426 Street Wedge! 1965 Dodge Coronet 500

Though obviously a work in progress, this 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 in Willoughby, Ohio certainly makes a statement just as it sits. Like prison tattoos, this hardtop wears its scars with pride. A half century’s use build character, and if this faded Dodge could talk, it would describe bar fights, keg parties in the woods, tows for illegal parking, and reams of speeding tickets. Despite the lack of hood scoops, air ducts, stripes, and badges, this Coronet walked into every fight clenching a roll of nickels in its fist, or under its hood anyway. A year before the 426 cid street Hemi’ became an option at Mopar dealers everywhere, another 426 topped the charts for cars like this working man’s Dodge:  the 426-S Street Wedge. Not only did this car come with one, according to the seller, but the original numbers-matching engine comes with the car, along with a host of other original parts. The listing here on Craigslist asks $10,750, a relative bargain when stripped and rusted shells of later Mopar muscle cars bring $16,000 or more. Thanks to reader MikeP for spotting this Wedge-powered bruiser.

Though lacking the fancy Hemi’s arrangement of plug wires running through meaty valve covers, the 426 Street Wedge stood as the Mopar’s largest displacement car motor in America in 1965, and with 10.3:1 compression and a big Carter four-barrel carburetor, it made 365 HP, offering plenty of entertainment in the mid-sized Coronet. Thanks to MotorTrend for some details.

The 500 trim level came with bucket seats and more shiny bits inside and out. Anyone spending $10,750 on this project would surely peel off another hundred for decent pictures and the removal of the storage shed items from the interior.

We’re fresh out of pictures not reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project, so check out a three-speed automatic transmission. The 727 backed up countless Mopar mills and earned a reputation for consistent, reliable performance. Consistency is everything in drag racing, and many drivers gladly gave up one cog vs. a four-speed manual for the quicker gear-changes and predictability of a strong automatic. The ’65 Coronet rarely tops lists of classic muscle cars, but there’s something special about its Clark Kent personality and its Superman motor. Would you call this Wedge-powered Dodge a sleeper?