DEALER BULLETIN 68 HEMI CHARGER 5/20/1968

[XS29J8]

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/_1968-Dodge-PIB-01.shtml?load_img=19

I have been saying this for years but could never find my copy of this memo from Dodge Main. I believe many on here wanted a copy, it is now posted on Barry Washington's site. Thanks Barry & Jon.

[1966hemi]

Awesome information!! Thanks for posting this!!!

[cdr]

so ,please explain to me ,not all hemi cars after 5/20/68 have the c500 grill ?

[XS29J8]

so ,please explain to me ,not all hemi cars after 5/20/68 have the c500 grill ?

Hi cdr, I have not found a 1968 HEMI Charger 4spd built after June 1, 1968 with or without the 500 grill except the Jerry Service Charger. Do you have info on one?

Mine was built May 28, 1968 & it is the latest production date with a 4spd I have seen in over 30 years of documenting 68 HEMI Chargers. Do to this memo, I have a hard time believing only 1 68 Charger 500 was built ( the Charger owned by Jerry Service), but have never seen another. I think the factory just stopped production of the 68 4spd Chargers to concentrate on the 69 Charger 500 for NASCAR Rules.........

[hemi68charger]

My former '68 Hemi Charger R/T had a SPD of 228.... So, it's before the June 1st date. Heck, there was only a month or so to go for the production year after June 1st. Interesting the bulletin doesn't mention fastback rear window....

[XS29LA47V21]

This high performance machine............ 

[cdr]

so ,please explain to me ,not all hemi cars after 5/20/68 have the c500 grill ?

Hi cdr, I have not found a 1968 HEMI Charger 4spd built after June 1, 1968 with or without the 500 grill except the Jerry Service Charger. Do you have info on one?

Mine was built May 28, 1968 & it is the latest production date with a 4spd I have seen in over 30 years of documenting 68 HEMI Chargers. Do to this memo, I have a hard time believing only 1 68 Charger 500 was built ( the Charger owned by Jerry Service), but have never seen another. I think the factory just stopped production of the 68 4spd Chargers to concentrate on the 69 Charger 500 for NASCAR Rules.........

thank you ,the nascar deal sounds like a very good explanation ,& no i have not seen any other hemi 4 spd's after june 1st

[XS29J8]

This high performance machine............ 

Never called them anything but High Performance Cars or Super Cars back in the 60s & early 70s!   

[A383Wing]

the way I read that bulletin is that all R/T's built after June 1, 1968 would include all the 69 R/T's as well?

Or just the 68 models? What was last production date of 68 model year cars?

Bryan  (inquiring mind wants to know)

[Alaskan_TA]

All Hemi R/Ts (1968 models built after that date)

PIBs adressed any changes to the current model year, 1968 in this case. Anything different for the next model year would be in the 1969 sales literature & if anything changed after that, another PIB would be issued.


Until about 1972, the model years typically ended July 31.

[XS29J8]

the way I read that bulletin is that all R/T's built after June 1, 1968 would include all the 69 R/T's as well?

Or just the 68 models? What was last production date of 68 model year cars?

Bryan  (inquiring mind wants to know)

The Bulletin states that all 1968 CHARGER R/Ts with the HEMI & the optional 4 speed ORDERED after June 1st 1968 ..............it does not include the 440 Magnum or 440 with 4spd or the HEMI with Automatic...........

[maxwellwedge]

It says ordered after - not built after. Big difference. If you were going to order a car after June 1'st 1968 - chances are good you were not going to get a 68.   

[A383Wing]

yea..which lead me to my post above...and about the last production day as well...

Bryan

[nascarxx29]

  Chrysler was known for misinformation the 69 500 was only to be a 426 in letter form and brochure

[404NOTFOUND]

By September I bet they realized that the 426 engine wasn't selling very well.

[Aero426]

The Charger 500 in May of '68 was still a moving target in terms of being a ready to go product for street or race.    The product bulletin appears to have been released somewhat prematurely.        This is one of those factory documents that I feel you can easily read too much into, especially at the suggestion of more 1968 Charger 500 cars.    I don't recall ever hearing anything that the 500 was intended for a fall 1968 race debut.  

[hatersaurusrex]

I like the 'spin' on the first one:  "This is due to a survey of buyers who say they would rather have exposed headlights with a Hemi... "  Really? 

That's a close-vest way of saying 'NASCAR performance is sucking and we need to do something about it, hey let's say that customers asked for this!'

[XS29J8]

It says ordered after - not built after. Big difference. If you were going to order a car after June 1'st 1968 - chances are good you were not going to get a 68.   

Yes it does, as the original owner I bought my Charger from found out in June of 68............

[XS29J8]

The Charger 500 in May of '68 was still a moving target in terms of being a ready to go product for street or race.    The product bulletin appears to have been released somewhat prematurely.        This is one of those factory documents that I feel you can easily read too much into, especially at the suggestion of more 1968 Charger 500 cars.    I don't recall ever hearing anything that the 500 was intended for a fall 1968 race debut.  

I have always wondered why no one ordered a 68 HEMI Charger 4spd with the flush grill & exposed headlights after June 1st? This was my reason for believing there should have been more than 1 68 Charger 500..........I'm just as sure NASCAR race records were thought about by this time also.........BUT I also believe it was just as easy to stop production of 68 HEMI Chargers with 4spd and concentrate on the New 69 Charger production.   

[Aero426]

I have always wondered why no one ordered a 68 HEMI Charger 4spd with the flush grill & exposed headlights after June 1st?

It would be hard to order that exact car without knowing a sales code for the special model.    The early documents don't specify exactly HOW you would order that car.     I have to believe it was more involved than simply checking off the Hemi and 4-speed boxes. 

Buyers may have attempted to order a Charger with a Hemi and a 4-speed.    It would seem those orders were just cancelled or put off into 1969. 

[XS29J8]

I have always wondered why no one ordered a 68 HEMI Charger 4spd with the flush grill & exposed headlights after June 1st?

It would be hard to order that exact car without knowing a sales code for the special model.    The early documents don't specify exactly HOW you would order that car.     I have to believe it was more involved than simply checking off the Hemi and 4-speed boxes. 

Buyers may have attempted to order a Charger with a Hemi and a 4-speed.    It would seem those orders were just cancelled or put off into 1969. 

This is what I have come to believe also..........

[68 Bullitt Charger]

Sorry not feeling a 68 Hemi Charger with the exposed Headlight's...