'68 383 HP 4-barrel with 4-speed numbers matching...UPDATE (not good)!

[Charger_Croatia]

Congratulations on your new ride!

[Dans 68]

Congratulations on your new ride!

Thanks! I'm about ready to call it a day, and it appears that you are just starting yours...good morning to you!.

Dan

[bull]

ive got a 68 383/4spd also.  Lots of fun and youll get plenty of people hooting and hollering at you when your driving that around.  good luck with it.  Does anyone know the production numbers for the 383/4spd combo?

1968 Charger
383/4bbl/4spd -- 259 produced
383/2bbl/4spd -- 74 produced

[68RT4ME]

Very nice find. Considering what all it entails, I'd say you did great. Love those '68's. Congrats and best wishes with it. As the new owner of a newly aquired '69, we're both in for some fun times. 

[Tom_440]

Congrats! Nothing like buying a cool car from Ozzie! Have fun with it.

[69bronzeT5]

Congrats man on your newly used 68

[marcel68]

Concratulations

I have a 68 Charger 383-4bbl myself. Completely restored over five years to complete original condition. I'm happy that people appriciate this engine and carb configuration as well. The 440 is fantastic but some attention for this engine is well deserved.

Marcel   

[twenty mike mike]

Some people really hate the Inlands and often refer to them as the guess-a-gear shifter.

That might explain why, when I raced a '68 Hemi Charger in my '69 340 GTS, he missed all three shifts. Every time he shifted, I'd get up to his door, and away he went again after finally getting it into gear. And all this time I thought he just couldn't drive.

Great score Dan, wish I'd had the bucks available to get it, especially since it was local.

[Dans 68]

Great score Dan, wish I'd had the bucks available to get it, especially since it was local.

Thanks! So where exactly on the left Coast are you?

Dan

[OldGuy]

Welcome to the 68, 383, 4 BBl, 4-speed Club

Finishing up a little body work, and getting ready to paint ours.

[Dans 68]

Welcome to the 68, 383, 4 BBl, 4-speed Club

Finishing up a little body work, and getting ready to paint ours.

Wow...looks like I'm in good company!  back at ya!

Dan

[Dans 68]

Thanks for all the kind words, Guys! As it turns out I'm taking to the road (about 16 total hours driving, give or take a few) trip this Saturday to pick my new toy. I will be taking lots of pictures (before, during, and after the trip) and will post them as soon as possible when I get back. I know how you all like pictures.....   It will be an exciting day, for certain! 

Dan

[remta1]

nice score , what colour are you gonna paint it ....grab the rims they look good  ?

[Dans 68]

nice score , what colour are you gonna paint it ....grab the rims they look good  ?

Well, Black, of course? The original color is FF1 (light metallic green) but in conjunction with the black interior and black vinyl roof, it seems appropriate.

I may still pick up the wheels and tires...I have not decided. 

Dan

[SeattleCharger]

    68, right on.   I really like the wheels, specially the size combo of them, good stance, looks tough, I would get em.
     I would love a 4 spd.    the price seems good considering it runs and drives,

[ryan053]

since we are showing pics heres my beater.

[SeattleCharger]

since we are showing pics heres my beater.

Nice car   , its all relative, unless you are joking, because compared to my car that is a #1 show car

[The70RT]

Good luck Dan. Looks like a decent one to do. Have a safe trip bringing her home 

[Dans 68]

Long story short, it was not what I expected. 

The owner seemed like a decent fellow, and I believe that he offered the car with a good faith description. I could be off base here, but the rustiness of the car was way beyond my abilities and wallet to bring back. I will post a dozen or so photos in the following posts.

My trip to San Diego went off with out a hitch, and 9 hours after I left home I arrived. We (the owner and I) went over the entire car, and checked numbers on some of the items, i.e., manifolds, engine, transmission, etc. We talked about the incorrect 055 radiator (should be an 043), the incorrect carburator (was for an A/C car), and the lack of a serial number on the engine. No idea why... update...it is numbers matching.

The frame seemed generally o.k., except I put my finger through a section of the frame by the k-member. Not good. What other unseen problems await? The roof had a few holes in it. It seemed every panel or structural member on the car had serious rust issues.

I told him straight out that the description he had on eBay was off, and that I could not pay what we had agreed to. He concurred, but still wanted too much to make it worth my buying it.  I told the owner that IF it was mine,  I would have to strip the car, media blast it and then start fixing the damaged areas. No other way to do it.

I told him if he was going to re-list it, to add better and more photos and descriptions. He again agreed and was going to do just that. I am still in shock  , and a little sad over not getting the car. If I had picked it up I honestly think It would had needed at a minimum 200 hours in the body shop to get right, and I did not want or need that type of project. If you do call the owner (pm me).

So I left carless, got stuck in in San Diego and L.A. traffic, and rolled back home about 2:00 am Sunday morning. What the hell, it was an adventure! 

Dan

[Dans 68]

more...

[69bronzeT5]

Sucks to hear that man. There are always more out there

[Dans 68]

still more...and the only words of wisdom I can offer is to check out the car in person before you buy! Enough said....

Dan

[blackcharger]

holt crap! he wanted $12 grand for that? that looks more like a car from back east that was buried in road salt. how does a west coast car get that rusty? sorry it wasn't what you expected, but at least you just wasted time. you coulda been one of those people that send the money  and get a POS delivered. I know these cars are worth alot, but for $12 GRAND it shouldn't need much of anything. there's alot better cars out there for that kind of coin.

[Charger-Bodie]

that sucks!!

[bull]

I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't want to piddle on your parade but I could tell from the auction pics that wasn't any $12k car. Now that I see your pics I'd say that's barely a $3k car. It's worse than what I expected, and I'm very synical. I'm glad you got out of it though. That's way more work than you want. I could see just the body work (no paint) running upwards of $20k if you hired someone to do it.

What I would do now if I were you (not that you're looking for advice) is try finding one that's mid-restoration or spend twice as much as you bid on this one and get one that's finished or real close to it. I suspect you could get a 383 Charger that's finished for $30k or less. For $12k I would at least want one that's had the body work done on it and/or has no rust issues. If all you have to do is paint, rebuild the engine and reassemble you're way ahead of the game.