When confronted with a project car like this 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 Hardtop, choosing a course of action can be challenging. At first glance, it looks like a restoration requiring countless hours of work with the grinder and welder. However, the reality is entirely different. It is a rock-solid survivor with little more than surface corrosion for its new owner to tackle. If a Mopar classic is high on your Wish List, you will find the Coronet located in Wichita, Kansas, and listed for sale here on eBay. The seller lists a classified price of $18,500 but leaves the option to make an offer. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder T.J. for spotting this promising project for us.

The 1968 model year brought a substantial restyle for the Coronet. It was a trend that carried across the entire B-Body range, including the Charger and Plymouth Belvedere. The changes resulted in a sharper and cleaner look than its predecessor and were received well by potential buyers. If you look beyond the tired paint and surface corrosion, the Coronet’s styling remains remarkably fresh after fifty-four years. You couldn’t pass it off as a new model in today’s showroom, but it has aged like fine wine compared to other models from this era. Its Medium Blue paint has seen better days, and its White vinyl top is a distant memory. There is also plenty of surface corrosion that could have some enthusiasts twitching uncontrollably. However, what we see in the exterior shots reveals the worst of this Coronet’s cosmetic issues. The seller supplies an underside shot showing further acres of surface corrosion, but what the car lacks is penetrating rust. The usually prone areas like the floors, trunk pan, and rear rails are structurally sound. They are also original, indicating this car has no prior history of rust problems. The panels are relatively straight, with only a few repairable bruises. The trim is present and restorable, and there are no problems with the glass. Overall, whipping this Dodge’s panels and paint into shape should not prove difficult.

The Dodge’s interior is serviceable, and I believe it might present reasonably well with a deep clean. It isn’t 100% original because the cloth seat upholstery looks like a later addition. I think they would originally have worn Blue vinyl that matched the door trims, and potential buyers may change them if they elect to perform a faithful restoration. However, the lack of rips and tears should allow the buyer to leave things untouched if they wish to quickly return the car to active duty. The factory radio has made way for a radio/cassette player, but I can’t spot any further additions. The original owner’s decision to order this classic with air conditioning was wise, and while I don’t believe it blows cold, it does appear complete.

Buyers in 1968 could choose from several motors to power their shiny new Coronet, and the original owner of this classic selected the 318ci V8 that produced 230hp. They also opted for a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission and power steering to remove much of the physical effort from the driving experience. If they had driven the car off the showroom floor and straight to their nearest dragstrip, it would have covered the ¼ mile in 16.4 seconds. The seller indicates that they recently replaced the ignition coil, starter relay, and master cylinder. They say the car runs and drives well, but not whether it is fully roadworthy. If it isn’t, getting it to that point may not prove difficult or expensive. Once again, that raises the possibility of returning the Coronet to the road as it stands as an eye-catching survivor and tackling its cosmetic needs as time and circumstances allow. They indicate an odometer reading of 69,000 miles in their listing, but not whether they hold verifying evidence.

The supplied photos suggest that the restoration of this 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 Hardtop may be pretty straightforward. There is no visible penetrating rust, raising the possibility that the buyer could perform most of the work in a home workshop. Alternatively, its good mechanical health raises the possibility of the buyer treating the corrosion so it can’t deteriorate further and then enjoying the Dodge unrestored as an eye-catching survivor. As a final thought, this Coronet demonstrates why it can pay to perform some research before committing to handing over your cash for any classic. I found this car listed on another site with an asking price of $19,500 and no option to make an offer. Now, I’m a pretty generous guy, but if I had to choose between handing a seller an extra $1,000 or keeping that money in my pocket to put towards the restoration, I know which way I’d jump. Wouldn’t you?