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.
Nice car, good cruiser. The seller says they installed a 1969 383. Not sure how many buyers there will be at $44,950 or close to that price.
Steve R
Very nice build, but for that price I would look for something like that ’70 work in progress Challenger.
It’s a beautiful build, and I’m sure he has more money invested in it than he’s asking for it. But what you spent on it has nothing to do with the market value on any given day.
The money spent would have got a better return on a Challenger/Cuda or a 68/70 Charger. Personally I would rather have a 65 B-Body than either of them, but that’s a personal preference. I was street racing my Mother’s 383 Coronet in 1969 at 16, so I have a fondness for them.
I did this quality build on a 65 Belvedere 2 Dr. HT, triple black, 383 car in 2000/2003. The local Mopar Man had a body shop and was going to put it on a rotisserie. Before we started he told me “You’re pissing money down the drain, it’s never going to be worth $18K and you’ll spend a minimum of $25K plus 1000 hours of your labor doing it. He was right.
But it’s my car and I wanted it done. 20+ years later I still have it and I’m glad I did it. Because of the national show quality paint job I can’t take it to downtown shows with a lot of “non-car people” there, but I have a couple of other rides with lesser or older paint jobs that I can take to those places.
The lesson is . . . build whatever you want and what you can afford, but be prepared to keep it forever or lose money on the car if the market doesn’t work out in your favor.
nice car. great color. not a fan of the wheels but they do work for the look. good luck with the price. i think that might have been the cost to redo it or a bit more. get in it and drive it.
Lots of discrepancies here:
#1. 440 came out in 1966. #2. 440 Magnum produces 375bhp, the 440 6-pack produces 390.
Regardless, the seller states it’s a 383 Magnum. That’d be 335bhp. More than adequate muscle for that Coronet. It is a Beaute!
Be still my beating heart!!! My first car was a ’65 Dodge Coronet 500, interior exactly like this, console and bucket seats. Mine was powered by a very mild-mannered 318 though and was definitely NOT in the same performance class as this beauty!!! It was some type of off-white color when I got it but it was in great shape inside and out. Now I just have to convince my wife to let me drop 50K on this sweet thing and all will be well. It is a beautifully done Coronet.
383 not a 440 no Air no heater
This MoPar fan is liking this car a bunch. The photos indicate that this car received a meticulous restoration that appears fresh. I can’t disagree with the seller’s statement that a person probably couldn’t achieve this level of quality restoration without spending more than the asking price. It’s way out of my price range. But for someone with the wherewithal and love of these style Pentastars; this would be a good deal. One of the features that I really like is the C pillar treatment. As to the wheel selection provided; I would probably switch between the steelies and the wheels that are on the car just for fun. Anyway, GLWTS.
Them aftermarket radiators just dont look right I would at least paint it black
You gotta love some sellers interpretation of facts.
Seller states that it is “Restored as it left the factory.”, yet it has a non-original engine of a different size and year.