(first posted 6/6/2013) This has to be one of the best CC Cohort finds ever, by ActuallyMike. I’ve lived in hope of just finding any street-side Charger of this vintage, never mind an R/T. And with such a superbly developed case of patinitis acute. I can just imagine Mike seeing this, getting out of his car, walking towards it, and realizing what he’s found.
Has this car got some stories to tell, or what? If only it could speak, with that great, big mouth. 1970 was the last year of this generation Charger, which started in 1968. We’ve done the previous generation here, and the subsequent one, but have yet to do a proper CC on this generation, which is most likely the one that comes to mind upon hearing or reading its evocative name.
The newly-styled 1968 Charger must have been somewhat of an unexpected hit for Dodge. The ’66-’67 was a sales dud; this one exploded on the scene with its bulging sides and tunnel-back roof. Its styling was obviously very much influenced by GM’s Coke-bottle 1965 fulls-sized cars and their ’66 tunnel-back intermediates. But the Charger somehow carried it off in a way that was both derivative yet original enough.
The Charger tunnelback roof was more exaggerated than the GM A-Body cars, and made it iconic. GM had already moved away from that with a whole new direction with its 1968 A-Bodies, which might just have helped the Charger for those that hadn’t had enough yet.
My Encyclopedia oddly doesn’t have 1968 Charger production numbers, but the 1969 sold over 100k, and I suspect the ’68 was even somewhat higher. But it was a short-lived boom; by 1970, sales were down to some 50k, of which some 10k were the R/T model, both in its regular form as here,
and of course the legendary Daytona, with its long beak and high tail, in order to gain an advantage on the high-speed NASCAR tracks. It looks rather silly in stock configuration, with that nose so high.
That crack on the C Pillar is undoubtedly the joint between the steel roof panel, and the sail panel. Was that sail panel made of fiberglass?
Charger R/Ts came standard with the 375 (gross) hp 440 cubic inch RB V8, about as an ideal performance engine for the street as it got during the classic muscle car era. Gobs of torque, but with a decent top end too; much less peaky than the optional 426 Hemi. In the hands of typical drivers, the tractable 440 was a better choice, and typically quicker in getting off the line, and could stay ahead of the hemi for some time, until it really got its head. Of course, if this were a hemi version, then it really would the ultimate street-side find, given the shape this one is in.
As it is, this R/T ranks sky high in my book. Now how about finding a 1964 GTO in this kind of shape?
Could this be the last worn and unrestored Charger R/T in the world? I have read that certain parts on these have become almost impossible to find because of the number of cars that have been restored in recent years. This is just cool.
I have told the story before, but my car-mentor Howard told me that he bought the first Charger R/T in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His was a 440/Torqueflite car. He told of a day when he was stopped at a traffic light when a nearly identical R/T stopped next to him. That one had the 426 hemi. Of course, you know what happened. He told me that he had the other guy until they hit about 80, then the hemi car started to walk away.
Unfortunately, Howard’s R/T got destroyed in a collision after he had owned it for a year or so. He was fine, but the car was totalled I forget what he replaced it with, but it was nothing like the R/T.
There are pics of lots of worn out unrestored Chargers on carsinbarns.com but most of those aren’t still on the road.
> I have read that certain parts on these have become almost impossible to find because of the number of cars that have been restored in recent years.
Seems dubious to me. Of all Mopars, 68-70 Chargers, as well as the E-bodies, have the largest aftermarket support. If a Charger part becomes scarce, it’s likely that someone will start repopping them.
That car is not “on” the road. It’s “parked” on the road. It hasn’t moved in quite some time by evidence of the debris under it. Couldn’t tell if the tag was current (love that vanity tag), but it’s probably there just for parking legalities. But what an awesome curbside decoration for the house! (As a former landscaper, I’d at least clean up the street under the car. That’s evidence for the parking nazis.)
Good catch. A Curbed Classic.
A rare find,if only cars could talk!I hope it continues to be used and doesn’t become a trailer queen showcar
That’s so sad. These cars aren’t supposed to have THAT much “patina”. Survivor status be damned, get that thing into a body shop.
