Love the car and I understand the fact that you are into V8's, and the old slant might have been a bit tired. It is definitely not a piece of shit. Such a reliable motor for many years particularly in Australia from 1960 to early 70's. You need to check out Uncle Tony's Garage and then talk about Turds.
I Love This Car...At 13 My Mom And Dad Got Divorced And I Got A Job At Wendy's To Feed My Mother My Brother & My Sister & Myself.. After 3 Years My Mom Said Save Up & Buy You A Car Son We Are Doing Better Now Because I Had To Walk Back And Fourth Around 4 Miles Round Trip. My Mom Got A Better Paying Job So I Bought My Own Car With Money I Earned A 1968 Dodge Charger 440 Mag Column Auto Blue In & Out & It Ran Like The Wind. I Joined The Military @ 17 Got Married Went Over Seas Signed Power Of Attorney Over To The Wife & My Wife Found Out She Was Pregnant A Month Later My In Laws Decided I Needed A Family Car So Within A Year They Traded It In On A 1979 Caprice Classic @ Toth Buick Akron, Ohio 1982-1983 Been Looking For It Ever Since Had A Bench Seat At Least That Was My Recall. It Was Beautiful In & Out. Id Like To Sit In Her One Last Time Just To Be 17-18 Again. My Brother Sees A Ferrari And Lambo Asks Would You Want One Of Them? I Smile & Say If I Had That Id Sell It And Buy A 1968 Charger. He Says Your Crazy He Sees A Carroll Shelby Cobra Snake Or Something Says "What If You Won That" I Said Id Trade It For A 1968 Dodge Charger He Laughs Says That Car Is Worth 5 Times More And The Exotic 's 10 Times More Than A Charger I Said Get Me My Charger And Keep the Change. I Watch Your Channel A Lot, I Call You The Charger Guy You Say That 3 On The Tree Sucks Id Rather Have That Then Any Other Make Or Model Because I Have A love For A 1968 Charger Like Most Folks Love There Pets & Some There Family Members. But What My Little Brother & Sister & Others Have Never Realized Is I Walked Every Day Back And Fourth To Work With Nothing On My Mind But Feeding My Mom & Them And Owning A 1968 Dodge Charger Not A 1969 or 1970 Which Are Second Best. So That Turd You See There Is A Treasure To Me. Sort Of A Time Travel Machine Before I Became A Disabled Vet. Thanks For The Video's Brother Sometimes Turds Are Baby Ruth's.
A big factor of that Charger surviving in the shape it is today and not being wreaked is the fact that it's a slant six and 3 on the tree. That slant six is actually a damn good engine and can produce decent power. The trans and the rear are the weak points. I'd leave the engine for last and just change the trans and rear and upgrade the carb and exhaust on the engine only. You have loads of Chargers that have the big engines.
You may have been passed by a Geo Metro, but your Charger still is Mega cool besides. One of the nicest car designs of all time! Even with a slant 6. Love this Charger!
Did you not hear the part where Chris said he would keep the engine and put it aside for the next owner? I 100% agree with him that it needs a big block. Rare doesn't always mean desirable. Rare also doesn't mean fun to drive. He's got the right idea from both a practical and economic perspective. And besides - it's his damn car, and I for one am just happy he shares his adventures, without all the backseat driving from armchair experts.
A mopar guy calling a slant six a pos .....That engine is know for being crazy reliable And built right that little six is capable of making decent hp numbers
I'm sure that he didn't mean that it's a POS, but is rather gutless when stock and shouldn't be in a b body in my opinion. He could have worded it differently, because it is a very reliable mill and can make respectable power for what it is if built
The slant six is reliable, the slant 6 is a pos for power and not worth shit trying to make power and the charger is not a a-body the charger was a b-body dusters and darts were a-bodys
It's frustrating knowing that you don't appreciate this car in its true form. Such an amazing car I'd hate to know what it's fate was esp 3 years later me seeing this
It's so refreshing seeing someone that actually saves old cars and don't just let them rot, it's so horrible to see old American iron just rot into the ground, especially for us younger people who probably won't get the chance to even own one. So good on ya man!
I agree, the factory slant six doesn't belong in one of those big B-bodies. It just doesn't have enough power in that context. I think the 0-60 time is "eventually". It helps to be going downhill with a nice tailwind as well. I'm amazed those cars even exist.
That is an unusual Charger . When I was a kid in the early 70's most Chargers were 318 automatics , you know with vinyl tops and whitewalls . Surprisingly common were Cuda's and Challengers with slant six automatic setups . A 5 speed would improve the performance of that small motor if you wanted to just drive it around town , although I agree a big block would be the proper solution .
