1968 Dodge charger 4 speed manual reverse warning light

[Jordan383]

Hey everyone, I really hope this is the right place to post. I usually just lurk off the side and never post.

I recently got a project charger and while I don’t much care if it was a stock manual transmission or numbers matching for that matter I am a little curious if all manual transmission chargers in 68 had the reverse warning light by the center ash tray on the dash?

The only reason I ask this is because at some point I believe the fenders were fixed up or replaced and the fender tag is gone. No luck with a build sheet anywhere either. It’s passed through a number of people but the owner I bought it from insisted it was numbers matching 383 4 speed. I supposed I’ll find out in the spring when all that gets pulled. I should be able to compare those stamped numbers on the engine and trans to my vin right? The vin on the dash says 383 4bbl and its got a hurst shifter with an linkage extension so the floors been mangled as well which makes it harder to figure out. Thanks in advance everyone

 

[dadsbee]

Not with a '68 as your engine/trans is stamped with the production number not the VIN number. You need a fender tag or broadcast sheet to compare them to.

...and Canada is a BIG place, couldn't you narrow it down?? LOL

 

[Jordan383]

Not with a '68 as your engine/trans is stamped with the production number not the VIN number. You need a fender tag or broadcast sheet to compare them to.

...and Canada is a BIG place, couldn't you narrow it down?? LOL

Okay thanks for the information. Oh well it is what it is anyways. And yeah Ontario too, I didn't realize how I should have entered it

 

[dadsbee]

Where are you? I'm in Penetang..

Not sure all '68's had a reverse light in the dash, there was a date they started appearing.

 

[moparchris]

The reverse light is an indicator of Hurst linkage. The Hurst shifters were installed starting in January of 68 I believe. Earlier cars would have had the Inland shifter which has the reverse tangs on the shifter handle which you had to pull up before you engage the shifter into reverse gear. Inland shifter cars do not have the reverse light on the dash.

 

[turbine68rt]

Not with a '68 as your engine/trans is stamped with the production number not the VIN number. You need a fender tag or broadcast sheet to compare them to.

...and Canada is a BIG place, couldn't you narrow it down?? LOL

The last 8 digits of the VIN are stamped on the top rear of the engine near the oil pressure sending unit and the top front of the case near the block mating surface on automatics.

 

[dadsbee]

The last 8 digits of the VIN are stamped on the top rear of the engine near the oil pressure sending unit and the top front of the case near the block mating surface on automatics.

I thought it was a production VONumber, not the VIN on '68's. Same for body "hidden" numbers. BUT I've been wrong before.. LOL

 

[turbine68rt]

I thought it was a production VONumber, not the VIN on '68's. Same for body "hidden" numbers. BUT I've been wrong before.. LOL

You're correct about the body numbers on the rad support and trunk lip matching the SO number.

 

[Jordan383]

The reverse light is an indicator of Hurst linkage. The Hurst shifters were installed starting in January of 68 I believe. Earlier cars would have had the Inland shifter which has the reverse tangs on the shifter handle which you had to pull up before you engage the shifter into reverse gear. Inland shifter cars do not have the reverse light on the dash.

Thanks that might be it. It doesn't prove anything but its at least not blatantly wrong ha

Where are you? I'm in Penetang..

Not sure all '68's had a reverse light in the dash, there was a date they started appearing.

I'm just around the GTA area. Once the cars done I'll probably be doing a lot of travelling to car shows all around the GTA

 

[davek]

 

[Jordan383]

Oh man shes a bit ratty. I don't have pictures of the shifter assembly or linkage extension but I do have some generic pics of when I got it and stuff. Be nice its rough

 

[davek]

nothing wrong with those pics did they bondo over the gas cap hole?

 

[Jordan383]

nothing wrong with those pics did they bondo over the gas cap hole?

hahaha no, thank god that would have been a disaster. It was just taped over, same with the antenna hole on the other side. I haven't found a lot of bondo just in the usual spots on the quarters. Front fenders are fiberglass. Some rust holes need to be patched but I think its a decent project. I suppose I'll find out in the spring how much needs to be done

 

[440 4 speed]

I think that the rad support numbers and trunk numbers/ rear numbers match the last digits of the fender tag.
They do on my 67.

 

[BB14404SPD]

Mine does.

 

[Jordan383]

Mine does.

View attachment 916863

Hey sorry this is a little bit later but is it metal on that lip where its installed? I'm trying to figure out if I'm missing a piece of my dash or what. Its painted green but its just bare metal on that piece for me. Should I have a vinyl piece that runs along it? Its hard to tell from your picture

 

[69b3rt]

Early 68 cars came with Inland shifter, later 68 cars came with Hurst shifters. When factory equipped with Hurst shifter, it came with a reverse indicator on dash.