Sep 22, 2023  •  For Sale  •  29 Comments

Just 1 Mile? 1968 Dodge Charger

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The Charger may have been the comeback story of 1968. After selling less than 16,000 copies in 1967, a redesign of the B-body platform in 1968 changed output to more than 92,000 units. That number would not be broken by the Charger for another five years. This ’68 Charger left the factory with a 318 cubic inch V8, but later acquired a 440 which is not in the car either (but will follow). With lots of rust and the uncertainty of being complete, this Mopar project is in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and is available here on eBay where a bid of $10,900 has yet to challenge the seller’s reserve.

Chargers built in 1966 and 1967 always struck me as large “pony cars” with their fastback styling and split rear seating. With the 1968-70 redesign, the autos became more like the Coronets they were based upon, though they had a “tunnel back” roofline that resembled GM’s intermediates of 1966-67. And hideaway headlights, unlike the Coronets. While many car fans consider the chase scene in Steve McQueen’s 1968 movie Bullitt to be the best, it did nothing to help with the phenomenal sales performance of the new ’68 Chargers (the movie didn’t come out under after the 1969 Chargers had been introduced).

This was a rather ordinary Charger when new as the VIN decodes it as having had an entry-level small-block V8 when it left the assembly line. Somewhere in the last 55 years, that motor was dumped for a 440 which is on a stand in a storage trailer that might have housed the car at one time. The owner of this car says the odometer reading is just one mile, but surely that can’t be real given its overall condition. The white paint (or is it yellow; the fender tag is missing to validate). Sitting for at least 28 years, the body has picked up some rust, especially in the rear quarter panels. We’re told the trunk floor and extensions will also require some attention.

A potential restoration may have been started as the seats and carpeting are out of the car. We assume all parts and pieces are around and will come with the car and the seller mentions that there are some extra parts (what are they?). If you were to acquire the Charger, would you try to get the 440 going again or would you opt to drop in a period-correct 318 to bring to car back to as close as original as possible?

Comments

  1. Roland
    Sep 22, 2023 at 6:35pm

    It will never be original, numbers matching. Build it to enjoy.

    Like 24
  2. Darren Lyons
    Sep 22, 2023 at 7:05pm

    Hemi time.

    Like 14
  3. Davey Boy
    Sep 22, 2023 at 7:59pm

    Yep. Hellephant time….if you can find one. May as well build it large and any way you want. One for pure enjoyment.

    Like 10
  4. MaxH
    Sep 22, 2023 at 7:59pm

    My 1970 charger 500 came to me as a 318/904 original. Now its 408/727 etc. etc. No regrets at all. I figured I had nothing to lose and, everything to gain. Cars are for driving.

    Like 24
    • Robert Bradshaw
      Sep 23, 2023 at 9:23am

      Still depletes more natural resources than just going back with an ICE.

      Like 7
    • TomP
      Sep 23, 2023 at 9:24am

      And it would lead the pack to the junkyard, after an electrical wizard chopped it up for their two minute jollies. Then after that, the car couldn’t even be given away because of the chopped up state that it will be in. I see failed projects in the junkyard all the time from people who thought they were going to change the world with their hacksawed electrical experiments. Why not experiment on a Hyundai instead, and leave the classic collector cars to people who will save them instead of destroy them.

      Like 18
    • Jim
      Sep 23, 2023 at 10:39am

      To Rob Bradshaw: even though Solar isn’t as big as it could be, fossil fuel makes up less than half of what is produced. Once big oil figures how to profit on free sunshine, you’ll see the death of the internal combustion engine

      Like 8
    • Yogibear
      Sep 23, 2023 at 10:51am

      It is the perfect canvas for someone wanting a ’68 Charger.
      You can do as you want.
      For me, take all the mechanicals out including the rear axle and make it an ev.
      How cool would it be. I tell you it would be the only one

      Like 4
      • Randy
        Sep 25, 2023 at 2:32pm

        An Electric Charger. How Politically Correct is that? Excellent.

        Like 1
    • maggy
      Sep 23, 2023 at 11:10am

      Credit car sized batteries to power an electric dual motor vehicle 800 miles with a 15 minute recharge? really? Sign me up I want one. Wonder why Elon Musk hasn’t used that technology yet since it’s here as you say. Al is that you?

      Like 11
    • Kent
      Sep 23, 2023 at 12:06pm

      Has a $10,800 bid on a rusty, incomplete car and the reserve is higher? WOW.

      A 318 car with the drive train missing? I would never turn my nose up at a 318 powered Charger in good shape, but a rusty one with a missing drive train? I like the 68-70 Charger the best, but this one would require long and hard thought.

      Like 9
  5. TomP
    Sep 22, 2023 at 8:14pm

    This car has 1 mile on it? Wow, that was one rough mile.

    Like 30
    • David Ulrey
      Sep 24, 2023 at 1:19am

      The Green Mile.

