The Goodguys/Hemmings Muscle Machines Muscle Car of the Year is Ken Mosier's Hemi-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
Camaro haters can rest easy: The Goodguys/Hemmings Muscle Machines Muscle Car of the Year for 2010 is a Mopar. The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T of Ken Mosier has taken the prize, chosen by staff from Goodguys and Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine. Mosier’s Challenger is a genuine Hemi car that also features such coveted items as Pistol-Grip-shifted four-speed transmission and a 4.10-geared Dana axle, in addition to the Shaker hood and Plum Crazy hue.
Mosier restored the Challenger at his own restoration shop, The Finer Details, located in Danville, Indiana, after pursuing the purple Hemi car for over 17 years. The completed car was initially taken to the 2009 running of Goodguys’ Chicagoland Nationals in Joliet, Illinois, where it was reunited with the original owner, who hadn’t seen it in 25 years. But it was this season at the Goodguys 22nd Hot Rod Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis where the car was selected to become a finalist for the Muscle Car of the Year competition.
In addition to the Muscle Car of the Year award itself, lucky-dog Mosier will also receive a custom Snap-On toolbox when he brings the Challenger to the Goodguys season finale, the Southwest Nationals, held November 19-21 at Scottsdale, Arizona’s, Westworld. While in Scottsdale, the Challenger will also be photographed for an upcoming feature in Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine.
This is the third season that Hemmings Muscle Machines has teamed with Goodguys to select the winner of the Muscle Car of the Year award. At each Goodguys event throughout the season, one award winner is chosen in the stock-restored muscle car class; this award winner is also a finalist for the Muscle Car of the Year award. Staff from Goodguys and Hemmings Muscle Machines judge these vehicles and determine which will take the big prize.
Just to clear up any potential confusion, the Goodguys/HMM Muscle Car of the Year award is a completely separate competition from Hemmings Muscle Machines’ own Muscle Machine of the Year, which is held to determine which of the year’s magazine feature cars is most favored by readers, by way of an online vote at hemmings.com. It’s probably also worth mentioning that Goodguys has its own Muscle Machine of the Year award, though it caters to significantly modified muscle cars.
Congratulations to Ken Mosier on his win and for a job well done in restoring the Hemi Challenger; remember to keep an eye out for the full feature in the pages of Hemmings Muscle Machines later in 2011.