There’s no doubt that this 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T is a real deal muscle car. It’s also a rare find. If you’d love to be its next owner, you can find it here on eBay in Cuero, Texas, and it appears to not need much to be a daily driver or show car. The owner says it was built as a four-speed 383 V8 car, one of only 55 built. Bidding is over $35,000, with the reserve not yet met.
But the engine under the hood now is an I-70 Six-Pack 440. Historically the 90-degree V8 440 with hydraulic lifters was introduced in 1966 and stayed in production until 1978. Huge performers, they produced between 350 and 390 horsepower in stock form. So does the matching numbers thing matter? The car reportedly has zero miles since the 440 was installed (but 86,000 miles before that).
The car looks resplendent in red with a black interior and vinyl top. The paint is described as “older,” with some cracks and bubbles, but there’s no rust (the trunk pan was patched). Chrome and stainless is all in good condition. “This car is straight,” the vendor says. Features include 15-inch Rallye wheels, a rear Go-Wing, and R/T badging. Is all of this original to the car?
The interior looks quite good, with lots of fake wood and the original console with a pushbutton latch for the trunk (possibly not original to the car). The headliner was replaced. On hand are a Rim-Blow wood steering wheel, pistol grip shifter, bucket seats, a tachometer, eight-track tape with AM radio, and a nice dashboard.
The car reportedly runs well, but needs a new dual exhaust—the current system is full of holes. Tires also need to be replaced. Cue the vendor: “I believe this car has been sitting most of its life in a garage. It is too nice [to have been left outside]. Looks to be original sheet metal.”
Fender tag readers should study these numbers:
21151 201330
087 055 674
26 C16
V1X
FE5 D6X9 TX9 Z12235137
E63 D21 WP23 NOA 202466
This is the last year for the Coronet R/T. The Coronet was redesigned for 1968 and got a minor facelift in 1970. The R/T was the top of the line that also included the Coronet 440 and Coronet 500. In the muscle department, there was also a Coronet Super Bee.
The 440 was made available in 1968 when two Coronet 440s were also built with the 426 cubic-inch Hemi. The Six-Pack 440 was definitely an option when this car was made in 1970. Some engine/body/transmission packages are quite rare. There is, for example, only one 1970 Coronet R/T convertible with a 426 Hemi and a four-speed. But that didn’t prevent it from ending up in a junkyard before the value of such things was recognized.
Nothing is said here about the original engine being part of the package. Does it matter to you?
The “real deal” with a NOM? OK. So is it a “clone” or maybe a “tribute”?, cause it ain’t “the real deal”. As a wise person once said- “It’s only the real deal once”
Look at that shot of the LR sail panel. That’s really lumpy. Maybe it’s the camera playing tricks with my eyes. Maybe that’s the factory lumpy bondo job under the vinyl. Or maybe it’s rust.
Was going to say something on that area of the top when I saw your response. Have to agree totally and from what I’m seeing I don’t think it’s the camera.
I consider putting vinyl tops on cars the biggest mistake the companies ever made. It just created a breeding ground for rust. And it was a problem all the companies had.
My question is who puts a motor in a car and puts zero miles on it?
I was thinking the same thing. Could be illness, death, or financial circumstances, but you’d think that would be mentioned.
This is a Coronet 500, NOT and R/T. R/T would have come standard with 440 4bbl, with 6 pack and Hemi optional. Coronet 500 would have had 383 4bbl engine as the highest option, which this car had at one time. Nice car, but know what you are buying before laying money down.
The seller starts out his description by stating this is a Coronet 500 with a factory 4spd. The author of this feature is the one creating the confusion.
Steve R
The VIN backs this up. 2nd digit should be an “S” for an R/T.
A 1 yr only! design for the coronet back in the day for $peanuts – if you got it stripped with a LOT of color choices inside & out.
Compare that to a “new” Chally whose steel body is the same since 2008! & can not be ordered stripped, let alone affordable to BUY for an avg person, let alone avail in a lot of colors, espec INside – yuk.
I’m just shakin my head repeatedly from left to right.
“A 1 yr only! design for the coronet back in the day for $peanuts – if you got it stripped ”
@Joe- Do you remember how much you were making an hour in 1970? Minimum wage was $1.60 If you were making twice that it still would have been a heavy lift for Joe Average to buy one.
Well, i had several summer jobs in the late ’60s & 70s pumpin gas, workin in sweat factories, etc. making $2-2.50 an hr & saved up enough deniro by ’78 to get a used half decent 4 yr old v8 firebird with NO ps or pb or
or ac or cruise or even a factory radio!! for less than 2 grand when i started my 1st prof job out of college. Plus i did not need a grand for a smart phone every few years!
These days even a 10 yr old chally or camaro is babied & expensive & are SHORT SUPPLY, compared to a bewildering choice of worn out basic cars back in the day.
Have you priced even crappy ugly 4 door used appliances today?
Also very tuff for a teen to even FIND such summer jobs these days(the old broke retirees & possibly non US citizens have all grabbed the jobs!) That is, if the the teens even WANT to work, let alone support a car or even get a license at 16 or even 21!
All they want is a phone, i think. lol
I have seen a LOT of young people in the malls for many past summers during the week – back in the day when i was a teen, i was working EVERY summer, sometimes 7 days a week!
Also, my college in ’72 was a mere $15 a credit! What is it today?! – a lot higher than just inflation adjustment.
Back in the day i saw many pretty girls driving Celicas, etc. Today, none have their own car & they get someone older to give them a ride & look at their phones all the time even in the car.
I call it the way i see it.
Question for the Mopar guru’s here. What’s up with those random A and R on that trim tag? Never seen that before, but I am not a Mopar guy.
Who cares about it’s condition it’s a 50 plus yr old car what can u expect it still looks good to me I’ll take it if I had that kinda money and drive it just like that
It sold for $38,000. He has two other Dodges at auction right now.
I think it might have been more interesting to restore it to original as the seller says “Very Rare 383 4 BBL with 4 Speed only 55 production built. “
I have always liked the 1970 Dodge front end until I looked closely and realized the clip is the bumper. Really? No wonder the heavy hand of unconstitutional DC slammed down with bumper mandates. Baa, have we no rams among the sheep?