The 1969 Dodge Charger is a collector’s dream, but pure American muscle comes with a heavy price sometimes.
The 1969 Charger was available with engines ranging from Chrysler’s little 225 slant-6 to the legendary 440 Magnum V8. Optional trim packages included the Charger R/T, the Charger SE, and the Charger R/T-SE. But every single 1969 Dodge Charger was imbued with a timeless, aggressive appearance.
Today, this second-generation Dodge Charger’s distinctive “coke bottle” styling and available big-block V8s make it one of the most sought-after cars of all time. But with so many chargers built, there are still deals available.
The History Of The Dodge Charger
In 1965, the Dodge corporation could no longer ignore the complaints of Dodge dealers: they were getting killed by sales of the new Ford Mustang.
The first generation Charger was an experiment, an upmarket car without the Chrysler nameplate, perhaps aimed at a younger crowd. And it was a roaring success.
The second-generation Charger was a legendary muscle car. For the 1968 model year, Dodge was determined to go mainstream with their Charger.
For the 1969 model year, Dodge kept the “coke bottle” body styling. A designer named Harvey J. Winn created a new grill with a center divider and dramatic, longitudinal taillights.
The Price Of A 1969 Dodge Charger Today
The value of the 1969 Dodge Charger has been increasing for years. The 2005 Dukes of Hazzard remake drove the value of the car up 64% in one year alone: the price of a pristine Charger R/T can from $40,200 to $100,000.
After the 2005 spike, 1969 Charger prices have continued to march upwards. Today, J.D. Power’s National Automobile Dealers’ Association estimates that a pristine 440 R/T 1969 Charger with a manual transmission can fetch at least $46,500 dollars and an automatic transmission bumps that number to $57,105. Hagerty agrees that a concourse-caliber V8 car is going for $55,700 while a simply excellent car is going for $42,800.
But with so many Chargers produced, many cheaper options are available. Some muscle car enthusiasts even buy base-model 1969 Chargers and upgrade them to V8 R/T “tribute” cars.
With so many people who love the iconic 1969 Dodge Charger, these cars aren’t cheap. But for the die-hard fans, these cars are priceless.
