Rescued 1968 Dodge Charger Back On The Road After 29 Years!

Since we dragged Tom's Charger out of a Seattle garage last July, we've slowly been bringing it back into operational condition in between actual jobs at Rocket Restorations. Evan replaced the gatorade bottle with a fuel tank and rebuilt all of the brakes. Trev straightened out the tail end of the car (after a visit to the frame shop.) Tom stripped, deep cleaned, and reassembled the interior. And I replaced the engine compartment wiring harness, found a bunch of oil on the #2 spark plug, and helped install the crowning jewels: the shiny new white stripe tires on steelies with factory style hub caps. The car has come a long way from how we found it, and today we can proudly say that it's finally a drivable car once again - but there's plenty more to come. ‪@rocketresto‬

[@jamesgrant9317]

People get so hung up on a perfect car. This looks like an awesome driver.

[@viewer7138]

literally. its a car not a painting

[@MrBrombomb]

I agree. How many people do you see driving around in or owning a 1968 Dodge Charger?

[@bigwrenchtech]

Always loved those tail lights.

[@davidking3918]

I love the factory look ,get tired of after market stuff .very cool

[@qmopar]

How can this NOT be a muscle car?!?!? Agreed - just look at it! Can't wait for the Magnum swap. 👍🏁🏁🏁

[@TsGoodTimesGarage]

I love these cars! Had my 68 since I was a senior in high school a little ways back. Not as long as some, but back far enough. The Magnum should make this a fun cruiser for sure. And DEFINITELY a muscle car.

[@michaelnault5905]

My Dad had one, bought new in 68' when I was a kid. It met with an unfortunate end. Good to see others have survived to live on.......

[@urielgarcia4567]

That would be a dream car to have. Can’t wait on the engine upgrade!

[@altpraize6708]

You're definitely having waaaaaaay too much fun!

[@dantupper1784]

Moving and driving under it's own power- looks better, too! I always figured if the car, suv, or truck didn't come with 3-4 fender tags of options or one of the 'Hero' engines- you are free to upgrade stuff. Hard to beat a crate MP Magnum 5.9- it will be a nice in the Charger.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Exactly! If it was a numbers matching big block car we would feel much differently about this.

[@hotroddinwillie2364]

Guys be patient with the upholstery I waited the same amount of time for my Plymouth project but they came and the new skins are beautiful!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh yeah. We can wait. Haha.

[@LongIslandMopars]

That Charger is awesome. I'd take it and enjoy it, 7 cylinders and all.

[@VINTAGE1959]

I adore these white wall tires. Or white line tires, whatever you call them

[@gasser66]

If there is one thing this channel has solidified with me, it's that I am definitely a full hubcap / body color rim dog dish guy.

[@moparsnguitars6034]

1968 Dodge Charger , I love it. 🎸🎸🎸⛽⛽🐱

[@Legacy_Lou]

Who cares what engine it has. Its STILL a 68 Charger 💪 Enough said 😎

[@kenjohnson3641]

Looks awesome luv it

[@Roosters_Restos]

I do miss my 68 there just cool. One year only grill,tailights,and most don't know this but doors. The door locks on the 68 were at the back of the door. They changed it to further forward so they are not as easy to steel. Ha ha longer coat hanger. So that worked lol. 68s are muscle cars even my buddy's Original 6cyl. With 3 on the tree. Sometimes I just go in my storage garage just to stare at the 70 charger and the roadrunner. Yup thems mine thoughts.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh hell yeah. They moved the locks on A body too, only to move them back later…

[@Roosters_Restos]

@Dead Dodge Garage ya know I have 8 sets of charger doors in my shed. What ever will I do with all them lol

[@musclecarmitch908]

Awesome car!👍

[@beljames1563]

That Magnum 360 will really wake the Charger. That's 440 range horsepower so yeah. Great idea.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

And light weight! It’ll work super well.

[@rocketresto]

Love this car

[@NathansMoparGarage]

Looks good 😎 Could be considered a muscle car no matter what engine is in it. It's got looks.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

That’s where I’m sayin’! They’re more guidelines than actual rules.

[@chargerdave2046]

Who needs brakes? I don't plan to stop driving!

[@yoyodude4936]

1:47 what wheel does he have on the rear driver side?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t know what they actually are. Some flavor of turbine wheel. That’s what used to be on the car.

