This month Iowa native Dennis...
This month Iowa native Dennis Dodd shows that staying in touch with friends can really pay off, as doing just that landed him a deal on this ’68 Dodge Charger R/T.
Throughout our lives we make friends and acquaintances, but often we lose track of people as they move or our interests change. The Mopar hobby seems to form lasting friendships, however, as enthusiasts appreciate their pastime and know the value of having good resources for parts, advice, or even a project car. Hailing from Davenport, Iowa, Dennis Dodd has been a lifelong Mopar guy and met some friends in the Quad City area during the mid-’80s when they started a club called the Mississippi Valley Mopar Muscle Classics. Through the club, Dennis made friends with a member of the club named Daryl, who had several Dodge project cars.
Maintaining their friendship, Dennis often visited Daryl’s house and noticed two cars he really liked, an F6 green ’69 Super Bee, and a ’68 Charger R/T. While he had projects of his own at the time, Dennis told Daryl that if he ever sold the cars, he’d like the chance to purchase the Charger. About six years ago Daryl decided to sell the Super Bee, so Dennis reminded him again of his desire to buy the Charger R/T, but was turned down and promised first chance at the car if the time was ever right.
Dennis Dodd of Davenport,...
Dennis Dodd of Davenport, Iowa, knew of this Charger for more than 20 years, first seeing it in the light of day just a couple of weeks prior to last year’s Mopar Nationals. It needs a lot of work, but as a real 440 R/T it’s certainly worth saving.
Dropping occasional hints for the past several years, Dennis finally got the call he was waiting for just two weeks before the 2010 Mopar Nationals, when the voice on the other end stated, The Charger was moved from its 25-year resting place. Do you want to come look at it? Arriving at Daryl’s place, Dennis saw the Charger for the first time outside the shop. Knowing the car was a big project needing a lot of sheetmetal attention and a trunk floor, they agreed on a fair price and Dennis owned the R/T.
Although the Charger is missing its engine, it is a real L code R/T and was originally equipped with a 440 and column-shifted automatic transmission which is still in place. The fender tag is also still attached to the car, and while we can’t make out the paint code from the photo, Dennis says he believes much of the green paint is original. Other unique options are front disc brakes, air conditioning, vinyl top, and Sure-Grip rear differential. He hasn’t started on the project yet, but already plans for a stroker big-block, five-speed manual transmission, and black paint with a red rear R/T stripe. Sounds like a cool car to us. We can’t wait to see it when it’s finished. mm
The interior is mostly intact...
The interior is mostly intact but will need a complete restoration. Since R/T models all got standard bucket seats, the center console was replaced by a “Buddy Seat” if a column-shifted automatic was ordered.
The original 440 Magnum is...
The original 440 Magnum is long gone, but the TorqueFlite is still in place. Like many Mopar performance models, this R/T shows all the signs of being raced or driven aggressively for many years before being stored for the past 25.
Thanks to numerous television...
Thanks to numerous television appearances and the movie Bullitt, there’s no mistaking the taillights of a ’68 Charger. This is all most off-brand racers got to see of the car as well.
Dennis hasn’t found a broadcast...
Dennis hasn’t found a broadcast sheet as of yet, but the VIN and fender tag are both intact, verifying this car as an original ’68 Charger R/T 440 car.
Since the engine is gone,...
Since the engine is gone, plans for a stroker motor are already in the works.
Lots of the parts not on the...
Lots of the parts not on the car were included in the deal, like this sweet grille. Dennis plans a restomod of sorts, with plans to ditch the green paint for black and install a stroked 440. We look forward to seeing the car when he’s finished.