68 slant charger

[Chad L. Magee]

For those who can appreciate the history of Chargers (including the /6s):

Something that has not been done before at a major show (at least that I am aware of) is to show a set run of engine options for one year of Chargers side by side by side for comparison between them.  There may have been a set of them assembled at a large show, but were likely spread out between other cars and not shown together as a set.  If you wanted to do this for 1968, that would mean you would need stock /6, 318, 383-2bbl., 383-4bbl., 440 and 426 Hemi Chargers.  I could see this setup as a display much like you would have seen at a vintage Dodge Dealership back in the day.  Another challenge would be to do a complete engine and transmission type set for one year of the Charger, including the different model types.  The set run from 1969 would take a lot of $ to do, as you would need to include the Charger 500s and Charger Daytonas to be complete.... 

[Alaskan_TA]

Maybe some of the guys with same model year cars can get together & do a 'small to large engine' car line up for the 50 years of Charger show at Carlisle next July?

The hard ones to find will be the non-4 barrel models in stock configuration I bet.

[oddis]

thank you for all the advises,  think the idea about lining them up at car shows is great..        
I probably think it will still be an base slant six after the restoration based on the general view that I´m not the only one thinking that an old oddball is interesting.  It can't always be about the power, sometimes you just have to cruise....      but I´we started on 2 engines , a slant six turbo, and a kind of stock engine that will appear as an stock slant...        after all, my first car was an 69 4-door dart   best car ever, and I'm never going to sell it...    
trying to post some pictures here , but I`m not an computer maniac, so it might not work..  :scratch chin:

[oddis]

still trying...   

[oddis]

the one that is almost finished , and given to the oldest kid...

[6spd68]

I'm now envious of your first born... 

[oddis]

well , she did`t  always feel it that way, car is built from leftovers that were considered to bad to use on restored cars so its a mix of several cars  and a lot of it is bought on eBay ( crome was painted yellow and were scratched/dented, grille is fixed in 13 places and so on, windows had be grinded ? by hand and so on....       but when it was done , she was pretty happy      I was only 12 when i started using my dart, she had to wait until she was 14 before it was given to her.   

[6spd68]

I'd never knock a Charger that was built with 'what you had'.  Just look at Baldwin's build thread  .  Why buy something new, when you can repurpose what you have?  Especially with a custom build.  You built the car to drive and have fun, not so Jim-Bob with a pen could critique it.

I can't wait till mine's done, and I hear the cries from people about using a modern 5.7.

[skip68]

I love that blue oddis.    

[ws23rt]

I'd never knock a Charger that was built with 'what you had'.  Just look at Baldwin's build thread  .  Why buy something new, when you can repurpose what you have?  Especially with a custom build.  You built the car to drive and have fun, not so Jim-Bob with a pen could critique it.

I can't wait till mine's done, and I hear the cries from people about using a modern 5.7.

I feel that more then anything else. What we celebrate here is the charger for it's style. Not every one can have a hemi car because it is rare. The 440 rt's are not so much so but still their are not enough to go around.
When a car is found that one can see in their vision (and budget) and getting it going to drive is IMO where the most fun is.  If all you have for power is a paltry 5.7 hemi the fun of building AND driving the car can still be enjoyed. The hood can stay down to avoid potential embarrassment that a non original engine moves the car.

As for the slant six cars?  ---I am not young and have been a dodge/mopar fan in a big way since the sixties. I had a 68 hemi RR that was a daily driver for years and was always hounded by folks about how rare it was. I have a 69 hemi coronet that is even more rare than the RR. I do get the draw and interest of the top end (small number) cars as being attractive.

However in all these years I have yet to see (in person) a slant six 68-70 charger. If I came across one that came with column shift manual trans. I would feel what those folks hounded me about in the past with my hemi car. --(I want a look and have many questions). I may be moved to take on another project which goes against my current task---To lighten my load as I keep aging at 60 sec. per min.

Collecting/ restoring/ driving these cool cars is not something that has a bottom end that one aspires to move up from. It is about finding a door to put one's foot into to play for the love of the hobby.

6cyl chargers matter

[oddis]

I agree, the price kills all the young enthusiasts , not only because the bodies are expensive, but if you pull up to an car show to many people ask if you´re not going to swap the old 318/360.....     
I even measured everything up in the blue charger to install a cummings or the 526/546 just to be mean to the heaters, but went for an cheap 383 magnum engine that was to worn out to be used in a another top end build..    and after a light overhaul, its as good as new..   and the sound with the cherry bomb exhaust is perfect..    
since I´m new to the forum, I dont know everyone and their project, but its fun to se how many that restores these old mopars.   there is a lot of impressing projects , both economy and high end builds.....  keep on posting...  

