440 Stripe Delete Car! 1968 Dodge Charger
The completely redesigned 1968 Charger sold nearly six times more units than the 1967 version, and second-generation Chargers like this 1968 Dodge Charger in Columbia Station, Ohio rank among the most iconic classic muscle cars, appearing in countless films from Bullitt to The Fast and The Furious. Today’s feature car wears Petty Blue over the original GG1 Racing Green Poly. The mostly complete and original Dodge wears an R/T grille, but the lack of documentation suggests that potential buyers should assume it’s a non-R/T, though it does code out as a factory 440 automatic car. Check out the listing here on eBay for more photographs and a spartan description. At least 11 bidders are nibbling so far, to the tune of more than $17,000, markedly shy of the stout $28,995 Buy It Now price. Thanks to OldCarMemories for some details.
The listing sells the car a bit short, calling it a “roller,” which most would interpret as “no engine,” but there is an engine present here. Suffice to say this once-mighty Dodge is non-operable, and this is almost certainly not the original engine. Rust everywhere suggests outdoor storage, but we’ve seen far worse from Ohio.
That’s either a funny reflection or a flattened quarter panel, and rust-through shows near the bumper and (in other pictures) the bottom of the quarters behind the wheels. Circular tail lights distinguish the ’68 from the similar ’69 and ’70 Chargers’ full-width rear light and reflector panels. The buttressed C pillar delivers a sporty fastback profile while avoiding the undesirable characteristics of a nearly flat rear window. While black stripes adorn the Charger today, the fender tag shows this was an S9 Stripe Delete car, suggesting whoever ordered this double-green hardtop wanted to speak softly, choosing when and where to let the 440 do the talking. One exception are the original code 44 F70-14 redline tires. When’s the last time you saw 14 inch wheels with a factory V8?
The a5 “Buddy Seat” could take a sixth seat-belted passenger in a pinch, and folded into an arm rest when not transporting your girlfriend or crumb snatcher. Rust-through in the floorboards should be expected from a rust belt muscle car.
You had me at hidden headlights! It’s hard to complain about the purposeful face the second-gen Charger presents in your rear-view mirror. Both the VIN and fender tag make this out to be a factory L code 440, the 375 HP high performance variant with a single four-barrel carburetor. Only the triple two-barrel 440 “Six Pack” and 426 ‘hemi ranked higher on the pecking order, the latter being less street-friendly and more complex and costly. Thanks to DodgeCharger for some details. Normally a “rusty old Mopar” tops out around $16,000, but the lure of a factory 440 may drive this one higher. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, but one picture appears to show an inspection sticker that expired in December of 1978, which might explain the car’s originality. Did someone discard this once-amazing ride after less than a decade? We’d love to hear the new owner’s plans and progress, along with your thoughts, in the comments below. Would you take a chance on this Buckeye State classic?
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Comments
It’s kind of hard to determine , but the rust around the rear spring mounts would give me pause, since this is a unibody car. Two front floor pans, two quarter panels and dropdowns, a trunk pan and rear valance panel, driver’s door bottom & left fender, (looks like the right ones may be in the same shape), and possibly a deck lid.
Geez, the replacement metal costs alone will be sucking one underwater on this one! No mention made of whether the engine spins freely or not. Personally, for $28,995 BIN, I’d search for a better platform from which to start. BTW: I bought my 70 Charger 500 complete w/ OEM 14″ steel wheels/dog dish caps!
What Moparman said. A friend bought a rotted 70 Charger R/T. By the time he got done paying the AMD metal bill he was under water. Had to scrap the project and took a huge hit. And AMD metal is junk and does not fit without a skilled body man doing the work.
It’s all Chinese garbage. I always try to buy from southwestern wrecking yards/feebsy sellers to get oem if possible, it fits everytime.
The seat design always makes me think a pissed off girlfriend or wife slashed them open and we are seeing the foam guts.
Joe Dirt’s old car . . .
Oh my! And he’ll probably get his asking price.
If that happens then that’s proof that there’s one born every minute!
Jesus. Thirty grand for that? I guess if you’re fabulously wealthy and have money to burn, but for a working stiff like me, I can only think about all the other classic cars one can find in good, running condition for the same price. I know it’s apples and oranges, but I just looked at a ‘67 Fairlane 500 with a 429 in excellent condition for the same price. Also a 69 Chevelle SS396 4 speed in excellent condition for the same price. I love muscle cars just as much as anyone, but there’s just so many others that don’t need a complete restoration that I’d rather spend my money on.
Amen.
i love the 68-70 chargers i love this one especailly cause it my favorite color i just don’t have the $$ to get her
Hey, if a guy has the money to buy it for whatever the price may be and wants to restore it, I’m ok with it. So many were trashed back in the day ( like most cars) , its understandable that a now desirable car goes for big money. This ones rough, but there’s been worse, the same can be said of the old Camaros and Mustangs . At least they will still be around and not crushed , like so many of their brethren . I cant afford to restore one and never will, but I’d rather see it looking like new again than sitting in the woods ,rotting away
First off…if it’s a 440 car, and it “codes out” as such, then it is an R/T, period…common knowledge. It was the only way you could get a 440 in a 1968 Charger and, it was the standard engine in that car.
Secondly, almost every V8 car well into the ’80’s came with 14″ wheels and tires. 15″ wheels and tires were never standard fair on muscle cars.
Third correction (shall I keep going?), there were no Six Pack 440’s in 1968. They were introduced mid-year 1969 for the M-code Six Pack Super Bees and 6BBL Road Runners.
Oy vey.
I beg to differ on tire sizes… “15″ wheels and tires were never standard fair on muscle cars.” right off the bat I can tell you the 1968 and up Z/28 Camaro had 15’s standard, also the 70 and up Trans Am and Formulas, Corvettes, Boss Mustangs, there are likely more, but in general 14’s were the rule.
What a “rot bomb”!