Most readers will agree that you can never have enough power. This beautifully refurbished 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 should deliver, featuring an upgraded 440ci V8 under the hood. The seller was meticulous, and this slice of Mopar muscle has only clocked 100 miles since the build ended. It runs and drives as well as it did in 1965, so the buyer can fly in and drive it home. Barn Finder Curvette has a great eye for classics, and I must say thank you for spotting this stunning Coronet. It is listed here on Craigslist in Billings, Montana, for $44,950, and the seller says the price is firm.
After a five-year absence from the market, Dodge revived the Coronet badge for the 1965 model year. It was the company’s mid-size offering, replacing the Polara, which had become a full-sized model on the C-Body platform. Buyers could choose from three trim levels, with this first-year Hardtop the range-topping 500 variant. The seller says it has covered only around 100 miles since they completed a nut-and-bolt rotisserie refurbishment, with no aspect of this classic left untouched. Of course, starting with a rust-free candidate makes life easier, as it did here. Finding anything to criticize about this Dodge seems impossible. The paint shines brilliantly, and the panels are laser-straight. I suspect that most of the bright trim was restored or replaced, because it looks perfect. The seller fitted new American Racing Torq Thrust wheels to give the Coronet a distinctive look. They are period-correct, but since the sale includes the original hubcaps, the new owner could swap on a set of steelies with those caps for a more stock appearance.
Lifting the hood reveals the most significant change the seller made during their build. The first owner ordered this classic with a 361ci V8, producing 265hp and 380 ft/lbs of torque. The 361 would have delivered competent performance, but the seller craved more. Therefore, they installed a 440ci “Magnum” V8 of 1969 vintage. The car also features a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, a 3.23 rear end, and feather-light power steering. The seller didn’t bolt in the drivetrain and hope for the best. They rebuilt the 440, the transmission, and the rear end. Dodge quoted power and torque figures of 390hp and 490 ft/lbs for this motor, and the fact that it is so fresh means it should deliver on that promise. The seller says that the Coronet runs and drives perfectly, ready for action with its new owner behind the wheel.
The listing text states that every nut and bolt was refurbished during the seller’s build, making the spotless interior unsurprising. Trimmed in Black, it features bucket seats, a console, and a pushbutton radio. Considering how little action this Coronet has seen since the build ended, it remains in as-new condition. It isn’t lavishly equipped, but the seller says that everything, including the factory radio, works as it should.
If you swapped out the wheels currently adorning this 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 with a set of steelies and the supplied factory hubcaps, it would be a genuine sleeper. Nothing about its appearance or subtle paint shade hints at its performance potential, which would be impressive, to say the least. The seller’s price is at the market’s top end, but the car’s overall presentation means that the figure isn’t unprecedented. It will take a dedicated Mopar muscle enthusiast for the seller to taste sales success, but we all know there are plenty of them. Therefore, I won’t be surprised if the Coronet finds a new home fairly quickly.
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