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Muscle car

1968 Dodge Charger R/T 426 Hemi

Muscle car powered by Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T exterior profile at Orange Julep; body-shape context, not standalone Hemi proof.
Body style XS-29 Charger R/T 2-door sports hardtop
Engine 426 Street Hemi V8, 425 hp and 490 lb-ft reported in references
Production 475 reported 1968 Hemi Charger R/T cars: 211 four-speed, 264 automatic
Why it matters The second-generation Charger R/T paired Dodge’s clean hidden-headlamp body with the rare J-code 426 Hemi option.

Story

1968 Charger R/T 426 Hemi at a glance

The 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 426 Hemi is treated here as a factory Charger R/T hardtop equipped with Dodge's optional Street Hemi, not as a separate special edition. Period and reference records identify the Charger R/T as the performance Charger line for 1968, with the 440 Magnum as standard R/T power and the 426 Street Hemi as the rare, extra-cost engine choice. The safe body-style identity for the target is the XS-29 Charger R/T sports hardtop; Hemi identity requires the J engine position in the VIN and supporting body, driveline, and document evidence.

The car sits in the second-generation Charger redesign: hidden headlamps, flying-buttress roof treatment, full-width grille, and Coke-bottle sides separated it from the earlier fastback Charger. For a real 1968 Hemi Charger R/T, the public story should stay anchored to verifiable records: R/T equipment, the 426 Hemi rating, available TorqueFlite automatic or four-speed manual transmission, axle ratios by transmission, and documented production split.

Production is consistently reported as a very small subset of Charger R/T output: 475 Hemi Charger R/T cars, with 211 four-speeds and 264 TorqueFlite automatics. Those totals are useful for context, but they do not authenticate any individual car. Authentication should begin with the XS29J VIN pattern, then continue through fender tag, broadcast sheet when present, engine/transmission evidence, axle evidence, and Hemi-specific hardware such as the skid-plate K-member described in restoration references.

The media candidates in the reviewed references are intentionally conservative. They are candidates for review only, with license approval left to the media gate; captions, auction filenames, and video titles are not used as proof of year, trim, engine, or originality.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T front three-quarter view from the Louwman museum grounds.AlfvanBeem via Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

  • Auction sale $247,500

    Jan 17, 2025 · Mecum Kissimmee 2025

    XS29J8B379317 automatic Hemi Charger R/T with matching Hemi, original TorqueFlite, fender tag, Certicard, and Dave Wise report. · modified · unknown Mecum's displayed sold result is used. The archive documents the matching-numbers 426 Hemi, original TorqueFlite, original unremoved fender tag, Certicard, parts records, correct paint/interior codes, and Dave Wise report. Modified identifies the disclosed Mopar Performance hydraulic camshaft and prior cosmetic refresh.
  • High bid $180,000

    May 17, 2024 · Mecum Indy 2024

    Restored XS29J8B417378 four-speed Hemi Charger R/T with matching engine and transmission. · restored · unknown The $180,000 Bid Goes On amount is a no-sale high bid, not a sale. Mecum documents a professional restoration, matching-numbers 426 Hemi and A833 four-speed, Dana 60, copy of the original broadcast sheet, and Dave Wise inspection report.
  • Auction sale $214,500

    Apr 1, 2023 · Mecum Glendale 2023

    XS29J8B348434 four-speed Hemi Charger R/T with original sheet metal, broadcast sheet, fender tag, and Chrysler Registry report. · survivor · unknown Mecum's displayed sold result is used. The archive documents XS29J identity, original sheet metal, original broadcast sheet and fender tag, Chrysler Registry report, 426 Hemi, A833 four-speed, and Dana 60 Sure Grip. Survivor distinguishes the absence of a disclosed comprehensive restoration and does not assert original paint, finishes, or matching drivetrain stampings.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Transmission

  • Factory transmission Chrysler TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic
  • Factory transmission Chrysler A833 4-speed manual floor shift

Options

Source-document visual for reviewed 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 426 Hemi evidence that documents the Hemi-specific K-member skid plate; not a chassis hardware photograph.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

Paint

1968 Dodge Charger R/T rear view showing the recessed backlight and tail treatment.AlfvanBeem via Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Interior

Exact-year Charger R/T cabin showing the dashboard, instruments, console, automatic selector, controls, seats, steering wheel, and door trim; the restored 440-powered car provides R/T cabin context without proving Hemi equipment.Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Authenticity

  • VIN model and price class VIN begins XS for Charger R/T · VIN tag visible under windshield and matching documentation · fraud detection
  • VIN engine code Fifth VIN character J for 426 Street Hemi 8-barrel · VIN tag; corroborate with fender tag, broadcast sheet and drivetrain evidence · fraud detection
  • Hemi K-member protection Hemi-specific K-frame with welded skid plate for deeper Hemi oil pan · Undercar front K-member inspection · trim correctness
  • Air conditioning restriction Air conditioning not available with Hemi V8 in factory Charger literature · Option records, fender tag and factory equipment review · fraud detection
  • Engine-number stamping location Engine number is stamped on the right side of the block above the oil-pan rail on a machined pad · Right side of engine block, above oil-pan rail; compare against VIN/documentation as part of a full inspection · fraud detection
  • Body partial-VIN stamp locations Partial VIN stampings are referenced at the left radiator core support and left trunk jamb rail under the weatherstrip · Left radiator core support and left trunk jamb rail under weatherstrip; compare with dash VIN, fender tag and paperwork · fraud detection

Still Researching

  • authenticity markers Engine-block stamping location and body partial-VIN stamp locations are now covered by a corroborative reference profile; date-code windows, fender-tag option codes and broadcast-sheet decoding still require dedicated primary parts/service references before individual-car authentication guidance.

Codes & names

Names & Engine Codes

Common names and codes are grouped so LS6 references point to the same engine, not separate pages.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T photographed at Auto classique St-Constant.Bull-Doser via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
426 Hemi Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
426 Street Hemi Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
426 CID Hemi V-8 Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8
426-cu.-in. Hemi V8 Chrysler 426 Street Hemi V8

Photo and video gallery

Gallery

8 photos and videos

Sources & Documentation

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