Dream Giveaway has outdone itself yet again. This time they want you to be the next owner of an ultra-rare, Concours-restored 1969 Dodge Charger 500 that NASCAR legend Ray Evernham once owned. This particular Charger 500 was an early production car with a build date of September 27, 1968 and is the nicest and most valuable vehicle Dream Giveaway has ever offered. As a benefit of being a devotee of Mopar Connection Magazine, for a donation of $25 or greater, Dream Giveaway has a double tickets offer with code MOPAR CONNECTION for our readers.

The roots of the Charger 500 can be traced back to the mid-1960s when the Detroit “Big Three,” desiring NASCAR supremacy, fit ever higher-horsepower engines into intermediate cars seeking an advantage over the competition. By the late-1960s, the 180-mph speeds of the “boxy” cars were to the point where increasing horsepower resulted in diminishing returns. At the same time, there were escalated stability concerns with the vehicles. So, aerodynamics became the answer to increasing vehicle speeds. The NASCAR “Aero Wars” had begun.

In 1968, Dodge introduced the all-new Charger. It looked great, sold well, yet performed horribly on the high-speed NASCAR tracks. With the concaved grille and recessed rear window, the Charger had air flowing nearly everywhere except where it should. Wind tunnel testing verified what the engineers believed was the problem.

For 1969, the Dodge engineers grafted a Coronet front grille with a quad headlamp setup to the front of the Charger and redesigned the rear roofline with a rear window that smoothed air over the Charger and onto the decklid. However, to meet the NASCAR requirements for a legal vehicle, Dodge needed to produce 500 units of the newly dubbed Charger 500 for street use. So, if your interest has been piqued, take the time to make a donation for double tickets using code MOPAR CONNECTION.

In June 1968, Dodge announced the limited production Charger 500, which initially was only available with a Hemi. It was later decided a 440 would also be an option. Creative Industries handled the installation of the grille, a front spoiler, chrome A-pillar covers, and the rear window plug assembly.

Dodge only produced 392 street units, but NASCAR never noticed (or cared). The Charger 500 was an improvement on the high-bank ovals, but it still was not the success Dodge had hoped. Nevertheless, Dodge continued the good fight and later introduced the first wing car for NASCAR with increased results.

“Believe me, firing this car though a corner in a four-wheel drift with the power on, it’s a type of thrill that’s not defined in Funk & Wagnalls. Whenever we drive it to our downtown offices, the parking lot attendant would move it every five minutes just for the fun of starting it. It only got seven miles to the gallon, and it was noisy, but the Charger 500 is the kind of car that quickens your pulse and puts some fire in your guts and really, that’s what supercars are all about.”

-Bud Lindemann (Car and Track Productions)

The Dream Giveaway Charger 500 is the finest, most valuable Mopar that Dream Giveaway has ever offered. It is one of 37 documented models with a 440 big-block and the A33 Track Pak option, including a heavy-duty four-speed transmission, a Hurst shifter with a woodgrain ball, a 3.54:1 geared 9 ¾-inch Dana rear end, and Hemi leaf springs.

The Charger 500 has been repainted in R4 Charger red and has a white interior, power brakes, a tachometer, a center console, and an AM radio with an 8-track player. In addition, the Charger rides on 15-inch Magnum 500 wheels with redline tires, but instead of ‘60s narrow bias-ply tires, the Charger travels on slightly wider radial tires. The estimated value of the Charger 500 is $129,900, and Dream Giveaway will add $17,500 to pay for the taxes collected on the grand prize.

The donation period started on May 1st, but don’t worry; there are still plenty of opportunities for donations. There is no limit to the number of tickets issued for the giveaway. The more tickets an entrant has (double tickets available using code MOPAR CONNECTION), the greater the odds of winning the Charger 500. The last day to get entries is March 28, 2023. The grand prize drawing will be held on April 11, 2023. 100% of the donations go to New Brareeginning Children’s Homes (NBCH).

Mopar Connection Magazine has covered several of Dream Giveaway’s charitable cause giveaways, and while all of them are great, the Charger 500 stands head and shoulders above the others. The over-the-top restoration of a scarce vehicle makes the Charger 500 a perfect car to add to your garage. All that is necessary to win is a ticket. Good luck and remember, a $25+ donation and code MOPAR CONNECTION gets you double tickets.

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