Loved seeing this adventure you had Chris. 'not dead last now' that would have been me at your age 😁😁I'm 70 now doesn't matter....mind you, unlike most I can still drive so must be grateful eh!
you know theres a very good chance that car was ordered with the specific intention of driving it straight from the dealer to the racers garage to be yanked and replaced with the individuals drivetrain...many dealers would buy back the low/no miles powertrain....this was done with all makes....the baseline least-expensive options were ordered with many deletes....something may have caused this 1 not to be picked up and converted, even with loss of deposit....anything couldve happened.
Relax everyone. There's another out there. I bought a numbers matching 68 slant 6 in 2013, fixed it up, drove it for a few years and sold it to a guy from Kentucky. His wife had one when she was a teenager and loved it. I doubt she'll change it anytime soon. It definitely sucked to drive, but it wasn't as bad as all the pain in the ass MOPAR enthusiast telling me what I "had" to do every step of the way. This guy is right. Everyone has an opinion about what should be done with the cars they grew up with, but few of them want to put the time, money and effort into doing it themselves.
I've been itching to do what you have done; find a car, fly out to grab, drive it home. One day soon I hope - gotta find a good candidate to chase lol. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us Chris! Truly enjoy your channel. -A
Andy K I did the same thing eight years ago picking up a 73 340 Roadrunner in Waterloo Iowa and driving 2100 miles to San Diego CA. Had to buy four tires and put a fuel pump in, and got pulled over four times for no plates, but got it home.
I was so offended by a brother in law who was a big Ford guy. I was a Mopar guy and LOVE Chargers more than any other car. He was disparaging them saying, "They ride like a bucket of bolts." I was like O.K. Mr. Galaxy. Then I did test drives in a 69 and a 70 when I was seriously in the market. The coolest cars in the world, but you know what? They rode like a bucket of bolts. I couldn't believe it! He was actually fairly accurate. I'd still love to get one, but the price tag has gone way above reason. So I will enjoy these videos instead and remember the ride. Cool video.
Lol @ 8:55..Slow Ride, the irony!. Slant 6 had no balls but they were good for 300k plus. My Dad had a 74 D-100 with 320,000 miles when he sold it. Very cool car!
Wow! Awesome car and great video. That car reminds me of my wife's '69 Chevelle Malibu w/ 230 six 3 on the tree. Used it to move from Oregon to San Diego pulling a trailer, slowly!
My first car was a 1963 Dodge 330 with a 225 slant 6 and a three on the tree. It was owned by a guy who was 91 years old ,it had 62 thousand and i was the 2nd owner . It used a quart of oil every 20 miles. It was a gutless wonder that got better gas mileage than oil mileage. I never could get it to stop using oil. My next car was a 1973 Mustang Grande with a 302 and nine inch and a toploader 4-speed. That ride of yours brought back a lot of memorys only difference was my shift linkage was in better shape..
The car looks great! It's your car. You said you would hold on to the 6 for historical value and even take it to a show in LA with the 6 in it. That's respect for the history. Drop the 8 in it and store away the 6 for the future if you want. It's an awesome car. Enjoy that beauty!
I had a 225 6 cyl in a 68 Satellite wagon and can attest to how slow they are. Couldn't kill it, but getting passed by everyone on the road, including mopeds, gets old quick. Cool videos, keep up the great work!
Stock 225 made 145hp when new. It's pushing a heavy brick through the air. Also, that transmission is a non-synchro 1st gear, so you pretty much have to come to a complete stop. Slant 6 chargers are few and far in-between.
@4:58 You do realize back in 1968, that the guy who would opt for a brand new Charger with a slant 6 and 3 on the tree had to be a flannel pants type of guy. I think that car is growing on ya. :-)
I've had a slant six in a 76 Scamp, 75 Duster, and a 74 Dart. In that order. The Scamp was a fantastic daily, I overheated the Duster going to work everyday for two weeks before I could afford a new radiator. The Dart threw a rod on the highway and not only made it 5 miles back home, but drove 15 miles into town to get another engine and back home. And this was all just last year! The slant may be slow, but they are tough!
I had a shop truck, a 72 Dodge 318 with a three speed. The damn thing would not shift and often got hung in gear. I found where the linage was hooked to the transmission the nuts had backed off. The nuts were 5/16s fine thread, I found a couple of nylocks nuts and that fixed the linkage problems. I am not saying that is your problem but look there before you dive in to something else. My 1968 Ford Falcon with a 289 and a three speed had a synchronized low gear, I believe that may have been the first year for that for Ford. I am not at all sure Chrysler had a syncro low in 68.
