By Brian Brennan – Photography By Michael Christensen – Illustrations By Tavis Highlander
When we think of classic American muscle cars, few names spark as much excitement as the Dodge Charger. Among the various models, the 1968 and 1969 Chargers stand out, praised for their bold designs and powerful performance. Each has its own unique character, drawing passionate fans among car enthusiasts. Ron Michels, from the Bay Area in California, is a longtime Mopar fan, owning a very nice 1970 Dart. (To round out his collection, he also owns a 1937 Ford.) Armed with his natural enthusiasm for Mopar, he enlisted the help of a friend and masterful builder, Bill Ganhal, and the crew from South City Rod & Custom.
The 1969 Charger gained cult status, primarily due to its appearance on the television show. Culturally, the 1969 Charger gained legendary fame as the General Lee in the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard. This role catapulted it into pop culture, often eclipsing the 1968 model and creating a lasting legacy. Today, General Lee’s influence continues to drive interest in the 1969 Charger, making it a coveted item for collectors and enthusiasts alike. But before there was 1969, there was 1968, and this is the year that Ron opted for and the one you will see before you.
In summary, the 1968 and 1969 Dodge Chargers capture the true spirit of American muscle cars—each with its own strengths and charm. The 1968 model is praised for its bold design and powerful performance, while the 1969 version represents progress with modern features and cultural importance. Together, they hold a key place in automotive history, earning a special spot in the hearts of car enthusiasts everywhere. Whether you admire the classic lines of the 1968 or the legendary status of the 1969, both Chargers embody a golden era of muscle cars that still excite fans and collectors alike.
While looking at Ron’s 1968 Charger, you can wax nostalgic, but should you find yourself getting into the finer points, such as modern power, suspension, bodywork, and interior, well, then, you are in for a “wild ride.” Hiding beneath the massive amounts of late-1960s sheetmetal is a Roadster Shop (RS) Fast Track chassis also fitted with an 18-gallon gas tank from Rick’s.
Ganahl paired the Charger with an RS Fast Track chassis, providing modern handling and ride quality. Leading this impressive setup is the RS Fast Track front suspension, featuring C7 spindles, a track width of 58.75 inches, and rack-and-pinion steering, which enhances stability and handling. This front suspension system features the RS forged knuckle, equipped with OEM performance sealed bearing hubs, ensuring a smooth and responsive ride.
Further optimizing the charger’s handling involves the RS Penske coilovers, which improve the driving experience with excellent damping and control. Complementing these is a strong 1.25-inch splined front sway bar, designed with C7 Corvette endlinks, intended to reduce body roll during sharp cornering. The chassis is crafted from durable 10-gauge steel with fully boxed framerails, allowing for a lower ride height that enhances both the car’s appearance and aerodynamic performance. Since it’s a hot rod, additional modifications were made to the frame at South City Rod & Custom.
The RS Fast Track chassis features a structural center crossmember designed with 3-inch exhaust ports and a drop-out trans mount for easy maintenance. Additionally, the bottom edge of both framerails is beveled by an inch to hide where it hangs below the rockers—a nice detail. The front corners of the frame also feature rounded edges, as visible in the wheelwells, for a more detailed appearance. In the rear, it features a Strange Engineering Ford 9-inch housing with 3.73 gears, paired with stainless steel 31-spline axles, RS Penske coilover shocks, and a large-diameter RS rollbar, with an RS four-bar rear suspension. The Driveshaft Shop handled the single-piece custom driveshaft.
The brake package is based on Wilwood 16-inch curved van rotors and four-piston calipers in the front and 14-inch rotors in the back with four-piston calipers and a Wilwood e-brake. (Wilwood’s Electric Parking Brake kit includes calipers, pads, brackets, hardware, control module, switch, and wiring harness.) The entire brake package comes to life through a Kugel Komponents underdash pedal box, along with an ABS power brake electric booster.
The rubber features Bridgestone Potenza tires: 265/40ZR18 in the front and 345/35ZR19 in the rear, all mounted on one-of-a-kind EVOD Industries billet wheels. The fronts are 18×9, while the rears are 19×12. Circa-1965 Dodge Polara inspires the hubcap covers.
