A tip with a twist is how you might describe this ad, found for us by Mitchell G. The tip is the straight-up 1967 Dodge Charger pictured here on craigslist. The twist? There are a bunch of them the harder you look. But if this Charger catches your fancy, it can be yours for $22,500, or whatever you can negotiate the seller down to. The car currently sits in Prattsburgh, which looks to be somewhat halfway between Buffalo and Ithaca.
So what are the twists? Well for one, you can’t really ever “drive while you restore,” because at some point, you’re going to have to pull the car off the road for paint. That is where many projects that end up on Barn Finds go so far off the rails, and end up sitting for years, waiting to be found. In barns. But the paint on this Charger, aside from being too shiny, doesn’t look too bad. It might not be accurate to factory, but if it’s not distressed, why not just drive? Note that in some images, the surface looks crazed, but that might be reflections, too, so you’d need to make some inquiries or get the seller to send you some shots not taken in direct sun. You might then ask yourself why the seller calls this a “true barn find”? It looks pretty put together to me. Second twist: the interior. Whose idea was it to replace the factory vinyl with that velour, even if the same fabric pattern was retained? Now I see why some restoration might be in the car’s immediate future. But an interior can be gutted and redone in a couple of intense weekends.
Third twist: the title. The car is said to be an original California unit, but the title is in Tennessee now. And yet the car rests in New York State. Who’s going to figure out this bureaucratic tangle, and how much in back fees are going to be owed by the person who next puts this bad boy on the road?
And that’s about it, really. Under the hood looks at least as good as most of the drivers we feature on this site, and while there’s no photographic evidence as to the claim of freedom from rust, if that’s true, both in the body and underneath, this might be a candidate for a daily driver as-is. The headlight doors work, which is a proxy for general maintenance and upkeep. The wheels might not be to your tastes—I’d take almost anything but these—but that’s easily changed. The engine is not noted as original, though listed as a 440. That might call for some investigation. But if you’ve had a hankering for a first-generation (1966-67) Charger, this might just be yours to take on.
Maybe an Opportunity for some Mopar fun at an affordable 🤔 pricetag.
It’s not an original 440 car, G in the VIN is either a 318 or 383 2bbl. The front seats are from something else entirely. However, it is a fun car to drive (I have owned mine since 1984) and with a 440 on launch it should throw items left on the dash over your shoulders. The roll-over headlights are their own treat to keep working, nice to see these operable. If the divider to the trunk still folds flat with all the speakers one can sleep comfortably in the back, making these models great road trip cars. I hope the new owner enjoys the car for what it is!
Roland you are correct it’s not a 440 but a 383-2 code G for 67. Somebody replaced the stock intake for a aftermarket brand. So my thoughts it’s a 383.The V8 on the fender gave that away. The owner could of pulled the motor and put in a 440. Just look for the stamping next to the distributor. It’s not a bad ride at all. Just detailed and go to auto cruise and have fun. Great price as long everything works correctly. 🐻🇺🇸
I got a ’66 Charger with a Commando 383-4 bbl. from the Dodge dealership where my dad worked in the late ’60s. I was able to buy it wholesale. Everything worked and the mileage on the odometer wasn’t excessive, but since it was a ‘muscle car’, the dealership really beat folks up trade in time because of the perception that the car would have been flogged by the previous owner. I bought many nice muscle cars through dad this way.
I loved the whole concept of the new Charger. It was basically a fastback station wagon with the rear bucket seats and center armrest folded down. Great for the submarine races when I was in high school. The 383 Commando V-8 with a Torque Flight tranny displayed plenty of get up and go at the stop light drags.
By the time I was in my mid 20s, I had owned over 30 cars through dad. Many of them now go for stratospheric prices, but being a boy from a middle class background, I had to sell my last project car to be able to afford the next one. My ’66 Charger would have been on my short list for a car to keep if I could have afforded to.
The tennessee title tells me that this was likely a lost title car if it came from California. Tennessee will title a car if you have a bill of sale regardless of its stately origin. As long as the bill of sale was signed and stamped by a notary public. As long as the title is in the name of the person you’re buying it from, you shouldn’t have a problem with paperwork. Technically, you could just take it back to Tennessee and retitle it in your own name… and then transfer it to your state if you choose. There are only a few states that require the vehicle to be titled in the state that it’s registered in. Check your local laws.
Excellent post. Thanks for this info.
Not a Mopar guy but always liked this body style.It’s really sharp.You can see overspray on the door pin switch but the color is nice.I’ve seen so many junk rot bucket Mopars sell for ridiculous $ this seems like a bargain.Love those tail lights and hideaways.Bet it won’t last long at that price.glwts.
Air conditioning compressor, but there seems to be an absence of the rest of the necessary lines, etc.
Someone familiar with the setup for these care to educate me?
i see no hoses off the compressor and no condenser in front of the radiator or the receiver dryer. and it sure as heck looks like the heater hoses ar looped through the evaporator. it must get some cold over there in rochester ny.
sure looks purty though. someone will do well with this
I like it, though it’s not numbers matching isn’t that big a deal. Looks good and bet it’s a lot of fun to parallel park ‘-)
Ok is it just me or do pictures 13 and 14 seem to show two different sets of front seats?
The front seat is folded forward, and you are seeing the armrest.
i don’t think the width of the ribs are different just from camera perspective. but i could be wrong especially if i look at pic 12 as well
Me likee! Had the chance to buy one many years ago but needed electrical work and I knew less than nothing back then. I wonder if the inner front fender well down low is the original color. Would look nice and seeing as it needs a paint job anyway. There you go. Change the wheels for sure and do something about the interior. Could be nice. And since it’s not original I would find a center console and put a floor shift in it. Finding it and a steering column may pose a challenge but if it was easy, everyone would do it.
I saw a project ’66 or ’67 just today – I drove by it and could only see that the it was painted purple and the front end was up on jackstands – maybe no drivetrain. Another project was blocking a full view of the car.
I was tempted to stop and have a closer look, but did not have the time. I love these cars, but at the prices these are starting to get, even the projects are out of reach.
The guy who taught me the bodywork skills I have had one of these that I helped repaint. These cars are big! It was like painting a box car. The prepaint sanding was really good to build muscles. Took my revenge out on an MGA shortly after that and stuck to my guns not to do anything that big again.
Just finisher painting mine. It is huge. Now for the cut and buff…..
These cars also had a very unique way of lighting the instruments and the center console. It used electro-luminescent tape that was lit by a 12 volt to 220v (?) converter. It was a beautiful blueish glow. The best dash lighting I have seen in my life.
If you think it is possible to re-hab this interior in a couple weekends, you sir, are a better man than I. These cars are EXPENSIVE and complicated. Not for the faint of heart or light of pocket. I know, I have one that I am just finishing. You gotta really love this car!
1966 cxharger rear j mouldings
Sorry about that second post, please disregard.