Not an R/T! Not a Super Bee! It’s just a plain-jane 1969 Dodge Coronet, specifically, a Deluxe coupe, which we were advised via the ’69 Dodge sales brochure was “the lowest price Coronet for 1969″. Whether it would be considered a “survivor” in the true sense of the word as car aficionados bandy the term about is immaterial – it’s a survivor because it still exists without the provenance of being an R/T or a Super Bee, and it’s unmolested. What a great find! This Dodge is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $8,077 with twenty-two bids tendered as of this writing.
You always look for a backstory on a car like this, unfortunately, none is provided other than to state it has spent 31 years in a shed. The seller claims, based on a report from mymopar.com, that this Coronet is one of 245 so equipped. And equipped really means stripped as there is a 230 gross HP 318 CI V8 engine, a radio, and that’s about it. The seller advises, “TURNED OVER BY HAND…..GAS IN CARB RAN FOR 30 SECONDS. BRAKES WORK ENOUGH TO STOP”. So, this car really doesn’t qualify as a driver but it may not take a lot of effort and investment to turn it into one. The rarity here is its three-speed manual transmission and of course, it is a three-on-the-tree arrangement.
The seller mentions that there is only one rust-through spot and that’s in the lower passenger side quarter. There is a lot of surface rust, however, on the rockers and the passenger fender lower leg so a close inspection for any soft medal would be a worthy endeavor. The underside is showing typical surface rust and scale but no integrity issues are obvious – a good sign for a car platform/design known for corrosion problems.
Inside is resplendent in all of its ’60s vintage taxicab vibe – hard vinyl seats, a rubber floormat, exposed screw heads, and a minimum of adornment. It actually looks pretty fair really. The driver’s side of the bench seat is split but as is usually the case, the back seat is fine. One area of concern is the driver’s kick panel, it looks as if it has been exposed to leak-down water intrusion, and if so, what damage may it have caused? The underside images don’t reveal floor pan problems and the truck pan, though sprinkled with some surface rust, should be solid.
The seller suggests, “ **GREAT CLONE CAR** “. I knew it, that’s the obvious direction and trend for one of these, especially owing to the difference in value between a muscled-up Mopar, whether real or cloned and a more pedestrian example like this DeLuxe coupe. That said, even a bottom-of-the-line, unremarkable Dodge/Plymouth coupe from this era will trend into surprising value territory. The current bid is not surprising and I’d expect a palpable move north before the auction ends. I’d hope for a stock restore but realistically, I doubt that will happen. What do you think, conformity, clone, or creative custom?
How fun amd different would this car be with the 318 and 3 on the tree?
Of course, with Mopar prices what they are, this is likely not to remain what it is right now. Mark W. maybe bidding on it to have this subject car donate it’s sheet metal to a much more desirable high HP ‘Bee or R/T.
Why is it that the cars with the “PUKE” colors always survive? Not a fan of the two-tone taxi cab tan interior. Outside color okay, but would have preferred a blue exterior with blue interior.
Puke, earth-tone, tan whatever. Well, that’s because ‘tan’ people tend to buy tan cars. Those guys aren’t in the market for something to show off but prefer a vehicle that lets them go under the radar.
While those tan people aren’t excactly known for being particularly exciting to chat with or adventorous, they however seem to be very careful with any of their belongings and almost religiously maintain their cars.
Compare it to how often vintage longroofs wearing some OE sparkling color pop up for sale vs tan wagons…
Did someone say “….tan longroof…?? My daily driver, a ’73 Fury Suburban, 400, 9 passenger, original paint. I think it survived because it WAS a pukie color…I much rather would have liked to have found a different color, but could not get too picky for what I paid for it. Back of a used car lot, non running & VERY dirty for $175.00, that was in January 2021. Lowered 3”, new: tires/wheels/fluids/brakes/gas shocks/tune up/ conversion to fuel injection/tranny maintenance…..she’s ready for the Hot Rod Power Tour 2022. Stay safe everyone !
Interior looks pretty good. I’d repair rust and paint, then either seriously hop-up the 318 for performance or shoehorn in a 440.
Super Bee clone or plain Jane sleeper, this could be a great cruiser
You can buy a 400 ci smallblock instead of a heavy big block.
400 ci is a big block.
Looks a little bit like my junkyard find Coronet, I almost hate to use it for parts for my Bee.
Dem hubcaps.