( I have to admit my daily driver dart has an almost stock hood and appearance , no gauges, stock shifter on the column , no console , but runs with an 546cid caddy in it, and my old ram charger is getting an 526 caddy next spring )

more pictures ( hopefully )



 

[ws23rt]

I even measured everything up in the blue charger to install a cummings just to be mean to the heaters, but went for an cheap 383 magnum engine that was to worn out to be used in a another top end build..    and after a light overhaul, its as good as new..   and the sound with the cherry bomb exhaust is perfect..      
since I´m new to the forum, I dont know everyone and their project, but its fun to se how many that restores these old mopars.   there is a lot of impressing projects , both economy and high end builds.....  keep on posting...   

( I have to admit my daily driver dart has an almost stock hood and appearance , but runs with an 546cid caddy in it, and my old ram charger is getting an 526 caddy next spring )

more pictures ( hopefully )



   

Welcome back to the site --You speak my language at least.

[oddis]

just some hours of welding and she is ready to fly again...  

[oddis]

thank you...     its nice to be back        lots of project cars that needs to be watched...., thumbs up for all the hard work in here 

[oddis]

some minor rust issues under the dash

[oddis]

one of the most fun car i have ever driven on winter was this `performance´,  top end roadster from a time when the big sixes were their race engines    ( the 1926 chrysler imperial roadster )  so to claim that an inline is boring is all up to the driver...   

[Kern Dog]

just some hours of welding and she is ready to fly again...  

Please tell me that "fly" does not mean that you will jump this car!   

[oddis]

no jumping...       just some friendly cruising, like this over the Dovre-mountain ( Norway )  at night      

[6spd68]

If all you have for power is a paltry 5.7 hemi the fun of building AND driving the car can still be enjoyed. The hood can stay down to avoid potential embarrassment that a non original engine moves the car.

In fairness, I've got a 318 car, scrapped the original seized driveline .  Now have a Dana60, Viper T56, full Hotchkiss suspension, and getting all new disc brakes.  It only makes sense to have something different under the hood too.  Perhaps that's what influences my view on swapping the slant 6 for something else too 

Can't wait to see what direction the OP's build goes, either way.

[sdweatherman]

My rule of thumb is that if it retains its original numbers matching drivetrain - it should go back to original. If not - then make it the way you want it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[oddis]

going to pick it up at the harbor in a week or so, and can`t  wait to See how it is....      

I like the way you think about engine swaps and upgrades    ,and I would never say anything bad about a 318 or a new 5,7

we tried to track down the original block and talked to the first owner, but the slant sadly got sold in 78     but the rest is the original parts.         

but did the chargers have numbers matching engines in 68 ?    wasn't it in 69 they started matching the engine vs the rest of the car, or am I completely wrong ?     
would it be wrong to say it had a date correct engine if I bought a block matching the build period, and specified that the original was sold in 78 ?

some picks of the modified charger, the rear bumper on the 69 is going to get a lot cleaner without the holes and dents, and than get re cromed.  that's why its painted gray like the spokes on the rims, but its only temporary 

[Dino]

would it be wrong to say it had a date correct engine if I bought a block matching the build period, and specified that the original was sold in 78 ?

As long as you're clear it's not the original engine there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

[Kern Dog]

The engines in 1968 were stamped at the bellhousing mount are at the back of the block, but it was only a partial number. 1969 had the stamping on the bottom edge of the block near the oil pan mounting surface.

[6bblgt]

1968 performance engines and transmissions were stamped with a partial VIN (ex: 8B123456)

these included: HEMI, 440 HP, 383HP, some 383 4bbls (depending on application)  340 & their transmissions (4-speeds & 727s)

ZERO VIN stamps on: /6, 318, 383 2bbl, & 440 4bbl (350hp c-body engines) & their transmissions (3-speeds, 4-speeds, 904s & 727s)

[Chad L. Magee]

Here is a performance thought that would still keep it with a /6 under the hood.  Back in the early 60s, a few aluminum /6 blocks were made.  Try locating one of those.  This would make a possible starting point for a performance build with this car, yet still be a /6.  It could then be either naturally aspirated, fuel injected, turboed, supercharged or etc. depending upon how far the owner wants to go with it.  It may not ever be as fast as a big block version, but would be much cheaper on the pocketbook to fill up.... 

Info on the aluminum /6 blocks:

http://www.hotrod.com/cars/project-vehicles/mopp-0303-chrysler-slant-six/