Big Block: 1968 Dodge Charger Convertible Is One of None

During his formative years, Gail McCulloch of Johnson City, Texas spent a lot of time at oval tracks. The experience helped forged his love for muscle cars at an early age.

“My dad worked in the pits, helping his friends with their stock cars and dirt track cars,” he explains. “So, we always had cool stuff in the garage. My first car was actually a 1968 Dodge Charger – bright blue with a black vinyl roof, and a 383-cube motor. Great car.”

A lifelong Chrysler B-body fanatic, McCulloch went on to own a ’69 Charger R/T SE as well as a ’70 Charger 500, among others.

“I’m definitely a ‘Mopar or no car’ kind of guy,” he says with a laugh. “Those cars were fast, and they were just so cool looking. I think the second-generation Charger is one of the best-looking cars ever produced. When it comes to muscle cars, you can’t beat the styling of a Charger." Despite already having several classic examples in his stable, McCulloch continued to keep his eye out for interesting Chargers, and this ’68 convertible fit the bill.

Bumble Bee stripes and Magnum 500 wheels add to this Charger’s curb appeal.

“I wasn’t looking for another second-gen,” he claims. “I already had the three that I wanted. But I get these emails with all the cars that are up for sale on Hemmings, and every day I go through all of those cars just to see what’s out there. When I saw this ad for a convertible, it stopped me in my tracks. This is a car that no one else will have.”

While the second-generation Charger’s B-body platform-mate, the Coronet, was available as a drop top, Dodge only offered the Charger as a hard top, effectively making this ’68 a “what if” scenario. And while many vehicles that have undergone surgery of this magnitude have come out the other side with some unflattering evidence of those efforts, this particular Charger looks as though it had rolled out of the factory this way.

“It was clear from the pictures that it was in very nice shape,” says McCulloch. “The bright yellow paint with the black Bubble Bee stripes and black top is a really striking combination, and the Magnum 500 wheels just completed the look. It’s a really pretty car. The interior was nicely done, too. So, it definitely stood out to me.”

During its restoration in 2008, the Charger’s original 318ci small-block V8 was replaced with a 440-cube big-block. Weld-in subframe connectors, KYB gas shocks, and heavy-duty rear leaf springs were also installed to ensure that the chassis could keep up with the newfound horsepower.

Restored in 2008, the car is still bona fide head turner more than a decade and a half later. The fact that the factory 318ci small-block V8 had been tossed out in favor of a fire-breathing 440-cube big block during the restoration process also didn’t hurt, and the top had been serviced as recently as 2023.“The power top works perfectly,” he notes. “And when it’s down, there’s a boot that goes over it. The execution of this conversion is top notch; it was well done. The back window is glass, which I think may have come from an E-body.”

The powered top features a glass window as well as a boot cover that completes the look when the roof is down.

After looking over the listing, McCulloch decided to keep an eye on the auction by adding it to his Watch list on Hemmings’ site. After noticing that the bids had stalled out, he sprang into action.

“It hit forty thousand or so and stopped moving – it was just sitting there,” he recalls. “My thinking was that the bids were low for a Charger, and it was really unique. It felt like it was undervalued where it was at that point. So, I decided to bid, and that one bid ended up winning the auction.”

McCulloch says that the seller reached out to him immediately after the auction closed to introduce himself and make arrangements to get the car out to him. “It was his first time selling a car on Hemmings. I told him that the nice thing is that you can trust both parties in a sale like this because it’s done through the company. I never worry when I buy a car through Hemmings.”

After wiring the money to the seller, the seller shipped the title to McCulloch overnight and sent him all of the related documentation, including over $50,000 in reciepts, for the car. The Charger was picked up and transported to Texas a few days later.

“We didn’t use Hemmings’ additional services like shipping or Pay + Title, but I think I will in the future,” McCulloch says. “Mainly because, when you send a wire transfer or a cashier’s check, it’s gone. It’s just a big unknown. So, I think Pay + Title, in particular, is a really useful feature to have available.”

He also says that although he’s only had a few opportunities to drive it in the time since, he’s looking forward to a summer filled with open-top cruising.

“It’s been kind of rainy here for the past few weeks, so I haven’t had a chance to drive it with the roof down, but I’m anxious to do that. May is typically our wettest month, but then it dries up quickly, so I should get plenty of seat time over the next few months.”

The unfavorable weather provided McCulloch with a chance to have the car looked over by his mechanic, who gave the Charger a clean bill of health. “This car was spot-on – the oil looked good… everything looked good. I’m very, very pleased with it.”

With the car now ready to roll and the weather clearing up, McCulloch says he’s looking forward to bringing his latest acquisition out to some local cars and coffee events.

“We’ll do a couple of shows with it. It’s a such a unique car, I think it’ll draw a crowd. Here in Texas, you have to have an out-of-state vehicle inspected before you can register it, and even those guys inspection guys were all over it. It’s definitely a head turner.”