'68 one owner GTX

[ynst]

You have one awesome car there, my new friend. I've owned two 68GTX440's and one mint 70 Charger RT 440 Six-pack 4-Speed (Turbine Bronze) in past years. I am currently restoring my 2nd GTX and have a favor to ask you about the "Spare tire mounting bracket". I need to know exactly were it is welded to the trunk floor. The prior owner of my car removed this bracket for racing purposes and covered over the surrounding area with metalwork to the extent, I can not reference it's original position. I have looked at photos of replacement floors, but would appreciate a photo or two, c/w a couple of measurements in order to weld in my replacement bracket correctly. Please help me, if you can. Thank-you In Advance.

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Ok, I'm really busy and this is a free time project.

The day I got married (new Years Eve 1972) I crinkled the left front fender in an ice storm and, since I was running 15 inch tires, a minor tweak in the sheet metal caused the fender to rub the tire so...... I got out my tin snips and cut off the front of the fender so I could drive the car.

Since the car also had a ding in the left rear quarter, and a hammer-dent in the right quarter, I decide to get everything done at once.

Long story short. The guy who was going to do the body work gave it to his 16 year old nephew who proceeded to butcher the NOS full quarters.

I parked the car and it sat (indoors) until '99 when my friend removed the quarters, separated the overlapped and brazed halves and hammer-welded the pieces back together again.

And it sat for a few more years while I gathered money to do more work.

Last year it went to another friend's shop for finish bodywork and paint.

I've only had it back for a couple of weeks and I'm putting it back together again in my free time.

The car has never had any serious structural damage. It's all been 5 mph or parking lot damage.

It's going back together with as much of the 122,000+ mile stuff that was on it when I took it off the road.

This ain't no restoration. It's a simple fender-denter repair and repaint.

The headliner and vinyl top had to be replaced because a ramp truck driver failed to replace the plastic wrap and tape around the C-pillar when he hauled it from one place to another and both got ripped.

Since I work two jobs (a full time 56 hour a week job and a part time auto electric job in the evenings) it'll take a while, especially when there's only a wood stove for heat and it takes a while to warm up my 2000+ square foot garage in Massachusetts winters.

I have other priorities as well. It ain't a B-body but I've owned it 4 years longer than I've owned the GTX.
Keeping this one running comes first.

 

[Oldtimer]

Thank-you!

I have searched the internet high and low for a photograph just like this. Thousands of pics are typically taken to illustrate "razzel dazzle" and I understand why we all do that.
This pic is none of that, but has a very specific and helpful purpose. Thank-you very much for taking the time to setup the shot and post it for me. Keep'On Rock'n Mopar!

 

[ynst]

You have one awesome car there, my new friend. I've owned two 68GTX440's and one mint 70 Charger RT 440 Six-pack 4-Speed (Turbine Bronze) in past years.

Turbine bronze was only available on '66-68 cars.
1966 code M Turbine Bronze, DuPont 1B1-98406-H
1967 code M Turbine Bronze Metallic, DuPont 1B1-98406H
1968 still paint code M but called Turbine Bronze #2 Metallic. DuPont 4872H / 4872DH
The paint designations across the carlines (Chrysler, Dodge, Imperial and Plymouth) was the same.

In '69 the code (T5) stayed the same across Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth (not available on Imperial) but the names changed.

In '69 it became paint code T5 DuPont 4994DH
Burnished Bronze Metallic on Chrysler,
Copper Metallic on Dodge and
Bronze Fire Metallic on Plymouth.

The color was dropped for '69 and, because the color was so hard to blend. The metallic would come out blotchy and/or sag if you weren't careful. You couldn't even get it by 1970. If you had repairs done at the dealership, they repainted the whole car a lighter color. When my right door got backed-into in a parking lot, the whole car got repainted the lighter color with a lot less metallic in it. Not a light as the '69 Bronze Fire Metallic, though.

The '70 color was, I believe, K3 Burnt Orange Metallic, DuPont code 5087AW / 5087DH

DuPont no longer has the paint formulas. PPG, however, still des but the paint's been re-formulated to comply with government regulations.

I still have original paint on my car in spots and the PPG is a dead ringer match.

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I have searched the internet high and low for a photograph just like this. Thousands of pics are typically taken to illustrate "razzel dazzle" and I understand why we all do that.
This pic is none of that, but has a very specific and helpful purpose. Thank-you very much for taking the time to setup the shot and post it for me. Keep'On Rock'n Mopar!

If you need a wider shot, I can clean out the trunk and pull the mat back a bit farther. The biggest problem I have with a shot like this is that I'm backed up against my Bridgeport and can't get a wide enough shot unless I dig out my old camera or push the car out of the garage a bit.

