21k Miles: 1966 Dodge Coronet Hemi!

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After a six-year absence, the Coronet rejoined the Dodge line-up in 1965 and hung around through 1976. You could choose from three trim levels in 1966, the base Coronet, Coronet 440, and Coronet 500. The seller’s car is a 500 and one of only 204 copies that were ordered with the behemoth 426 cubic inch Hemi V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission (another 136 came with the TorqueFlite). We’re told this automobile has a documented 21,000 miles and is original except for the engine block. This beautiful machine is available here on Hemmings Classifieds for $85,000 firm and located in Mason, Michigan. We appreciate the tip on this one from our reader Boot!

The 426 Hemi was available to the public for the first time in 1966. It could be ordered in any Coronet model or trim and – while most were installed in hardtops and convertibles – a few Coronet Deluxe 4-door sedans are known to exist with the motor. Dodge dropped the Hemi in 1,168 of its Coronets and Chargers that year, while Plymouth saw 1,556 units built for a total of 2,714 Chrysler cars.

This ’66 Coronet 500 looks to be a special car. It’s never been restored, with most everything original including the paint. It shines up well with no apparent dents or rust. Somehow, it’s managed to travel so few miles for which the seller says there is documentation. Its owners for the past 55 years realized this is a car that would grow in value, and it has. Part of the paperwork that will go with the Dodge is its window sticker, Certi-Car, build sheet, a summary of owner history, and a Galen Govier Report.

For whatever reason, the engine block has had to be replaced and a 426 block from 1969 is the core of the big motor today. Besides the manual tranny, the car has a 3:54 Dana rear end, console tachometer, and BFG 14” Blue Streak tires on wheels with the original hub caps. The red interior contrasts well with the white exterior and it, too, looks stellar. There is no indication of a power booster for either the brakes or steering, so this beast must be a handful to drive and stop, while you’re smiling all the time!

This beauty is something of a celebrity, having been shown in the Chicago MCACN 50th Anniversary Street Hemi Display (2016), featured in Mopar Action (10/91), Muscle Car Review (10/18), and Hot Rod (7/18) that you can read here. In addition, the seller has attached a walkaround video of the car that shows just how serious this machine is.

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Comments

  1. Moparman MoparmanMember

    This car is indeed a beauty, but I prefer the styling refinements of the ’67.GLWTS!! :-)

    Like 4
    • ADM

      I had a neighbor with an all black ’67 500, 383, and a Torqueflite. It looked great, with that horizontal tail light treatment, the 383 “block” numbers, and Magnum 500 wheels.

      Like 0
  2. Moparman MoparmanMember

    This car is indeed a beauty, but I prefer the styling refinements of the ’67 model instead. GLWTS!! :-)

    Like 0
  3. Luke Fitzgerald

    Nice car – and house

    Like 2
  4. David Zornig

    Beautiful specimen, but one would need the story behind the 1969 Replacement Block, and how does that allow them to say original repeatedly…

    Like 10
    • Dave

      Back then Chrysler had an industry-leading 5 year/50,000 mile engine warranty. Maybe it’s a warranty replacement?

      Like 4
      • Chris M.

        I don’t believe they ever offered a warranty with the Hemi.

        Like 6
      • Curt Lemay

        There was a 3000 mile 90 day warranty on the hemi if I recall correctly.

        Like 3
      • Slantasaurus

        12/12000 on Hemi’s. Also not original is the dual master cylinder, those didn’t come along until 67, but it is a good idea to update for safety reasons even if you loose a cuple points in the shows.

        Like 3
      • Steve R

        The Mopar forums had some original owners state the 67-71’s came with 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty that explicitly excludes racing or cars with any driveline modifications. None bought any 66 Hemi cars when new so they specifically left that one out of their comments.

        Steve R

        Like 3
      • Chuck C.

        I bought a new Hemi in 1969 in a B body. A RoadRunner. They KNEW you were going to race. It came with a 3 month / 3,000 mile warranty. The 383 or 440 ( not available until mid-year as the A12,”Six Pack)came with a 12/12,000 mile warranty.

        Like 0
    • CCFisher

      Should say, “original, except for the most important part.”