RIP that stock drivetrain out and throw at least a new gen 5.7 hemi (probably cheapest) and go that route with the 8speed auto! Great combo! I had a 17 charger Daytona and that was a blast!
Yep, it sounds like a tractor. Back in high school a buddy of mine had a dart with that little 6 and he had done a few bolt ins, there wasn't much in our circle or our hang out areas that could touch that thing in block racing, a lot of guys had their egos hurt by that car. Damn, long time ago, this brought me back.
I learn alot about the Charger from your Videos. Keep doin what you doin. I save some money to buy me one in the future. Love the 68 the most. That Charger looks great besides it has only the 6 Zylinder in it. Looks like you dont had big problems to bring it home. Hope to see some Videos about the repairs!
Eight years ago I made a similar trip from Waterloo Iowa to San Diego bringing hone a 73 Roadrunner 340 in much rougher condition than your Charger. It was an adventure.
Kind of reminds me of the movie "Duel", going up the hill trying to reach the summit with the little slant six overheating. Yes, I know in the movie he had a busted radiator hose, but just seeing you coax it uphill was funny. This car was meant for a 440 but it would be a lot of work to retrofit with a big block, transmission, upgraded suspension pieces, etc. Wouldn't it make more sense to leave the six in there and make repairs? It's worth so much more in its virgin form especially since that combination is so rare. Then you can sell it and find another big block 68 R/T, with cash left over.
My '65 Belvedere ll has a 3 speed transmission and 1st gear isn't synchronized. Only 2nd and 3rd. You pretty much have to be at a dead stop to get it into 1st gear.
True. It's not completely impossible to grab first gear without a complete stop first, but usually not practical to do for most drivers anyway. I will either make up my mind that I'm going to come to a complete stop and use first gear, (depending on the driving situation) or not come to a complete stop and grab second gear instead to take off. This car has a 318, so it has an acceptable amount of low RPM torque to pull this maneuver as long as you're not in a hurry.
I have a 65 Belvedere 2 with a 318 with a 3 speed on the tree I love it I would love to have that red charger I'd leave it just the way it is with the 6 cylinder 3 speed just what it was born with
The old slant is a great engine , in Australia the 70 and up Chrysler's used a Hemi 6 , that is a really good engine especially the 265 cui . They held the record for fastest car from 0 to 100 kmh for a long time. But as you say nothing beats the Mopar V8 . Those big Chargers are heavy and need the tourqe of a big V8 . Mopar V8s are a fantastic engine. I've never seen a big charger with a slant 6 before. I always thought the 318 was the base engine. Thanks for showing us this old beast .
Flannel pajamas all you need is a Santa hat, I don't care how stupid I look Santa in his red sleigh when you stopped in No Man's Land, reminded me of a scene from the movie The Hitcher C Thomas Howell, Rutger Hauer just needed some rain, could've used the drill bit as a weapon Lol 🤐😨 CLASSIC!😂🤗✌👍
I have a 66 impala convertible 283 3 on the tree. I feel your pain as to performance but why not keep it unique. All these cars have a following and your going to sell one of your toys sooner or later.
We tried to blow up a slant,in neutral and a rock on the throttle. We walked away,expecting it to blow in minutes,20 minutes later we turned it off,the screaming at past red line was pissing the neighbours off. On monday,it was business as usual,the owner used for over three years as he had before. The most impressive engine I have ever seen.
I have A slant 6 in my 71 Challenger, it handles better than a 70 383 Challenger that l had, I'm going to leave it in.Mine over heated to with higher rpms on hot days,put a shroud in and it didn't overheat anymore.
I have two 70 Challengers in my Mopar fleet, a 383 magnum Plum Crazy R/T & a 225 slant six 904 Plum Crazy white interior car. Here in the Idaho high country the 225 gets down the road at 75 just fine but it's about the drive when I take out any of my old shit, not the destination.
Great story and ride. Those pants! Better check the fenders well though, looks like they have a lot of bondo, paint is hiding a lot. Looking forward to another one.
