Stock Wheels On A '68?

[tipopiola]

Hey guys, just wondering if there's any way to tell which wheels my '68 R/T would have come with from the factory without having the build sheet?  I've got the fender tag, which tells me that it came with red line tires, but I don't see any mention of which wheels my red lines were originally mounted on.  Trying to decide if I should go pick up some magnum 500's that I found on Craigslist, steelies with a hub cap, or if it could have possibly come with full wheel covers.  This project has been sitting dormant for way too long, any insight would be much appreciated!  THANKS!

[charge69]

Unfortunately, no way of telling without the build sheet. If it came with redlines, I would go with steelies with poverty caps myself ! The steelies should be body color!

What color is the Charger on the fender tag ?

[lloyd3]

Most of the '68 R/T cars I've seen (or remember seeing) had the 500s.  If the car has a good selection of options (am/8-track, tic-toc-tach, woodgrain wheel, etc.) then I'd have to guess that it had the Magnums to go with the redlines. Was it an ordered car (I believe that can be determined from the fender tag, which is all I had to work with)?

[tipopiola]

Thanks for the responses so far guys.  It's a PP1 red car, no vinyl top, white stripes, black interior, console 4-speed R/T.  Here's a pic of the fender tag, I just thought it was odd that they'd designate the tires on the fender tag and not which style of wheels that they'd be mounted on.  It was built as a "sold" car and was sold new through Grand Spaulding Dodge.  As you can see, it isn't an optioned out car.  I actually really like the body color steel wheels, but I'm not a huge fan of the '68 only dog dish hub caps.  I prefer the shallower '69 and later hub caps with the red stripe on 'em, plus the fact that the correct '68 hub caps are one year only makes 'em pretty hard to find.  This has me leaning towards Magnum 500's.  Haha, when I bought the car it had two Magnum 500's, one wheel with a full wheel cover, and one wheel with the hub cap!

[68RT440]

I didn't know that you could get the full wheel covers with the redlines. I thought that they got white walls and the 500s and steelies/dogdish wheels got the redlines...

[moparnation74]

Most of the '68 R/T cars I've seen (or remember seeing) had the 500s.  If the car has a good selection of options (am/8-track, tic-toc-tach, woodgrain wheel, etc.) then I'd have to guess that it had the Magnums to go with the redlines. Was it an ordered car (I believe that can be determined from the fender tag, which is all I had to work with)?

Without the build sheet then you do not know.  Just because a car is highly optioned is not a guarantee it came with magnums.

My car was a special order by the original owner and was highly optioned.  He opted for the steelies(standard) over the magnums.

In the end put a period correct rim/tire/dog dish hubcap you prefer.

[6bblgt]

Most of the cars I've seen with GSD paperwork are pretty much equipped with performance OPTIONS & image OPTIONS.

I vote "ROAD" (MAGNUM 500) wheels - they'd just look right in the eye appeal department with the red paint & in your face white stripe - it's got the 4-speed & tach covered.  

approximately 31.5% of the 17,109 * 440 powered R/Ts (U.S. spec.) had "ROAD" wheels

Are you thinking F70-14 Goodyear SPEEDWAYS & 14x5.5" "ROAD" wheels - or something more modern and larger?

[73rallye440magnum]

Thanks for the responses so far guys.  It's a PP1 red car, no vinyl top, white stripes, black interior, console 4-speed R/T.  Here's a pic of the fender tag, I just thought it was odd that they'd designate the tires on the fender tag and not which style of wheels that they'd be mounted on.  It was built as a "sold" car and was sold new through Grand Spaulding Dodge.  As you can see, it isn't an optioned out car.  I actually really like the body color steel wheels, but I'm not a huge fan of the '68 only dog dish hub caps.  I prefer the shallower '69 and later hub caps with the red stripe on 'em, plus the fact that the correct '68 hub caps are one year only makes 'em pretty hard to find.  This has me leaning towards Magnum 500's.  Haha, when I bought the car it had two Magnum 500's, one wheel with a full wheel cover, and one wheel with the hub cap!

