Parting with a classic that has been part of your life for years can be heart-wrenching, but that is the decision made by the owner of this 1968 Dodge Charger R/T. They purchased the car in 1981, treating it to a refresh in 1995. It spends its downtime hidden in this garage but makes a splash when it emerges from hiding. The R/T has created strong interest since the seller listed it here on eBay in New Castle, Delaware. Bidding has raced to $58,100, although that figure is short of the reserve.
Rolling this Charger into the light of day reveals a stunning car. The seller treated it to a repaint in its original Medium Dark Turquoise in 1995, and its condition suggests it has been pampered and protected ever since. The paint holds an impressive depth of color and shine, with no evidence of significant flaws or defects. The same is true of the panels, with the Black vinyl top and matching stripes adding a touch of class and purpose. I see no evidence of rust problems in the supplied photos, and none rate a mention in the listing. When a classic sits in this price bracket, I always recommend an in-person inspection, if possible. I’m not suggesting this Charger has hidden problems, but the new owner is committing a lot of money to this purchase. The time taken would be cheap insurance. The trim, including the grille and concealed headlamps, looks excellent. The same is true of the glass, and while the Magnum 500 wheels aren’t original, they don’t look out of place on this beauty.
Buyers ordering their new 1968 Charger R/T could choose between the 426ci Hemi V8 and the 440ci “Magnum” powerplant. While many within the classic community focus on the firebreathing Hemi, the 440 offered enough power to satisfy most owners at a fraction of the price. This R/T features the 440 that should send 375hp through a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission to the rear wheels. The original owner equipped the car with power steering and power brakes, meaning the driver is unlikely to raise a sweat behind the wheel. This Charger is a muscle car, and owners expect it to deliver when the chips are down. It does so with a ¼-mile ET of 14.3 seconds and a top speed of 132mph. The seller says the Charger had a genuine 43,000 miles on the clock when they purchased it in 1981, with the odometer now showing 58,000 miles. They treated the engine to a rebuild in 1995, and the car remains in excellent mechanical health. It is a turnkey classic that needs nothing.
If we have readers considering listing a beloved classic for sale, this interior shot reveals the most critical consideration in their advertisement. A picture is worth a thousand words, and good photos do more to “sell” a car than any number of words. This is the best of the few interior shots supplied by this seller, and it doesn’t tell us much. It reveals Black vinyl trim, Rally gauges, and a console with functioning interior lights. Beyond that, all bets are off. The condition of the rest of the car suggests the upholstery and trim should be in good order, and no glaring defects are visible. If you seriously consider pursuing the R/T further, it would be worth contacting the seller to arrange better photos. As with an in-person inspection, it should be worth the time and effort.
Gauging the desirability of a particular classic car can be challenging, but this 1968 Charger R/T leaves no doubt. It has already attracted thirty-four bids and achieved that feat in four days. There is plenty of time remaining for the bid total and price to climb substantially, and if it hits $70,000 before the hammer falls, I won’t be surprised. That is the sort of figure the R/T regularly achives in the current market, especially when the car in question presents this well. The sticking point for Mopar enthusiasts is that values continue climbing rapidly. That means that while this Charger may seem unattainable to many now, the situation could worsen for those people in another year. If you have the available funds and permission from the appropriate household members, it may be worth giving this classic more than a glance.
Very nice, should make the next owner very happy! The magnums are correct for this year, with the chromed rims. Later versions had black painted rims with trim rings. GLWTA!! :-)
Moparman….correct on the wheels…..my faves for stock appearing on my cars – isn’t the consol incorrect – shouldn’t it be wood grain on a R/T ?
Anyway nice car……
Not 68 on woodgrain
I’m pretty sure that’s the correct console is correct, wood grain was on the 69, I think !
Mike you are correct. Woodgrain available only on the SE option in 69 & 70. I have owned several 68 Chargers including a real J code Hemii car that I bought in 1975 for $700 (No B.S. Gas Crisis) I still have that car second best decision I have ever made in my life!
I miss my 68 rt 440 ,4spd every day .lost in a divorce and no way to ever get another one back.
Still has a Pennsylvania state inspection sticker on windshield. Very nice car in a beautiful color.
I don’t believe that Woodgrain was standard in 68… beautiful car. Should go for $80-100k
IAM 68 years old and remember these Mopars well. Can’t beat the design on the 1968 to 1972 ( my opinion) charger’s. I still remember how inexpensive they were even in the 1990’s. Of course Chrysler really screwed up bringing it back as a 4 door and it looks like they won’t make that awful mistake with the electrics. Good day.
I have a 68 R/T bought new. It was bare bones with the 440. It was a flying machine. We saw 150 on the speedo several time. These things were death traps. This one came with two ply redline tires. It is a garage baby awaiting some minor repairs. Restored a number of years ago. You did not want to go around a curve at speed, straight line only.
The only way you “saw” 150 was when you read the numbers 1-5-0 on the speedometer. Unless your 440 was highly modified with very high gears in the rear no 1968-1970 b body ran 150 mph. I have owned several 68 Chargers including a real j code hemi car and the best I ever did was 135 at Bonneville.Lets keep it real!
I think anything would be a deathtrap IF you were doing a 150 mph, regardless of what you were driving in 1968 , or any other time. When I was younger I had my Duster 340 just over 120mph on the highway , and trying to slow it down quickly made me realize I shouldn’t do that ever again
Want to sell it??
Such cars rarely meet reserve but worth a try.
Beautiful color combination!
Unless it’s some sort of odd shifter, the (blurry) eBay photos show a 4-speed manual – not a TorqueFlite…?
68 and 9’s were beautiful and back in the day you just knew you were looking at something special. To be honest with you , they had really bad build quality and rusted out quickly. Although replacement parts and restoration now- a-days can make those cars drive, ride, perform and last much better/ longer.
It’s great to see that the Barn Finds “Journalists” actually read the listings that they write about…oh, wait, I guess they don’t. If they did, they would see that this is a 4-speed car, which would include the Dana 60 for a rear axle.
yup !
I really enjoy Barn Finds with the variety of vehicles they write about but sometimes they suffer from “foot in mouth desease” from not really looking or reading stuff that people send in.
Speed discussion reminds me of a trip on the North Shore of Superior in a ’65 Belveder 2 383 4 spd. Driver decided to pass 6 cars on a straightaway. Downshifted to 3rd and then into 4th passing the cars. Approached the curve at the end of the straight and a car came around the bend he pulled over off the road. Good thing, our speedo was bouncing on the 120 mark. God was with us that day.
Back in 1971 I had the cousin to the Dodge Charger, a 1968 Plymouth GTX OF COURSE WITH THE 440, 375H.P.. Being a 22 year old idiot I decided to see how fast it would go on highway 53 out of Superior WI. one night. Friend and I took her up to a real 140m.p.h. on bias ply tires and drum brakes that faded like a ghost after our run. Never felt a car shake so much and take so long to slow down. Loved that car. It was black vinyl top with red body. Sold it a year later for an a/c car in Washington D.C. always wanted it back,then last year (2023) I found it in N.C., gentleman had restored it to a high level and wanted 95K, if I’d had the $$ I would have bought it back!. Fastest stock car I ever owned!.