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1968 Dodge Coronet R/T 426 Hemi
Dodge redesigned the Coronet for 1968, giving the R/T a new body while retaining the performance formula introduced a year earlier. The 440 Magnum remained standard, and the optional 426 Street Hemi brought its familiar factory rating of 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft through dual four-barrel carburetors.
Buyers could pair the Hemi with an A833 four-speed manual or a 727 TorqueFlite automatic. Hemmings describes heavy-duty shocks and oversized brakes as part of the R/T package, with front discs available. Four-speed Hemi cars used the heavy-duty 9-3/4-inch Dana 60 Sure-Grip path; exact ratios and the automatic-car axle combinations still need a factory axle chart before they can be stated as universal equipment.
Old Cars Weekly reports 94 four-speed and 136 TorqueFlite Hemi R/Ts, for 230 cars across those transmission records. The broader R/T line is commonly reported at about 10,900 cars. Those figures remain reference totals rather than a substitute for factory shipping records, and a complete hardtop-versus-convertible Hemi split is still open.
For an individual car, the VIN begins the identity check: W identifies the Coronet line, S the R/T series, J the 426 Hemi engine, and body codes 23 or 27 distinguish hardtop and convertible. The VIN should agree with the fender tag, broadcast sheet, body stampings, drivetrain dates, and ownership documents. Badges, stripes, or an installed Hemi do not establish the original build by themselves.