[@jimbo3214]

I like it. If mine I would rebuilt the 318 to keep it as it came from the factory. Its a 68 Charger, thats all that matters.

[@LongIslandMopars]

Same here. I rebuilt my dad's 273 in his 66 Coronet. Stock except for an Isky E-4 cam and dual exhaust. Only downside were Egge pistons that sit low in the deck. If it comes out again, I'll put in custom high compression pistons. If it ever suffers a catastrophic failure, then all bets are off as to what its future drivetrain would be.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I love 273s! I’m about to do one for a Barracuda sounds like. Haha. And I get it. But basically it’s like this - it’s a 318 car, so it’s never going to matter what engine it has. We’re going to keep the spirit the same (small block Mopar) but get much better performance in every way with the Magnum. We can dress it up to appear mostly factory too. I love a good 318 as much as the next guy, but this makes good sense.

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Hey bud, to each their own. My dad's 273 is all about sentimental value. That little engine took our little family up and down the east coast for vacations and took my dad to work until he retired. And so I will keep it going for as long as I can in tribute.

[@mr.b2107]

What if it's just a stuck valve? Those old 318s are tuff motors

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Even compression judging by cranking sound, definitely not a valve stuck open. It could potentially be sticking intermittently. I pulled the plug on #2 and there is a lot of oil. Camera didn’t show anything obvious or horrible other than that. One way or another, it’s tired and needs some love.

[@michaeladamo6279]

I noticed the data tag was not on the innerfender

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Is it not? I didn’t even look 😅 because… 318 car

[@michaeladamo6279]

Look at 5.0s little 302 we have 16 more cubes

[@ramonethemoparguy4092]

I laugh at that guy who said "If it's 318 it doesen't qualify as a muscle car." cuz as long it's a V8 it's a muscle car. If it don't got V8 it ain't a muscle car. The only exception is the GNX.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I just think the definition can be a lot more broad than some people seem to think. Do we really have to be that prickly about things? Lol. Yeah the GNX definitely qualifies in my book.

[@Chad-og2kv]

Needs a 383 or 440

[@matthewb8229]

The person that maintained it wasn't a "muscle car" probably has a strict definition for everything.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Again, I understand the argument. But like… it’s just such an amazingly muscular design.

[@altpraize6708]

I agree with you, that person is probably an Uber purist that is obsessed with matching numbers on everything

[@sinistercharger]

I think you should only have the 318,383,440 or 426 in the charger any other engine seems wrong and would devalue the car Imo

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t think an engine that can be dressed to appear correct and more than doubles the horsepower number will devalue a base model 318 car. I think it will do the opposite. But I understand your point.

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

Lose the air con rubbish so much weight you don’t need 🙀that 318 would go better as well some headers 500 Holly large air filter an index the plugs would improve it . Sounds choked up . 😮

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t think indexing plugs yields anywhere near enough improvement to warrant the time - if any. It’s one of those old school tricks that most builders these days don’t use. I never have, and I don’t have a dyno to try and detect a small horsepower improvement so I can’t really verify for myself. I can think of a whole bunch of ways to improve the 318 that will make a noticeable change. The first? Keeping the oil out of the cylinders would be nice… It’s a tired old engine that is not going to yield any great results without a rebuild. Yes, it definitely sounds choked out. The exhaust sucks. It sounded the same with no air filter. I have a good bit of experience with hot rodded small block Mopars in particular - and I could definitely make this one do cool stuff. We’re going to take the easy route - because time is money, but also because the Magnum is just sitting there staring at us. Haha.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh - and these days A/C seems to be something people actually want. We’re not concerned with weight savings. We’re gonna double the horsepower with a quickness so I think it’ll be able to haul it around. Haha.

[@fraserobrien3828]

nice man ,,hay is this charger for sale lol; fraser toronto , hay my charger got stolden in 1977 shit ,

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Not at this time. Lol. Although he probably won’t keep it forever.

[@Ripsaw17]

I like the 68 backglass but I like the seventies tail lights

[@tonyb3864]

Big block. 383 or 440

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

As you well know I’m a big fan of 383s, but it’s a small block car and we don’t want to deal with all of that. Path of least resistance… but its going to make some power and do cool stuff.

