For about the price of a GTO, you could have this 1968 Dodge Charger in a brilliant orange hue that the company called “Hemi Orange.” Even the color Is fast! Now, I know that it’s sacrilege to even suggest pairing Pontiac love and Dodge fever, but I’m the Pontiac guy who’s just fallen in love with a Mopar here on ebay, and there are lots of good reasons why. I’ll tell you those in a moment, just after I figure out where Spring Valley, CA is and gas my car up to get me there. Oh wait. I need to take fifty grand with me? How big a backpack would it take to transport that kind of cash?
So what’s to like? These rims will make you forget any set of wheels you’ve seen before. They give the car the perfect stance and bling. We’ve already talked about the color. The Coke-bottle styling is maybe a little more savage than on the Poncho, but I love it. And anyway, the GTO was restyled in 1968, losing its swoopy perfection. The Dodge retains that near-perfect body sculpting. It’s got a 383-CID V8 with backing by an automatic transmission. Fun to drive, and easy. You could actually cruise a trafficky freeway in this monster. Your gas mileage? Oh, come on—you just paid half a hundred grand for a toy. The juice to run it is just the cost of doing business.
But don’t mistake this for a creampuff. Read the ad carefully, because the seller has given a thorough and honest accounting for what’s been done and what the faults are, including AC that is no longer installed, rust, a weak trunk pan, and more. Those of you who restore your rides will be anxious to dissect the engine upgrades. There’s a point a car can pass that moves it too far from stock, mechanically speaking. You expert Barn Finders can weigh in on this one in the comments.
The fact that the car has been with the present owner since 1997 says that it will probably run and drive reliably right out of the box. An additional benefit with this particular unit is a stack of original paperwork, so that you can trace out the history and know what’s what with the mechanicals. So what will it be? If you’re a MOPAR person, you already know whether the price is too high and thus that you should make an offer southwards of what’s suggested. If you’re an aficionado of another nameplate, maybe you’re working on emotion rather than value guide prices. And if it nets you a car you’re going to get a charge out of, what’s the harm in that?
You’ll need a duffel bag if your fifty grand is all one dollar bills. As to this car, the 68-70 Chargers are the last ones I really liked and this car shows a lot of promise, but I’m not sure I’d drop 50k on it due to the fact it still needs a lot of rust repair. At least its in better shape than a lot of MoPar rust buckets which seem to infest Barn Finds.
For the asking price they could have done a better job, especially for 50k. I say a better job in detailing it, the dash for starters, and then there’s the pictures, not enough showing the underside etc… a smart biped would also have it inspected too. However, if such a person drops the 50k without thinking then they can start a YouTube channel and detail their purchase and all that’s wrong.
The only rust I spotted was the under body surface kind. Not bad. Fifty grand? This is why I generally ignore Chargers, GTO’s, etc. the demand distorts the market. So what do I drive? A Mustang. Yeah I paid too much probably but not by a lot.
50K is a lot of whipout for a imperfect ride.
Spring Valley is about 12 miles east of San Diego, relatively close to me in distance but way off in the distance on price……
2nd gen Chargers have been expensive on the collector market for MANY years. I’ve seen “rusto-rollers” go for $40K.
This is priced fair.
Just because these things are selling for insane prices does not necessarily mean they are priced “correctly”. In my opinion, the asking price for this thing is not “fair”. While I am fully aware the prices are generally what the market will bear, that doesn’t mean that they are reasonable, and in my humble opinion these examples are for the most part not worth anything close to what they are getting for them. I think that a “reasonable price” for this thing would be about $25,000.
you must work or did work for an insurance company as an adjuster…lol I do agree with you though about the price of most of these cars being way too high.being rich helps and the likes.they keep the price up because they are willing to part with their money.if people stop paying the price will soon fall.
When looking to buy, I wish prices were lower. But if searching for one in this shape with a $25,000 budget, it will be an “unreasonably” long time before finding one.
Not many sellers accept $25,000 in a market paying $40,000 or more. There are few of these cars out there and many buyers willing to pay more than me. That makes this car “unaffordable” for me.
A 50-60 year old car is a collectors item. Like a silver dollar or dime selling for $100. Once something becomes a collectors item, it is no longer something most people choose to buy, even if they can afford.
Each piece of currency is approximately 0.0043”.
Bring 500 $100 bills, new bills stacked will be about 2.15” tall. Older bills will be taller but held tightly with elastics you’ll only be looking at about 2.5” tall stack of bills. Easy peasy, no duffle bag neeeded. 😃
As for the car, pretty sweet but I would get tired real fast of all the, “Looks like the General Lee” or “ Turn it into the General Lee” comments.
You could cruise all day on $5 worth of ethyl !
Yeah, short 100 yard parade. Where are you buying your fuel? I want some.
Billy, 1968 ! I paid less than that many times.
Sir, your statement has not the past in reference but the present.
Thanks for paying attention.
Back when the world was normal and good, these were a thousand bucks and twice that in similar condition as is this one. Inflation ADJUSTED THAT IS 5 OR 10K. I refuse to participate in a world gone mad. Someone has to hold the moral and common sense high ground.
Here’s the reality about this thing. 50K purchase price, 25 to 35K to make it right, end result, a 45K,car. Seems like a great use of your money doesn’t it?
50K for an automatic and rust? Regardless if it’s only surface rust it has to attended to. Like the MGA I almost bought that looked great but frame was shoot. You gotta crawl under them!
Worth of is determined by the price a buyer is willing to offer, and the price a seller is willing to accept. That said, Hagerty.com shows:
1968 Dodge Charger Base 2dr:
● 8-cyl. 383cid/290hp 2bbl*
#3 Condition: $35,300
● 8-cyl. 383cid/330hp 4bbl*
#3 Condition: $39,200
(Less 10% for automatic)
* Ad does not clarify carb size.
Good luck with the sale.
Well, I for one don’t buy the theory that a car is worth what one person is willing to pay. It may be a car that one person just has to have, but is not that valuable to anyone else. That’s exactly why Hagerty has their “valuation tool”. That is what someone should expect to pay for a given automobile. As for the carburetor on this car, it is a dual feed Holley 4 barrel.
Wow, sure am happy we got all of this stuff figured out.
Car of this questionable heritage requires a personal eye 👁 ball. Some guys like redheads, some blondes in miniskirts and yet a few with taste admire brunettes in no skirt.
I’m a guy in the belief of the in person test drive. Whether it is a car or a friend.
It’s all about desired taste. Personally I have always liked the early Dodge muscle era cars. Hate to admit that I have owned only one. She was a customer ordered 1971 Plymouth GTX, Loaded. Big mistake. The car was a dog. 440 Magnum, NOT!
Car was a piece of south end mule droppings. If I could have backed that whole deal out no question I would have.
Still kisses me off. I’m sure that a few remember the GM strike. Well, I had a 71 Z28 ordered..need I go on….
Sold 3/24/2025.
Steve R
Sold as of 9:48 this morning.
Wow. Paid $250 for a rust-free one equipped the same as this one and drove it home in the mid-80’s. Sigh.