Although we’ve seen plenty of cars crossing our desks that have emerged from garages and barns, we sometimes see classics with slightly more left-field backgrounds. This 1968 Dodge Charger R/T is a perfect example, having recently returned to North America after spending its life in Venezuela. However, as fascinating as that is, there is more to this R/T than its backstory. It is a rock-solid survivor, and the engine bay houses its original Hemi V8. It doesn’t run or drive, but reviving it should be a rewarding undertaking. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Rocco B. for spotting the Charger listed here on eBay in Celeste, Texas. The seller set their price at $279,000 with the option to make an offer.
This Charger rolled off the line in 1968, produced as an export vehicle destined for Venezuela. As such, its glovebox houses the appropriate Owner’s Manual and other documentation, including the original Broadcast Sheet. The first owner ordered it in Dark Blue Metallic with a Black vinyl top. The seller states that the paint and vinyl are original, and the car has never received a restoration. As such, it carries a wide selection of paint imperfections and the occasional small ding. I’ve scrutinized the seller’s image gallery, and I believe there might be a more significant dent in the driver’s side rear quarter panel, between the door and the wheel arch. Otherwise, the photos confirm that this beauty is rust-free. The vinyl looks quite nice, and the glass is clear. The trim looks comfortably acceptable for a survivor-grade classic of this vintage, and the car features the iconic covered headlamps.
This Charger means business. Its first owner ordered it with the legendary 426ci Hemi V8 under the hood. By ticking the boxes beside the three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, a 3.23 Sure Grip rear end, power steering, and power front disc brakes, they received a car with extraordinary performance and a relatively effortless driving experience. The Charger R/T is a muscle car, and with the Hemi churning out 425hp and 490 ft/lbs of torque, that status is undeniable. The seller emphasizes the originality of this numbers-matching R/T, stating that even the battery is original. Its return to its country of origin coincided with the Charger receiving a new exhaust and new tires. The vehicle doesn’t currently run or drive, and hasn’t done either for years. Reviving the Charger shouldn’t be difficult if the engine turns freely, but given the car’s originality, I wouldn’t rush that project. I’d take my time to minimize the chances of doing damage that could cost a significant sum to fix.
The first owner didn’t focus exclusively on performance when ordering this Charger, opting to load the interior with a few desirable factory features. Unsurprisingly, given where it spent its life, it is a heater-delete vehicle. However, the interior features bucket seats, a console, power windows, an AM radio/8-track player with three speakers, and a Rally gauge cluster with a Tick-Tock-Tach. The interior looks surprisingly good for its age, with no significant wear or damaged vinyl. There is something odd about the console near the driver’s right leg, but that is the only genuine concern. There is no damaged plastic or evidence of UV deterioration. Overall, I think the interior would present well following a deep clean.
This 1968 Dodge Charger is an extraordinary find, especially coming from such an unusual location. The Hemi makes it among the most desirable examples produced during that model year, although the seller’s BIN may have cooled buyer interest. For me, the big question is what the future holds for this classic. Restoring it to a factory-fresh state should be relatively straightforward, and is the path some readers would follow. Others would contend that its lack of rust issues makes it a prime candidate for preservation, arguing that they’re only original once. I don’t believe that there is a right or a wrong answer; I would simply like to see this Charger return to its rightful place on our roads. Do you agree?
Removal of the Hemi and R/T badges would have more than a few surprised 😮 at the traffic lights 🚥
This car was featured on March 29th 2025 when it was listed by a different seller. Now it listed by the dealer in Celeste Texas, that is also selling the 1972 Cuda featured earlier today.
Steve R
Correct….even the 5150 story on it iis different then the EBay write up. It might have come back to the states but left again for Europe where it was wrote up this year as found there and brought back to the states. Might have been 2025 but it wasn’t that long ago. EBay ad says it was brought back to the states in 2016…anyway nice car…..
$279K and it Doesn’t run??