The '68 caps are way cool in my opinion.

You have one of the sweetest cars I can imagine. Are you in the process of restoring?

[BB14404SPD]

Mine has the 14 x 5 1/2 steel wheels with the dog dish hubcaps. If I am not mistaken they are standard equipment on the R/T. Mine also had the red line tires. On the broadcast sheet it says 16B for black painted steel wheels. My SPD is April 18 really close to yours.

[moparnation74]

Mine has the 14 x 5 1/2 steel wheels with the dog dish hubcaps. If I am not mistaken they are standard equipment on the R/T. Mine also had the red line tires. On the broadcast sheet it says 16B for black painted steel wheels.

You are correct!

[6bblgt]

Mine has the 14 x 5 1/2 steel wheels with the dog dish hubcaps. If I am not mistaken they are standard equipment on the R/T. Mine also had the red line tires. On the broadcast sheet it says 16B for black painted steel wheels. My SPD is April 18 really close to yours.

you have an unfair advantage with a "black" car ..... short of "ROAD" wheels your car had black wheels, what's under the next box "WHEEL COVER"?

Yes, hub caps & F70-14 red stripe Goodyear SPEEDWAYs were STANDARD on a 1968 440 Charger R/T.

[BB14404SPD]

Why is it "unfair"? 07 is the code. If I am not mistaken it is the last numbers on the part #'s to the dog dish caps.

[6bblgt]

just commenting that your wheels were BLACK whether it has hub caps or wheel covers

b'cast "07" = 2768 007 = hub cap STANDARD
b'cast "64" = 2881 764 - deluxe wheel cover = sales code 581 $21.30
b'cast "79" = 2881 779 - deep dish wheel cove = sales code 584 $38.00
b'cast "69" = 2881 769 - simulated mag wheel cover = sales code 587 $64.10

[charge69]

I did not realize this.  Did the body-colored wheels if you chose hub caps start in 1969?  My Charger had the full wheel covers on it and were painted black but the basic hub caps had the wheel painted body-color.

Didn't realize the 1968 Chargers all got black wheels.

[bull]

Not that this is relevant to your question but as I understand it most 68s were "sold" cars even if they weren't ordered by customers. Due to the high demand for the 68 model (so the story goes) dealers would create fake orders so they were sure to get plenty of Chargers in stock, and get them faster.

[tipopiola]

Not that this is relevant to your question but as I understand it most 68s were "sold" cars even if they weren't ordered by customers. Due to the high demand for the 68 model (so the story goes) dealers would create fake orders so they were sure to get plenty of Chargers in stock, and get them faster.

Funny you mention that, mine was built as a "sold" car on April 24th, 1968.  As per the original paperwork from Grand Spaulding Dodge that I got with the car, it wasn't sold as new until February 15th 1969.  I asked Norm Kraus about the 10 month span between the build date and the time it was sold since a car sold as a "built" car should've left the lot immediately.  He said they did that all the time, they'd have 'em sitting around for a while just so they'd have stock on hand.  Kind of cool to think that not only was my R/T sold through Grand Spaulding, but that it was also Mr. Norm that filled out the order form and decided how he wanted it built!

[BB14404SPD]

Thanks for the responses so far guys.  It's a PP1 red car, no vinyl top, white stripes, black interior, console 4-speed R/T.  Here's a pic of the fender tag, I just thought it was odd that they'd designate the tires on the fender tag and not which style of wheels that they'd be mounted on.  It was built as a "sold" car and was sold new through Grand Spaulding Dodge.  As you can see, it isn't an optioned out car.  I actually really like the body color steel wheels, but I'm not a huge fan of the '68 only dog dish hub caps.  I prefer the shallower '69 and later hub caps with the red stripe on 'em, plus the fact that the correct '68 hub caps are one year only makes 'em pretty hard to find.  This has me leaning towards Magnum 500's.  Haha, when I bought the car it had two Magnum 500's, one wheel with a full wheel cover, and one wheel with the hub cap!

Where was your Charger assembled? Also what color is the shifter knob? Sorry about the questions just need answers for mine. Also is your console chrome?

