1966 Dodge Coronet 440

Description

From the "unsung muscle cars" comes this fairly awesome 1966 Dodge Coronet 440. It's got a matching numbers big block punch, a cool '60s color combination, and just the right mods to make it a real joy to drive today, all at a very appealing price.

That's original sheetmetal and it's only been repainted once, suggesting that this car has led a pretty clean life. That's the original color, called Saddle Bronze, and unlike so many other truly '60s hues, it seems to have aged rather well. It's subtle and sophisticated, perfect for an unusual car like this Coronet, and seems to enhance the nicely tailored sheetmetal. Note the creases along the side and how they flare out on the quarters, making the car look like it's always in motion, and you already know how much we love the cantilevered roofline on these Mopars. Despite being a few years old, the paint is in excellent condition and shows only minor signs of use, even though the car has undoubtedly been a favorite driver. The chrome and stainless trim is also original and quite remarkably preserved, with a great shine that shows almost no signs of being nearly 50 years old. Yes, we could pick a few nits, but quite honestly, there isn't much to fault on this chiseled Dodge.

The matching gold interior would initially seem like too much, but have a look; it's pretty slick, isn't it? Most of it appears to be original, from the bench seat to the door panels (although new door panels come with the car), and even the carpets are in really good shape. I know a bench isn't as exciting as buckets, but in this car, it seems to work better, particularly with the wide instrument panel with a full set of gauges to monitor the big block up front. A handsome steering wheel with horn ring provides fingertip control of the steering and there's a brand new Classic Auto Air A/C system under the dash, so neatly installed that you almost don't notice it. The factory Music Master AM radio is in the center of the dash, something that's easy to upgrade if that's what you want but which works rather well in this retro-cool Coronet. As you'd expect from those long quarter panels, the trunk is positively cavernous and includes what appears to be the original plaid mat.

Now, with a 383 cubic inch V8 under the hood, this Coronet is smooth and effortless in everything it does. It's one of Chrysler's most durable engines and in the relatively lightweight Coronet hardtop, performance is extremely entertaining. Looking very stock save for the shiny new A/C compressor and lines, it's a reliable runner that seems as tight today as it did decades ago. It's obviously been freshened and detailed, but the clean inner fenders speak volumes about the easy life this car has led. A 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission doesn't seem to mind munching on all that torque, and with 3.23 gears on a Sure-Grip limited slip in the 8.75-inch rear, it seems that this car is a bit of a sleeper, too. The floors are impressively solid, the dual exhaust has a great sound, and those 17-inch Torque Thrusts with 215/55/17 are the perfect rolling stock for this neat Mopar.

Stand out from the crowd without giving up performance. For the right guy, this is the Holy Grail of Mopar performance, and you won't find many cleaner than this. Call today!