Who here has/knows of an original 1968 XP 383 4-speed?

[Dans 68]

Guys and Gals,

I'm may be going to be looking at another 1968 383 4-bbl 4-speed this week (If I don't buy it I will forward the info to you, Trav  ) and I got to wondering (once again actually ) how many of these rare cars still exist. I've always assumed that probably less than half still do (I know of about 30 between this site and others I've collected from the web) but lately I've been seeing a few more around. It may be that the special circumstances has a few owners divesting themselves of their prized project cars; the owner of the car I'm may see is divorced and does not now have room to keep it (he is keeping the family '69 Superbee, though ).

So, who here has one (or two) or knows of one (or two) of these 333 (74 2-bbl and 259 4-bbl) unique XP Chargers? When we have a '68 registry, they will certainly be featured most prominently as one of the rare issues of that glorious first year of 2nd generations.                                I must be tired, as I cannot believe that that just came out of me... 

Just a muse on a Monday night....

Dan

[bull]

Chad L Magee and I both have one of the 74 383/2bbl/4spd 68s and I know there was another guy here that had one but I don't think he posts very often. I had the chance to buy another of the 74 that was in Washington state during the same time I found mine but it was torn apart and had no drivetrain.

[ryan053]

Your already in the market for another huh.  Luckily for me and my bank account i can only fit one in my garage.

[Dans 68]

Your already in the market for another huh.  Luckily for me and my bank account i can only fit one in my garage.

Actually, it is for my brother. I do not have any room. Well, it really would be tight. Umm, we'll see.... I just think that these cars are so special that if one pops up locally, I need to see it. 

Dan

[ryan053]

yeah i know what you mean.  i only know of a hand full of chargers around this area.  and i have a 2 car garage but 2 chargers would be tight.  it would create the perfect enviornment for door dings.

[BB1]

Mine is an automatic. 

[rich4406bbl]

I saw a complete one in a junkyard in Lodi, New Jersey in 1992. It was a complete car. 383/4bbl 4-speed. It had just come in. At the time I had a 71RT that i was hunting for parts for. If I knew how rare the 68 was I would've tried to buy it. I'm sure that it went to the crusher.

[Troy]

Last summer I found a 383 4-bbl 4-speed but it was mostly parted out. I went back later and it was gone.

Member "Hudson Hornet !" has one as well.

Troy

[PocketThunder]

Ya, local member Tipopiola (Chris) has one, maybe two of them.  The 4-speed pedals out of one are in my garage and are going in my '69 

[moparstuart]

Ya, local member Tipopiola (Chris) has one, maybe two of them.  The 4-speed pedals out of one are in my garage and are going in my '69 

murderer

[triple_green]

4 years ago there was a sunflower yellow 68 383-2 4 speed car that was at the Mighty Mopar show in Bellingham. It was a Canadian car.  It was even for sale...but even then, I had too many Mopars according to my wife

[challenger70]

Mine could possibly be, but my fender tag is long gone, any way to tell from the VIN?

[Dans 68]

Mine could possibly be, but my fender tag is long gone, any way to tell from the VIN?

No. But an examination of the stampings on the engine and tranny may show them to be numbers matching, and thus probably belonging with the car. (see http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,38316.msg421523.html#msg421523)

Dan

[challenger70]

Mine could possibly be, but my fender tag is long gone, any way to tell from the VIN?

No. But an examination of the stampings on the engine and tranny may show them to be numbers matching, and thus probably belonging with the car. (see http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,38316.msg421523.html#msg421523)

Dan

I would be Very suprised if my car is #'s matching, oh well at least I can fantasize that possibly maybe my car is rare

[Chad L. Magee]

Chad L Magee and I both have one of the 74 383/2bbl/4spd 68s and I know there was another guy here that had one but I don't think he posts very often. I had the chance to buy another of the 74 that was in Washington state during the same time I found mine but it was torn apart and had no drivetrain.

There was a guy over in Kansas City that had one (2bbl. version), but I don't have his information anymore.  I lost track on some of my stuff during the move back to Kansas this summer (PITA ).  I remember over the past seven years that there were two more of the 2bbl. versions that were cut up and parted out on ebay before the owners figured out what they had.  (Somewhere in my files, I have printouts of the ebay auctions that listed the VINs for the cars.  I am still looking for them in my storage areas incase they got put there by accident).  I would figure that between 50 to 100 of the 4bbl. versions would be left and no more than 20-25 of the 2-bbl. versions in all conditions.  That may seem low, but I feel that alot of them were used to make RT clones back in the day and met hard times afterward (wrecks, junkyards, etc).  I have heard stories of more than a few second gens that did not make it past the DOH era from owners copying the stunts from the show, so potentially among them could be some rare ones.......

[69CoronetRT]

If anyone has a BS from a '68 383-2 or 4bbl four speed Charger, I would be very interested in knowing the engine assembly code on the sheet.

Thanks

[bull]

If anyone has a BS from a '68 383-2 or 4bbl four speed Charger, I would be very interested in knowing the engine assembly code on the sheet.

Thanks

Wouldn't that be on the engine itself too?

[69CoronetRT]

If anyone has a BS from a '68 383-2 or 4bbl four speed Charger, I would be very interested in knowing the engine assembly code on the sheet.

Thanks

Wouldn't that be on the engine itself too?

Sadly no

The code is a three digit number on the next to last line of the BS under 'ENGINE'. It tells you exactly what complete engine assembly came in the car. The code number varies due to things manual or auto tranny, HP or not, and A/C or not, etc. I think I know what they code but I'd like to confirm that.

[Dans 68]

I got some more information of that local 383 4-bbl 4-speed I'm looking to buy (for my brother, I mean  ). It is a March 6th build, but still has the Inland shifter!    Interesting. I thought that they were switched with the Hursts earlier than that.

Another late night muse....

Dan

[JimShine]

There was one found by a member here in a an abandoned Connecticut junkyard as well. I think they had a decent survival rate. Like the 69 R/T SE's.

[Dans 68]

Ya, local member Tipopiola (Chris) has one, maybe two of them.  The 4-speed pedals out of one are in my garage and are going in my '69 

murderer

Hah! So what do you call me (I have an A833 from a '68 XP 4-speed on my garage floor)? The idiot who sold it wanted to drag the car, and put an automatic in it.  I tried to get in touch with him (I bought it from his friend) but no joy.

Dan

[bull]

I got some more information of that local 383 4-bbl 4-speed I'm looking to buy (for my brother, I mean  ). It is a March 6th build, but still has the Inland shifter!    Interesting. I thought that they were switched with the Hursts earlier than that.

Another late night muse....

Dan

I was under the impression the Inland shifter lasted well into spring or even summer.

[ryan053]

I cant remeber exactly but mine is a late march or early april and it has the hurst shifter.

[69DodgeCharger]

I cant remeber exactly but mine is a late march or early april and it has the hurst shifter.

I looked at one 2 years ago on US 10 between Reed City and Evart, Michigan. 383 4bbl 4 spd. looked to be neglected but very fixable. The guy claimed to have all the original driveline and hard to  find parts for it. He had put a new quarter panel on the drivers side, but it was wasting away in his side yard when I looked at it. He always has some type of Mopar muscle sitting around....Although usually in pretty rough shape. he had a 70 GTX or sport Satellite sitting out there last week. I have also seen a 70 Superbee and 72-74 Challenger there.

[ryan053]

So what happened with the other one?  any pics?