68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

[Bigprairie1]

A few of you guys who like classic cars and particular the old muscle cars might appreciate this. Unfortunately, its my friends car, not mine. He bought it 25 years ago and its been in storage quite a while. Anyways, he pulled the motor and most of the drivetrain in the spring and had it heavily rebuilt and with it now putting some out big power....we've been reinstalling everything. Man I love it!
It was our spring/summer project and has been a great source of fun putting this all back together, starting it up and working on getting it dialed in.
The car is a '68 Charger RT (original) with a 440 Magnum and the 727 trans. It's got a beautiful lumpy sound to it and its amazing the looks the car gets.
I must say the raw power of these cars is something to behold. No amount of microchip/fuel injected technology can quite replicate it.
Anywhoooo, here are a few pics of the car again hopefully some you guys can appreciate this era of detroit muscle.
BP

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Big Prairie thats a SCHWEEET Charger and he got it back when you could still buy one with a working mans paycheck .



Rick

 

[ThumbPkr]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

I almost bought one brand new.I ended up with a Roadrunner.......I would have rather had the Charger but the Roadrunner was cheaper.LOL.That is a beautiful car.................just beautiful.Thanks for sharing with us.My BIL bought a GTX.Ron G

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Wow memories. I had a 69 charger when my son was born (hint.... he will be 34 in less than 2 weeks! )

That looks great...... they were huge by todays standards.

Nice car!

 

[dolluper]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Nice Machine the drool is wreaking my keyboard

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Yeah, all of those late 60's Chargers were great looking, the 68, 69' and the 70' in my opinion really caught my eye.
He paid $3000 for it in the early 80's...makes me laugh today given its somewhat higher insurance assessment.
He had the motor built with 9.5 compression so he can access reasonable fuel for it. As well, he installed a gear vendors transmission overdrive unit giving him 6 speeds or a dual range for each gear off the 727.
The motor has a lunati cam, edelbrock manifold and carb, new aluminum heads, etc. He installed an air lift system on all the shocks so he can set the car lower than stock or lift it for the speed bumps, etc.
The acceleration is a blast...not only because of the force kick but the sound is pure performance..and there ain't no replacement for that.
Its been great fun and its inspired me to get back on my older classic stuff (older Chevy trucks) which I am storing at the moment.
Good fun!!
BP

 

[NoKlu]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

I hate sitting at an intersection in my 08 with a v6 and a Big block with a very lumpy cam pulls up beside you! They can barely idle and shake all over the place. It pulls away and the engine smooths right out. I got goose bumps just thinking about it.There is just something about the sound that grabs you by the soul. It's one thing to go to a car show and look at all the perfectly restored muscle cars but it's the sound that gets the heart pumping. A couple of times I wanted to drag the guy out of his car, just for a quick blast. I'd bring it back! Honest!

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Man that is one sweet car, it sounds and looks really nice.

Glad to here he got her somewhat modernized and more fuel efficent with the Gear Vendors. Has to be a really fun car from a dig with that automatic and I'm guessing stall convertor. Being able to cruise on the highway at 70 without turning 3900 rpms is nice too.

Also many fuel injected micropchiped cars can sound just like an old street rod, the fuel injected cars just run the same all the time and have much more consitent e.t.'s, not everyone is racing I understand.
Just to clear up that misconception.

 

[cobalt79]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Verrry coool!

Love the sound and feel of big blocks, nothing is quite like it. I have a '67 Cougar with a 289 4V, sounds okay but doesn't have that deep rumble and shake that the Charger would. When riding in a car like that it is a wonderful assault to all the senses. You know a car is cool when you feel the revs from your feet to your jaw.