Yeah, he is dreaming.
One of the comments on the ’72 ‘Cuda referred to it as a ‘stealership’, & that’s pretty much what it is. I wish I’d thought of that one first! 😂
I’m sure the DEA has a surveillance team set up on this dealers location.
I have to agree, who else could afford a car like this down there? Probably hauled guns and bodies in that trunk. Car is for sure haunted. I would steer clear, though, never my kind of car anyway. The awful power steering alone makes me hate Chryslers of the era.
At least the colors are right, black & blue, because a person should feel beaten-up if they pay any where near the asking price for this non-running car.
Adam, the part where you mention that the center console looks odd near the driver’s right leg is simply the small piece of carpeting that was on each lower side of the console. Just a very small piece of loop pile carpet that matched the floor carpet. Easy fix. Wonderful car but yea $279k and it does not run or drive seems a bit high to me.
The price only affords me a quick glance, (I’m surprised we don’t have to pay to look at it. :))
That being said, it looks like a time capsule, down to the original looking battery.
A lot of money for a car that has not run in decades.Oil pan is dented up.
As our economy and the collector car market, is under severe Duress:
Sellers minds and Prices have gone into outer space!
Go Figure!
Cheers
Underpriced, for sure. Based on other asking prices, it seems that a numbers matching Hemi-anything is now worth at least half a million, in any condition, right?
If this is worth that anywhere near that price range, then why doesn’t the seller just put this on Mecum or Barrett-Jackson and see what kind of bidding frenzy they create?
Yeah, right.
Go to their websites and read their fee structure and rules regarding reserves and you’ll figure out why they won’t take it to either.
Steve R
Steve, I was being sarcastic, but auctions do reveal the current market value. I’d doubt that this piece trips many triggers, but who knows. Real hemis live in a weird, hyped-up bubble right now.
But maybe not in the future. There are way too many high priced hemis to sustain these kinds of prices once the boomers fade out. Only the very premier stuff will sustain among the millionaire collector class.
Ferraris and similar stuff sustains because a lot of them were actual race cars. The street models were almost race cars and rare, usually with unique, one-off bodies, and they often have provenance, too.
Most hemis have very little of any of that level of cache to sustain these valuations, and there are too many of them. Most were just another muscle car at one point. Who cares if there were only 12 blue ones or whatever. That’s begging for some kind of advantage that matters very little. That’s not the same as a Bertone-bodied Ferrari. Not even close.
There just aren’t going to be enough people who care enough to maintain these kinds of prices. And this one is not a ‘cuda and not original, nor even well-restored. In 2040, the number of people who appreciate and want a car like this one is going to be extremely limited.
Hemi cars from the 1960’s and early-1970’s have been selling at premium prices for decades, that’s not going to change. It doesn’t matter at this point if the hype matched their performance, that was spelled out in many performance magazines when these cars were new.
I worked in the performance industry and heard people make better arguments proclaiming the coming collapse of the collector car market ever since California instituted its smog laws in the early-1990’s, time has always proven them wrong, this time is no different. There are always fluctuations as some cars go into or out of fashion and based on general economic conditions, but there is a core that always holds steady. Cars that have been sought after for 50+ years are going to continue to be sought after, those that tagged along as alternate choices won’t.
Steve R
Steve R. I have just one argument to your theory that these, ( meaning street Hemi’s) are going to continue to be highly desirable due to their rarity.
They are not all that rare. During the period from ’66 to ’71, there were between 9,500 and 9,900 units produced.
By contrast, in ’69 (the only year that they were available) there were something like 52 ZL-1 Camaros produced. That is considered rare by any measure, but not only are they in basically in the same price range as the top selling Hemi’s, they are not projected to go through the roof.
Bottom line, eventually the mystique of the street Hemi is going to wear off and the values will settle down.
Oldrodder, though street Hemis sell at a premium, the 68-70 Chargers and 1970-1971 E-bodies sell for much higher prices than other street Hemi’s, the 66-67’s being the cheapest.
