Dodge Charger Downunder

[bullitt440]

Just taken delivery of my 68 Charger in Queensland Australia.  Not many down here - I expect she'll turn a few heads and drop a few jaws!!

She's not bad for a 45 year old and shouldn't take too much to get her up and running on the left hand side of the road    Needs the trunk pan replaced, along with a few other common fender rust spots.  Has powered drums all round, but I'd like to give her some disks up front.  Headlight actuators aren't working, but there are a spare pair included.  Not sure if they work.  Needs a new exhaust system, battery tray, washer bottle and window felts.

From what I know it was a 2 owner and the last guy had it in the family since the ealy 70's.  I believe it's all original, except the 383 has been replaced by a 440.

Appreciate any advice from those in the know. Had an Aussie Charger back in the 80's, but the big block Dodge is a very different beast!!

Cheers

[Mopar Nut]

Looks good, congrats.   

[Fred]

Welcome to the forum mate.  Always great to see another one being given a new lease on life.   
What are your plans for it?

[JB400]

Welcome to the forum.   Are your wheels aluminum or are those dirt track chrome wheels?

[bullitt440]

Welcome to the forum mate.  Always great to see another one being given a new lease on life.   
What are your plans for it?

Thanks mate.  The initial plan is to get her roadworthy, registered and just drive and enjoy it.  In a few years time a full resto is on the cards - I've always loved a certain movie car chase through the streets of San Francisco 

[bullitt440]

Welcome to the forum.   Are your wheels aluminum or are those dirt track chrome wheels?

They're aluminium with a nice polish but I'd ultimately love a set of Magnum 500's 

[Fred]

Welcome to the forum mate.  Always great to see another one being given a new lease on life.  
What are your plans for it?

Thanks mate.  The initial plan is to get her roadworthy, registered and just drive and enjoy it.  In a few years time a full resto is on the cards - I've always loved a certain movie car chase through the streets of San Francisco  

Ah! now your user name makes sense.  

Sounds good, just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.  

When you finally get around to the resto, are you going to turn it into the Bullitt charger?

[bullitt440]

Welcome to the forum mate.  Always great to see another one being given a new lease on life.  
What are your plans for it?

Thanks mate.  The initial plan is to get her roadworthy, registered and just drive and enjoy it.  In a few years time a full resto is on the cards - I've always loved a certain movie car chase through the streets of San Francisco  

Ah! now your user name makes sense.  

Sounds good, just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.  

When you finally get around to the resto, are you going to turn it into the Bullitt charger?

There's definately something appealing about black Chargers...

Still weighing up the possibilities, but the Bullitt Charger would be very cool.  I don't have anything against the General Lee, but I don't think the world needs another GL clone 

[Fred]

Welcome to the forum mate.  Always great to see another one being given a new lease on life.  
What are your plans for it?

Thanks mate.  The initial plan is to get her roadworthy, registered and just drive and enjoy it.  In a few years time a full resto is on the cards - I've always loved a certain movie car chase through the streets of San Francisco  

Ah! now your user name makes sense.  

Sounds good, just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.  

When you finally get around to the resto, are you going to turn it into the Bullitt charger?

There's definately something appealing about black Chargers...

Still weighing up the possibilities, but the Bullitt Charger would be very cool.  I don't have anything against the General Lee, but I don't think the world needs another GL clone 

[polywideblock]

welcome to the forum       always good to see another ozzy      cool car

[Bob T]

Gidday mate, 68's see the best lookin ones, all those other guys are so misguided.
I seem to remember seeing a movie like that once
Black cars really suck to keep clean, just ask Fred  
Congrats and well done on the purchase anyway, whack up a few more pics when you get a chance


Bob in NZ

[charger Downunder]

Mate welcome  bet you can't wait to get stuck into that 68.

[tan top]

 hello & welcome      whats the plan with the charger ??

love the wheels 

[Fred]

Gidday mate, 68's see the best lookin ones, all those other guys are so misguided.
I seem to remember seeing a movie like that once
Black cars really suck to keep clean, just ask Fred  
Congrats and well done on the purchase anyway, whack up a few more pics when you get a chance


Bob in NZ

Yes it's a pain in the backside to keep it clean but you and I both know the effort is well worth it don't we Kelvin.  
When she gleams..........she gleams!
Besides, bullitt can't let a username like that go to waste, can he.

[Silver R/T]

Nice Charger, body is fairly straight and has cool rims. I'd probably paint it different color but keep the rims.

[bullitt440]

Gidday mate, 68's see the best lookin ones, all those other guys are so misguided.
I seem to remember seeing a movie like that once
Black cars really suck to keep clean, just ask Fred  
Congrats and well done on the purchase anyway, whack up a few more pics when you get a chance


Bob in NZ

Yes it's a pain in the backside to keep it clean but you and I both know the effort is well worth it don't we Kelvin.  
When she gleams..........she gleams!
Besides, bullitt can't let a username like that go to waste, can he.

It would also be a shame to not make full use of the personalised number plate 

I'd love to go black, but it all comes down to budget.  Hope to be financial enough in a few years to undertake the full body/paint resto. 

