Wow! A Sub-Lime Charger R/T! I’ve never seen one before, and I’m guessing you haven’t, either. More commonly painted “grown up” colors like dark green, black, or even bright red, seeing a day-glo Charger is really an eye-opener. Even parking a bright Hemi Orange Charger decked out in full “Dukes of Hazzard” regalia would not approach this car’s searing eyeball appeal. You can’t stop looking at it, can you? Totally cool.

And yes, it’s a real 440/4-speed/FJ5 Sub-Lime green car, which is clearly indicated on both the fender tag and the remains of the original Chrysler Corporation Broadcast Sheet. Don’t believe me? Here it is, see for yourself:

• XS23:
• Dodge Charger
• Special, R/T
• 2 Door Hardtop

• U06: 440 375HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
• 1970
• Newark, DE, USA

• 177371: Sequence number

• E86: 440 cubic inch 4-barrel V8 (High Performance) 375hp
• D21: 4-Speed Manual Transmission
• FJ5: Sublime / Lime Light Exterior Color
• C6X1: Trim – Charger, Vinyl Bucket Seats, Unknown Color
• TX9: Black / Black Velvet Int. Door Frames
• C16: Build Date: December 16
• 099471: Order number

• V1X: Full Vinyl Top, Black
• A34: Super Track Pak w/4.10 ratio
• B51: Power Brakes
• C55: Bucket Seats
• G31: OS RH Manual Standard Mirror
• J25: 3-Speed Wipers

• J45: Hood Tie Down Pins
• M21: Roof drip rail moldings
• M31: Belt Moldings
• M91: Luggage Rack
• N85: Tachometer
• R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)

• V21: Performance Hood Treatment
• V6X: Longitudinal Stripes, Black
• 26: 26in Radiator
• END: End of Sales Codes

So in addition to the screaming paint job, this one is also dressed for battle on the streets with a built and stroked 440 (now displacing 492 cubic inches), the original, numbers-matching 4-speed, and a Super Track Pak with 4.10 gears. It has also been treated to a Six Pack induction setup, which not only adds a bunch of horsepower, but looks menacing as hell under the hood.

The paint job on this car is super slick, and the 2-stage paint makes that day-glo color even more appealing with its miles-deep finish. Where the old paint tended to get chalky with age, the paint on this car will look this good practically forever with just moderate maintenance. It was applied over some pretty darned good bodywork, too, with only a few patches on the quarters, but no panel replacements. Look at the panel gaps and you’ll see that someone spent a lot of time getting everything lined up, which is not so easy to do on these bigger cars. Those long quarter panels look even larger thanks to a black pinstripe that stretches forward to the scoop on the leading edge of the door, and if you want to pull that off successfully, you need some straight metal. From the rear ¾ angle, you can clearly see how smoothly everything lines up, with that pinstripe forming an unbroken curve practically from one end of the car to the other. Nice work!

Detailing is excellent. I’m not a fan of luggage racks on the trunks of cars, but there’s one on the back of this one that looks like it could have been original equipment. With that in mind, I’d definitely leave it on there, especially since it’s such an unusual feature. Bumpers are beautifully restored, including the wrap-around hoop that makes up the front of the 1970 Chargers. All the correct R/T badges have been installed, and the race-style flip-up gas cap is in great shape. All the lights, including the single wide taillight lens, are either excellent originals or fresh reproduction items that look exactly right. The vinyl top was expertly installed and does help to break up all that green paint, and is separated by brilliantly polished stainless steel trim. Up front, the performance hood treatment adds a similar contrast and gives the guy you’re about to pass something to think about as you stuff this Charger into his rear-view mirror.

And you’ll have no problems passing people with this Charger, thanks to the built 440 under the hood. The date code suggests that perhaps it was a warranty replacement block, but it now displaces 492 cubic inches. In addition to the stroker crank, it features H-beam rods, and dished pistons for friendly street manners on pump gas. It has been nestled into a highly correct engine bay. From the Hemi Orange paint on the block, to the aforementioned Six Pack induction system, to the absolutely beautiful exhaust manifolds, the engine looks better than new. The restorers went the extra mile on this one, and added correct hoses and clamps throughout, a proper ballast resistor on the firewall, and a correct red-cap battery in the tray. No demerits here for upgrading the carburetors, because everything was done the way the factory would have done it, leaving you with a car that you will be proud to show off and that runs way better than any muscle that was built in 1970. It’s beautifully detailed, and the Sub-Lime paint makes for an excellent background that really makes the little stuff pop.

The chassis is just as well detailed, and probably excessively so. The floors have been painted body color, emphasizing the Hemi Orange oil pan underneath, the powder coated satin black and gray suspension components, and the bright, shiny exhaust system. Metal work is good, with well-done patches in the footwells, and the only panel that was replaced entirely was the trunk pan. Everything remains mostly stock underneath, with the original, matching-numbers A833 4-speed manual driving a stout Dana 60 packing 4.10 gears. The suspension has been rebuilt, and a properly sorted Charger is one nice handling car. There are power disc brakes up front, along with new torsion bars, bushings, and shocks. That shiny exhaust system is fresh, and terminates in the correct tips under the rear bumper. Stainless steel lines and hoses are, of course, brand new, as is the gas tank. Rolling stock is composed of gorgeous Magnum 500 wheels and reproduction F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas tires.

The all-black interior is the right choice for Sub-Lime (can you imagine a white interior—talk about sensory overload!), and has been fully restored with the rest of the car. The black high-back buckets feature new foams and covers that exactly match the originals—I’m impressed, because most reproduction covers don’t show this much detail. New carpets on the floor are protected by matching floor mats with the Charger logo embroidered onto their faces. The woodgrain dash is in excellent condition, and there’s a Pistol Grip shifter for the transmission. The gauges have been rebuilt, and are all functional including the Tic-Toc-Tach. Like the seats, the door panels are excellent reproductions, and the headliner has been expertly installed, making it taut and wrinkle-free. The trunk is finished to factory specs, with a new mat and a matching spare tire.

Documentation includes a full selection of reproduction decals and tags, extensive receipts for the parts and restoration work, as well as that tattered Chrysler Corporation Broadcast Sheet I mentioned earlier.

If you’re looking for attention, I can’t think of many better ways of getting it than a Sub-Lime Charger. That’s a big, powerful, fast car, and in that color, you’ll be impossible to miss. I can’t say exactly how rare the color combination is, but there can’t be more than a handful of these original FJ5 cars in existence. Add in the potent stroker motor and 4-speed, and this car is a lot of fun on the street or at a show. I’m betting most guys are like me and have never seen an FJ5 Charger before, and also like me, they’ll probably want to spend a long time examining and inspecting this one. Having looked this one over, I’m certain they won’t be disappointed—this is a seriously nice car. If you’re kind of an extrovert, we have your car. Call now!