Car Model History

Second generation · 'Coke-bottle' B-body · 1968–1970

1968Dodge Charger

The iconic 1968 redesign brought 'Coke-bottle' styling, a recessed grille, and the tunneled rear window — the Charger most people picture. Home of the R/T, the 1968 Super Bee-spirited muscle, and the 1969 aero Daytona.

Second generation · 'Coke-bottle' B-body

1968 Dodge Charger 500 — 'Coke-bottle' B-body hardtop, front three-quarter view

Photo: “'68 Dodge Charger 500 (Auto classique Faubourg Brossard '14)” by Bull-Doser at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons — Public domain. Cropped to 16:9.

The 1968 model year

Overview

The 1968 redesign defined the Charger. The new 'Coke-bottle' body — with a recessed grille, flying-buttress C-pillars, and a tunneled rear window — replaced the fastback and became the shape the Charger is remembered by. The performance R/T joined the range, and the car's profile made it a film and television fixture for decades.

Specifications

Engines
  • 318 V8
  • 383 V8
  • 440 Magnum V8
  • 426 Street Hemi V8
Body styles
2-door hardtop

Year over year

What changed

  • Complete restyle to the iconic 'Coke-bottle' body.
  • Introduction of the R/T (Road/Track) performance model.
  • Tunneled rear window and flying-buttress rear pillars.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • The definitive Charger silhouette — the basis for the 1969 Daytona aero car.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • The most reproduced Charger body, so restoration parts support is comparatively strong; matching-numbers Hemi/440 cars command the documentation premium.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1968 Charger on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1968 Dodge Charger. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
9
Scheduled topics
8
Applicability stated
9
Exact references
1

Before ordering Identify your engine, options and build date. Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 4,000 mi / 3 months · Change crankcase oil at the interval that occurs first; the chart says winter operation may require a 30-day oil interval.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 3 months or 4,000 miles; crankcase note · checked

    Under-car V8 oil filter

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 8,000 mi / 6 months · Replace at the interval that occurs first.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 6 months or 8,000 miles · checked

  • Carburetor air-cleaner elementView intervals, applicability and sources

    Carburetor air-cleaner element

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 24,000 mi / 24 months · Replace the paper element at the interval that occurs first; inspect it at the shorter chart intervals and service oil-bath units as specified.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 3 months/4,000 miles, every 6 months/8,000 miles, and every 24 months/24,000 miles · checked

  • Fuel filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Fuel filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 24,000 mi / 24 months · Replace at the interval that occurs first.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 24 months or 24,000 miles · checked

  • Cooling systemView intervals, applicability and sources

    Cooling system

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 12 months · Change coolant each fall; use the chart's capacity row only after matching the installed engine and equipment.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 12 months; cooling-system capacity table · checked

  • Brakes and hydraulic systemView intervals, applicability and sources

    Brakes and hydraulic system

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 6 months · Check master-cylinder fluid and inspect brake hoses; adjust parking brake as required.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 6 months; Brakes notes · checked

  • Front wheel bearingsView intervals, applicability and sources

    Front wheel bearings

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 12,000 mi / 12 months · Inspect; clean and repack as required at the interval that occurs first.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 12 months or 12,000 miles · checked

  • Steering, suspension, and driveline serviceView intervals, applicability and sources

    Steering, suspension, and driveline service

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 36,000 mi / 36 months · Lubricate front-suspension and steering-linkage joints at the interval that occurs first; inspect joint seals every six months.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 6 months and every 36 months or 36,000 miles · checked

  • Transmission and differential lubricant levelsView intervals, applicability and sources

    Transmission and differential lubricant levels

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1968 · United States, Canada · The period Esso chart explicitly covers 1966–1968 Dodge Charger, Coronet, Monaco, and Polara. It is an independent service-data guide rather than a Dodge factory publication; severe service and trailer towing use the chart's shorter boundary.

    Published interval: 6 months · Check transmission and differential lubricant levels every six months; trailer-towing and severe service require the shorter chart instructions.

