Buying information for a '68

[DARTH RIDER]

hey everyone

i hope you can help me with some questions about my dreamcar.
im planning to buy a 68 charger with the 440 engine and a 4spd transmission but up front i still have some questions i need answers for.
the important things for me is that the car has solid frame rails, floor and trunk pans that are not completely rusted out, a running 440 engine and a good 4spd transmission. i dont care about matching numbers, glossy paint jobs or any chrome rims. so lets say im just looking for a solid project to build a nice daily driver, cause im not a big fan of those show stoppers...

- which parts definitely should not be missing?
- are there any problematic zones at the car i should look twice?
- is it better to buy a 440 4spd or convert it on my own?
      - what tranny fits in (year and car)?
      - is it better to use a car with a console or without (definitely no 3 on the tree)?
      - how much is a seperate 4spd?
- do you know any good pages other than ebay and autotrader where i can look for the car? ( sorry im from germany and just know those 2)
- now the final question... what do you think is a realistic price for a car like the one im looking for?

cheers from germany 
armin

[ChargerST]

Have you checked out the German mopar forum? www.mopar-forum.eu

What's your budget? Buying a car that's already done will always be cheaper than a project! Rust repair and missing trim parts are the most expensive things on Chargers - the rest is relatively "inexpensive"  .

[Dans 68]

I understand you wanting a '68 4-speed, but there were only 3,278 made out of 92,470 total (production). Get the best condition '68 you can afford, whatever its transmission, and make it your own. 

Also, look at this thread for 2nd gen specific areas to look at when buying a car. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52323.msg574221.html#msg574221

Dan

[Mike DC]

I agree that you should not pass up a deal on a good 1968 car just because it's an automatic.  A manual transmission can be installed much more easily than doing a restoration on a bad condition manual car.  As long as the car's value is not rooted heavily in the original matching VIN equipment, the transmission swap will not be a detriment to the car's value. 

[DARTH RIDER]

hey guys thanks for all the great information, its nice to be here
so im gonna look for the stuff you told me and hopefully find something soon
@ dan, thanks for the threat im reading it step by step and its pretty interesting


cheers