Agreed. This isn’t patina, this is decrepitude. Patina is present-day Sophia Loren; this is more like present-day Brigitte Bardot. It wasn’t until Photo #6 that I even realized that the Arizona-colored outbreak on the roof wasn’t rusted steel but a black vinyl top in an advanced state of decomposition. (Why did Dodge insist on slapping these silly “luxurious” toppings onto serious high-performance models like Charger and Challenger?) I want to say to the owner, “Show some respect, man! It’s an R/T, for G*d’s sake!”
If this car were mine, these photos would be what I called “the Before pictures.”
Totally agree with both of you guys. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill Challenger, it must have been a beautiful car back in its glory days. This is not patina, this is a “driven by a broke-ass dope dealer circa 1980” appearance.
A truly outstanding find. It will be very difficult to top this on the Cohort.
Wow, great find. I haven’t seen an unrestored Charger in years and years.
I believe the correct spelling of they car’s condition is D-E-C-A-Y, not P-A-T-I-N-A. easier to pronounce, too.
Ah yes, the little-known Charger D/K. 🙂
Seeing a classic car in that condition is an abomination to me. If I owned that, the word “patina” would be forcibly removed from any and all dictionaries!
I do know, however, these old Chrysler products were made of, for all practical purposes, papier maché, and these sure didn’t hold up very well. Cheap, cheap, cheap – over-sized tin-cans!
A friend in the air force had a 1969 Charger, black, with the 440/torqueflite. I got to drive it some, and while powerful, I could feel how fragile the bodies were on these things. Perhaps “patina” is justified in this case, but I would never want to let a hardtop go to waste!
A nice find, nevertheless.
FWIW, I’ve been seeing a lot of 20-year-old cars on the road recently, an Alliance, lots of Cieras and their ilk, and many Chrysler products – Acclaims, Spirits, and a Dynasty or two!
I actually saw a mint-condition Renault Encore a couple of weeks ago in traffic. Sadly, I was not in a position to get pictures.
The crack in the C-pillar is from the lead and body filler used to cover the seam.
I like this, its a bit rough for just patina, but its still cool.
I would guess this car originally had a vinyl top. Unfinished lead seams and the 2 lengthwise lines on the roof are usually a giveaway.
Yup. The crumbling remnants of the vinyl remain. Look around the Charger logo on the sail panel.
Agreed. Right after I painted my 71 Scamp, the vinyl roof started peeling off. I had to peel the whole rest of the thing down to the primer, and Chrysler spent little or no time filling seams between the roof and quarter panels. This one looks a lot like mine by the time I was about 80% done. The little bits of vinyl sticking out around the front and back glass moldings were a bitch.
Vinyl roofs: enabling lazy metal prep since 1964…
Our family 1971 Ford LTD had a vinyl top that I replaced in 1989; when I stripped the old one off, I was surprised to find real lead filler on that part of the roof. I couldn’t even believe that they were still using lead body filler at the factory in the 1970s! And they had done a good job on it too (it was a non-padded roof so it was a bit more sensitive to underlying imperfections).
Another giveaway is the chrome strip at the base of the C-pillar.
I noticed that pretty early, and those tops don’t help since they just hold in the moisture.
I found this car when I was riding my bike through the Wallingford neighborhood in Seattle. The houses are mostly older, with narrow driveways and garages created with Model T Fords in mind. Garages generally serve as tool sheds, and the result is a lot of interesting cars parked out on the street. That neighborhood is a CC goldmine, but I was still pretty surprised when I saw this Charger. I would have jumped for joy, but since I currently have a broken toe on my right foot, I settled for hobbling with glee… I’ll be glad when that bone heals! I’m getting a bit tired of limping like Ratso Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy. “I’m walkin’ here!”
I bet most people who walk past this car don’t realize it has vanity plates, since Washington State plates were issued in a 123-XYZ format until very recently. Most vanity plates just annoy the heck out of me, but 440-MAG is pretty subtle; a kind of inside joke between the owner and other old-car junkies
They may not be vanity plates. Ordinarily WA won’t issue a vanity plate that is in the same format as a standard plate. In addition, with the 7-year rolling replate program they’ve had for a while now, you can pay extra to get the same plate number on the new plate. So the guy may have either lucked into the 440-MAG plates, or known how to find out where they were issued and gone looking for them.