As far as utility goes, you can't beat the MOPAR slant 6. I've owned 3. One of them I ran on a paper route 7 days a week. 110 miles a night for 8 years. I beat the shit out of that car. By the time I was done with it the car was worn to a frazzle. It wound up in the junkyard. But the engine still ran great. The engine wound up in another car. The guy resealed the engine and that was it. I put something over 4 hundred thousand miles on it. The car was showing 86 thousand when I bought it. After all those miles it leaked oil. But not a drop did it ever burn. The second and third one I owned the cars were beaten all to hell and back. The cars had over half million miles on them. Both engines wound up in other cars. These engines are million mile engines. That's why so many of them wound up in taxis. About the only way to kill one of them is run it out of oil. No, they aren't power houses. But they will run nearly for ever.
Pi$$ on the numbers matching crap with a 6 banger... Use this one to build a twin turbofied drag monster / street car :-)) Tubular front end massive sway bar, adustable coil overs... whatever but have fun with it. Love this car. Have fun with the build. Do that 383 stroker idea with this one? Anyway... ya numbers shmumbers lol
It reminds me of a 1973 Plymouth Satellite that I bought just before the first gas crisis. No power, but around 19 to the gallon going back and forth to work. I got a deal on because the dealer didn't want to get stuck with it. A month later they would have loved to have it. lol
We started a race track here in alaska years ago and when my buddy told me they had the circle track open for any run what you brung I had the best part of the day to take what ever. Looked in the back yard for the sacrificial lamb and popped a ford ranger truck... kinda truck worth fifty to blow up. I didn't want it but got it for someone else then they change mind thing... four cylinder one at that 2.3 so got out my snow machine carbs and made adapters to run one per cylinder. Four mackunis slide drafts and I got witnesses, it would run with the well, six cylinders. I took third place and not one straight piece of metal left on it but fun in big way. Hurs to get passed like your up on jack stands
I have a 71 Olds Cutlass when I got it moter trans already changed. In the Muscle car world it's a unicorn. Don't hack it supercharge it, too turn 10,000 smoothly Manuel 6 speed 4:11 gears. And if you want a wicked sound? Custom exhaust that splits into duel, and make the header to go left right and so on . I can v8 it no problem😎! But everything else I mentioned would be a dream along with some other goodies . Well that would be in a class of its own ... And if ford can do it, You can .
A rare , car, my 1968 Charger I bought in 1972 for $1200 had the 318 cid , with 3 speed torqueflite and low miles, was more common. I remember , summer of 1973 wanting to trade it in for a stick shift Charger or Challenger with the slant six. I should have , because fall of 1973 , the U.S.A. had it's first gasoline shortage. Like many fools, in 1974, I traded my nice Dodge Charger for a 1967 rusted out VW beetle. My advice,, keep it all original , gasoline that is Ethanol free gasoline will likely be $6 or $7 bucks per gallon soon.
reliable, but slow as hell, at least it got you there. My mom had a Dodge Diplomat with a super six (two barrel) that would cruise at 80 mph no problems, your leaning tower is probably worn out.
The synchros in that transmission won't let you put it into first gear until you come to a complete stop if that don't get you that plastic distributor gear will
I don't know , there were quite a few Plymouth Dodge Chrysler we're putting a lot of those in challengers and chargers my brother had a panel step van that had one . I think they're actually half of a v12 international scout had a dodge slant 4 It had a V8 distributor and cap that skipped over 4 of the 8 spark plugs wires
With the steering wheel off centre in a straight line, I would have checked the front tyre (tire) temperature after ten miles, just to be sure the toe setting was not way out. I have personally seen a tyre wear out in sixty miles after a track rod end change because the owner was too tight to get the tracking done. Great car, please keep it original and refresh the motor it came with.
Great video / read trip ..'68 and still looking not bad, I agree should have a V8..but like you stated it got you home my A body '66 Dart has the 6 ..but just bought it last fall and a 340 could get some scat to it..but around town it's a cruiser and not to many out there with the rag top..parts are very tuff to get ..so swap meets are in my future ..great you made it home safely !!...always looking for you're videos ..I also love chargers but a dart is what I could afford..but it's a Mopar and that cool. / T
Had a slant in my (Australian) vf valiant. With triple su carbs medium sized bump stick lots of head work extractors 3 on the tree 3.23 sure grip. Through the traps high 13s. Thumped a lot of v8s. Now I have a stock 440 727 9"inch. No effort at all. Ran best of 12.97
Loved the ride along. Car looks lovely despite the lack of balls. Probably some guy out there would sell his right arm for a numbers matching slant 6 car, but like you say, if you spent the same money on a v8 on getting the 6 to go better, you'd have a much faster car. You cant polish a turd....
Maybe give Clifford Performance a call they sell performance six cylinder parts . Their motto is six = eight . Their upgrade packages for the 258 6 cylinder are incredible In terms of bolt on horsepower .