 

[alumi numb]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

ultra nice man, ultra nice.
back in the day brother and i played with our cars a bit.
brother in 65 bought a coronet 500 426 max wedge t/f.
then in 67 i picked up right out of the show room a 66 coronet 2 dr sedan factory racer 426 hemi t/q, that thing was scary.
made me cry, one of the fuel lines came off and it burned up.
pieced it back and traded off for a 68 AMX.
didn't know it at the time but dodge only made 26 with the t/q and 19 with a 4 speed.
brother had a 69 super bee 440 6 pack stage 3 kit.
AMX is a 390 4 speed danna 60 double keyed axles reclutched track crane cam lifter kit thorley headers modded offy 360 dual port reworked holley double pumper spread bore modded spacer.
never repainted no rust and 55k original miles.
extra for it have a set of donohue heads t10 hurst axles intake brand new gauge faces still in boxes new trunk lid & spoiler new door and a lot more.
should say i had the AMX.
when son was in iraq he asked me about the AMX, i asked him if he wanted it.
h yes he replyed!
told him all you have to do is come home alive and it's yours.
think i made a good deal, sets in his garage now.

 

[mddubya]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Verrry coool!

Love the sound and feel of big blocks, nothing is quite like it. I have a '67 Cougar with a 289 4V, sounds okay but doesn't have that deep rumble and shake that the Charger would. When riding in a car like that it is a wonderful assault to all the senses. You know a car is cool when you feel the revs from your feet to your jaw.

No doubt, there is no replacement for cubic inches. I had a 70 Dodge Superbee, 440 magnum, Hemi 4spd, Dana 60 rear end. Built to the hilt, 426 Max Wedge heads tricked out, 502 lift, 296 duration cam, 10.5 to 1 aluminum pistons, 3 1/2 inch Hooker headers, Six-Pack carbs or a tunnel ram and two 770 center squirters when I really wanted to show out.. That thing shredded the stock rubber motor mounts, ended up having to put solid metal ones on it. Talk about rattling your filling loose at an idle. But the sound, ahhhhh, nothing sounds like a big block lopping at an idle and then roaring to life when the throttle is mashed!

Super nice Charger BTW, I love it!!!!!!

 

[IES99]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Those are beautiful cars. That coke bottle shaped body, the 440 (more useful on the street than the 426 HEMI). That is about my favorite body of any American car of any time. Wish it were mine.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Geez, some of you guys have had some very nice rides...hopefully some of them are still around. 426 wedge...maybe as rare as the 426 hemi's? Superbees...very nice, 390 AMX..thats hitting its stride it seems for rarity and rising value and the excellent comment about the sexy coke bottle shape is right on the money. You guys have any pics of these machines?
I know MikeDee has had some sweet rides that he show up in his profile.
Interestingly, I listened to my neighbour fire up his late 80's/early 90's 5.0 Mustang last week and I had to smile. I mean it sounds good, throaty, rumbly and all that but it had nothing on the sound of that 440 Charger either at idle or winding up. You don't always realize the difference between the power plants until you compare the two.
I feel myself now wanting to build a high horse motor for one of my older (66' and 72') trucks....hmmm.
BP

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

A friend of mine had a Super Bee back in high school. Fast car. Never count a Dodge out on race day.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

Great looking car. I use to tinker around some muscle cars. I've had Chevelles, Novas, etc. Lots of fun. But very expensive now days.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: 68' Charger RT Project...wrapping up

A few of you guys who like classic cars and particular the old muscle cars might appreciate this. Unfortunately, its my friends car, not mine. He bought it 25 years ago and its been in storage quite a while. Anyways, he pulled the motor and most of the drivetrain in the spring and had it heavily rebuilt and with it now putting some out big power....we've been reinstalling everything. Man I love it!
It was our spring/summer project and has been a great source of fun putting this all back together, starting it up and working on getting it dialed in.
The car is a '68 Charger RT (original) with a 440 Magnum and the 727 trans. It's got a beautiful lumpy sound to it and its amazing the looks the car gets.
I must say the raw power of these cars is something to behold. No amount of microchip/fuel injected technology can quite replicate it.
Anywhoooo, here are a few pics of the car again hopefully some you guys can appreciate this era of detroit muscle.
BP

Cool!! Here's my '68 GTO w/455ci.