Anyone on here with a 68 in New England?

[JackKeane]

Hey guys new here and thinking of trading my 99 Viper GTS for a 68 if the opportunity arose. If there are any 68 aficionados that could show me around their 68 and maybe bring me for a ride. I've seen a few at shows but the owners never seem to know too much about them. I'd like to know what to look for as common issues when buying/trading. I've never been for a ride in a 2nd gen. I'd also be happy to let any Charger owner drive the Viper if I could drive their Charger  Looking for info on base 383 and 440 RT 4 speed cars. I have the red and white book so I know a lot of the basic stuff. I live in Clinton MA. Let me know if you're going to any car shows in NH MA RI CT and I'll try to meet you. Viper GTS is my second favorite car behind a dark 68 big block Charger 4 Speed. I'll leave the link to my ad too! Looking forward to meeting some Chargers and their owners!!

https://worcester.craigslist.org/wan/d/wtt-99-viper-gts-for-68/6647434148.html

[JB400]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your search.  You have good taste in cars

[Lennard]

Welcome to the forum Jack. Good luck with the Charger hunt.

[JackKeane]

Haha thank you! But to be fair this is a Charger forum so I bet everyone here does

[Charger_Dart]

Jack, I am a little over an hour from Clinton in western Mass. off of Route 2. 
My 68 is not a 4-speed and is not for-sale / trade but if you want to go over mine you can. I am not an expert, but might be able to help out. I have owned mine for 28 years, driven it everywhere, and restored it twice performing most of the work myself each time. P/M me if you want to take a drive over.
Mike

[JackKeane]

Hey Mike I'd really appreciate that! I've got the power steering rack out of the Viper right now for a rebuild (had a slow leak) but as soon as it's reinstalled I will try to set something up with you.  Maybe we could hit a show out your way with our cars!

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Jack, I am a little over an hour from Clinton in western Mass.

Not the one who looks like she wandered off from hospice, I hope?

[JackKeane]

No... thank God

[Chad L. Magee]

One thing to look for is rust in the rear window area, typical on second gen Chargers.  It typically will leak in the recessed portions around the stainless.  Once it gets into the trunk, it will eventually rust out the trunk floor and both quarter panels.  Reproduction parts for the second gen Chargers have been made for a while, but not every part is exact.  Many of the stamped replacement panels have detail issues that will need to be corrected if you are going to show the car at a major Mopar show for grading points.  The grilles on Chargers are made of fragile plastic that does not stand up well to bird strikes, so you might want to invest in a spare grille if you have the means.

As you already know, 1968 factory 4-speed non-RT Chargers are rare to find.  Many of them were run hard and put away wet back in the day, which adds to the rarity.  A few were converted into black RT clones (Bullett), as an original black 4-speed RT can be unreachable to most collectors now.  Some of them were parted out for the RTs back in the day before they became "valuable".  All second gen Chargers are seeing rises in values across the boards, be it a small block project to a mint 426 Hemi Daytona.

I am a owner of one of the 383-2bbl., 4-speed versions (rough project car), so I keep an eye out for the odd 4-speed Chargers that I come across... 

[JackKeane]

Good info thank you. I think I'm going to drive the Viper our to the Mopar Nationals in a couple weeks. It's the 68 50th so I'm sure they will have a nice display of Chargers along with the RR and Super B!

[chargervert]

For what you will have to pay for an original 68 Charger R / T  4 speed car, you may be better off to trade,or purchase a nice 68 Charger R / T automatic car, and figure in the cost of a five or six speed conversion into the deal. After driving a Viper with a six speed, a Charger with an 833 4 speed will feel like a dinosaur.  With a modern overdrive transmission it will drive more like what you are used to driving.