 

[Oldtimer]

No need for additional pics. Thank-you thou, for asking. Based on your photo, I was also able to score the correct and best of all (an original) jack hold down bracket, tonight off eBay, based upon your photo. All I need now, is the correct jack hold down nut... and I have this issue pretty much behind me. Apparently, Chrysler is now making the wing nut, part #2842122, not to be confused with the correct J-Bolt for the 68. On researching this project, I have learned there is a difference between the 68 and 69 brackets. One could easily get these details wrong, and I'm grateful for your help.

 

[74moparmaniac]

Beautiful~~~Gorgeous~~~Awesome!! There's room in my garage for that muscle machine!! But after that transaction, there also would be all kind of room in my bank account.

That's A Keeper!!
74moparmaniac

 

[ynst]

New fuel pump leaks (must be metric thread) but the car's finally running.

Pulled it out to wash it this morning. It's been at least 15 years since there was an engine in the car.

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Yea, I know, wrong air cleaner. That ain't all that's not correct for a '68 but that's the way it was when I pulled it off the road.

Chrome (67 only) valve covers, mechanical advance 426 distributor, tall pinion snubber, adjustable rockers, Hays clutch, pinstriped glass, 15 inch steel rims on (a 440 car), etc.

Vinyl top still needs to be glued on and the glass put in.

 

[dieseldazzle]

Absolutely stunning. Please put the black rocker stripes and vinyl top back on with the steel wheels I love that look!!

 

[addict4christ]

Well......
What if I told u I just purchased a 1 owner 68 GTX BB1 with steel wheels , and redline tires. With all doc's , special ordered.
All original , u could eat off the original carpet , ????
I guess u would wanna see pics ?
Soon to come looking for some wheels ,
And gonna get the red stripes back on it
Stay tuned !!!

 

[ynst]

Absolutely stunning. Please put the black rocker stripes and vinyl top back on with the steel wheels I love that look!!

The black stripes came off 2 weeks after I bought the car (Feb 68). I don't intend to put them back.

The vinyl top will go back on as soon as the right quarter panel issue is straightened out.

Replaced the new fuel pump and the Airtex pump DODSN'T leak.

Adjusted the valves this afternoon. Runs MUCH better, now.

Found a seized AVS and was able to acquire the choke link rod I needed to convert the carb back to auto choke.
Years ago I'd converted to a mechanical choke (choke cable through the air cleaner base at the front and connected to a small plate riveted to the choke butterfly) because I'd removed the heat riser when I raced the car and the auto choke kept flooding the engine.
I replaced the heat riser and now I needed the missing choke rod to re-connect to the choke butterfly.
Got the carb junk Thursday and the choke works perfectly, now.

 

[GetX'd]

Okay already - lets see the ghost. I'm a second owner 68 GTX. Which doesn't really compare. Can't wait to see your car. Thx for joining!

 

[hunt2elk]

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Your car is really coming along nicely. I just love that color combo on these B-bodies. Bet you are having a hard time waiting till it is finished so you can get behind the wheel again. I am always amazed when the original owners have been able to keep a car for so many years - something special for sure.

 

[GTX440]

Well......
What if I told u I just purchased a 1 owner 68 GTX BB1 with steel wheels , and redline tires. With all doc's , special ordered.
All original , u could eat off the original carpet , ????
I guess u would wanna see pics ?
Soon to come looking for some wheels ,
And gonna get the red stripes back on it
Stay tuned !!!

So where are the pictures?

 

[ynst]

Pulled the torsion bars out and replaced the dried out boots Thursday then, yesterday, I pulled it out into the driveway to re-set the ride height. Spun it around a bit to get a better angle with the sun and shot a few pics.

The vinyl top is warming in the sun to pull the remaining wrinkles out.

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Aside from the deck lid needing a bit more adjustment, the rear's a far along as it's going to get. The original exhaust tips, bumper (with my 1972 college parking) decal and wheel opening moldings, dented and all, will stay. The 43 year old tires will go when I can locate a set of 3/8" whitewall 235R70-15 tires.

 

[MarPar]

lookin good!!!

 

[Riverdawg]

Great looking GTX. I've got to get over to my mom's and fine the pictures of the one my dad had. I believe it was the same year and color.

 

[moparedtn]

Love the car! It's a '68 GTX party up in here:

 

[GetX'd]

Beauties every one. Love being teased...

 

[MoparMitch]

Very, Very Nice, Indeed !!

 

[Coyoteduster]

Love these beautiful '68's!

 

[ynst]

Diamond Back never replied to my e-mail requests for tires and when I phoned them I listened to their advertisements over and over so I gave up trying to find 3/8" whitewall 235R70-15 tires and headed up to tax-free New Hampshire and bought 5 brand new Mastercraft Avenger GT (same as a Cooper Cobra GT, just with Cooper's Mastercraft branding) raised white letter tires and mounted them myself (I have a tire machine and spin balancer) and here's the result.

Need to install the hood (it's still at the body shop) get the vinyl top on (the roof is all prepped) and the front and rear glass installed and call up Grundy.