Introduced in 1966, the Dodge Charger moved 37,344 units in its first year in showrooms. The following year, however, sales slumped to just 15,788 examples. This prompted Dodge to redesign the Charger, giving it a sportier look and a more mundane interior. The upgrade put it in line with most muscle cars of the era.
The second-gen Charger was a big hit. No fewer than 96,100 customers rushed into showrooms to get the 1968 version. In 1969, Dodge sold a whopping 104,978 cars, a record that stood until 1973. All told, while the 1969 Charger is a popular classic, it's also a common rig, especially when compared to other Mopar nameplates from the same model year.
However, the R/T model is a bit scarcer. Dodge added this bundle to less than 20% of the total production. More specifically, 19,298 customers opted for the high-performance bundle, which included a beefed-up suspension, bucket seats, and a big-block V8 as standard.
How many of these rigs are still around? Well, the jury is still out on that because some are still rotting away in junkyards. But fortunately, examples that have been parked in garages and barns still emerge in one piece. This Medium Green Poly R/T is one of them.
Parked for nearly 20 years, this Charger needs a lot of work. It's covered in a thick layer of dust, missing some components, and there's a significant amount of rust on the lower body. But it's a fully-fledged R/T, according to the fender tag that's still with the car. More importantly, it flaunts an options combo that makes it somewhat.
For starters, it's a triple-green rig. Don't let the white top fool you. This car had its original vinyl top removed and the metal painted white. The original vinyl top was green, a factory option at the time. A lighter green and still solid interior rounds out the Charger's all-green appearance, a combo you rarely see today.
Furthermore, the Mopar was also ordered with a stripe delete. There's no info on how many Charger owners checked this box on the options list, but the consensus is that the stripe-delete feature is relatively rare. As was the case at the time, Dodge mounted big "R/T" badges on the rear fenders. That's a one-year-only feature.
As for what's under the hood, there's good news and bad news. The good news is the engine bay houses a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB V8, which is accurate for a Charger R/T. In 1969, this muscle car came standard with the 440 and was available with the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8. The latter is quite rare, with just 432 units made.
The bad news is the 440 is not numbers-matching. According to our host, the mill is date-coded 1971, so one owner performed a swap at some point. Sure, the lack of a factory engine puts a hole in the car's value, but this Charger is definitely worth restoring. It will be a gorgeous classic, and the optional features combine to deliver a rare configuration. And besides, 1969-coded 440 V8s are still common and sourcing one shouldn't be a tough job.
We've already seen a walkaround of this car a couple of weeks ago, but now it's time to see it coming out of the garage after nearly 20 years.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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