Low-mileage ’68 Charger Has the Strangest Backstory We’ve Ever Heard
Charger has only 19,000 miles on it and came with a full stack of service records, manuals, and original paperwork.
You always hear crazy stories about how people acquire cars. The kind of stories that make you think: ‘What are the odds?’ Everything from chance barn finds, to vehicles found on properties bought cheap. There are vehicles out there with some insane tales to tell, but this one is especially outstanding.
Hot Rod reports that a man named Michael Lightbourn picked up a copy of the magazine Muscle Car Review to read on the plane. The man sitting next to him on the flight asked if he was into cars. When Lightbourn replied yes, the man went on to tell him about a 1968 Dodge Charger he is inheriting. Though the man did not know much about the car, Lightbourn took his business card and went on with his travels.
“A year or two goes by. He calls me up and says, ‘Michael, I don’t know if you’re going to remember me. My name is David. I met you on an airplane,’” said Lightbourn
After the settling of his grandmother’s estate, David decided to sell the Charger. Luckily, Lightbourn was the first person to receive the call regarding its availability.
Upon going to see the car, Lightbourn found himself before an all original 1968 Charger with the four-barrel fed 383 cubic-inch V8 mated to an automatic transmission. Furthermore, the odometer reads only 19,291.3 miles. Bewildered by the fantastic condition of the car, he opted to leave it exactly as it sits.
“This car is so original. It’s hard to find them like this. The paint shows aging. It’s got some dings and dents. The vinyl top is torn, or kind of coming apart at the seams, but I don’t want to touch that car!” said Lightbourn
Without hesitation, the 383 roars to life at the turn of the key. Under the hood, you can see the patina matches the slightly worn paint and vinyl top. The interior isn’t beautiful, either. However, you wouldn’t expect it to be. This car is a survivor, and its condition tells its story.
Additionally, the original Oregon license plates and its original warranty paperwork and owners manual are included. We all can dream about finding something this crazy, but these stories are few and far between. So we hope you enjoy your purchase, Mr. Lightbourn, because you’ve got yourself one heck of a story.
Photos: Hot Rod
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