If you wanted to get a 426 Hemi in your mid-size Plymouth before the Road Runner or GTX were introduced, you could get it from the factory in your 1966 Satellite. The Satellite was the upscale trim option on the Belvedere and these cars could be had from mild to wild (most were mild). This ’66 Satellite is one of just 314 cars built with an automatic (the rest of the 817 came with a 4-speed). This beautiful survivor was once owned by an executive with Mr. Gasket and spent time in Germany. It’s available now in Irvington, Alabama and here on eBay where the bidding has hit $35,655, yet the reserve is still open.
The Satellite was launched on the Belvedere platform in 1965 as the mid-size counterpart to the Sport Fury. It was initially only available as a 2-door hardtop or convertible, and you could get one with most any engine between the 230-hp 318 V-8 all the way up to the 425-hp 426 Hemi. Most Satellites were sold with a TorqueFlite automatic, but a few 4-speeds were paired with the larger engines. For 1966, its styling was revised with a much shaper profile, which equated to greater sales to the tune of 35,400 units. The Satellite nameplate would stick around through 1974 before going poof.
This car has a partial interesting history. It was exported to Germany at one time, but was it built for export or just sent there by an individual and then shipped back later? The head of the Mr. Gasket Co. owned it prior to the seller but for how long? It has survived nicely with its original paint and vinyl top looking practically new with just 54,000 miles (said to be authentic) on the odometer. The seller positions the car as an ideal piece for a museum or Mopar collection.
There is a sharp-looking Hemi under the hood, but there is no mention as to it being numbers-matching. Since the word “original” is used a lot in the seller’s ad, we’ll assume that’s the case. A Satellite of this vintage in Excellent condition is a $20,000 car (according to Hagerty), but what premium does the Hemi add to the car? Well, if you switch over to NADA, they’re quoting $152,000. So, we’re guessing the seller’s reserve will be high.
A neighbor bought one of these new with a 318, white. He drove it, parked it a few years , then he and one of his sons got it running and repainted. Son is still driving it.
Very cool car that looks to be a nice survivor. Should bring big $$. Love the color.
Mom and dad had the Belvedere II wagon version in these colors, great car, 318 Auto, A/C. We traveled the country in it every summer 66-71, the first car I got to drive. Will only imagine of course what it would be like to own this Hemi car.
It amazes me that the 200 dollar 66′ Belvedere I bought back in high school might actually have been worth something…..
I was a signature away from ordering one of these when the BIG MOUTH salesman stymied the deal for me when he casually mentioned that the 426 HEMI was a racing engine. Since I needed a co-signer for the loan my Dad said no, no race engines for you,,, I went home angry and later on went to a different dealer with Mom to co-sign but Dad already told her about the 426 deal so I wound up settling for a 4 bbl. 383. It was a fun car, won a lot of drag races with it.
Great story!! All good sales people need to know when to shut up.
You were in the position to order a brand new car as a teenager? Not to mention, a very expensive car at that. What, did you invent Post-it-notes? Have a really good paper route? Sell a kidney? I scrimped and saved to be able to buy my first brand new bicycle at 16, and that was at a job where I worked before and after school, and all day many weekends.
I was 19, I managed to save money from jobs that I worked at while still in high school and a pre-requisite was that I had to show Mom & Dad $ 1500.00 to use as a down payment in order for them to co-sign a new car loan for me, the car was actually sold to my Mom, not me and registered in her name. Another deal for their signature on the paperwork was that they would not sign for anything longer then an 18 month loan, and the insurance policy was in my name and my responsibility to pay for, all that kept me broke and working. In addition to paying room and board to them of $25.00 weekly. & NO, no post-it notes were invented.
moosie, sounds like you were a good kid. Must have had a better job in HS than I did. Actually you dodged a bullet. The hemi would have been uninsurable (well, maybe not in 66) and upkeep on it would have been bad. Remember, only a 90 day warranty on it as well. The 383 was a much better option. Like I said, the 318 would have been my choice, but it sounds like you did enjoy this one. Darn fine looker of a car, too.
On more thing moosie, funny you didn’t put that money away for a sudden need for an extended vacation in Canada, if you know what I mean. Many I know, did just that, a few I knew, used it just for that purpose.. I know one guy (no, I knew one guy, past tense) who bought a new car right before his unwanted 13 month over seas “vacation”. Never got to come home and drive it. (New 63 Impala, sweet ride, I wish he could have drove it again)
William, being a draft dodger never entered my mind, my draft # never came up. I knew too many friends whose did and they never made it back home, the ones that managed to come back,,,,,,,,, never really did, sadly.
Worked at NCR at age 19. Dad co-signed for me to buy a brand new 1969 Camaro,SS 396/375 hp. Man did I get the girls!
moosie, again, pretty car. Was it black? What tranny? Wheels or deep dish wheel covers? I think the spinner wheel covers were the best. Have buckets? One of the most beautiful cars of the sixties.
William, My Satellite was Dark Green Metallic with a Black Bucket seat interior. Being a Satellite the bucket seats were part of the package. It had tinted glass all around, was an automatic, and I had chrome reverse wheels, 3:23 Sure grip rear changed to 3:91’s then to 4:56’s to get off the line quicker, also as a deterrent to keep me from speeding on the highway. I managed to get it to run consistent low 13 second e.t.’s after a lot of “special” work. I sold it in September of ’67 to buy my first new Corvette, a Lyndale Blue 327-300 4 speed Coupe that I happily kept stock.
