Phone Number 440-350-1480

Every time we think weve found the ultimate Hemi, another one turns up that just amazes and astounds us. A few weeks ago, it was that fully restored barn-find Charger that sold before we even listed it. Before that, it was a low mileage, matching-numbers 71 Hemi Cuda. Well, heres another one, and it might be the coolest one of all: a 1969 Hemi Charger from Mr. Norms with just 31,965 original miles (no, thats not a misprint).
Mr. Norm, for those of you unfamiliar with Mopar history, is Norm Kraus, owner of Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago, where they specialized in turning impressive Dodge performance into legendary Dodge performance. Back in the '60's, when a new high performance Dodge was sold at Grand Spaulding, it was power tuned, the carburetor was re-jetted, the distributor was re-curved, and lightweight springs were installed with full advance at only 800 RPM. The Dodge was then run on a Clayton Dynamometer to simulate track conditions at 5000 RPM and the distributor was locked for peak performance. In addition, many cars were customized with aftermarket parts to meet each customers particular wants. Regardless, if you owned a Mr. Norms car, there was no question that you had a seriously fast piece of machinery.
This is most likely the finest unrestored Mr. Norms car in existencethats original paint, the original vinyl top, the original interior, and even the original never-seen-pavement spare tire is in there. And it is 100% numbers-matching. Finding any Hemi in this condition is a rare thing, but a Mr. Norms Hemi? No way, it just doesnt happen. In fact, its so tight and clean that Mr. Norm himself spotted it at a show and declared it to be the nicest surviving Mr. Norms car hed ever seen. He even unsuccessfully tried to acquire it, offering in trade his brand-new custom turbocharged Dodge Ram pickup. Today, his signature appears under the decklid, authenticating this awesome piece of history.
Here are the fender tag and invoice highlights:
E74426 2x4-barrel 425hp V8 HEMID32727 TorqueFlite automatic transmissionR6Red paintC6XBlack vinyl bucket seats914Scheduled production date: September 14, 1968A32Super Performance axle packageB51Power brakesC16Woodgrain console with floor shiftC31Head restraintsC55Front bucket seatsD584.10 axle ratioG33Outside left-hand remote chrome mirrorJ253-speed wipers with electric washersL31Hood-mounted turn signalsR11Music Master AM radioR31Rear seat speakerS77Power steeringS81Sport steering wheelV1XBlack vinyl topV8XBlack transverse sport stripe
Additional items that were added by Mr. Norms include a small fiberglass hood scoop with a cut-out below it feeding fresh air to the engine compartment. The original Hemi air cleaner is still present, so this modifications functionality is somewhat limited, but hey, thats what the original buyer wanted and that same scoop has been spotted on a number of Mr. Norms cars. The original owner also specified a set of hood pins, which were apparently cribbed from a lift-off hood Six-Pack car and installed on this Charger. Youll notice in the photos that many lightening holes have been cut into the front end of the car, but it is unlikely that this modification was done by Mr. Norms shop.
The car started its life in Texas where it spent several years drag racing in a stock class, but it appears that track time was extremely limited. The original owner sold the car to a Canadian racer in the 1980s, but due to financial problems, the car was never raced and instead sat in storage until it was seized by a bank. It was purchased from the bank by a collector who subsequently rebuilt the original Hemi motor, then parked it in a warehouse where it remained for years. It changed hands a few more times before arriving with its current owner, who purchased it in 2001.
Today the car is in 95% original condition. Thats original paint on original, virgin sheetmetal that has never been in an accident or replaced. It doesnt shine like modern basecoat/clearcoat paint, and its not supposed toit has an original 1969 glow to it that modern paint just cant duplicate. Our own body shop buffed and polished it to bring out the vintage shine, and it looks better than any 40-year-old paint has a right to. Theres one small area at the base of the rear window that has been repainted at some point, but it was done so well and so long ago, that if I didnt just tell you about it, youd never even notice it. Its also unlikely that any of the body panels have ever been off the car, so panel alignment is just like the factory did itits not perfect, but its awfully damned nice.
Now lets talk about the important partthat big, honkin Hemi. First, yes, this is a 100% numbers-matching car in every way, no questions asked. We have verified the numbers personally in our own shop, and there is a comprehensive Govier report on the car with verification of all the important VINs (actually, only 5 of the 6 could be verified, since one of the lightening holes removed the serial number in the radiator cradle, but it is still partially visible).
Engine cast date:6/10/68Engine stamped:8/19/68Transmission assembled:8/28/68Scheduled production date:9/14/68Engine information:Casting number:2468330-2Casting date:6/10/1968Engine ID:E MN426 2570 1915 (August 10, 1968)
Transmission information:
Sequence number:PK 2892094L2588827 (August 28, 1968)VIN on the transmission matches VIN on the dashboard.Carburetor information:Front: F4619 (June production)Rear:F4621 (June production)Intake:2780544 casting number (early Hemi intake)
At some point, a previous owner discovered that the rebuilt Hemi was smoking and not running properly after sitting for so long, so it was torn down again and rebuilt to stock specifications, this time with a set of .030 oversize pistons. Today it runs flawlessly and sounds amazing with a reproduction Year One exhaust system. The TorqueFlite transmission and Dana 60 rear with 4.10 gears remain untouched and original and operate perfectly.
Inside, youll find an all-original black vinyl bucket seat interior, and its very, very nice. Owing to its low miles and consistent indoor storage, theres no fading or cracking, and the vinyl is still supple. The woodgrain on the center console is still bright and clear, and the gauges look like they might have back in 1971not perfect, but close to it. It has that unique smell that only an original car carries, and when you sit in the drivers seat, youre instantly taken back to a time when cars like this prowled the streets and everyone knew what Hemi meant. Everything works the way the factory intended, flaws and all, because these cars werent perfect from the start. But with this car, its all about history and provenance ...For more information please call the seller.