I went to renew my truck plates one year and saw someone walking out with 11108-Y. I asked at the counter if they had 11111-Y, and said I’d replate if I could get them. They did, I did, and I’ve now had those plates so long that they’ve been replaced twice and been on two different pickups. Of course since nearly all truck plates now are in the B12345A format, my 11111-Y amounts to nearly the same thing as a vanity plate.
I have to wonder if that 70 Charger is actually in use because it looks like the street sweeper hasn’t been able to approach that section of gutter for a good long time. Does it have a current tab on the back plate?
Sorry, I didn’t check the rear plate for a year tab! All that crud on the pavement does make me wonder how often that car gets driven. Back when I lived in that part of Seattle, I had an elderly neighbor who used to alert the traffic police whenever somebody left their car in the same spot for more than two or three days. Since I had a job I could walk to back then, I got into the habit of checking my tires for chalk marks, and tried not to park in front of the old guy’s house. The owner of the Charger must have better neighbors than I had back then.
I dont think this car is used. Those tires dont look like they have rolled in a long time. I read somewhere that as long as the tag is current it can stay on the street in Seattle. Where I live I cant even have an old car that hasnt moved in a while in my own driveway.
In Seattle you can’t legally park in the same spot on the street for more than 24hrs continuously, that doesn’t mean that a lot of cars don’t since enforcement of that law is usually done by complaint.
440-MAG is definitely old enough that it should have been retired by now. It has only been the last 2 years or so that you could pay extra to retain your old plate. On vanity plates the – is longer than what is on this one and in the center of a standard plate so this one is definitely a conundrum.
Congrats! You are the 457,332nd person to “find” this car. It has been sitting at that house in plain view since the late 90’s, which is when I “found” it (behind a line of other folks). For a long time it was actually in the driveway in front of the garage, which always made me wonder: If a 70RT Charger (originally purple no less) is in the driveway, what’s in the garage? Surprisingly, I don’t think the car is in much worse shape now than it was 15 years ago even though it sits outside in the soggy Seattle weather. The water just runs right through it and keeps on going.
To anyone who thinks this one might be for sale, don’t get your hopes up. it has been sitting in front of this house for 15+ years in plain view 1/2 block off a busy street. The path to the front door is worn thin with greasy sneakers!
I love love LOVE these, and this one is especially awesome.
Were I ever to own any American iron (whch would be absurd, living in the middle of an ancient European capital) it would be one of these Chargers. If I did, I’d be tempted to keep mine a little less faded, but it carries its patina magnificently. Brilliant find Mike!
Implausibly, on a visit up to Aberdeen (in the days before CC) I parked my then car (the bright yellow fella in my avatar) next to one of these in fairly similar condition (adding a flat tire) and the same colour. I thought they made a good pair: the battered black muscle car and the shiny yellow sports car… though I always have enjoyed contrasts. I wonder if it ever got a new tire and (if it did) what it was like to drive on our twisty little Scottish roads…
I don’t care…I would not change a thing (‘cept the wheels if they aren’t original) but I would store it inside. I don’t think this car would be any more awesome all nice-n-shiny. The streaks trailing from the hood ‘scoops’ are just beautiful.
Love this.
For that matter, the rims are stock.
I just love it,and would be proud to own and drive it,just the way it is. Where I live its imposiible to duplicate. Once rust takes over fuel, and brake lines,and makes its way into the sub frames, crusher time is not far away. Unless they have been carefully oil sprayed,and, or, not winter driven, 15 to twenty years is the max.
I like the idea of driving something,that nobody else has. Look at how long it took C.C. to find this one.
Wow! the ultimate “survivor”… very cool !
I just find it amazing Hollywood hasn’t destroyed this one yet! Between the dukes of hazard TV show and movie, the fast and furious franchise loves destroying 68-70 chargers. They’ve shown up in lesser known TV movies as well, don’t know why movie people have a penchant for wrecking cool old stuff.
