An other "help me find my dream car"topic

[cavemanno1]

Hi everyone!

I have been going through craiglist ads every night the last couple of months and i thought I'd ask you guys to keep your eyes out for a '68 charger for me!
I didn't wanna ask for help but I'm kinda sick of spending hours every night on craigslist in hope to find something.Not being on the same continent makes it even harder for me.

If anyone by any chance come across a car I'm gonna describe below please let me know!

Here is what I'm hoping to get!I'd like to find a '68 r/t 4 speed charger.Now here comes the hard part.The car has to have numbers matching engine or at least date coded engine.I have written it many times but say it again that in my country(Hungary)the authorities require a classic car to have it's number matching engine and transmission!Stupid but this is what it is!
Now the transmission can be an auto swaped over to 4 speed since 4 speed existed back then!
I'm more like after a running driving project with some minor metal work in need with interior work to be done.Would prefer a project car because i would like to paint her to a colour i want but a good driver that needs some little TLC would work also!
My budget is 30k but that is the maximum!

I'd appreciate your help!

Thank you!

Peter

[bakerhillpins]

Peter,

A few things that might help us out.

Are you using a mashup site or just hitting several different cragslist city pages? I used http://autotempest.com/ and that helped me filter out a lot of crap. It's not perfect though so some stuff slips through it's searches.
Does your budget include the cost of shipping it or is the 30k just for the car?
I know you have talked about the #s matching problem several times but it still confuses me.  You say that it's got to be a #s Motor and Trans. Then you follow up with saying it could be a Date Coded engine and it could have a swap to a manual trans since the manual trans was an available option in 69. Well if it's date coded or a trans swap then it isn't #s matching.    Which is it?  I think this is being munged up in translation and it's important for you to get clear.

[70 sublime]

I use this search for craigs list for just 68 Chargers



http://www.adhuntr.com/2012/05/all.html?cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&newwindow=1&q=&cx=partner-pub-9413604915893153%3Ao8xsd8d7h7s&btnI=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_qdr=a&as_epq=1968+Dodge+Charger&as_eq=&siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ca%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26frm%3D1%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2%26ved%3D0CCMQjBAwAQ%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.adhuntr.com%252F2012%252F05%252Fall.html%26ei%3DCZXSU7L7OMKoyASTkIKwAw%26usg%3DAFQjCNEPP1NDBYm8o-K23nslePjhhJhqtA%26bvm%3Dbv.71667212%2Cd.aWw&x=0&y=0#1728

This one came up but does not say numbers match

https://rmn.craigslist.org/cto/5010644859.html

[cavemanno1]

Peter,

A few things that might help us out.

Are you using a mashup site or just hitting several different cragslist city pages? I used http://autotempest.com/ and that helped me filter out a lot of crap. It's not perfect though so some stuff slips through it's searches.
Does your budget include the cost of shipping it or is the 30k just for the car?
I know you have talked about the #s matching problem several times but it still confuses me.  You say that it's got to be a #s Motor and Trans. Then you follow up with saying it could be a Date Coded engine and it could have a swap to a manual trans since the manual trans was an available option in 69. Well if it's date coded or a trans swap then it isn't #s matching.    Which is it?  I think this is being munged up in translation and it's important for you to get clear.

Bryan!

The engine has to be number matching or date correct at least!The transmission could be different but it should be date correct as well.So to them only the engine has to match the car.Hope that clears things up a little bit!
I just go to different craigslist sites for different cities.
30k is for the car but then the car has to be special to me!

The perfect car would be a car with the original engine the 727 swaped for 4 speed but comes with the car for 20k.Would need some metal work,maybe trunk floor,1/4 panels work,nothing major.20k would allow me to spend the rest on new suspension,interior.

Thank you!

[six-tee-nine]

I can understand the rules and reglementation in your country, however.

For instance here in Belgium it would be illegal to put a 440 into a 318 car, BUT, there is absolutely nobody here at the DMV that would be clever enough to figure out what the engine size is actually in the car the moment you import it.
Do they really crawl under your car and know where to look for the all the engine and transmission numbers?

I know I'm opening a can of worms by saying this, but if I was in your position, I'd even dare to restamp the engine numbers to match the car to screw the government if it is your last option.

What do you do if you blow the engine in your 1985 Mercedes? Junk the whole car or can you put a new one in without trouble?

[cavemanno1]

I use this search for craigs list for just 68 Chargers



http://www.adhuntr.com/2012/05/all.html?cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&newwindow=1&q=&cx=partner-pub-9413604915893153%3Ao8xsd8d7h7s&btnI=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_qdr=a&as_epq=1968+Dodge+Charger&as_eq=&siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ca%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26frm%3D1%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2%26ved%3D0CCMQjBAwAQ%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.adhuntr.com%252F2012%252F05%252Fall.html%26ei%3DCZXSU7L7OMKoyASTkIKwAw%26usg%3DAFQjCNEPP1NDBYm8o-K23nslePjhhJhqtA%26bvm%3Dbv.71667212%2Cd.aWw&x=0&y=0#1728

This one came up but does not say numbers match

https://rmn.craigslist.org/cto/5010644859.html

Thanks 70 subline!