      Like 4
  5. Chris M.

    The hood isn’t original. That’s a ’67 R/T hood. While alot can happen in 53 years I wonder when and why the original hood was switched. Nice car.

    Like 6
    • RNR

      The interesting thing about the ’67 Coronet R/T hood is that the hood louvers were originally to be fitted on 500 1966 Coronets powered by the sixth generation turbine engine. You can find pictures on the internet of at least one turbine powered ’66 Coronet 500 with that hood. Reportedly one kicked around Chrysler Engineering until the mid seventies.

      But this car likely required the new hood when its original Hemi puked it’s pistons skyward…

      Like 0
  6. Slantasaurus

    12/12000 on Hemi’s. Also not original is the dual master cylinder, those didn’t come along until 67, but it is a good idea to update for safety reasons even if you loose a cuple points in the shows.

    Like 2
  7. Eugene

    Beautiful. I would put on a set of Crager’s Just for looks,and save the stock wheels and hubcaps,and would do a break upgrade for safety,but save all parts. that’s it.

    Like 1
  8. Russell

    The story rode hard put away wet but a nice car

    Like 0
  9. Bill

    We had a ’64 Coronet when I was growing up, so I don’t think there was a 6 year absence. Ours had no hemi sadly..

    Like 0
  10. Johnmloghry Johnmloghry

    Well, my turn. I owned a 67 coronet 500 at one point in my automotive years. It was not a hemi but rather the mundane 318.
    At one time I worked in an automotive service center in Provo, Utah (I moved from state to state a lot in my life) anyway a customer brought in a car just like this one for a brake job, which I did, then as usual I took the car for a short test drive. Naturally I wanted to punch it to see what it would do, I was very disappointed as the engine was very tired and need of a rebuild. When I returned the car the owner asked if I had got on it, I said yes but that engine is very tired in need of some serious work. He said he knew that, but it was a work in progress.
    How well I know how that goes, I don’t think you ever get finished working or improving on classic cars. My 64 Buick Riviera is case in point I’ve owned it for more than ten years and I’m still not finished.
    God bless America

    Like 2
  11. Bigbird

    My friend had a ’69 Roadrunner 383, 3.91 gears. He brought it in for a noise in the rear end (it was under warranty) and he told me the service manager used some type of light (black?) to view the windows for the chalk or white polish of a class that was written for recent drag racing. If they could see it, you were not covered for repair under warranty. Chrysler was taken a beating on repairs, especially the 4-speed cars.

    Like 2
  12. hemidavey

    The replacement block is easy to explain. The bean counters took away the 7 quart pan from earlier race Hemis and put a 5 quart pan on it. A well tuned engine will turn 7000 RPM and a 1/2″ sucker pipe drained the pan! Most 66 67 cars do not have correct engines! I know first hand as I sold my original 9000 mile Coronet a few years ago. This is a terriffic car with the stick and red interior! Small rear wheel wells tho, no room for a Good tire! 225-60-14 about as wide as she will take. If you want a 66 block I have a spare , perfect std bore!

    Like 3
  13. sjmike

    May get $60K

    Like 0
  14. Phil Maniatty

    The ’66 Coronet came in four trim levels: Coronet, Deluxe, 440 & 500. I think, but am not 100% sure, that the 500 trim level was a mid-year introduction.

    Like 0
  15. 2cool2say

    I used to own this car back in the 1970’s when I lived in Oklahoma City. It was a drag car that held class race records. When I bought it, it had monster tires, cool mags, B&M automatic and 4.88 rear end gears. Although I put the hood scoop on (that we see here now), I other wised restored the car to original. I have many pictures of it including my hemi Charger trailering this hemi Coronet across the country!! It was and is a great mostly original car.

    Like 4
  16. Guy F Gingras

    The Hemi is a troubled engine, needs tuning every time you take it out on the road, had a friend who had a new one in a runner, sold it after 6 months

    Like 0
  17. Eric L Drain

    Throw in a pair of Fuzzy Dice and I’ll take it.

    Like 0
  18. Grease

    So the heads, intake and exhaust manifolds are numbers matching, is that correct ?

    Like 0

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