The 6.4L engine, a 392 Crate Hemi SRT Gen III rated at 485 hp and 475 lb-ft, is a V-8 that would have been offered in a 2018 Dodge Challenger. Part of the underhood experience highlights the modern Hemi. Still, it features Holley Gen III Mopar valve covers hidden beneath simulated sheetmetal covers that hint at what it might have looked like back in the day. A factory ECU, powered by a Dodge starter, alternator, and an OPTIMA battery, serves as the brain behind the Hemi’s fuel management, which operates the factory 6.4L intake system. A VaporWorx in-tank fuel pump is used in conjunction with a K&N air filter. Additional engine accessories include a Be Cool aluminum radiator and cooling fans with shrouds as well as a Derale transmission oil cooler, which are responsible for maintaining cooler temperatures. The exhaust system was fabricated at South City Rod & Custom, extending from the exhaust port to the tailpipe. It began with 1-5/8-inch-diameter headers and progressed through 3-inch downstream tubes, featuring a pair of MagnaFlow mufflers and custom-tipped exhaust pipes. It was then dropped into the RS chassis, but with an 8-inch engine setback, requiring new motor and transmission mounts to be fabricated at South City Rod & Custom.
The tranny is a Dodge 8HP70 eight-speed auto that is fitted with a DJ Designs Pistol Grip shifter. Its wide gear spread—4.71:1 (First), 3.14:1 (Second), 2.10:1 (Third), 1.67:1 (Fourth), 1.29:1 (Fifth), 1.00:1 (Sixth), 0.84:1 (Seventh)—maximizes torque at low engine speeds, thereby enhancing acceleration. It also helps improve fuel economy with its high final overdrive, 0.67:1 (Eighth gear), and improves performance throughout the Charger’s entire speed range.
The body accurately reflects a 1968 Charger with minimal modifications, including shaved door handles and shrunken wheel arches to match the wheel and tire shape. The front and rear bumpers were reshaped to fit the body sheetmetal and grille, as hot rodders like to say, “a tight fit.” The body- and paintwork were completed at Santini Paint & Body under the watchful eye of expert painter Pete Santini, with the final color being PPG Indigo Blue.
Going inside, we had to peek, and sure enough, you know you’re looking at a Mopar when you see the vintage-looking “piston grip” shifter. (Hurst originally debuted the pistol grip shifter back in 1968-69, but Chrysler released it as a production part sparingly in late 1969, with widespread use in 1970.) The dashboard has undergone a complete makeover by DJ Designs, leaders in using 3-D scanning and printing to create “next level” interiors, based on a Tavis Highlander “ink-to-paper” design. From this point, Dakota Digital custom-built gauges were added, utilizing the wiring expertise of Hotwire Auto for the harness and the skillful hands at South City Rod & Custom to handle the installation. Additionally, the dash features a Vintage Air A/C system, an Ididit steering column, and a “D”-style leather-wrapped billet wheel from SPARC Industries. The front seats are based on a pair of TMI bucket frames equipped with electric adjusters, then DJ Designs sculpted their own innards (foam.), thereby securing the design they wanted for the final leather fit. The carpeting, once again, handled by DJ Designs, was stitched in Daytona Weave.
The wide-eyed enthusiasm for this hot rod is well-documented, as it has attended multiple shows (Grand National Roadster Show, Goodguys, Triple Crown of Rodding, and more), taking home a trunk load of awards—the Charger boasts a large trunk! It has won Best Paint twice, followed by a Best Engine and a Best Custom, and it also earned a coveted spot in the Top 30 at the Triple Crown of Rodding. Oh, and you can get in and drive it, too. It has completed the Goodguys Hall of Fame Road Tour, traveling over 2,000 miles.
The combination of the classic 1968 Dodge Charger design with the advanced RS Fast Track chassis showcases a perfect blend of tradition and modern engineering, offering excellent handling and ride quality while preserving the unique character of a classic muscle car. MR
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