Dodge Charger · 1968–1970

R/T

The Charger's performance model from 1968: the 440 Magnum as standard, the 426 Hemi (and in 1970 the Six Pack) as options, and the bumblebee stripes.

Side view of a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T hardtop

The story

R/T stood for Road/Track. Besides the 440 Magnum, the R/T had heavy-duty brakes and the R/T handling package; the TorqueFlite automatic was standard, with a four-speed at no extra cost in 1968–69.123456

Within the Charger line the R/T carries the price-class letter S in the VIN, a letter Dodge also used for its other R/T and GTS models.7one source

How to spot an R/T

Bumblebee stripes

On the 1968 the stripes are four bands around the tail, standard in red, white or black, and could be left off. For 1969 they became one wide stripe between two narrow ones. For 1970 Dodge's catalog offers a bumblebee or a long side stripe; Hagerty says the 1970 lost the tail stripe.1248

1970: scoops on the doors

The 1970 R/T has simulated scoops on the front doors, facing backwards.12

Production by year

How many R/Ts were built each model year.

1968
17,665
1969
20,100
1970
10,337open ruling
As a table, with notes
YearBuiltNote
196817,66512Consumer Guide's count. Wikipedia says over 17,000, Hagerty nearly 20 percent of sales.
196920,1009one sourceOver-Drive's table, rounded to the hundred; the only figure we have.
197010,337 (open ruling)29The same table also prints an R/T total of 18,400; see the ruling. Ruling

Engines

The letter is the engine code in the VIN.

YearsCodeEngineRated
1968–1970–440 cu in Magnum V8, 4-barrel (standard)375 hp210
1968–1970–426 cu in Hemi V8, two 4-barrels425 hp24
1970V440 cu in Six Pack V8, three 2-barrels390 hp1211

Where the sources disagree

Every conflict behind the figures on this page. All rulings.

Settled

When the Charger R/T began

Our ruling: 1968. Wikipedia's own 1968 section calls the R/T a new package, Hagerty says the 1968 Charger came as base and R/T, and Over-Drive's 1967 R/T is the Coronet R/T. The 1967 sentence most likely means the Coronet.

What each source says (3)
  • «The R/T package was also introduced in 1967» (in the 1967 section)1one source
  • The R/T was new for 196834
  • 1967's new R/T was the Coronet R/T12one source

Open

The 1968 R/T's base price

Our ruling: Unresolved: $3,480 or $3,506. We show Over-Drive's figure, because its table gives every 1968 price on the same basis.

What each source says (2)

Open

1970 Charger production

Our ruling: Unresolved. We show Over-Drive's two rows, because Consumer Guide gives the same 10,337 R/Ts; their sum, 49,768, is our calculation, not a printed figure. But the same table prints 18,400 as the R/T production total, and its grand total of 172,586 adds up only with that figure. Wikipedia's 46,576 and Hagerty's 46,315 have no citation and differ from each other.

What each source says (5)
  • 39,431 Chargers and Charger 500s together and 10,337 R/Ts (the two rows add to 49,768)9one source
  • R/T: 10,3372one source
  • 46,5761one source
  • 46,3154one source
  • «Charger R/T Production Total ║ 18,400» and «Total Mid-Size Production ║ 172,586» in the same table; the grand total adds up only with 18,400 (our arithmetic: with 10,337 it would be 164,523)9one source

Settled

Was the 440 Six Pack offered on the 1969 Charger?

Our ruling: No. Wikipedia and Consumer Guide say the Six Pack came to the Charger for 1970. Hagerty contradicts itself, calling it a 1970-only engine and also available from the start. Over-Drive's own 1969 summary names the Six Pack as a Super Bee novelty, so its 1969 Charger price is most likely a slip.

What each source says (3)
  • Six Pack priced for the 1969 Charger R/T ($307) and optional on the Daytona13one source
  • New on the Charger for 197012
  • Hagerty: «It was only available that year» (1970), but also that the 440 «was also available right out of the gate (375 hp, 480 lb-ft of torque or 390/490 with the six-pack carbs)»4one source

Sources

  1. Dodge Charger (1966) Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
  2. 1968 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi · 1970 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi · 1969 Dodge Charger HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  3. 1968-1969 Dodge Charger HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  4. 1968–70 Dodge Charger buyer's guide Hagerty · read 2026-10-11
  5. 1969 Dodge Charger sales catalog Dodge Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  6. 1968 Dodge Mid-Size Cars Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  7. 1968-69 Dodge Vehicle Identification Numbers The Poorman's Off Chassis Restoration (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11
  8. 1970 Dodge Charger sales catalog Dodge Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  9. Dodge Mid-Size Production, 1966–1970 (five tables) Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  10. 1970 Dodge Mid-Size Cars Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  11. 1970 Dodge Vehicle Identification Numbers The Poorman's Off Chassis Restoration (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11
  12. 1967 Dodge Mid-Size Cars Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  13. 1969 Dodge Mid-Size Cars Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11

Year by year

The R/T in each model year.

1968Dodge ChargerAn all-new coke-bottle Charger with a flying-buttress roof, the first R/T, and sales of about 96,100.96,100 built (disputed)1969Dodge ChargerA divided grille, new tail lamps and the SE, plus two cars built for NASCAR: the Charger 500 and the winged Daytona.89,199 built1970Dodge ChargerThe last of the second generation: a chrome loop bumper, High Impact colors, the 440 Six Pack, and falling sales.49,768 built (disputed)