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Unfinished Business? 1968 Dodge Charger

Hollywood has popularized the second generation of the Dodge Charger over the years. Two examples that come to mind are the movie Bullitt with Steve McQueen and the long-running TV show The Dukes of Hazzard. They were sleek-looking cars, built on the B-body platform along with Chrysler’s other intermediates. This example from 1968 is described by the seller as a good “middle of the road” Charger, one that you could drive while you tinker with it. It has a later 360 V8 under the hood. Located in Holden, Louisiana, this Dodge is available here on eBay where the bids have gotten to $25,100.

Dodge introduced the Charger in mid-1966 as something of an upsized pony car and wouldn’t get into that space until 1970 with the Challenger. It looked like a Barracuda or a Mustang only bigger. The first generation had bucket seats fore and aft, designed to only carry four passengers. After that, the passenger compartment was like Chrysler’s other mid-sized cars, capable of toting around at least five folks. The Charger could be had from mild to wild, with anything from a 225 Slant Six up to the 426 Hemi V8.

The redesign of Chrysler’s B-bodies for 1968-70 gave the Charger an edgier look, which translated into higher sales. Instead of building 53,000 Chargers in 1966-67, production went to 224,000 for 1968-70. The 1968 model year would be the car’s best until 1973 when it peaked in demand. This seller’s Charger left the factory with a 318 V8, perhaps the most popular Chrysler engine in the ‘60s. Somewhere along the way since then, that motor has been replaced by a 360, a small block that sort of dethroned the 340 from 1973-on. The seller’s lone photo of the engine compartment makes it difficult to determine whether this one has a 2 or 4-barrel carburetor.

This is a nice-looking car that comes across as a nice running project that hasn’t quite been completed. For example, the red paint is said to be new and quite shiny, yet the engine bay is dingy and dark. The interior has seat covers that look like they were once reupholstered in basic, non-pattern material that could stand a re-do. Nothing major and you’d have a viable car to use while taking care of the loose ends.

Rust may have been an issue at one time, but possibly not anymore. The seller says the trunk was patched long ago but neglects to include a photo. The sheet metal looks straight but we don’t know if any ills were present before the body was prepped and repainted and the stripes added. The only reported issue is that the gauges are mostly inoperable now, which suggests some wiring issues behind the instrument cluster. Interested parties are invited to send the seller an email and – in return – he/she will forward a video featuring a walk-around and start-up of this Charger.

The listing makes note that this is an eBay “Certified Pre-Owned” (CPO) car. If this is of any interest or value to buyers, they may want to inquire what that means. CPO cars are supposed to offer things like a limited warranty, roadside assistance, or loaner vehicles, which the seller doesn’t go into detail about. Without any real teeth, it’s just Marketing 101.

Comments

  1. Avatar Bluetec320 Member

    Even though it is a 1968, this would still make a great General Lee tribute!

    Like 2
    • Avatar Steve R

      Turning Chargers into General Lee clones has been played out since the mid-2000’s. The mere mention will more than likely get an eye roll in return. There are many interesting ways to build one these cars from stock to an R/T clone, “day two” with vintage performance parts, even a full on Pro Touring example. They are versatile and have lots of aftermarket support for nearly any direction an owner wants to go.

      Steve R

      Like 4
    • Avatar Bluetec320 Member

      @Chester – I grew up watching the Dukes of Hazzard and I loved the show and never missed an episode. I watched for one reason, and one reason only, and that was the 1969 Dodge Charger (and maybe Daisy Duke), which as far as I am concerned, was the main character of the show. I didn’t watch it because of a flag that was on the roof of the car, which has now turned political. I did not mention the flag in my post, I simply said that it would make a good tribute car, but YOU are the one that had to reply with political correctness. You are certainly entailed to your opinion, but the rules of this site clearly say: No profanity, POLITICS, or personal attacks. Like many people, I also have my own opinions, political and otherwise, but never on this site. As far as I am concerned, Barn Finds is all about the cars.

      Like 9
    • Avatar Bluetec320 Member

      Thanks for the name calling, it clearly shows your immaturity. Again, the rules are: No profanity, politics, or PERSONAL attacks. I’m pretty sure you are a troll at this point, but who in the heck do you think you are to tell someone what they can, or cannot do with their own property or vehicles?? If someone does want to make a General Lee clone, thay can do that without your permission.

      Like 4
    • Avatar Bluetec320 Member

      Okay, so I am done here. I have been reading your comments on other articles, and personal attacks on BF members seem to be your your forte. Last week it was Steve R, this week it is me, and I am not going to waste any more time to see who you attacked before that. It is a shame that people like you tarnish a great site like Barn Finds. I am surprised that all of your personal attacks are allowed??

      Like 6
  2. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    With all due respect to Bluetec320, there’s enough tributes to the General Lee IMO out there to choke a horse. I’m not a big Mopar guy these days, but this is one that should be returned to original condition. Clean it, prep it and drive it.