If rarity was truly the driver of price, why would the 1970 LS6 (4,475), 1969 BOSS 429 (859), 1970 BOSS 429 (499), 1970 Superbirds (1,935), and 1969 Z28’s (20,302) all sell at elevated prices, some rivaling this Hemi Charger, but all at a premium over most other muscle cars. Rarity isn’t the deciding factor, they all live on some level of hype, most weren’t the fastest cars or practical, but are highly sought after.
Steve R
Steve, I agree with you that the top tier cars will sustain their prices.
I think that it’s how we define tier 1.
Not every matching number big block car is going to qualify. There are just too many of them. Only the rarest, prime examples will be elevated.
Unfortunately, that means stuffed away in a personal collection ir museum, never to be seen or heard on the road again.
That owner is in a different class of money and sees these as “rare object” investments. Monet paintings and Faberge eggs and the like.
He might be a car guy, but he’s not driving them to the Dairy Queen cruise-in either. Which used to happen with big blocks before the numbers got silly.
Below that, the cars start to have blemishes, originality issues, lack true rarity, and are just another example.
Investment collectors know that these are not investment-grade cars.
So who is going to pay 6 figures for this huge pool of damaged goods? The eligible buyers are aging out. Younger guys don’t have the skills, tools, or physical resources to deal with them.
Nor the nostalgic attachment. They like Hellcats and tricked out Civics and WRXs and the sea of modern Mustangs. A $250,000 hemi Charger looks like a high risk hassle that you can’t even drive due to the risk.
So whats the point of owning it? You can get the same ground pounding thrill from some basrtd car with a swapped out hemi, and pay $10k, not $100k, worry-free.
Lots of these overpriced, tier 2 muscle cars that match numbers but otherwise have flaws are doomed, as far as price support. They had their moment, when Mecum and Barret-Jackson told everyone that the sky is the limit.
The longer they wait to unload, there’s gonna be a lot of people holding the bag on huge losses. A lot if it will take place at estate settlements because the owners refuse to sell and take the embarrassing depreciation hit while they are alive.
The longer they wait, the worse it gets.
Unless your Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg or even Leno how and why would a person put more money into a car they just paid $279K for? Seriously this is one of the most ridiculous offerings ever for sale here!
Great point. I watched an auction last year where a guy walked away from a Hemi Superbird at $175,000 because he discovered some issues that he estimated would cost around 30K to rectify, and he felt like that put it out a feasible amount to spend based on his estimate of where the market was most likely headed.
Ok, I get it, street Hemi’s are the “holy grail” of high performance collector cars, but 279K and it doesn’t run or drive?
You cannot be serious. That number is borderline demented as far as I am concerned. I may be way off base, but I can’t see a serious Mopar collector even considering this car.
I’ve seen a street Hemi run and it’s not the magic motor everyone thinks. A buddy of mine had a stout 427 in a 67 Chevelle, that took a Hemi car without much fuss. I wouldn’t mind owning a Hemi, but not for $279 large.
Actually, V-12 Ferraris with race history, pre-war Alfas, Bugattis, racing Mercedes and AU, Miller’s, and SJ Duesenbergs are the holy grail engine cars and they all leave every hemi cuda in the dust in terms of value, maybe with the exception of the actual AAR Trans-am Gurney cars.
Lots of that stuff is in the double digit millions these days. A couple of cuda convertibles have traded for a few million.
Real race cars and pre-war classics will always be worth way more than mass produced muscle cars, which is why I fail to get the hemi hype.
why does this seller keep getting free advertising on this site?
This was brought back by the guys at Mopars 5150. The rear quarter damage was during transport.$279k is goofy money, but it’s an all-original HEMI car.
But, it DOESN’T RUN or drive!!!
That becomes part of your story.