      Like 3
    • Randy
      Sep 25, 2023 at 2:35pm

      100,001.00 I’m sure this is closer. My ’69 Pontiac did not have a 6 digit odometer.

      Like 0
  6. Maggy
    Sep 22, 2023 at 10:02pm

    Over 13k and reserve not met? This car needs big $ to restore and lots of time and it’s a 318 car. Rust bucket.

    Like 16
  7. Big Bear 🇺🇸
    Sep 23, 2023 at 2:14am

    Another real hot mess Mopar!🤦And the mileage a mile?!! Try 200,001 miles.. this will cost over $50,000 just to fix everything.. I think the rear bumper fell off because of the rust!!!😂 I can’t believe people are going to spend big bucks just to spend triple to drive it. This is a no go!! 🐻🇺🇸

    Like 23
    • Billy
      Sep 24, 2023 at 3:06am

      Looks to me like a good start on a private artificial reef for the beachfront vacation property you just acquired with the money you saved.
      So, anyone else have a small aquarium when you were a kid?
      Never mind.

      Like 3
    • František Žák
      Sep 24, 2023 at 11:56am

      On to koupí někdo do Europy a bude to stát celé i s dopravou a clem minimálně 85 až 95 000 euro takže hodně drahá sranda ale otázka je zda má auto smysl zachránit a mít z něho radost nejen na jízdu ale i v garáži.👌🇨🇿

      Like 1
      • Billy
        Sep 24, 2023 at 12:23pm

        Huh? This is the USA red, white and blue. Please turn your translation device on.
        Thanks.
        Will be interesting to see what you said. I always like learning new things.
        Best to ya.

        Like 1
      • PRA4SNW
        Sep 24, 2023 at 7:56pm

        Billy, if you are on a computer, you can highlight the section you want to translate and there should be a menu item that will translate it.

        This is Czech and it says:
        Someone will buy it in Europe and it will cost at least 85 to 95,000 euros, including transport and customs duties, so it’s a very expensive joke, but the question is whether it makes sense to save the car and enjoy it not only for driving but also in the garage.

        Like 1
      • S.D. HeideckerMBA
        Sep 25, 2023 at 7:06am

        Where is the app for android phones! Microsoft only has for their Apple phones? Thanks also for the translation, helped all of us that can’t or don’t know! Respectfully: S.D.

        Like 1
  8. Sam
    Sep 23, 2023 at 9:43am

    (M)ostly (O)ld (P)arts (A)nd (R)ust

    Like 7
    • Billy
      Sep 25, 2023 at 7:17pm

      Apologies thrown out. I still wish we only spoke English on this site.
      No matter what anyone says about this vehicle. It’s a rust bucket and will remain that way until some fool makes it into a high dollar rust bucket. The End.

      Like 1
  9. KanakAttak
    Sep 23, 2023 at 11:26am

    Yeah pro street or pro mod material! 1000ci. Is the norm even though a 500ci on nitro will be even more epic! Don’t need a trunk floor with tires as big as nitro class at the 4-wide and rear quarters are no biggy! If it goes for $10k lucky 🍀 to the seller but I remember in the 80s when chargers didn’t even have much rust and dumped on the side of the road in Hawaii here especially just like this one, light yellow and 318! Either way good luck to the seller and the new buyer! Best wishes! 👍🍻🍻

    Like 2
  10. PRA4SNW
    Sep 23, 2023 at 6:33pm

    When will people realize that a 68 – 70 Charger in any condition is worth more than gold right now.

    This will sell for more that any Barn Find reader is willing to pay and will become a profit making resto mod.

    Like 3
  11. Dan
    Sep 24, 2023 at 2:49pm

    I’d put a 318 back in, but change the color to F8 green, tan interior… Most beautiful muscle car around!

    Like 0
  12. Jeff Myhre
    Sep 25, 2023 at 4:22am

    It would be Hellcat time with 6 speed trans 4 wheel disk brakes then I would research suspensions and put the best one in to improve handling I would stiffen the frame making it a full frame I would put a 69 front grill in with it being a restomode there are no rules and to me the grill on the 69 is as good as it got it would get a custom 4 color paint Job the majority would be black the scallops on hood and doors would be red outlined with yellow and orange and a custom front chin spoiler and a all leather interior with custom modern high back buckets with the racing seat belts black carpet and dash steering column and a Shelby steering wheel head liner red seats black and red with orange and yellow stitching.

    Like 3
    • maggy
      Sep 25, 2023 at 4:36pm

      I’m riding shotgun.Sounds good to me.

      Like 1
    • Billy
      Sep 25, 2023 at 7:23pm

      Holy Moly Jeff, I live 4 miles from the Oregon border. Is there anyway you could hook me up with what it is that you are woooofffin right now? My lord brother.
      I do appreciate your imagination.
      I think.
      Splendid.

      Like 1

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