[JackKeane]

I'd really rather a 4 Speed car. Dream cars are not logical most of the time haha. But I wouldn't mind so much as long as there was no hacking or cutting involved. Is the trans tunnel and a hole for the shifter the same as long as it was originally a floor shifter car? I had already thought about a five speed for the car if it requires no modifications that are not easily reversible.  However I'm OK with a four-speed. My parents just got rid of their 64 dual quad 409 Biscayne. Four speed Manual brakes manual steering no heater no radio car. So I'm sure the charger will be a luxury car in comparison ha ha.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

The way things are today, the price you'll pay for an original '68 Charger R/T that's super clean will exceed what you can sell the 2000 Viper for.

[qwick68]

The way things are today, the price you'll pay for an original '68 Charger R/T that's super clean will exceed what you can sell the 2000 Viper for.

Thats the truth!

[JackKeane]

1999! Big difference in the motor 

I was thinking around 50-65k should net me a nice driving car that shows well. Not interested in judging the car or a trailer queen but the car must show well. Unrealistic? I feel like a 383 4 Speed car in nice driving/cruise night condition should be had in the low 40k’s?

What do you all think is reasonable?

My car, realistically, is worth 45-50. Not opposed to trading up for the right car!

[chargervert]

The Passon 5 speed transmission is a direct bolt in for a stock 4 speed transmission.  Most people would consider an automatic Charger that has been converted to a 5 speed overdrive transmission an up grade. This conversion can be done to look factory correct as far as the body goes. I think you are on the mark about the current market value of a 4 speed Charger R / T, but a pristine, or survivor could exceed those numbers.  Mark knows from very recent experience what they are bringing in the current market, so when he says that what you are looking for may exceed your Vipers value,he is probably correct.

[JackKeane]

Will the Passon swap into an auto floor Speed car? I'd imagine the tunnel sheet metal may be slightly different? If it's a direct swap for the(floor shifted)  auto and the slave and pedals bolt right in it may be an option I would consider!! Thanks for the help guys! I appreciate any and all info!

[chargervert]

To swap out an automatic on the floor, the automatic shifter bracket will have to be removed, the floor hump will have to be welded in,as well as a middle console bracket.  Unless you are using a hydraulic throw out bearing, then a torque arm bracket will have to be welded to the top of the drivers side front frame rail.  The console, top plate,shifter,shifter rods,clutch linkage,and brake/clutch pedals are different and will have to be changed. All of the parts to do a 4 speed, or Passon 5 speed swap are available reproduction, and if done correctly, it will look like it was done at the factory.

[timmycharger]

Passon 5 speeds currently have a long waiting list from the last time I checked. But for those who have one, they report nothing but great feedback.


BTW I live in Tewksbury MA, about 15 min North of Boston.  I have a 68 440 4 speed (non original) Charger that you can check out if you are ever in the area.

In the middle of a cam swap at the moment but it should be back on the road in a few weeks.

Mike

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I was thinking around 50-65k should net me a nice driving car that shows well. Not interested in judging the car or a trailer queen but the car must show well. Unrealistic? I feel like a 383 4 Speed car in nice driving/cruise night condition should be had in the low 40k's?

What do you all think is reasonable?

My car, realistically, is worth 45-50. Not opposed to trading up for the right car!

From what I see, 50 grand will buy an R/T that still needs a a fair amount of work. The more you spend, theoretically, the less work it should need, however, finding a car that needs nothing or very little, in all three model years, is very tough. Vanguard has some cars priced in the 100 grand range that I wouldn't give you 40 grand for.

Originality, matching numbers, documentation and a 4-speed will add a premium. A 383 4-speed 68 Charger is rarer than a 440-4 speed, so finding a good clean 383 4-speed that's for sale is going to be tough.

I'm not too far from you (near Gillette Stadium) and I consider myself as fortunate having a 68 R/T automatic with PS, PB and A/C and another 68 R/T that's a triple manual car and 2/3 original paint. Both are numbers matching numbers and both are pretty original. I paid a premium for both when I bought them & have no regrets with either purchase.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

BTW I live in Tewksbury MA, about 15 min North of Boston.  

15 minutes from Tewksbury to Boston.....by jet?