“I paid over a quarter of a mil for a car that doesn’t run! And it cost me ANOTHER $100k to get it running and clean up the mess. Now I am the proud owner of a $379,000 hemi-Charger!”
must be some good dope is his ‘hood.
23,000 Km is 14,000 statute miles. Torsion bars are backed off (for storage maybe?), and howz about that battery. Somebody probably tried to charge it and it popped; its also NOT a MOPAR battery. Quite a few things are askew. Banged up oil pan, yet the trans and front skid plate are OK. Dreams are BIG in Texas.
I think the $279k the dealer is asking includes the 20 kilos it was imported with.
Guys, you’re missing the real hook on this one. I have it on good authority it was owned by one Nicolás Maduro who is now in need of some $$$ to pay for legal fees.
Ok. Maybe so. What does he mean to a car guy?
I kinda think Euromoto might have been funnin’.
So, a Boss 429 Mustang in good shape is the same price as this thing.
Actually, V-12 Ferraris with race history, pre-war Alfas, Bugattis, racing Mercedes and AU, Miller’s, and SJ Duesenbergs are the holy grail engine cars and they all leave every hemi cuda in the dust in terms of value, maybe with the exception of the actual AAR Trans-am Gurney cars, which were small block cars, of course.
Lots of that stuff is in the double digit millions these days. A couple of cuda convertibles have traded for a few million.
Real race cars and pre-war classics will always be worth way more than mass produced muscle cars, which is why I fail to get the hemi hype.
Steve R. I have just one argument to your theory that these, ( meaning street Hemi’s) are going to continue to be highly desirable due to their rarity.
They are not all that rare. During the period from ’66 to ’71, there were between 9,500 and 9,900 units produced.
By contrast, in ’69 (the only year that they were available) there were something like 52 ZL-1 Camaros produced. That is considered rare by any measure, but not only are they in basically in the same price range as the top selling Hemi’s, they are not projected to go through the roof.
Bottom line, eventually the mystique of the street Hemi is going to wear off and the values will settle down.
Steve R. You kind of made my point re: rarity.
The Boss 429s, the Superbird, (as well as the Daytona) and to some extent, the LS-6 are commanding premium prices due almost solely to their rarity. The Z-28, except in some very rare instances, do sell for anything even approaching those other models, simply because they aren’t all that hard to find.
And as I said, it is my opinion that once the mystique of the Hemi wanes, we will see their prices stabilize.
The other ones, I believe that the sky is the limit to some extent due to their rarity.
The Hemi Charger and E-bodies are rare compared to every car I mentioned, they are also the most expensive street Hemi’s. Not all Hemi cars are valued the same, that was my point, you can’t lump them together to make a point that they all have similar values, you need to break them down by year and model. Several if the cars I mentioned will bring similar prices to this Charger even though they were built in greater numbers than the Charger. The rest will have price points that compare favorably, even though they too were produced in greater numbers, than the less sought street Hemi cars, the least valuable being the various 1966/1967 Dodge and Plymouth offerings.
Steve R
After reading the comments thus far, I would opine that rarity does not always equate to value. It is “value added” to an already desirable car. Second, I fail to see how a valid comparison can be made of a vintage European performance car like Ferrari to a American performance vehicle produced in the 60’s. Lastly, using 1/4 mile performance as a basis to compare the Chevelle equipped LS6 to the Street Hemi is not fair since the hemi motor was engineered for a different purpose than an LS6. Same can be said about the Chevy Z-28, DZ 302 motor.
I have to agree with what you said earlier .I have been saying this for a while that all these cars are all going to end up in the crusher.today’s kids most of them can’t afford them and don’t know much about them. with gas prices going up every time you go to fill up none of them can afford them.they want smaller cars that gets you 30 or more miles to the gallon.you can get a v 6 these days almost as fast as some of the old gals that we old folks grew up with.to spend that amount of money so when you leave this earth it will end up in the crusher is just plain stupid unless you are someone like Leno with more money than you know what to do with.