It is quite common for an owner to take a road car and modify it for competition use. Those cars tend to see out their days on the track, with few receiving the opportunity to return to their rightful place on our roads. However, the restoration deserves careful consideration when the vehicle in question is as desirable as a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T. This project will prove a significant undertaking for its next owner, but they could find themselves slipping behind the wheel of a desirable muscle car when they complete the process. Located in Hermitage, Tennessee, you will find the Charger listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $16,500, and there are already ninety-nine people watching the listing.

There’s a bit to unpack with this Charger, which is surprising when you consider how incomplete it is. It rolled off the line wearing Light Green Metallic paint. However, a previous owner began the change process in the early 1980s and it has been through several color changes during its competition life. The seller knows that it continued competing into the 1990s, but its life beyond that is a mystery. Externally, the car is essentially complete. The buyer will need to source new rear quarter panels, glass, and a few trim pieces. The remaining panels require a massage, but rust is not a significant issue. The front floors, front frame rails, firewall, and roof are sound, although there is rust around the trunk opening and in a few other spots. However, addressing these flaws is the tip of the iceberg.

In any form of motorsport, weight is a competitor’s mortal enemy. Such was the case with this Charger, and while the front half of the car is essentially untouched, the rear is a different story. The previous owners have cut away the trunk pan, most of the rear frame rails, and the internal rear passenger area structure as part of their weight reduction program. Replacement parts are readily available, and welding them in would be no more complicated than if it were rust that had consumed these components. Therefore, whipping the body structure into place would seem viable. However, there are further issues to consider. The VIN indicates that this classic rolled off the showroom floor with a 440ci V8 under the hood that produced 375hp. The seller believes that the power then fed through a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, giving the R/T the potential to storm the ¼ mile in 14.3 seconds. That sounds great in theory, but this Charger is a case of what you see is what you get. The entire drivetrain is gone, making this a bare shell with some boxes of parts. The buyer will face the choice of what to bolt under this classic to return it to a roadworthy state. Locating a correct drivetrain is possible, although something more modern as part of a restomod build is worth considering. One last point to ponder when assessing the cost of this build is the total lack of interior components. The steering column is intact, but there is no seat hardware, no dash, and no upholstery. That will potentially add another few thousand dollars to an already expensive project.

There’s no denying that returning this 1968 Charger R/T to active duty will be a significant undertaking, and it is not one for the faint-hearted. It will require dedication and a healthy wallet if it is to be done justice. While whipping the panels and paint into shape would be no more difficult than for a Charger with significant rust problems, the lack of interior hardware and a drivetrain will add significantly to the cost. If its next owner performed a high-level restoration and the car was numbers-matching, it would command a value beyond $60,000. The loss of the original engine and transmission means that the vehicle can never achieve numbers-matching status, which could impact its potential value. The other alternative could be to go for broke and create a restomod using a more modern combination. If the buyer chooses wisely, they could still find themselves behind a classic worth the quoted figure. Would you choose either of those options or is this Charger a bigger challenge than you would be prepared to accept?