You may remember this bottle-green, mostly original survivor 1968 Dodge Charger purchased by Tyler from Hoovies Garage back in December. After buying the car in Miami, Florida he attempted to drive the classic car 1,000 miles back to Kansas.
This plan was swiftly ended after this muscle car's 30-year-old tires exploded only a few hours into the journey. One very expensive tow to Freddy Tavarish in Florida for repairs, followed by an equally expensive shipping to Kansas, and the Dodge Charger has made it to Tyler’s garage for full diagnostics and repairs.
We’re Off To See The (Car) Wizard
Tyler’s first plan for the 1968 Charger is to bring it to his mechanic David Long aka The Car Wizard. The pair take it out for a test drive, with Long in the driver’s seat, and it quickly becomes obvious that the original drum brakes are not up to scratch. He has to push the pedal all the way in for braking and takes a full second before it starts to grip. Thankfully, the Wizard has a lot of experience with drum brakes and thinks he can repair these originals.
The car also has some serious steering issues, and the Wizard reveals that these cars were not meant for curves, but for sheer straight-line speed and power. A lot of the electronics are no longer working, and while they both admit that there is quite a lot to do with this car, the Wizard is very impressed with this mostly original find.
What This Dodge Charger Needs To Get Back On The Road
Back at the shop, they have a look under the hood. Despite some crumbling wires where something overheated, the Wizard thinks everything looks as it should. According to him, there is nothing huge that needs replacing, just a lot of adjustments to the existing setup.
Underneath the car, there are more obvious problems with leaks from multiple spots including the differential and the oil pan. The most alarming leak comes from the rear brakes and indicates that they aren’t working at all. There is also a lot of movement in the wheels and some obvious issues with the gearbox.
The Wizard details the work needed for the car, including the repairs to the drum brakes and the differential. The climate control, vacuum system, and electronics which include melted wiring under the hood also require attention.
Final Thoughts On The Survivor 1968 Dodge Charger
The Wizard admits that this car was an excellent find and one that he prefers even to the Plymouth Superbird. This is high praise, and it’s thanks to this car remaining mostly untouched under the hood.
It will be interesting to see how they can put this car back on the road while keeping it as original as possible, and without removing that survivor charm.