The owner of this 1969 Dodge Charger describes its condition as “very rough.” That is by no means an exaggeration. This is a classic that is going to require a lot of work if it is to be returned to anything like its former glory. However, it is a vehicle that has sparked its share of interest since being offered for sale. There are currently 142 people who are watching the listing here on eBay. Given the significant levels of rust and general deterioration, you would have to wonder whether these are people who can see the potential in this classic. It could also be that they are watching proceedings out of some form of morbid curiosity. The Charger is located in North Tonawanda, New York, and is being offered with a BIN of $9,500.
Given the visible external signs of decay, I’m sure that none of you will be surprised to find that this Charger does have some reasonably significant rust issues. It has consumed the trunk pan and the rear frame rails, but it isn’t clear what sort of shape the floors and the remaining frame are in. There is plenty of external rust visible, and this has impacted all of the areas that you might expect in a Charger of this vintage. You can add rockers, rear quarter panels, lower front fenders, and the area around the back window to the list. There is no hiding the fact that if the Charger is to be returned to a roadworthy state, then there is going to be a considerable amount of cutting and welding involved in that process.
If you were hoping that things would improve when you took a peek under the hood, then you’re in for a bit of a disappointment. The original engine and transmission are both gone, and what you get in their place is a lot of fresh air. It isn’t clear what was here originally, but it does leave the Charger as a blank canvas for anyone brave enough to take this on as a project build. There is no reason why a Hemi couldn’t occupy this space, although it also opens the potential for this to be a resto-mod build. The buyer will only be limited by their imagination.
Apart from a missing radio, the Charger’s interior does appear to be complete. When considering the vehicle’s overall condition, the interior does have to be considered to be a highlight. Sadly, that’s more a reflection on the state of the rest of the car, rather than on how nice the interior is. It does have a few positive attributes. The Rally gauges appear to be in good condition, as does the rest of the dash. It looks like the pad might be okay, along with the door and rear trims. The seats will need new covers, and I suspect that new foam will also be required. Add carpet and a headliner to that list, although I suspect that this is just the tip of the shopping iceberg.
When it was new, this 1969 Charger would have been a desirable car. Time has not treated it kindly, and returning it to something resembling that state has the potential to consume a significant amount of time and money. That so many people are watching the listing is the fact that I find extremely interesting. Do you think that those people are potential buyers, or are they merely curious?
I imagine most of those watchers have an old Mopar in the woods and they are checking the market. I would set the body over a Crown Vic. chassis add a few aftermarket panels, paint it as a General Lee and see how many police cars it can jump over. Then throw it away.
Ah, the rusty Mopar trunk! As I posted on here a few times I think, my grandma and grampa, who lived in Chicago, bought a new 1969 Coronet 500. By 1974 or 75, the trunk was rusted through in places and grandma had to put the groceries on the back seat!
It should be turned into a LG refrigerator.
Back in 98 I bought a fully restored 69 Charger SE 383 for a mere $8995. That car is almost worth 10 times that today only 2 decades later, absolutely unbelievable what Mopars of this vintage are commanding (and getting, apparently). Hope someone can save this one.
Another rusted out heap pulled out of its 40 year slumber from a junkyard ! I’m not really complaining, I’d rather see someone put gobs of money into an old car and restore it or a least use it for parts than to see it flat as a pancake in a stack of crushed cars heading to the shredder !
I agree with the idea that the car itself should be somehow spared, but I protest when someone who has a decades long eyesore laying around, and suddenly now they make a small fortune. Does not seem fair or right. If we had stricter fence laws then we would see less of this.
In many cases I think its a flipper or someone clearing out an estate or an abandoned property who sell these junkers. This car may have been a parts car 40 years ago and was stuffed somewhere in case another part was needed , or maybe a hoarder who was “gonna fix it up someday” and passed away ,leaving families to clean up their mess .
$9500.? It’s a match! The seller’s brain is as decayed as the roach he’s trying to unload!! ROFLMAO!!!! Circle gets the square!!
Ya know what a good engine would be for this after Graveyard cars does up the body? Thats right, a 230.2 CI L Head flat six, circa 1958. Wouldn’t that open mouths at the car shows? Just another of my post Powerball win ideas. Of course, I would rather start with a hemi car to put that engine in , but in a pinch this would do. Reminds me, got to look under the couch for two dollars in change to buy my ticket for tomorrow night. Wish me luck boys!
Man, you are a funny dude. I have heard those were good solid engines, though.
What are we buying hear. And ho much.
This is one of those times when you wish sellers would respect the hobby more than implied market values. The BIN confirms. This Classic Collector Car (sic) is obviously no more than scrap with a vin # and suspect heritage. No indication of its former power plant, though I suspect a 318/383. With pics just beginning to tell the never ending story, I suspect this will languish on the vine. Had he opened at $1000 w/ no reserve there might be some interest generated by actual bids and he’d finally get that unforgiving project out of his garage…then again, I’ve been wrong before.
had a new one and within one[1] year i was returning to dealer with rust holes in to on front fenders,the company did nothing about it,that was the last chrysler product i ever purchased new.I guess the overseas steel didnt hold up well
I had a 1970 Charger; 318, Torque Flite, bench seats. White, black vinyl top. I sold it in 1973 after brown lines started appearing in the white paint. 3 years later, I saw it on a hook, going into to a local scrap yard.
This car is perfect for a chicken coop. You could recoup your $9500 selling eggs and have the coolest piece of yard art in the hollar! Yee haaa!!
This car is 15 mins from me. I’d offer to go look but i want nothing to do with the tetnus liability. Typical NYS car after 10 yrs driving on salted roads.
For $9,500, you could maybe buy the AMD sheet metal which while far better than the Chinese crap of 20 years ago, still doesn’t fit. I have an NOS set of quarters for this. I want $10,000 for them. Go find another set.
10 grand , I think you’ll have those quarters in your garage for a loooong time.
Ive replaced the whole back end of a car before and this one isn’t for the faint of heart!! When you get all that metal out and there’s no trunk, no quarters, and no wheel wells you got to ask yourself whether it’s worth all the trouble!! Being this is longer than the average car from this era there’s a ton of work here!! This is not to mention the driver and passenger floor!! Good luck to the new owner and don’t give up!! You’ll get there eventually!!!
This is a conundrum eh? One that survived the great General Lee craze, although I would almost lay money on that being in this car’s future.
It’s not 1989 anymore and this one won’t be parted out what with the plethora of aftermarket support. It also won’t be restored factory original either, as it was probably a 318 or 360 car. This one will be rebuilt either as a tribute RT car with a 440 or as a General.