[timmycharger]

BTW I live in Tewksbury MA, about 15 min North of Boston.   

15 minutes from Tewksbury to Boston.....by jet?

   I said "about"..  straight shot right down 93..

[JackKeane]

Awesome guys! I’ll take you up on that Mark. Let me know when she is back on the road!

Mytur, I go to the Bass Pro show quite a bit with my Viper. Do you own the bronze 68 that I’ve seen a few times? Or perhaps the red car I’ve seen once? Or perhaps neither if you don’t go to the show?!

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Awesome guys! I'll take you up on that Mark. Let me know when she is back on the road!

Mytur, I go to the Bass Pro show quite a bit with my Viper. Do you own the bronze 68 that I've seen a few times? Or perhaps the red car I've seen once? Or perhaps neither if you don't go to the show?!

Yes, I have the bronze car. Here's the dark green one, although it doesn't look green in this picture.....

[JackKeane]

Wow in the green one must be the four-speed. Because if I remember correctly the bronze car was an automatic.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Wow in the green one must be the four-speed. Because if I remember correctly the bronze car was an automatic.

The bronze one is the 4 speed.

[JackKeane]

Is it the one with the black roof and stripe with redline tires? I havnt seen it since the first show of the year. Drizzly day, if I remember correctly, with a very small turnout.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Yes.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I was thinking around 50-65k should net me a nice driving car that shows well. Not interested in judging the car or a trailer queen but the car must show well. Unrealistic? I feel like a 383 4 Speed car in nice driving/cruise night condition should be had in the low 40k's?

Here you go....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Charger-NUMBERS-MATCHING-383-with-4-SPEED-RESTORED/283077932450?hash=item41e8c275a2:g:pyIAAOSwbaxbXjNf&vxp=mtr

For the kind of dough these people are asking, it should be perfect, but this car is faaaaaar from it.

[VegasCharger]

15 minutes from Tewksbury to Boston.....by jet?

I used to work for AAA and more often than not, distressed motorists when describing their location would say, example: "I'm about 45 min. south of Las Vegas on I-15".

Okay uh how fast were you going? At 60 mph you're 45 miles out, at 75 mph you're 67.5 miles out, at 120 mph you're 90 miles out, etc.

We need mile markers, landmarks, exit numbers etc. 

Sorry for the HiJack, now back to the topic at hand.

[JackKeane]

So I put the power steering rack back in the Viper and drove it out to Mopar Nationals in Ohio last weekend. What a blast! Even with the lousy weather. The fun down at buckeye lake lasted all night. Back now but my temperature sending unit decided to go on the ride back home. Easy fix and the part should be here Wednesday and I'll fix it that evening. After that I'd love to take you guys, who were nice enough to say I could check out their cars in person, on your offers. It will be great to go over the cars with some guys who are really knowledgeable so I can know what to look for in the odd chance that a trade opportunity presents itself. At worst, I'd say I'm only a year or two out from being able to add another car to the garage without sacrificing the Viper and the 68 is the next car so it will be time we'll spent either way. Are there any cruise nights in particular you guys go to? I'm taking the car to a new cruise at Northborough Crossing at the intersection of RT9 and RT20 tonight as it's 5mins down the road for me. I will probably be at the Bolton Street Tavern cruise in, in Marlboro, tomorrow night if any of you are interested in going. I know it's probably a pretty far ride for most of you so no worries if not!

[Hard Charger]

not sure if you "scratched" your itch yet.

I am in the Worcester area and have a 68 auto. Not for sale but you can look it over. I did restore it.

[JackKeane]

That would be great. The more of them I can look over and the more owners I can talk to the better. Worcester is very close by. Do you ever go to Hebert's on Thursdays?

[Hard Charger]

I haven't gone to Herbert's in years. I hope to go the Auburn Elks friday night this week or you can stop by. PM me if you are interested.

My car is matching numbers,  pale yellow SS2 I think.