    Like 11
  3. Avatar Joe Machado

    Agree, No No No Mo jumper cars, No generals, no mo.
    Besides the first one for the movie was a 68.
    At a show, no more reason to look at one either.
    Went thru Holden two weeks ago. Darn

    Like 2
  4. Avatar Gary Rhodes

    I’ve owned a bunch of 68-70 Chargers, 68 by far my favorite. I swear I scrapped cars I could get 30k for now. They were just wore out gas hogs then. I bought a 70 Plum Crazy Charger R/T, white top and interior, repairable quarter rust with a 318 replacing the 440. I parted it out and scrapped the remains. I passed on THREE 69 Slant 6 3spd cars sitting side by side in a scrapyard and they were clean cars that I could have bought for less than a grand for all of them. I passed on a clean 68 Hemi Charger R/T, maroon, blk top and interior, 4spd but had a 440 sitting in it plus a clean engineless T/A Challenger for $1800.00 in 81. The owner sold the motor out of the Charger to a guy for a tractor puller. I also passed on a noseless orange 440/6 4spd Superbird for $1200.00 around the same time, but it was pretty rough and no parts were available then. The owners father said his son and his girlfriend would go swimming and afterwards would tie their swim suits to the wing and drive home naked. I know, I’ve wanted to kick my own ass for 40 years over those three cars.

    Like 7
  5. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    How many of these came with the “slip slidin away” taxicab seat material?
    I don’t think i even seen a Duster or Valiant with that type vinyl,
    tho i did see maybe a Nova or 2.
    Best kept out of the south summer sun – not passenger friendly all heated up as well. & not necessarily built to impress a gf either – inside.
    Some nice velour seat covers will help a lot tho – in those 3 respects.
    If this car was always down south, my hat goes off to the owner(s) putting up with those hot seats & no a/c!
    Or maybe it was “winter” or night driven only?

    Like 2
    • Avatar DON

      The seats have been cheaply reupholstered ; even a base model Mopar wouldn’t have had plain “diner stool” vinyl

      Like 0
  6. Avatar cold340t

    Please NO MORE RUINED Chargers!!! The “DUKES” COPIES are something The World need NO MORE OF!!!!!!!!! Only the Originals MATTER! Period!

    Like 5
  7. Avatar Terrry

    in Mad Magazine, in ‘BullPit” the bad guys were being chased in a VW Beetle instead of a Dodge Charger.

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Kevin

    Looks like a winner to restore, and agreed, no more general Lee copy cat cars how about putting this car back to its original glory, and just enjoy it, obviously cost is always a factor my realm,so just do a little at a time.

    Like 3
  9. Avatar John

    I never liked the show and didn’t care about the car as a movie prop. As for Daisy Duke, I grew up on the beach in Florida where our home town girls looked better and wore bikini’s. I don’t think the Southern Cross belonged on a car in a cheesy sit-com either.

    Like 0
    • Avatar John

      I think that goes for just about any flag. As far as America goes the South is considered the archetype for slavery, which was a universal phenomenon (and still goes on today), but somehow the North has escaped the infamy of factory child labor. He who wins the war writes the history – especially when nearly all the publishing companies are in the North. Not that I’m a rabid southerner, just an observer of curious things, like hypocrisy, in this case on a large regional scale.

      Like 3
    • Avatar Dave

      Don’t forget about Charlie Daniels, Marshall Tucker, and the Allman Brothers.
      Seriously, Chargers of this era have a genuinely iconic body style. Considering how many they made and how many are still driveable finding one that’s not a complete rotbox is a small miracle. There are plenty of hot rods, so why not make this one a daily driver? Update the brakes and suspension, build the 360 up to 300 horses with EFI, install A/C, and upgrade the pitiful alternator output.

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Joe Machado

    S paint, Yellow. Factory air. Auto, 7.75×14 whitewall originally.
    Power brakes. AM radio, 2 watt. Tint all glass. Black vinyl top.
    When new

    Like 1
    • Avatar Dave

      I once owned a 69 R/T. Nice to look at, expensive to drive and maintain. From your post, someone bought this car to drive it every day. I’d continue on that path.

      Like 1
  11. Avatar Kenn

    As a travelling salesman once based in Florida, I can tell you that Mississippi girls outshine Florida’s by a wide, wide margin.

    Like 4
  12. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    Oddly, the aka REBEL flag on the Charger’s roof in the Dukes 1979 pilot did not upset the black guy AT ALL at 55 seconds in
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0hUT6_nNJ0
    nor me because back then, being from the North, I had no idea what that flag stood for prior because there was no internet & i hated libraries & encyclopedias. lol
    I just thought it meant being a rebel against the sometimes corrupt establishment. Period.
    BTW, did you notice what Cooter was driving above?!!!
    I wonder if that stacked in the yard GTO was saved.

    Like 3
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      I think they destroyed or damaged enough Gen Lees on that show that each replacement Charger did not have a chance to get real dirty. lol

      Anyway, yet for 7(SEVEN!) seasons/yrs + addt’l yrs of Dukes reruns, no viewers complained about you know what?
      & no one complained about this album cover either? – i must have heard this song a million times …
      http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Skynyrd-Sweet-Home-Alabama.jpg
      Viewers did write in to complain about plans to cancel TOS Star Trek after the 2nd season, which allowed a 3rd season!

      Today, the Dukes show would not last more than 1 EPISODE unless -> there was no internet. & yes, libraries are & would still be empty. & no cheap phone calling plans back then kept people even more in the dark – tho the world was safer with a lot less problems. Imagine paying adjusted-for-inflation several dollars a MINUTE long distance today!

      It’s very possible that all those young actors on the Dukes back then were as much in the dark about the OTHER symbolism of you know what – as i was.

      Like 1

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