To restore any vehicle you only need two things, time and money. Anything can be fixed, fabricated, or purchased to bring back a car to its former glory with enough time and money. Well, this 1968 Dodge Charger R/T is going to need quite a bit of both. It can be found here on eBay with a current bid of over $22,000. It is a real-deal numbers-matching 440 4-speed, which the seller notes are one of less than 2,800 made. Located in Andover, Minnesota, the ad doesn’t say where the car spent most of its life but based on the condition it may have spent a lot of time in the Gopher State. Take a look at this rare Mopar!
As mentioned before, there is a bit to fix on this car. Mainly there is a ton of rust inside and out. You can see one of the quarter panels and doors here. There are also some detailed photos of the trunk lid/package tray, underneath, trunk floor, and passenger floor. You can get patch panels and replacement panels for any part of this car, but you’ll have to cut the rust back to good metal. It’s hard to tell just how much of the original car will be left, but since this is a numbers-matching 440 4-speed R/T, it probably warrants being saved.
Here is a shot of the interior. As you can see, the floor under the driver’s feet is pretty much gone. I’m guessing the entire floor (including the trunk) will need to be replaced.
The engine is a 440 cubic inch V8 backed by a 4-speed transmission. While not as famed as the 426 Hemi, the 440 is a potent power plant and due to its lighter weight is actually preferred by a lot of Mopar enthusiasts. In fact, the stock 440 weighs nearly 100 lbs. less than the 426 which is good for 1/10 second in the 1/4 mile and gives you less weight over the front end. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of information in the ad regarding the condition of this one. Hopefully, it is able to be rebuilt to retain its numbers-matching status.
These cars have awesome styling and make really handsome restorations. What do you think of this one? Since it is a numbers-matching car, is it worth the time and money to save? I think it is.
These cars are bad-ass from the sheet metal to the motor. Too spendy for me, but someone out there has a butt-load of money to throw at this one. More power to them.
What a Shame… Just Keep Pourin the Salt on the Roads… you would think after 100 years… we could come up with something better than Salt…
Hmmm… Maybe hot air?
Some communities are using Beet juice. Apparently its works.
I’m in Winnipeg Canada so it gets Freeeeezin cold here. We sand the roads never salt. Ill take a chipped windshield all day long over rust. Toronto, Ottawa , Montreal they salt :(
In Wisconsin we use cheese brine lol. I am serious. Google it!
Pennsylvania uses fracking brine on the roads here in the western part of the state. Ruins brake rotors within four years, brake and fuel lines in five years.
We use clay or gravel in Oregon.. Seems to do the trick. Easier to replace a windshield vs eradicating salt from the inside of the frame rails/subframe stubs.
Unfortunately the brainiacs in Portland have decided to start testing salt on three heavily used roads with a steady grade to it. Just so happens that during the first heavy snowfall of that winter two years ago, in which it snowed a good six to eight inches in five hours letting up just as the business were ending shifts. I was waiting on a ride and watched the snowplow and the Terex front end loader drive back and forth over the lanes of travel and I assume drive to the top of the swan island hill and back down again to the cul-de-sac, back and forth for a couple of hours without putting any deicer down, without putting any gravel down and without putting the bucket down to scrape. Packed the snow down and when the cars started pulling on to the road down cane gravel and scrapping with the bucket edge. DoT created the problem so they could start using Salt on the roads. I saw them set up and make a horrible commuter mess that lasted for weeks on that hill.
conspiracy with the auto makers maybe?
Yea now they have Brine its about twice as corrosive as salt !
There is. It just costs money.
Internet search indicates a 67 Dodge Charger Floor pan is available for $329.00. A medium size rechargeable Milwaukee brand angle grinder costs $197 and it will cut thru most of the floor pan if not all of it. Yes, it is definitely a vehicle worth saving. You can buy a welder and a welding bar, protective personal equipment, and power cord. Figure out where is the rusty bottom going to be cut out, then sand it down, sand blast rust where necessary, prime and weld on the new floor plan. As far as i know these are uni bodies. The vehicle will look great with a new floor.
Your best friends here are Year One, Harbor Freight, Wilwood, Eastwood, and when you get all of that done, Summit Racing.