A similar thing happened to me also found a 62 ex Wisconsin state patrol car on a used car lot it was a 4dr Biscayne the window tag said V8 manual transmission so of course I had to check it out was a 380 HP 409 three on the tree went home to get my dad to go look at it and hopefully sign for me of course the salesman had to open the hood my dad took one look at that motor and promptly said a big no in spite of me giving him all sorts of reasons why i was a responsible 17 yr old. didn’t work probably just as well, would have gottena bunch of tickets with it and probably lost my
license
When I was 16, I worked a 3rd shift job in a factory to buy a new 1966 belvedere. I picked out a Hemi and the salesman told my dad if I bought that I would be dead in a week. I settled for a 383/325 hp automatic with a 323 suregrip rear.Eventually put in a 3:91 gear and won a ton of races on the street.
Kenneth Parsons, The salesman wasnt named George Armstron that worked at Nyack Chrysler Plymouth was he ?
I would have expected a smattering of chrome dress up stuff if a Mr Gasket guy owned this. Nice car, pre-stripes era muscle.
My eighty year old buddy has an all original 426/4 spd. owned by him since new. I keep offering to exercise it… no luck so far. His soon will inherit.
A Hemi might of been fun, but really only good for one thing. A 318 would have been a better idea in so many ways. Cheaper (a lot cheaper) , more reliable, better on gas and insurance, better handling, less likely to get you to run afoul of the law, and an over all better road car.
I’m not a Mopar expert, but didn’t the GTX model have a pair of narrow scoops on the the hood that ran nearly the full length?
Not until 1967, so far as I know.
E-bay bid is at $47,600 ,,,,
I think that this one has awhile to go, considering Hagerty has a #2 (Excellent) valued at $121,000. They do not distinguish between auto or manual, so that may not make a difference in value.
I wonder if all of the automatics had consoles? I’ve seen muscle Mopars (even a Superbird) with column automatics.
You know I’ve never seen an automatic on the floor without a console. I owned a Superbird 4 speed w/o a console and a couple 66 Chargers both 383 Autos with the same long console that went down into the back seat. Definitely the nicest gauges and interiors of any car I’ve ever owned. The problem with these cool looking over size muscle cars is obvious to anyone that’s ever driven one. The handling and braking is the worst. B- Body and E-body cars both suffer from this same problem.
I always thought Chrysler should have had a console with their push button autos, wouldn’t that have been cool?
I think only Mustangs and Cougars came with floor shift automatics without consoles.
Chrysler incorporated larger brakes into their performance models, they may not have worked as well as disk brakes, but it was better than doing nothing. As for handling, none of the 60’s and early-70’s performance cars stacked up well against comparable cars even a few years newer. They ran narrow rims, often 5” or 6” in width and 14” in diameter, with biased ply tires, only cars that see limited casual driving haven’t upgraded to at least modern rubber, which by itself makes a huge difference.
Steve R
Greg, I agree with you. One of my favorite cars is the ’66 Charger and I love the console and gauges.
Fender tag on the right side looks like an export car but maybe Joe will chime in for fact.
This is the same color combo with black top my 1967 is – and mostly the reason I bought it – that and the 4 speed – beautiful rare color on a B-body.
I bought the car in the late 1970 from Bob Brandt who was Don Prudhomme’s crewchief at the time. Bob got it from Mr.Gasket when Hrudka needed money and disposed of many of his cars. Before Hrudka owned it it sat in a museum in the midwest.
My friend Willi in Hamburg, Germany sold his street racer Dodge Demon to a rich kid and while I was on vacation in Los Angeles. He called and sent me to buy a Hemi car. This was the nicest I could find. I met Bob Brandt at Ed Pink’s and while we talked Hemis and street racing Shirley Muldoney fed us orange slices dipped in chocolate. Best day ever.
I took the car to Germany and Willi street raced it from Switzerland to Sweden. In 1985 I moved to Los Angeles for good and 3 year Willi followed with the Hemi Satellite.The fun we had with this car cannot be measured in money. Eventually Willi sold the car to finance his business californiaclassix.com
The buyer had like 16 more musclecars and sold it before these cars took off in value. What happened after that in the car’s history I do not know.
Mike Wegener, it sounds like you are talking about this exact car that is on offer here. Is that the case?
Yes that is the case. Just wanted to add some history. I also contacted the Ebay seller but he did not respond.
Around 1968 I lived in Cobb County Ga and they had a light yellow 66 or 67 Satellite unmarked car with a Hemi. I-75 was in the process of being built so it was frequented by quite a few muscle cars of the day. I remember talking to one of the officers and he laughed and said they were tired of getting out run. As with most jurisdictions this car was only around for a few months It got to be recognized so it was traded off. I was in a friends Dads Rambler and we go pulled over doing 105 by it. The officer was mad at us not for the speed but because we were going the wrong way. No ticket told us to get out of here..
GTX did not debut until 67 model year. I drove a silver 66 Hemi Satellite 15 years ago with 4 speed. Drum brakes. Great engine. Junk brakes.
I had a buddy who bought a 66 Hemi Satellite auto when we were seniors in HS in 1975 for $2000. It was a beast.
Does anyone remember the Silver Bullet 66 Hemi Satellite from Detroit? Supposedly a legend on Woodward Ave
I remember that car, it was a ’67 GTX, it was supposedly a test mule for Chrysler but privately owned by a guy named Jimmy Addison who either worked at or owned a Sunoco gas station,,,,,and just about ruled Woodward back in the day, GOOGLE Silver Bullet Plymouth. I think I remember an article in Hot Rod Magazine about it from long ago.