Abandoned 1968 Dodge Charger R/T Hides Desirable Color Under Crusty White Paint

Despite its affordable sticker, the Super Bee moved only 7,842 examples in its first (and shortened) model year on the market. The redesigned Charger, on the other hand, became a huge success, and sales soared from 15,788 cars in 1967 to a whopping 96,100 units in 1968.

All told, the 1968 Charger is a much more common classic than the Super Bee, which makes it less desirable and more affordable overall. However, some versions of the Charger are actually much scarcer. The R/T is one of them. Because only about 17,000 were equipped with the high-performance package, a new offering at the time.

The HEMI version is arguably the rarest, with only 475 produced. Then there's the Charger 440, built in the thousands with the 375-horsepower Magnum V8. But while these cars are sought after and can fetch seven-figure sums at public auctions, some are still waiting to be rescued from junkyards. The derelict example you see here is one of those rigs.

Found somewhere in New Mexico. this 1968 Charger is a fully-fledged R/T. And it's in pretty bad shape due to a crumpled rear end and damage from full exposure to the elements. There's no info on when it was parked in this small yard, but the license plate suggests it may have been sitting since 1972. Ouch! That's a whopping 52 years as of 2024.

Fortunately, our host captured the fender tag and VIN plate on camera, and I can confirm this car is indeed a 440. I have no idea if the Magnum under the hood is numbers-matching, but this Charger was born with a four-barrel 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB. This bit of info is confirmed by the "83" on the fender tag and the "L" in the VIN. The 440 mates to an automatic transmission, the more common choice at the time.

But is this Charger R/T worth saving? Well, it depends on who you ask. Restoring this Mopar to factory specifications is bound to be a daunting and expensive task. The body is rather crusty, and there's quite a bit of rust on the lower body panels. The vinyl is pretty much gone.

With the white paint peeling off some areas, we can see this Charger had a different color from the factory. Based on the "LL1" code on the fender tag, this Charger was initially ordered in Medium Dark Turquoise. It's not my favorite Mopar color from the golden era, but it's definitely desirable, especially when paired with white upholstery, like on this car.

Speaking of the interior, the seats are in rough shape, and the carpet is missing. However, the floor appears to be sound and the dashboard isn't missing vital components. The engine is most likely unwilling to fire up without a significant refresh, but these 440 units are tough, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it spring back to life without a complete rebuild.

All told it's not the kind of classic you want to restore in order to make a profit. The restoration would probably cost more than its current market value. However, it's a 1968 R/T, one of the hottest muscle cars of its era, and it definitely deserves a second chance. Hopefully, it will get one before it's too late.