Best Muscle Cars
1968 Dodge Charger R/T: The Best Yet?
By David Ashton
Again, we hit the top end of the spectrum when it comes to classic muscle cars, with a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T and amazingly with only 10 miles on the clock!
At first, you see a pristine condition Hemi 426 J Code car, but then you see the asking price of $199,950…gulp. When you’re used to looking at barn finds and best buys, the top end of the spectrum can sometimes be a shock.
With this sort of price you would expect everything to be the best of the best, which you do have here in the form of a 426Cu. 2x4bbl engine, all codes correct and an original muscle car national Concourse Gold Certificate to prove it is top of the heap. The car even comes with some other extra bits of documentation such as a PPG chart of the 68 Dodge colors, spec sheet and models and prices from Dodge at the time.
The car has gone through a thorough restoration with what is said to have had spent over 125k in parts and labor through the process.
For any investment grade muscle car which is in #1 concours condition, you would expect top end prices, but having a quick look over at Hagerty’s valuation tool, a #1 concours Charger is estimated at $177,000, with a #2 at $134,000. This is also an automatic vehicle which is said to be -10%.
The seller will factor in the expensive restoration project and such, but it’s really what the market is at at this point which matters.
This means that if you are serious about buying this vehicle, a little bit of negotiation would be in order, but at the end of the day, you know you will have a vehicle that will slowly increase in value as the years go by.
The original listing –
‘This Concourse Restored 1968 Dodge Hemi Charger is the best of the best. If you are looking to add one of the nicest cars I have seen, to your collection, this is it. We have a inch thick stack of documentation , including, a original build sheet, the original Certicard, a copy of the original window sticker, a copy of the PPG chart of the 68 dodge colors, a copy of the 1968 Charger spec sheet, models, and prices, from dodge.
A decode sheet, a owners manual, the original muscle car national Concourse Gold Certificate. From there we have numerous pictures detailing the restoration from the media blasting, to the paint, then all mechanicals. Including the engine and all its details…. some names that you may know, on this build are Troy Angelly Restorations, out of Ill. which did the ready strip, that started at the end of 2007.
The Start was a 100 hours on the basic body prep. Next was paint and body detail, to the tune of over 40k, this part was done towards the end of 2008. around mid 2009 the numbers match engine was rebuild by Hensley Performance in Knoxville. From there Jacobs Restorations out of Evansville, did the assembly in 2009/2010. there are numerous invoices and detail on the assembly. looks like all totaled this was a 3 to 4 year restoration project, and well over 125k In parts and labor, besides the car itself. All the above as well, as if course the car itself , are available for personal inspection.
The truth is, you can spend years and years, first finding this type car to restore. then years and years chasing all the correct parts. Then years restoring to this level. not even thinking about the money and time to do so. (which of course would be in the 10″s of thousands, and add more….) and as an end result , still may not end up, with this type caliber of a concourse restored 1968 hemi charger. we also have some basic history on the car as follows, This Car was Purchased new at Freedom Dodge in Norristown Penn. by Warren Geiger Jr. Who was Approximately 60 years old, and a local pharmacist.
He traded in a Barracuda and waited 6 months for this special ordered hemi. It was equipped with power steering, power disc brakes, sport steering wheel, rear window defogger, front head rests, left remote control mirror, right side mirror, center console, automatic transmission, light package, am anthrophonic radio, 15″ deluxe wheel covers, sure grip rear end, hood mounted turn signals, undercoating, under hood pad, tick tock tack, vinyl top, and yes the big daddy, 426 cdi, 2-4 barrel Hemi engine package.
In 1969 when the AM/FM radio became available for the charger he had the local dealer, install one in the car. He then sold the car to Robert Ewing, a local ford dealer, who drove it on dealer plates, until 1983 when he titled it, driving it sparingly until 1988 when the front calipers began to leak. Not being able to locate repair kits for the large rare brakes , he parked the car. Darryl Dayton purchased the car on 3/5/00, with 78,178 miles on her, and its original motor, transmission, and rear end still in the car. then towed it back to Arizona , and the first time the car had been out of Pennsylvania, and set out to do a complete restoration on the car. The factory build sheet was still in the seat area of the car at that time as well as the dealer Certicard. date casting on this engine is 1-15-68.’
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