1968 Dodge Charger

[Paul Ceasrine]

High Performance Car Magazine

Final Comparison Analysis Beteen the 1967 Charger '383' and the 1968 Charger '383'.

The results are not even close. The 1968 Charger out-performs the 1967 Charger in a match-up
of Drag Strip Performance. Though each car weighs the same and have equal drive-trains, the
1968 '383 Engine surpasses the 1967 '383' Engine hands-down.

At the Drag Strip, the 1968 power-plant showed nearly 8/10's quicker Elapsed Times with our
4-Speed Car Tests. And Top Speed resulted in a 5.4 MPH gain.

Based upon Chrysler's current 330 Horsepower Rating of the 1968 383 4-Barrel, we feel that this
power-plant puts out nearly {+40} more Horsepower than the 1967 383 4-Barrel Engine.

Horsepower Gains for the 1968 Charger '383' over the 1967 Charger '383
* Cylinder Heads............+ 15 HP
* Intake Manifold............. + 8 HP
* Carburetor.................... + 6 HP
* Exhaust Manifold.......... +7 HP
* Fan-Clutch.................... + 5 HP




1968 Mid-Year Improvements
* A 'new' Unsilenced Air-Cleaner
* Switching from the Inland 4-Speed Shifter to a Hurst 4-Speed unit with improved linkage.

High Performance Car Magazine (overview)
* Limited Production of 4-Speed Charger '383' cars
* No options for suspension or handling packages
* 3.23 Open-Rear as 'standard equipment'
* 3.55 Gears as only optional gear-ratio available
* No Horsepower-upgrade option for the 383/330 HP 'H-Code' engine

Though we appreciate Dodge in their efforts to deliver a Gentleman's Musclecar with a 'new'
potent 383 4-Barrel big block engine, we have a few suggestions.

1) Offer an option for the Charger 383 with an 'S-16' Heavy-Duty Suspension/Handling Package, which
would include; A) Heavy-Duty .92 torsion bars, B) Heavy-Duty Front Shocks, C) Heavy-Duty
Leaf Springs, D) Rallye Wheels, E) F-70 x 14" tires, F) 11" Drum Brakes and G) 3.55 Gears
with Sure-Grip Rear.

This could be called the 383 'S-16', with exterior badging on the front fenders and trunk lid rear panel.

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Dodge Charger R/T (Not the Charger 383)

Dodge Charger R/T, with the 440/375 HP, called the '440 Magnum'

Shipping Weight....#3737 Lbs. ~ 375 HP = 9.96 Wt/Hp

1968 NHRA Class
Stock......................D/S or D/SA
Super/Stock..........SS/F or SS/FA

Production Numbers.....17,584

* Automatics...................14,366
* 4-Speed..........................3218

The R/T was equipped with 'Suspension upgrades'

* Drum Brakes...... 11" x 3.00" (Front) and 11" x 2.5" (Back)
* Torsion bars........ .92
* Front Sway-Bar... .94
* Special Heavy-Duty Front Shocks (Code - #S02)
* Heavy Duty Leaf Springs - 6-Leaf (Left) and 5.5 Leaf (Right)
* 26" Radiator (Code A1)
* 'Scat-Pack' Bumble Bee Stripes

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Dodge Charger R/T '440 Magnum'

375 Horsepower @ 4600 RPM's
480 Foot Pounds of Torque @ 3200 RPM's

* 4-Speed - w/3.54 Dana.................... 14.40 @ 96.8 MPH
* Automatic - w/3.23 Sure Grip........... 14.87 @ 94.3 MPH
* Automatic - w/3.55 Sure-Grip........... 14.53 @ 95.5 MPH

The 440/375 HP featured 2.50" exhaust pipes, with 2.25" tail-pipes, and a 2.25" 'H-Pipe'.

While the Automatic Transmission in the 383 carried a 2300 RPM Stall Torque-Converter,
the R/T '440 Magnum' utilized a 2000 RPM Torque-Converter.

The '440 Magnum' was also equipped with a heavier-rated 727-B Torque-Flite which
had an additional Pinion {8-Pinions in total}, and a larger Output-Shaft.

While both Mopar 440 and 383 Big-Blocks were equipped with 11" Clutch Units in the
A-833 4-Speed, the '440 Magnum' had the heavier-rated Clutch-Disc and Pressure-Plate.

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Dodge Charger R/T '440 Magnum'

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Advertisement

Let Boch Dodge Turn Your 383 4-Barrel Into A 383 'Magnum HP' With Our
Dealer Only Engine Performance Kit.

For $383 you can turn your 383 into a 'Magnum HP'

Our Performance Parts Department can offer you an 'over-the-counter' 'Magnum HP Kit',
which will add over 50 Horsepower to your 383 Big-Block giving you an output of
383 Horsepower.

Performance Kit includes,
* 383 'Magnum HP' Camshaft
* 440 Valve Springs
* Special Intake Carburetor Adapter
* Holley 780 CFM Carburetor
* Unsilenced Air-Cleaner
* Distributor Advance-Kit
* Cyclone Headers
* High Pressure Fuel Pump

383 'Magnum HP' Camshaft (Hydraulic)
Lift...............450/.465
Duration..... 276*/292*
Overlap...... 54*

This Camshaft is more aggessive than the 440 HP Camshaft.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Motor Trend (December 1967)

Road Test, 1968 Dodge Charger R/T ('440 Magnum' - w/Automatic and 3.23 Sure-Grip)

Performance.......14.90 @ 95.5 MPH

* Respectable, despite absolutely no traction with the F70 x14" tires.

[Paul Ceasrine]

'Just What The Doctor Ordered'

Several Southern California Dodge Dealers partnered with Cragar Wheels to market a
1968 Charger R/T '440 Magnum' with a "Cragar Performance Package".

Cragar S/S Wheels, Cyclone Headers and a Dodge Maximum Performance
(ignition-kit and carburetor jet-kit) installed.

The Charger R/T '440 Magnum' 4-Speed with 3.54 Sure-Grip Gears advertised as
running a 13.80 @ 103 MPH.