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318 Head Turner: 1969 Dodge Coronet 440

The late ‘60s Coronet looked a lot like its more powerful Dodge cousins, the Charger and the Super Bee. And while you could get one with some muscle under the hood, most were sold as family cars in sedan and wagon form in addition to hardtops. This ’69 Coronet 440 looks like it could be a sleeper, but in reality, there’s a nice 318 under the hood. The seller has owned it for 23 years and doesn’t drive it much anymore, so it’s time to move on. The Mopar can be found near Stuart, Florida and it’s available here on craigslist for $22,000. Ikey Heyman stays busy finding great tips like this one for us!

Dodge brought out the Coronet in the 1950s as a full-size car (because that’s all there was then). It migrated to mid-size duty from 1965-76 and then carried the Monaco name after that. While the Coronet was the “every man’s” car, by 1968-70 you could get a Coronet with virtually any Chrysler engine, even the 426 Hem. The Coronet 440 was a middle-of-the-pack offering in terms of trim and amenities. The seller’s Dodge is one of those, a ‘69 edition in 2-door hardtop fashion. The 440 represented nearly half of all 195,000 Coronet’s build that year. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any breakdowns regarding body styles and engines.

At first glance, the seller’s car looks like it could be ready to take on street racers at a traffic light. But it’s relatively mild as far as Coronets go. The entry V-8 engine is under the bonnet that now sports a 4-barrel carb and dual exhaust with new glass packs. The motor is flanked by a column-shifted 727 TorqueFlite automatic. The seller has owned the car since 1997 and had the block resurfaced a couple of years later, also replacing the head gasket. The gas tank looks to have been refurbished recently and the tires and the battery have just been replaced.

The burnt orange paint presents well, but I suspect it’s not the original color. If you pop the hood, there are traces of dark green combined with a bit of orange overspray. There is no mention of rust and we don’t see any offhand. The two-tone black and white interior looks okay, but the front seat covers are very dirty or burned. The is no evidence of the headrests that would have been standard with a bench seat, so my guess is these aren’t original coverings. Both front armrests are either dirty or burnt and the steering wheel is cracked. The carpeting is faded, so why not replace it while attending to these other issues. 76,000 miles is the reported mileage.

We’re told that this Coronet has always been garage kept, which helps explain its better than average condition. The seller tells us he thought he’d never sell this car, but it’s time for someone else to enjoy it as much as he has. We couldn’t get a good resale estimate for a 1969 Dodge Coronet 440, but a ’68 edition would go from $10-25,000 depending on quality. I would peg this car in good condition which is likely half that range. That being the case, the seller is pretty optimistic on his requirements for turning the car loose. Or maybe he really wants to keep it.

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Moparman Member

    This appears to be a nice, solid car, needing some TLC to really make it shine. A good candidate for someone wishing to enter the classic car field, although (IMO) a bit over priced for its condition. GLWTS!! :-)

    Like 14
    • Avatar photo DrillnFill

      Agreed, the price is a little too high for the worn condition everything is in, and that green paint in the engine bay would drive me nuts 😆

      Like 12
  2. Avatar photo Steve Clinton

    IMHO it’s overpriced.

    Like 12
  3. Avatar photo Timothy Phaff

    I’d like to hand it to the painter for not cutting it in. This baby has lots of potentials. Good luck to the buyer.

    Like 5
  4. Avatar photo Skorzeny

    I agree with Moparman and Steve. It should have been repainted in its original color, it’s an automatic, and needs all new (NOT white) interior and carpet. Maybe 18K. But someone will pay the ask, I’m sure. I love these anyway, great body style.

    Like 6
  5. Avatar photo William

    The Cornets were always lookers, even in the 50s.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar photo gaspumpchas

    If the seller scrubbed the seats and restored the steering wheel, it would be a little more palatable for a buyer to plunk down that kind of coin, IMHO. Loooker over good. Stay safe and good luck, happy newyear!
    cheers
    GPC

    Like 4
  7. Avatar photo KEVIN

    looks like an Earl Scheib spray job wonder what’s beneath?

    Like 0

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