My first car what is a 1970 orange Plymouth duster. All it had was a three speed on the column slant six and a radio. With black vinyl interior.With the dog dish hubcaps in orange rims matching the body color. Best car I’ve ever owned.
That’s the saddest thing I have heard all day William.
First car is often the best car, simply for sentimental reasons.
Similar to first love.
I’m thinking very mild custom. If you took off the rear Dodge emblem and trunk lock it would clean up the back really nice. Do the same with the grill ànd get rid of the God awful riveted on aftermarket side mouldings. Nice rootbeer brown with a refurbished stock interior and a four speed on the floor. Fairly cheap and different and not hard to return to stock if you wanted.
Horrible idea. Simply horrible.
Every time I see one of these and the prices, it makes want to cry.
In the eighties, that was a $500.
In the ’80’s that was $100. A Super Bee was $500.
$9107 @ 658pm cst 9/17/21.
~ Yup. Barrett Jackson, Mecum and fat-cat “collectors” have priced me out of my favorite hobby. ~S
In 1974 in high school I bought a nice 69 Bee for $500.
in the early 80s I paid $5 for a 68 4 door Belvedere , the guy wanted $10 , but $5 was all I had on me , and he took it – true story. I thought that one was a stripper , with a 318 auto , dog dish hubcaps, no carpet ,radio ,or body moldings -this one has mine beat when it comes to a base model!
In 1971 I had the same 4 door you had. Nice car. Paid $700 for it. By 1975 the rear had about rusted off.
Reminds me of a friend who had a Super Bee about this vintage back in the day. We teased him regularly about his “Coronet”, to which he protested vigorously. Great fun. This car is interesting in it’s own right IMHO. I’d clean it, tune it, drive it; and make repairs and cosmetic improvements as time and funds allow. I know that wouldn’t be the best decision from a purely financial perspective- which has a lot to do with why I’m not wealthy. 🤷♂️
When I win the auction, I’ll replace the suspension pieces that it needs, redo the brakes, get it running good, buff it out and drive as is!
This car would draw more viewers at a car show than an RT or SB because of its rarity.
I had a base 69 charger this exact same color and trim level…..I always regret selling it.
Keep it original I say! Clone cars or “tributes” as they’re called these days turn me cold. Keep it as a survivor, get it roadworthy and that’s it :)
Yep – I can brag I bought Mary Jane Glen’s mom’s 1970 R/T Challenger – a garage kept 1-owner car with 68,000 miles. Mary Jane was my 5th grade girl friend and sadly her mom had passed in the late 70’s. I bought the car a few years later from her father who remembered me as the paper boy and never figured why his wife wanted that particular car.
The last pic was at the Dallas Gran Prix when Paul Newman came to drive.
Regardless, it’s still a 69 Coronet. Nice find.
I’d restore the body and interior as is, keep the dog dish caps, restore the engine so it looked factory stock but maybe stroke it and a bigger cam, and put in a floor shifted four speed.
Converted my 318 three-on-the-tree to a four-on-the-floor. Made all the difference in the world.
It’s gonna be a 383/440 car ASAP, 3 pedals are there already, throw that steering column out, find buckets and a console and it’s a party after paint and a hood
Man, I’d leave this thing alone for the most part and just drive it. Get it reliable, repair anything major, do enough to the body to stop major problems but leave the patina alone for the most part.
I would have to add an underdash AC for summer enjoyment and repair the interior with original type materials from SMS Auto Fabrics or similar. What a cool car, with a 3 on the tree to boot!
If this gets cloned and destroyed the person that does it, the people that encourage and help and the person who buys it should be ashamed (truly should be removed).
Like they say…. “It’s only original once”
Sweet car and hard to find that solid ( hopefully underside is not all rotted out as most rust showing at the lower portions of the car) in the 21 years of operation it looks to have been well used so I would do an engine rebuild and tweak it a bit. It’s amazing what a good detail could make this car look like ,fix the seat,paint the wheels and I’d be proud to drive it around and keep it preserved while I owned it. Way too nice to turn into a clone.
The ebay listing is down. I hope Mark bought it. If so, good luck with your new purchase!
Cool car, just for how “uncool” it is!
Stevieg the additional price of having it shipped to Mn killed it for me. If it was summer when I script another week of vacation I’d have flown out, reverted a truck and trailer and drive it back home that way! Hopefully who ever got it doesn’t dismantle the drive line, this is more rare and cool than a tribute will ever bee! It’s only original once as stated above.