1969 Dodge Charger 500

In 1968, Chrysler Corporation executives realized that for Dodge to remain competitive in the NASCAR arena that they were going to have to significantly improve the aerodynamics of their homologated race cars. The freshly-restyled 1968 Dodge Charger was the best starting point for a race-ready car in the brand's stable, but stylists and engineers set about to make an even better mousetrap. Modifications began in covering the front A-pillar drip rails with a chrome cover, improving the airflow off the sides of the windshield. Next, the grille was altered to make it flush with the hood and front bumper, improving leading-edge aerodynamics more than they had even anticipated. Even the new car's headlights were flush with the grille - the 500 was the only Charger ever built during this timeframe to offer exposed headlights. Finally, the rear window line was resculpted to incorporate the entire rear of the car into a smooth flowing design all the way to the car's trunk lid - which itself had to be shortened to accommodate this sleek new rear body.
The resulting Dodge Charger 500, as it is known today, was only built over a three-month period from August through November of 1968, all of which are 1969 model-year cars. The total production of these special cars was just over 500 units, for NASCAR rules required only that many for homologation compliance.


Most of these cars featured the big 440 cubic-inch 'Wedge' engine as it was much cheaper to build than the 426 cubic-inch Hemi; just 116 of the cars sported the iconic high-output mill.

Offered here is a most unusual car. The 1969 Dodge Charger 500 offered here is one of the aforementioned examples built with the Hemi engine. Delivered new at John Ryan Dodge in Green Bay, Wisconsin in the configuration seen here today, it was at one point was owned by originality and Mopar certification expert Galen Govier. The car conveys with its original build sheet as well as the fender tag that documents the car's originality to date. Atop the 425 horsepower, 426 cubic-inch Hemi engine sits a pair of massive dual-quad Carter carburetors, while coupled to its rear, the indestructible Torque-Flite automatic transmission with the correct heavy-duty internals offered latter-day street racers quicker shifts than even MoPar's best 4-speed manual from stoplight to stoplight.


This car was also equipped with the Super Trac-Pak that included the Dana 60 rear end with 4.10:1 gears, power front disc brakes and a heavy-duty suspension.

Though some of the interior, such as the headliner and carpet, have been replaced, most of the car is original. The car's exterior finish was done to an incredibly high-quality and remains the correct Chrysler B5 Bright Blue Metallic over a blue interior and is just gorgeous.


As mentioned, documentation includes the original build sheet, a Galen Govier decoding of the fender tag as well as a letter from Govier attesting to his ownership. While the car does not retain its original numbers-matching Hemi engine, it is one that is correct to this car; even the block shows all of the correct stamping numbers and it has a correct casting date, the 30th of September, 1968 that corresponds to the car's production date of the 28th of November of that same year.


This car is number 53 in the Chrysler Registry out of only 79 examples known to exist to this day. For an historically-significant Mopar muscle car rarely seen let alone for sale, it represents an opportunity not soon duplicated.



Article Courtesy of Russo and Steele
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