Seen that car but it is out of my pricerange!

Six-tee-nine!

They actually put the car on a lift and go through it with a comb!Overspray on the exhaust,suspension or wheels an automatic failure just like small rust spots.
They want to see cars in near perfect condition.i was told they fail cars for the smallest things,obviously for money making purposes as guess.However as with everything in this country if you a friend or a relative pf a friend they let you go through with anything!
Was told have fender tag decoder and check all the numbers on the engine,trans and everywhere!
It's beyond me what would happen if i blew up the engine!
Got two choices,either i play by their rules to have a charger or won't be able to have one!


70 Sublime,just checked the link you gave me.I never knew about this search site and went through the craigslist sites one by one

Thanks again!

[Ghoste]

Those seem like ridiculous rules to me but I hope you find the car that satisfies them so you can have your Charger.

[cavemanno1]

Thanks Ghoste!

You haven't even heard the rest of it.I have told you about the red indicators,right.Can't have electronic ignition but if i hide it like some people do then they won't know it.Car can't have bigger wheels so factory size wheels and tires are a must.Basically can't alter the car what so ever.However if i can and have to prove that such and such was available that year like 4 speed trans then i can change things like put electronic windows and other options.Disk brake can't be on an original drum brake car but that could be changed after the inspection.Every 5 years have to do this inspection but then won't have to pay roadtax,insurance will be ridiculously cheap.Well that's their argument cheap insurance no roadtax and other taxes in order to present a car like it was made yesterday!
Nobody ever mentioned bigger exhaust system or headers but hopefully that won't be an issue!

All of this i was told by people whom done this a few times but i don't have any personal experience so who knows how difficult it is!
Well i will deal with all this once i have the car but first need to find it!

[Ghoste]

It reminds of the fellow from Switzerland who had to rig up some sort of shear pin attachment for the wing on his car because the authorities were afraid it was going to go around beheading pedestrians.

[HPP]

I'd say the first and most important thing is to align yourself with like minded enthusiasts or clubs of other American cars so you can get the low down on the actual process from those who have been through it. There are a number of European countries that have similar regulations and working with those who have gone through the process is an amazingly important part of understanding the process before getting into it and finding yourself upside down in the effort.

Since stamped numbers can be altered, I would think the factory casting numbers would carry the most weight with inspectors, but we are talking about government, so anything could happen.

[Stegs]

move to America

take a slant 6 car, put in a 572 hemi

add any trans you like

drive the crap out of it!

nobody will tell you thats against the law

America! 

[mikall01]

That's my plan! 

[lloyd3]

Don't want to rain on your parade, but a matching numbers '68 R/T 4-speed car will cost far-more than $30k. Hell, even non-matching numbers cars go for more than that.  Here's why: only about 1 in 10 cars produced that year were 4-gears, so not many were made. Most were run very hard and lost their original drivelines fairly early on. Almost all of the very few that remain have been restored and, after almost 50-years now, the ones that haven't been restored are a total loss by now.

[cavemanno1]

HPP,

All of my information comes from guys in my American car club whom been doing this inspection for years!

Stegs,

Funny enough i have been trying to immigrate there but i not good enough for Obama.

lloyd3,

I know it won't be easy that is why i have started this topic.But you can find cars now and then.Just 2-3 months ago a member from here was selling his car but changed his mind and kept the car.
A car doesn't have to be an original 4 speed car it could have come with 727 but converted later on!
They want the engine to be original or date correct!!!
I know 30k won't buy a restored numbers matching '68 r/t 4 speed but could buy a driving running project!

[cavemanno1]

I think i'm gonna be waiting for my dream car to come along for a while if 35k i need to buy a non numbers matching but date correct '68 r/t 4 speed charger.Yet this needs a lot of work to get a pass on the inspection over here!However,i do like this car,everything i want is all there but it is pricey!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Charger-R-T-Hardtop-2-Door-/291470857744?forcerrptr=true&hash=item43dd045610&item=291470857744

[1974dodgecharger]

Not too shabby but dont see it as a 35k car.  25k....probably.....max

[cavemanno1]

For 25k i would have bought it myself already!I can't see it as a 35k car but if you can't find a car like that at all how much you think it is worth?

[cavemanno1]

Looks like a lot of guys buying or bought a '68-69 charger recently!
If anyone come across a '68 r/t for sale let me know,please!
Not hoping to find a 4 speed one so i will just get it converted!
Bumped up my budget to 35k!

Thanks,

Peter

[cbrestorations]

yea a decent 68 r/t 4 speed car is under 35k will be a hunt for sure, not impossible but a hunt. most of us that find one cheap are saving it for ourselves lol. i know where one is sitting in a back yard and has been for 15 years, rust free in the desert ive been saving up for it to just show up at his door step with a bunch of cash.