler location, then with reverse direction to exit into chrome “megaphone“ outlets in front of the rear wheels. Options included a TorqueFlite four-speed automatic transmission with pistol grip or Hurst, or ratios, and manual or power steering. Front disc brakes were standard. The special Rallye suspension used heavy duty parts and increased the rate of the rear springs. The T/A was one of the first American muscle cars to mount different sized tyres on the front and rear: Goodyear Polyglas E60x15 on the front and G60x15 on the rear axle. The modified chamber raised the rear sufficiently to clear the rear tyres and side exhaust outlets. Thick double side stripes, bold identification graphics, a fibreglass rear spoiler and a fibreglass front spoiler were also included. The interior was identical to other Challengers. Dodge hired Ray Caldwell's Autodynamics in Marblehead, Massachusetts, to run the factory Trans-Am team. Sam Posey drove the No. 77 whitewashed car that Caldwell's team built from a car removed from a local dealer's showroom. When the was completed mid-season from a chassis supplied by Dan Gurney's All American Racers, Posey alternated between the two. Both cars ran the final two races, with Posey in the #77. Ronnie Bucknum drove the #76 at Seattle Washington and Tony Adamowicz drove it at Riverside, California. The T/A Challengers got a few top three finishes, but lack of development budget and short-lived engines built by Keith Black led Dodge to exit the series at the end of the season. The street version suffered from severe understeer in fast corners, mainly due to the smaller front tyres. Only 2,399 T/As were made. A 1971 model using the 340 engine with a 4-barrel carburetor was planned and appeared in advertising, but has not been produced since Dodge withdrew from the racing series.