[@AverageJoeBuilds]

The Dart takes offense to that 318 comment from whoever 😭🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

😭

[@OldIron2188]

If it was mine, I'd rebuilt the 318 to be up to a bit over OEM specs, but still look correct and not be too much of a gas hog. Regardless, those wheels are great. make sure to hang onto the hubcaps, they fly off somethimes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnbdgnxqh5Jrbqs (also for the love of humanity replace those mirrors, they look like they came of an 86 Camaro)

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The reason we’re thinking Magnum is because we can make it appear correct, but have so much more poop. The 318 won’t be going in the scrap pile or anything! Yes a couple of these caps have clearly done that in the past 😅

[@72442conv]

Isn't there a 440 hiding somewhere in that shed of yours that would love to jump into this Charger? Nothing like a big block Charger...

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well Tom has one In his shed. Haha. But he doesn’t want to do that.

[@72442conv]

@@DeadDodgeGarage What?!?!? Look, just say he does not have the funds to go that route, the 360 is free, or something of the sort. Whenever someone says that they want to stick with a small block when they could go with a big block, people start questioning their manhood... The council of men does NOT approve! 🤣🤣🤣

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

@@72442conv is now a good time to say I definitely prefer small blocks or na? 😅

[@72442conv]

@@DeadDodgeGarage I love the small block Mopar engines, but in an A-Body. Those Chargers weigh a ton compared to an A-Body, and the small blocks just do not work as well with the heavy cars.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

@@72442conv A small block that makes 400 horsepower works quite well in a B body 😁 In fact, the stock EFI 5.9 Magnum I put in my '66 Charger also drove better and did better burnouts than the 383 it replaced. Having said that, I prefer the same as you say - a healthy small block in an A body, and a big block in a B body. Tom's car is an original small block car, the Magnum is reasonable and accessible, and he doesn't want to dump the time or funds into a big block conversion. We can more than double the horsepower and save a lot of time going that way. I like it.

[@craigbowley6783]

Yeah too bad it's only got a 318. That sucks but it doesn't look that bad.I mean it's a Dodge charger so...👍

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yeah but we can solve that problem. Haha.

[@carebear2272]

Yes, the muscle car rule has various opinion anymore, my opinion is it be a two door, body has to be made out of metal, have a back seat, big, muscular. Optional, V8, at least a 4BL, dual exhaust and a manual that can chirp first, second and third gear, and be in the muscle car time period. Keep it simple stupid……

[@mobigsly9595]

200 hp in a land yaht is not very muscular.. probably time for an engine swap

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Did you watch the whole video? Lol

[@crashsroadrunnergarage8612]

Second😳

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

😮

[@blackbettythemudmower]

First

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Nailed it!

[@matrox]

Thats not the performance Charger.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It could be worse, it could be a slant six.

[@Ripsaw17]

Maybe a nice little 383 with some dual exhaust if it's a charger it's got to have duels someday i would still be happy to have it as my everyday driver

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It’ll definitely get dual exhaust. Haha. It’s getting a really nice set of TTI headers. Frankly they’re too nice for the car. I may have to get them dirty first.

[@raymondkunkel9615]

I love the bullet look hubcaps an white wall tires waaaay better then them ugly rims in back

[@Ripsaw17]

It's still a charger and I've driven quite a few quick 318 I mean I got a 360 which is basically the same thing as a 318 and my everyday driver and it's pushing 350 horse it's enough for the street look at it just says hot rod there Just a awesome car no matter what engines in it

[@Ripsaw17]

It's a 318 it runs on coolant you'll be fine don't worry about it it's a little smokey

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’ve had my fair share of smoky 318s 😅

[@Ripsaw17]

No Magnum put a 383 in it they're still easy to find and it's a correct engine for that year of car in a 68 or 69 383 Magnum you'll get like 350 horse out of its stock that thing would be sweet with a 383 six pack

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Man, a friend of mine has a six pack setup for 383 and wants absolutely insane money for it. If Tom wanted to do that, he could’ve done a 383 in this one. He has at least one handy. Instead he bought a 440 six pack Roadrunner… so this car has now been sold. We are still going to put the Magnum in for the new owner. It makes more than 350 HP and weighs less than a big block - there is definitely a case for it.