Dodge Charger Purchase Question

[young99]

Hi everyone,

I have been a reader on the forums for a while but have not really posted much. I have wanted a 68 or 69 charger for quite some time and have recently came across a local one that has came up for sale. I was wanting to get some of your input if I should purchase the car.

What I know of the car is that its a 1968 Dodge charger completely number matching with a 383 engine. It is not a R/T, it is red with a vinyl top. From what I have seen of the car it does not look like there is any rust and the body is straight as a arrow. I have not got to look underneath the car yet. It runs and drives and has Air conditioning. I have talked them down to $16,000 for the car. Being a non R/T 440 car would 16k be a good price for it?  I am very how do you say... cautious with my money...

I will try and put up some pictures when i look at it again.

[hollywood1336]

Put the car on a rack and have a look underneath, check all the frame rails for rust. Check the rockers and lower fenders as well as the window corners very closely for rust. If the fender tag is still there run the numbers. If you know a good body and fender guy have him give it a good inspection. Drive the car and see if it drives straight when you apply the brakes. 16K sounds pretty good to me if the condition is as you say.

[TeeWJay426]

If it really is numbers matching and is as solid as you say, then it would be worth 16K.... IF both are true. As hollywood1336 said, verify everything before parting with any money though.

[PocketThunder]

Hi everyone,

I have been a reader on the forums for a while but have not really posted much. I have wanted a 68 or 69 charger for quite some time and have recently came across a local one that has came up for sale. I was wanting to get some of your input if I should purchase the car.

What I know of the car is that its a 1968 Dodge charger completely number matching with a 383 engine. It is not a R/T, it is red with a vinyl top. From what I have seen of the car it does not look like there is any rust and the body is straight as a arrow. I have not got to look underneath the car yet. It runs and drives and has Air conditioning. I have talked them down to $16,000 for the car. Being a non R/T 440 car would 16k be a good price for it?  I am very how do you say... cautious with my money...

I will try and put up some pictures when i look at it again.

Do that before you buy it, that way you can have a couple thousand eyes here see it and give you a good reccomendation before you fork over the cabbage.

Paul

[Brock Samson]

if it's original there's most likely rust,.. only if it's been so well cared for or completly restored is there no rust... and then if there wasn't any rust it would be worth nearly twice that amount.  There will be some rust somewhere i bet ya' - it still doesn't mean the car wouldn't be worth $16K. but it would have to totally drivable needing very little if anything.
So, get the codes off the fender tag and as much of the vehicles history as possible, (and don't forget to get the paperwork) Ask if it was repainted and if the numbers match, that sort of thing... report back. I'm rooting for ya'.  If after you see it if your still hyped to get the car, have cash for a deposit and get a receipt document everything and lots of pictures.

[hollywood1336]

Completely agree, it's a 40 year old car and unless kept in a vacuum there will be rust, it's the cancerous rust you want to identify and how much if any. What are your plans for the car and are you capable of repairs. Surface rust is fairly easy to fix, cancer is more involved and can be expensive if you have to have someone else do it right, which means not just throwing fiberglass and bondo at it.

[six-tee-nine]

If you have a picture of the fender tag also post it please. People here will decode it for you in no time so you can tell if maybe the carchanged color or declare other things that might look fishy....

[young99]

Wow you guys are really on the ball. I hope to look at it in person after work or this weekend. I have been emailing the owner and got a few pictures I can post. I hope to get more soon.

[Brock Samson]

off the top:  
 Calif. duel snorkel air cleaner. red/black int & top, looks like the color wasn't changed. seats recovered in wrong seat pattern, auto trans. A/C. Power brakes. looks pretty unmolested overall,..  gauges looked burnt... don't look too shabby but more info is needed as important as the rust is the wiring,.. Hows the Bus?.. Where the plug in from the engine compartment hooks to the interior on the firewall...   and have a close look under the dash at the stuff there... often water will leak through the wipers into the dash and floorboards and put a rust hole (or holes) where the heels of your feet rest on the floor boards. you can usually spot this pretty easy, but pay special attention there and around the wheel arches and the trunk floor.

   

She Still looks pretty after all these years..
(that/those photo/s may be ten years old or more though...)

[DC_1]

Looks decent 

[bakerhillpins]

If this is the car I think it is then it sounded decent when I talked to Stacy. IIRC its a one owner car, 383 4bbl, one repaint, no broadcast sheet/paperwork of any kind, no fender tag car, lights and 3 spd wipers work, started up really easy (at least on the phone anyhow). Been listed for quite a while and started at 35K. Garaged all its life too?

Can't recall if they changed the valve seats or not.

Get under the car and look at the frame components.

[DC_1]

That a parts store wiper motor? Looks different to me.

[PatrickPeeters]

Car looks pretty good for it's age, but look for rust rearframe rails, quarters.
Seems a good deal based on pics.
Other members dit mention the good's and the "bads" in plain site
Go over there take a look, if the deal still seems good for you it's the car you want, I guess

[Brock Samson]

   If it's indeed a one owner orig. why no paper work or fendertag?...  ask them that...

[Dans 68]

Look at the car in person (I couldn't tell if you have) or have another do so. Never buy a car without seeing it first. Never.

Here is a link to a previous post about what to look for when buying a 2nd Gen Charger http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52323.msg574221.html#msg574221.  This can point you to problems not obviously seen. Good luck!

Dan

[young99]

Thank you guys for all your input. This helps out tremendously. I really like the post with the list of things to look at, very helpful. 

[PatrickPeeters]

When the seller is going too describe the car, take a look over here what he means to say.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,75196.0.html

[bakerhillpins]

   If it's indeed a one owner orig. why no paper work or fendertag?...  ask them that...

If this is the car I called about (and I will refrain from mentioning since he seems to have come to some sort of agreement) I was told that the fender tag was lost at the painter when it was repainted in the 80s. The build sheet (if there was one in the seats) may have been lost when it was re upholstered and the other owner docs were misplaced during one of the times the owner moved.

I don't recall asking if they thoroughly searched the car for build sheets though but I think they just checked the seats.