@Mpvue. I just love comments like this. You do relize that Dodge made a lot of these cars? And how many did Hollywood destroy? Between DoH and F&F I’m guessing less than 100 combined. And how many Chargers were saved by turning them into General Lee clones? I’d even go so far as to say Hollywood is responsible for saving more Chargers than destroying them.
“The Charger tunnelback roof was more exaggerated than the GM A-Body cars, and made it iconic. GM had already moved away from that with a whole new direction with its 1968 A-Bodies, which might just have helped the Charger for those that hadn’t had enough yet.”
Kind of strange. While GM went to a semi-fastback rear window and C-Pillar and ditched the flying buttress look Dodge adopted it only to adopt a semi-fastback flush rear window for it’s speedway models ala GM A-Body with the Charger 500 and Daytona. I guess losing on the racetrack wasn’t as “iconic” as Dodge wanted to be.
Sure they made a lot, but between normal 40 year attrition and Hollywood, there can’t be many left. I was really just commenting how they love wrecking old cars; just because they made a lot I don’t think means they should be treated like an unlimited resource.
Btw, it’s generally accepted that the dukes destroyed over 300 of them, of course, the cars were only 10 to15 years old at the time, but even then they had a hard time finding cars towards the end of the series.
+1 mpvue. At least Pukes of Hazzard had an excuse, back then they were cheap used cars. It would be like a TV show today wrecking, say, 1999-2002 Mustangs. They’re neat, but not rare or super valuable (unless we’re talking a Cobra/SVT version).
The destruction of classics by Hollywood today really grates. WAY too many classics getting blown up for no good reason. And with CGI there’s no excuse. I always cringe when I see a cool old car in a movie, because odds are the idiot director is going to do something terrible to it…
If you look at the flush rear window on the Charger 500 and Daytona, it looks like an almost exact copy of the 1965 B Body GM rear window found on Chevies, Pontiacs, Olds 88s and Buick Le Sabres/Wildcats. Like the 1965 GM cars, the Charger race cars still had “shoulders” at the beltline. It almost makes it seem as though Dodge was always playing “catch-up” with GM. Even the size of the Charger, which was nominally a mid-size car, was quite close to the full-size ’65 GM cars.
I always felt that Chrysler perfected the earlier attempts of GM and Ford. They almost always looked better than the cars they “copied”.
Wow, awesome! I think this car has a tad too much patina for me, but I still love it. My dad had a ’68 charger in the 70s, him and his friends made a lot of memories in that car from what he tells me. I wouldn’t mind owning some mopar muscle, that’s for sure!
Why do I imagine an 80 year old Bill Hickman driving this around?
Good one! 😉
Nice find. I don’t really see the appeal to a car in this condition, I’d be restoring that car. I have a 40+ year old car that is an original survivor that has about 150K miles on it, and it’s still in amazing condtiion. Mind you, it took the efforts of my father to keep it that way. Even with it though, when I have done some refurbishment, I have restored part of the car to like factory condition to preserve the car overall. Keeping a car that had less “patina” than this in original condtion doesn’t really serve much purpose other than documentation of originality in my books.
I can’t believe there is still one of those not restored and sitting in some climate controlled garage. The 1970 with the chrome bumper was my favorite out of the 3 three year run.
Cool find. It’s interesting that it appears to have been originally Plum Crazy and was repainted black. I wonder how many High Impact-colored Mopars were repainted less wild colors in the late ’70s, and then restored to their original color in the ’90s and Oughts.
This one would look great in Plum Crazy with a white top and white interior. But as it sits, still pretty neat. I’d just be worried about holes in the roof, especially if it’s sitting in Seattle!
Nice find. I drive a 1969 Charger almost every day but its a base model with a 318 and not a 440 R/T. There’s still a few on the road that haven’t been relegated to show poodle status
Is this car for sale and what condition is the inside. Any rust problems.
Sorry, I didn’t see a For Sale sign on it, and I never got a chance to talk to the owner.
Wonder if this car is still parked in the same spot 5 years later?
Also, is the license plate a coincidence? 440 Mag?