[bullitt440]

Gidday mate, 68's see the best lookin ones, all those other guys are so misguided.
I seem to remember seeing a movie like that once
Black cars really suck to keep clean, just ask Fred  
Congrats and well done on the purchase anyway, whack up a few more pics when you get a chance


Bob in NZ

G'day from across the ditch 

The 68 was the only choice for me.  I blame it all on 'that' film I saw back in the 80's - it left a huge impression on me 

Will post some more pics, but I've found most are too big for the site    Will have to downsize a few.

[bullitt440]

hello & welcome      whats the plan with the charger ??

love the wheels 

The initial plan is just to get is on the road and enjoy it.  It needs a few things done before it can be registered for the street.  Eventually, in a few years time she'll receive a full resto.  Lots of saving needed before that can happen 

A few people have commented on the wheels - are they not a very common style in the US?  They were very common over here in the 70's/80's.  I've had a number of cars in the past with similar 14 inch versions.

[bullitt440]

Nice Charger, body is fairly straight and has cool rims. I'd probably paint it different color but keep the rims.

Yeah, I'm not head over heels in love with the green.  I'm happy enough with it for the time being, but a change of colour is defintely on the cards. 

The body looks pretty good, with the trunk being the main problem area.  One of the first items up for purchase will be a replacement trunk pan.  Seems to be plenty of suppliers for parts in the US, but the freight is gonna hurt 

[JB400]

hello & welcome      whats the plan with the charger ??

love the wheels  

The initial plan is just to get is on the road and enjoy it.  It needs a few things done before it can be registered for the street.  Eventually, in a few years time she'll receive a full resto.  Lots of saving needed before that can happen  

A few people have commented on the wheels - are they not a very common style in the US?  They were very common over here in the 70's/80's.  I've had a number of cars in the past with similar 14 inch versions.

They are still around, but not too often used any more.   Same way with the Kelsey Hayes wheels.  I like them just for the fact that it is a little retro in a sea of either stock wheels, vectors, or huge 5 spokes like the Torq Thrusts.

[Fred]

Gidday mate, 68's see the best lookin ones, all those other guys are so misguided.
I seem to remember seeing a movie like that once
Black cars really suck to keep clean, just ask Fred  
Congrats and well done on the purchase anyway, whack up a few more pics when you get a chance


Bob in NZ

Yes it's a pain in the backside to keep it clean but you and I both know the effort is well worth it don't we Kelvin.  
When she gleams..........she gleams!
Besides, bullitt can't let a username like that go to waste, can he.

It would also be a shame to not make full use of the personalised number plate 

I'd love to go black, but it all comes down to budget.  Hope to be financial enough in a few years to undertake the full body/paint resto. 

Crikey! I'm surprised those plates were still available.  Good score. 

[Bob T]

Haha, good score on the plate mate  I've got the same one here 
We called them Tridents, cool wheels on anything, usually found on holden utes, xy falcons and Valiant Chargers  & Pacers

The color is fine, just get it on the road and put a couple of tanks of gas through it, that'll make your day, hell , it'll make your whole week! Mine was originally QQ1 blue, it was black when I got it, but a mate has a Charger 500 in F8 green on green and I must admit that its grown on me a lot , with the more pics of green cars I see on the net.

[MaximRecoil]

There's definately something appealing about black Chargers...

Still weighing up the possibilities, but the Bullitt Charger would be very cool.  I don't have anything against the General Lee, but I don't think the world needs another GL clone  

Plus '68s look odd as a "General Lee" anyway. Over half of the real Warner Bros. General Lees were '68s, but their "conversion" of them to roughly a '69 appearance was a quick hack job; i.e., the center divider piece from a '69 grille was pop-riveted in place, and two '69 tail light-shaped openings were cut into the '68 tail panel. On earlier shows they even left the round side marker lights in place, covered with orange paint. Later on, they shaved the side markers from both '68s and '69s, for the sake of continuity.

Your car is sure to turn heads over there regardless of how you paint it. A second-generation Charger can cause a stir anywhere these days, but I imagine that is especially true outside of the United States, where they are even more uncommon than they are here. The A-body Australian Charger was a cool looking car, but it pales in comparison to the real thing in my opinion.

Are you required to convert it to right-hand drive in order for it to be street legal over there?

[68r/t]

Congratulations on the car,,, Mine looked the same as yours when I got it and I was also thinking of going black but the thought of the constant dusting etc put me off.
I repainted mine in the original TT1 green and in the sun it looks great as the silver/gold metallic really comes out, mine has the pearl white interior which helps break up all the green also.

[bullitt440]

Congratulations on the car,,, Mine looked the same as yours when I got it and I was also thinking of going black but the thought of the constant dusting etc put me off.
I repainted mine in the original TT1 green and in the sun it looks great as the silver/gold metallic really comes out, mine has the pearl white interior which helps break up all the green also.

Wow!!  Your Charger looks fantastic and the green really is magnificent in the sunlight. 

Thanks for posting your pic - very inspiring