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Bunker Find Project: 1969 Dodge Charger R/T SE

The Dodge Charger was one of the success stories of the late 1960s. After a lukewarm introduction in 1966-67, production for those two years jumped from a combined 53,132 to 178,270. This can be credited to a great redesign and clever marketing on the part of Chrysler. Top-of-the-line was the Charger R/T SE (Road/Track, Special Edition) like the seller’s car, which appears to have been in a bunker of some sort for quite a while. Though mostly solid, it will need a lot of work. Located in Allen, Texas, this numbers-matching Dodge is available here on craigslist for $54,500.

Over time, Hollywood has helped make the second-generation Dodge Chargers (1968-70) hot commodities more than 50 years after they were on the road. The Steve McQueen movie Bullitt featured one in what may be the best car chase scene ever, and The Dukes of Hazzard tore up a ton of them on TV in the 1980s. Back in 1969, if you walked into the Dodge dealer with $3,575, you could leave with a Charger R/T which brought with it the following goodies: a Bumble-Bee stripe, a 375-hp 440 Magnum engine V8, a 727 Torque-Flite 3-speed automatic transmission or the A833 4-speed, heavy-duty suspension, and a Sure Grip differential.

Some 20,000 Chargers R/Ts were sold in 1969 and that should have included the S/E option which added more creature comforts for the passengers. This is one such car, finished in Y3 Yellow Gold paint (if you can make it out from the crusty cowl tag) with a tan leather interior. The matching vinyl top may or may not be original and a contrasting color would look far better on this Dodge. A dealer badge shows that it was sold new in Dallas in 1969 and – according to the seller – was in a garage from 1977. Except for some missing parts under the hood (like the radiator, A/C hardware, hoses, and spark plug wires), this could be a complete Charger.

This is a numbers-matching car, which should be a 440 under the hood although, with all the missing stuff, it looks like a smaller engine. It likely hasn’t run in some time and there’s no indication if any mechanical issues sidelined the car way back when. These autos command high dollars today, even in project status such as this one. Rust appears to be minimal but there are dents all over the sheet metal, indicating someone may have needed driving lessons.

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. ChrisJ

    The vinyl top could be a White Hat special edition- I believe it was a dealer incentive to move unsold models later in the calendar year.

    Like 0
  2. Terry W Weatherington

    that is a 440,see block plate across from distubator

    Like 3
    • Gary

      The 361/383/400 Id boss was angled while 413/426/440 block Id boss was horizontal, to my knowledge.

      Like 0
  3. Big Bear 🇺🇸

    That’s a high price. That’s very close to the price to restore this to the original condition. The engine is a 440 under the hood. Stamp on the block matches vin id number. If Mark on Graveyard cars had this. It would go for sale over $100,000 after putting it back to original condition. Not that many R/T SE around. Needs lots of work. Good luck to anyone who buy this! 🐻🇺🇸

    Like 4
    • Hames

      I like the stripe delete cars, they got the cool quarter panel emblems. There is a original owner survivor 69 Stripe delete R/T in our town, bronze with a tan interior. Pretty car

      Like 4
  4. David Sawdey

    What’s a distubator ??

    Like 4
  5. Harvey Harvey Member

    A distubator is one of those outfits old cars had :-)

    Like 2
    • David Sawdey

      🤣😂 lmao nice!!

      Like 1
  6. Allen L

    Stevie Wonder drive this Charger?
    Looks like it was parked by braille.
    Frequently.
    Multiple dents.

    Like 1
  7. Emel

    I believe Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry had the first chase scene in a movie involving a Dodge Charger, 2nd gen with Peter ‘Easy Rider’ Fonda driving and a police helicopter with Vic Morrow(Combat !!!) directing it.

    Adding to the Dodge Charger’s legacy in moviedom.

    Like 3
    • Charles Turner

      Nope….”Bullitt” (1968)….that cool Steve McQueen chased and sent the black Charger flying & exploding in rapid succession!!

      Like 0
      • Sincerepolack

        they wouldn’t crash in to a gas station in todays movies, it would cost to much just for the effects!!

        Like 0

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