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1968 Dodge Charger In Progress

6T8 Charger

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Location
Garden Home OR
In July, 2021, I bought this 1968 Charger 383, automatic, PS, PB, AC car off ebay, sight unseen. The car was originally white with a black vinyl top and red interior. When the car arrived off the transport, the 440 engine included in the sale had been stuffed inside the car. The Charger had a clean title from Wisconsin and still had the body tag in the engine compartment. I found a correct 383/auto and installed it. The body work, mechanical and interior work has been a fun learning experience.

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You can see a previous owner had tried to fix the right quarter by welding on a lower panel. On the inside of the quarter, there were big pieces of unused sheet metal. I think there were 3 different repairs on the right side. I decided to replace the entire quarter. In the picture below, you can see the driver's side quarter was rusted away. I did a lower quarter replacement on this side. I had to replace outer wheelhouses on both sides.
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When the car arrived on the transport, it had the 440 engine sitting inside the car. On the driver's side was an automatic transmission.
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I was fortunate to find a 383 c.i. engine and transmission from a wrecked 1968 Plymouth Fury III. The Charger was a factory 2-barrel car. The engine runs great and the automatic transmission shifts good.
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I installed a lower quarter panel on the driver side and a full quarter on the passenger side. That full quarter was a b*tch because it's 7 feet long and kinda flimsy. I must have taken if off and on at least 25 times.
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I turned my garage into a makeshift paint booth. Here, the car has been put into primer.
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Last edited:
When you said stuffed inside you meant literally.
The seller advertised the car with a 440 and auto transmission. When he stuffed the motor into the car, he crushed the top and bottom pinch welds of the door frame and ripped the back seat upholstery. :wtf: The 440 was full of water and the auto transmission was for a GM car! The silver lining was the floor inside the Charger was very solid. It supported the motor no problem! :praying:
 
In July, 2021, this 1968 Charger 383, automatic, PS, PB, AC purchased off ebay, sight unseen. The car was originally white with a black vinyl top and red interior. When the car arrived off the transport, the 440 engine included in the sale had been stuffed inside the car. I found a correct 383/auto and installed it. The body work, mechanical and interior work has been a fun learning experience.

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Love love love it!!!
 
Dang, somehow that looks like a deal I would have found. Its looking great, keep at it.
 
I decided to upgrade the drivetrain on my 1968 Dodge Charger. Out goes the tired 383 engine with the leaky 727 automatic transmission. In goes a 440 c.i. motor that's .030 over with new pistons and and a top end kit that should produce about 425 hp. Behind that goes a TCI Streetfighter transmission. The top end kit includes 440 Source 'Stealth' aluminum heads, a Comp Xtreme .488/491 cam, an Edelbrock intake and an Edelbrock 750 cfm carburetor. I'll top that off with an MSD ignition. I was planning on headers, but may go with factory exhaust manifolds. Compression ratio will be 10:1. Should have it back on the road in about 2 weeks!

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You have done a lot of work in a one car garage! I just did both quarters, wheelhouses and floors on mine.
That new engine/trans is going to rip!
 
You have done a lot of work in a one car garage! I just did both quarters, wheelhouses and floors on mine.
That new engine/trans is going to rip!
I'm jealous of the guys on youtube who have the lift racks, sheet metal brakes and other tools in a huge shop. But I'm sure most of us are still crawling around on the floor using floor jacks with jack stands while shopping at 'Hobo Freight'! Do you have any pictures of your car?
 
Yes, thread title "68 Charger quarter panels"
I am one of those rat bastards with a lift and a big shop, but I am on my 70th lap around the sun so I need to cheat.
 
I decided to upgrade the drivetrain on my 1968 Dodge Charger. Out goes the tired 383 engine with the leaky 727 automatic transmission. In goes a 440 c.i. motor that's .030 over with new pistons and and a top end kit that should produce about 425 hp. Behind that goes a TCI Streetfighter transmission. The top end kit includes 440 Source 'Stealth' aluminum heads, a Comp Xtreme .488/491 cam, an Edelbrock intake and an Edelbrock 750 cfm carburetor. I'll top that off with an MSD ignition. I was planning on headers, but may go with factory exhaust manifolds. Compression ratio will be 10:1. Should have it back on the road in about 2 weeks!

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I'm in the process of doing a similar 440 build for my wagon. Different cam though. Get it together so I can remove the oil consuming/leaker 440 thats in it now.
 
I'm in the process of doing a similar 440 build for my wagon. Different cam though. Get it together so I can remove the oil consuming/leaker 440 thats in it now.
The 383 I had in the Charger was a donor engine from a 1968 Plymouth Fury III. It had 125,000 miles on it and it smoked and didn't have a lot of power. When I took the motor apart, it had carbon and oil all over the intake ports. The piston tops were caked with carbon. The timing chain was really loose. I'm sure the rings were losing compression and letting oil by. I bet you find the same thing.
 
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