You left out Visa Amex, MasterCard, say goodbye to vacation, savings and tuition
Sad to see this baby in this condition, regardless of the rust that big ol’ stick poking thru the floor gets the juices flowing! As Rex said, bad@$$ and built to go fast, and probably wasnt built to last for 52 years. Sure would be great to see it come back. Good luck and stay safe!!!
Cheers
GPC
This would have been a beautiful car when new. The 4 speed multiplies it’s desirability. It’s someones dream car and will be saved.
Steve R
Yikes, sounds like Steve R has a bit of a stalker online!! With a romantic intension lol Alot of homoerotic innuendo in that comment.
Steve, you have great insight and I’ve been reading posts from you for years. I hope you stick around. Don’t mind the haters.
where’s your valuable info on the subject of this particular 1968 charger r/t? what are some r/t only specs?(specifications) optional engines maybe? Steve R.? yeah he knows. why raz(f@#k with) him? he is providing valuable knowledge. ang get this man,, HE IS DOING IT FOR FREE!!!!! yep all caps and many exclamation marks. get it? got it? good. thank you Steve R.
Well put Rattlehead!
Sometime I think the Mafia had it right. This schmuck needs his fingers cut off so he can’t type on the keyboard lol.
Maybe if he had some sort of insight it would be different, but to take the time to taunt people for no reason? Useless!
I bet it is miserable to be in his head.
So over $22K and you haven’t even started the restoration work. Certainly the purchaser should be aware that he or she is going to have way more money invested in this thing than it will be worth when finished to the level it deserves. A desirable car for sure but not an economically rational project. If you are capable of doing the work yourself and have a shop that would be helpful but then you have your time and effort invested.
I could see this a buy if you could do all the welding, body and drivetrain yourself. There are guys out there that love taking on stuff like this. If you were to pay somebody to restore it then yes, you would be upside down cost wise depending on what it would fetch restored properly.
If it was a little more of a bargain, would be fun to pick up, patch the bigger rust spots and just drive it. These just look amazingly sinister in all black..
I think a 440 is too much for this car, a small block would be better balanced and ample enough power.
Funny you mention that, because they never offered the 340 in a B or C body. Unlike GM or Ford, they never made a mild 2 bbl version either. They finally addressed the issue when they introduced the 360 in 1971.
340’s were offered in early 70’s road runners (B bodies) with 4bbl and 4 speeds
But you could get a 318 in this car, with a stick too. That is what most of us had.
We had a ’70 Challenger R/T. The R/T had a distinct set of gauges that are not in this Charger. It’s a ’68 so maybe different R/T packages? Sure makes me wonder though if it’s a real R/T.
And as others have already said, it’s hard to spend $22K and that’s your starting point? Wow.
Chargers are great, smooth driving and they don’t rattle like a Cuda! Probably the hottest Mopars going now. Good to see sheet metal parts are now available but this one has extensive rot in the frame rails, lower part of front frame is gone! Still someone will repair and save another classic from the scrap heap. This will be even more fun with the stick, rarer too!
440, 4 speed and great lines for 1968. This car should be restored. I rank this car right next to the ‘Cuda as far as looks all around from front to back. I really hope somebody makes this car something.
In my opinion at least your getting a numbers matching car with all the drive train!! We’ve all seen rusted rollers here at this price!! I’ve never been afraid of welding or cutting out metal!!! Hell I live in the rust belt too!!!
Thanks.
I just ignore him. He’s been causing trouble in this site for years. He constantly changes his user name, he even posted on this thread with a one of his other names. He always sings the same tune about slant six Mopar engines, hatred for Porsche’s and successful people. He’s just mad because I suggested he skip reading threads about cars he thought shouldn’t be brought up on this site, such as the Mercedes gullwing last week.
Steve R
Is this the same guy who thinks all Porsches are just souped up Volkswagens? If so, I agree – just ignore the poor bastard.
Wait, is this the same douche that hijacked my username? What is wrong with people?
I remember 68 well. People were going gaga on whether the redesigned 68 Vette or 68 Charger was the sharpest car that year.
My uncle bought a 1968 Charger R/T 440 4spd when he got back from Vietnam in 1967 or 68. Blue with black vinyl top and black interior. Fast car. He kept it until 1980 or 81.