    Source: Esso — 1968 Car Care Guide, Dodge 1966–1968 Charger/Coronet/Monaco/Polara service chart (preserved by The Old Car Manual Project) · Page 115 — Every 6 months; Severe service or towing trailer · checked

  • Engine oil filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil filter

    Exact reference available

    The order numbers below establish replacement-filter fitment only; they do not establish a service interval. Confirm the installed engine, VIN, build date, and filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1968 · United States

    318 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel carburetor (230 gross hp)

    K&N HP-3001

    K&N publishes HP-3001 for this exact year-and-engine application; confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1968 · 318 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel carburetor (230 gross hp) · United States · Exact 1968 Charger engine application. Confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — Dodge Charger replacement-oil-filter application catalog · 1968 Dodge Charger 318 cu in application row — HP-3001 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    383 cu in B-series V8, 2-barrel carburetor (290 gross hp)

    K&N HP-3001

    K&N publishes HP-3001 for this exact year-and-engine application; confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1968 · 383 cu in B-series V8, 2-barrel carburetor (290 gross hp) · United States · Exact 1968 Charger engine application. Confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — Dodge Charger replacement-oil-filter application catalog · 1968 Dodge Charger 383 cu in application row — HP-3001 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    383 cu in high-performance V8, 4-barrel carburetor (330 gross hp)

    K&N HP-3001

    K&N publishes HP-3001 for this exact year-and-engine application; confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1968 · 383 cu in high-performance V8, 4-barrel carburetor (330 gross hp) · United States · Exact 1968 Charger engine application. Confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — Dodge Charger replacement-oil-filter application catalog · 1968 Dodge Charger 383 cu in application row — HP-3001 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    440 cu in Magnum V8, 4-barrel carburetor (375 gross hp)

    K&N HP-3001

    K&N publishes HP-3001 for this exact year-and-engine application; confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1968 · 440 cu in Magnum V8, 4-barrel carburetor (375 gross hp) · United States · Exact 1968 Charger engine application. Confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — Dodge Charger replacement-oil-filter application catalog · 1968 Dodge Charger 440 cu in application row — HP-3001 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    426 cu in Street Hemi V8, dual 4-barrel carburetors (425 gross hp)

    K&N HP-3001

    K&N publishes HP-3001 for this exact year-and-engine application; confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1968 · 426 cu in Street Hemi V8, dual 4-barrel carburetors (425 gross hp) · United States · Exact 1968 Charger engine application. Confirm VIN, build date, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — Dodge Charger replacement-oil-filter application catalog · 1968 Dodge Charger 426 cu in application row — HP-3001 · checked

    Verified ordering references

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Famous variants this year

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — "Dodge Charger"

Other Second generation years

Explore the 'Coke-bottle' B-body generation →All Second generation · 'Coke-bottle' B-body years →

Documented lineup

Find your exact 1968 Charger

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

5factory configurations
Exact factory pairings documentedHow this lineup was verified

These source-backed records identify published body, engine, and transmission combinations. Exact pairings do not by themselves assert that every factory option or special edition is represented.

5versions shown
Browse 5 documented records — use the filters above to narrow the list
Two-door hardtop

Dodge Charger 318 V8

Body
Two-door hardtop
Engine
318 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel carburetor (230 gross hp)
Gearbox
3-speed manual or 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door hardtop

Dodge Charger 383 2-barrel V8

Body
Two-door hardtop
Engine
383 cu in B-series V8, 2-barrel carburetor (290 gross hp)
Gearbox
3-speed TorqueFlite automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door hardtop

Dodge Charger 383 4-barrel V8

Body
Two-door hardtop
Engine
383 cu in high-performance V8, 4-barrel carburetor (330 gross hp)
Gearbox
4-speed manual or 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door hardtop

Dodge Charger R/T 440 Magnum

Body
Two-door hardtop
Engine
440 cu in Magnum V8, 4-barrel carburetor (375 gross hp)
Gearbox
4-speed manual or 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door hardtop

Dodge Charger R/T 426 Street Hemi

Body
Two-door hardtop
Engine
426 cu in Street Hemi V8, dual 4-barrel carburetors (425 gross hp)
Gearbox
4-speed manual or 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

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