[6bblgt]

Sorry for the confusion BB14404SPD's car is BLACK so his wheels are BLACK weather under dog dishes or full wheel covers.  Yes , '68 dog dish hub cap cars have body colored wheels.

I have good fender tag info on ~500 '68 Chargers * approximately 1/3 are "SOLD" orders, dealers often claimed to have a customer for a specific car when in fact none existed.

tipopiola - Isn't there any info on the paperwork you have from GSD in reference to the wheels/covers?  What do you actually have: dealer order, invoice, ADSN, deal jacket, window sticker?

[Lord Warlock]

Many would buy the basic wheels knowing they'd swap them for aftermarket wheels when they got home.  Mine didn't come magnums, even though I lusted after them for years, even took a set off of a donor car but never used them.  Mine came with the standard deep dish wheelcover standard on the SE cars think the tires were whitewalls, but would have to check the broadcast sheet (steel wheels W25 option, and W15 wheelcovers) tires were F70-14 WSW's.   Only wheels I saw on my all original 70k car when I got it was a set of slot mags (ET Unilugs) I plan on getting one steel wheel and a W15 wheelcover for the spare, but I'll stick with 17 inch magnum 500s.

[BB14404SPD]

Sorry for the confusion BB14404SPD's car is BLACK so his wheels are BLACK weather under dog dishes or full wheel covers.  Yes , '68 dog dish hub cap cars have body colored wheels.

I have good fender tag info on ~500 '68 Chargers * approximately 1/3 are "SOLD" orders, dealers often claimed to have a customer for a specific car when in fact none existed.

tipopiola - Isn't there any info on the paperwork you have from GSD in reference to the wheels/covers?  What do you actually have: dealer order, invoice, ADSN, deal jacket, window sticker?

Mine was also a "SOLD" car.

[6bblgt]

I know of 5 all black '68 R/Ts
2 were NOT ordered
2 have a HEMI
2 have a 4-speed
2 have NO vinyl top
2 have CAR (Center Arm Rest)
2 have an 8-track
2 have a tachometer

other than that they are practically identical 

[moparnation74]

Sorry for the confusion BB14404SPD's car is BLACK so his wheels are BLACK weather under dog dishes or full wheel covers.  Yes , '68 dog dish hub cap cars have body colored wheels.

I have good fender tag info on ~500 '68 Chargers * approximately 1/3 are "SOLD" orders, dealers often claimed to have a customer for a specific car when in fact none existed.

tipopiola - Isn't there any info on the paperwork you have from GSD in reference to the wheels/covers?  What do you actually have: dealer order, invoice, ADSN, deal jacket, window sticker?

Mine was also a "SOLD" car.

The "sold" option is still in existence today.  It is all about individual dealer numbers, period.  Product to meet public/dealer demands.  Overall, what does that mean?  Just means the dealer purchased a car with options. 

[BB14404SPD]

I know of 5 all black '68 R/Ts
2 were NOT ordered
2 have a HEMI
2 have a 4-speed
2 have NO vinyl top
2 have CAR (Center Arm Rest)
2 have an 8-track
2 have a tachometer

other than that they are practically identical  

Wow this is really good info. Mine does not have  tachometer. Where did you find this information?

[Ghoste]

If you mean tachs, it should be on the fender tag.  If you mean all of it, he said they were cars he knew of.

[HeavyFuel]

Not that this is relevant to your question but as I understand it most 68s were "sold" cars even if they weren't ordered by customers. Due to the high demand for the 68 model (so the story goes) dealers would create fake orders so they were sure to get plenty of Chargers in stock, and get them faster.

Hmmm.   Interesting.  So without more data besides the fender tag/ build sheet, no real way to tell if a car was a bona-fide 'sold' car.   

Mine was in the hands of the first owner 4 days after it rolled off the line.....so I think was a true sold car.  Not that anyone cares but me.   

