Chrysler totally revamped its B-bodied intermediates in 1968, including the Dodge Charger. After two years of lukewarm sales, the Charger took off in ’68 and sold more than 222,000 examples in the next three years. However, none of them were convertibles, including this 1968 edition, as only a fastback was offered. A conversion was done on an ordinary ’68 Charger (per the VIN), producing an R/T-like one of a kind. Located with a dealer in Fredericksburg, Texas, this potential showstopper is available here on eBay for $79,500. Eagle-eye Mitchell G. found this great tip for us!
Records show that 92,590 Chargers left the assembly line in 1968. And nary a one had a fold-down top. Most Chargers were built with at least a 318 cubic inch V8, which is how the seller’s car was put together in St. Louis, Missouri, that year. No photos or history of this car is provided, perhaps because the seller is a dealer. Which also explains why most of the description in the listing falls into the category of good marketing copy.
Gone are the 318, replaced by a 440 V8 (period-correct?), which typically was good for 375 horses in those days. We assume the front end was beefed up to accommodate for the extra engine weight (and we also assume that the customizer added bracing to the body to adjust for the lack of a fixed roof to help shore things up). The Charger has front disc brakes now (maybe drums before) and a TorqueFlite automatic backs up the big block.
The bright yellow paint is a custom mix with some green metal flakes. While it looks great, matching the color may be hard to do if the car suffers a scratch or scrape. The contrasting black interior looks sharp, offset by aftermarket gauges, a fancy stereo, and a boss steering wheel. From all appearances, this Charger looks like how it would have been built new if Chrysler offered a ragtop in that product line. Since it’s a one-off, it’s hard to predict resale value, so it will be in the eye of the beholder if something near 80 grand is the right figure.
Very unusual indeed and nicely done. This is something you purchase to turn heads and draw crowds. I would like to own this just for the wow factor it brings.
You will not park this anywhere without conjuring up a conversation. You will be busy explaining this at cars n coffee. Along with creating new acquaintances, isn’t that what we go there for?
With the top down, this looks like another cool Scotty Gilbertson PhotoShop type rendering!
It’s a good looking car but like as you pointed out, Russ, is it engineered correctly afterwards since losing the roof support?
With no AC and a black interior in Texas, I’m thinking this convertible probably hasn’t seen a lot of use. Lol
Yes i have a Sawzall, why do you ask?
Where is the center ballast to add strength and balance that most verts have? I know it’s full framed and a beast in weight but sorry I think it helps as well as the supports that are heavy steel that most usually have inside the rocker panels too.
New owners at least add a real roll bar welded to the frame…
It’s a hefty price for a modified mopar in my book .
Good luck with sale..
Not full frame. Unibody.
Matt:
Not to be picky but just looking to continue to learn more on early Mopar vehicles. I have seen various discussion with the 1968 Charger mixed review on the chassis with some stating not considered a unibody but a body on frame design which meant the body and frame are separate components. (is this a potato potatos situation of design or best answer)
FYI: I am a early Mustang guy (68 Cali special) and C2 Corvettes (63 SW) currently. The 1954 3100 in garage is a past family owned restoration and the outlier as I prefer 1960’s muscal cars. :-)
Thanks,
Jeff
Did they hack up a Charger that was never meant to be a convertible or simply hang Charger sheet metal on a Coronet convertible body and slap the Charger data plate on it?
I find it odd that there isn’t even one photo of a side view. In fact there is every view but. Which makes me think it is pretty ugly from that point of view.
Nicely done though.
Yellow Chargers …Dirty Larry, Crazy Mary
This isn’t the only Charger convertible conversion I’ve seen – it’s relatively easy to graft in the Coronet/Satellite convertible bits than to start with a B-body convert and start hanging Charger sheet metal on it (and if you start with a 318 Charger whose roof had been dissolved by a vinyl roof, what’s the loss?). As far as the rigidity concerns mentioned above, the pics on Ebay show it’s been treated to full frame connectors that tie the front and rear unibody rails together – drag car stuff. For added strength Ma MoPar would just add the torque boxes they fit to Hemi cars to all their drop tops, no matter the engine.
Here…..hold my beer!
I talked to a guy at the cruise in Newark, Ohio during the Mopar Nationals a couple years back that built a 1970 convertible. He used a convertible Coronet and grafted the quarters & rear tail light panel. The doors & front clip bolted right on. I thought it looked really good.
I just don’t know….Top up or top down, it just looks odd. I can appreciate the workmanship, but $79k? yellow? I really like most 68-74 Chargers, but this is not one of them.
When I saw the drop top photo, I thought there weren’t any? Then I saw the one of none.
Reminded me of 2 of none Ferrari 250 GTO spiders. Rebodied for Frank Beard (ZZ top) and the then president of the Ferrari club as top less GTOs.
Okay, here’s my take on this. If you want a convertible buy a coronet.
Basically, it is…. But I’d at least want a roll bar added for additional strength and triangulation and I’d ditch the 440 for a small-block. Even with frame connectors, I believe this might be a “Flexible Flyer.”
A huge part of what makes the 68-70 Charger special is the hardtop with the flying buttress C-pillars. I reckon you can justify this is if the roof had been wrecked or rusted out. But otherwise I don’t see the point. I have never wanted to see a convertible version of the Charger. That’s what B-body Coronets are for. I’m not crazy about that yellow either but the interior looks nice.
Jeff H. No late 60s early 70s mopars, except trucks are full frame. All unitized bodies. No chargers, challengers, cudas,darts or road runners are full frame. All unitized bodies