[lloyd3]

Interesting! I actually inferred a great deal about my car's history when I discovered it was an "ordered" car. It was a stripe delete car and it went to a dealership very near Offut Air Force Base in Nebraska.  I presumed (perhaps very wrongly now) that it might have been ordered by a military man, perhaps an NCO that didn't want the stipe to advertise the car as being "sporty".  The original owner had passed by the time I finally tracked him down, and if he had any family left, they didn't respond to my inquiry about the car's history. 

[6bblgt]

Not that this is relevant to your question but as I understand it most 68s were "sold" cars even if they weren't ordered by customers. Due to the high demand for the 68 model (so the story goes) dealers would create fake orders so they were sure to get plenty of Chargers in stock, and get them faster.

Hmmm.   Interesting.  So without more data besides the fender tag/ build sheet, no real way to tell if a car was a bona-fide 'sold' car.   

Mine was in the hands of the first owner 4 days after it rolled off the line.....so I think was a true sold car.  Not that anyone cares but me.   

built where/sold where?

[HeavyFuel]

built where/sold where?

Built in Detroit......delivered to Kansas City. 

I have the little owners manual card that was filled out by the dealer and signed by the first owner...it was dated just a few days after the car was final inspected at the plant.

[forsy1979]

Wow!!!   So my PP1 Red, white top, white interior 68 RT is ALSO a "Sold" car.  I did not know that dealers would do this!! Wow!! I know very little history other than previous owner (before seller) name.. I sent 4 FB messages to guys with that name, LOL, in my area as I was told he's from, zero response.  Is Galen Govier worth paying to dig up info or no? 
As for hub Caps.  I was just wondering myself what mine came with.  They were red line tires. no buildsheet for me to show.any addnl details.  Stripe delete car as well but it's an automatic.not 4 speed. 

[6bblgt]

built where/sold where?

Built in Detroit......delivered to Kansas City. 

I have the little owners manual card that was filled out by the dealer and signed by the first owner...it was dated just a few days after the car was final inspected at the plant.

What do you have that denotes when it was final inspected at the plant?

[Nwcharger]

This got me interested so I pulled my broadcast sheet for my 68 rt charger. Mine is not a sold car, ss1 yellow non vinyl top with power windows, ac and disc brakes. Mine had 16S wheels and 07 covers. Does anyone know what those are? It came with road wheels with beauty rings when I bought it.

[6bblgt]

16 = 14x5.5" wheels
painted
S = "YELLOW"
with
07 = 2768 007 "dog dish" hub caps

[forsy1979]

Isn't there a service that sells reprinted buildsheets for a car?  I would think as long as you have the VIN and can prove the car to be legit that there was a place to.get one for your car.  Anyone know? 

[2fast4u]

  Welll . . . .

[2fast4u]

  redlines were not always on dog dish/steelies.

[2fast4u]

 and plymouth

[6bblgt]

1968 b-body musclecars had F70-14 "red streak" (GOODYEAR SPEEDWAY) tires mounted on body color wheels with "dog dish" hub caps STANDARD.

Road Runner & Super Bee w/383HP & Charger R/T, Coronet R/T & GTX w/440HP

everything else available was an OPTION

[HeavyFuel]

built where/sold where?

Built in Detroit......delivered to Kansas City. 

I have the little owners manual card that was filled out by the dealer and signed by the first owner...it was dated just a few days after the car was final inspected at the plant.

What do you have that denotes when it was final inspected at the plant?

Just some educated guessing on my part.   

"4 (circled) 2-2-68" was written on the firewall and "OK- 4 (circled) 2-2-68" was written on the top of the radiator support, right next to the decal.

Feb 2, 1968 is just a week or so ahead of the scheduled production date of the car.  Apparently they were cranking them out at record speed, and getting them off to the owners.

At least......that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.   

[tipopiola]

I just want to thank everyone that's contributed to this thread so far!  I did end up with some 15x10 and 15x8 Magnum 500's that I picked up super cheap on Craigslist.  I know I mentioned earlier in this thread that I preferred the look of the '69 and later dog dish hub caps, but now that I've see a bunch of pics of the '68 only dog dish hub caps I REALLY like 'em and would love to find a set! 

[CornDog]

still looking for a set of 68 caps?