Chrysler’s B-bodied cars were a smash with their 1968-70 redesign. Over at Dodge, much of the noise went to the Charger, which took off in sales with its part personal luxury car/part muscle car vibe. But there was another mid-size Dodge that found even more buyers, the Coronet. As a 2-door hardtop, they could be had in 440, Super Bee, and R/T trim. The seller has a nice ’70 Coronet 440 that looks good at 20 feet, but there is some noticeable rust when you get closer. Located in Corvallis, Oregon, this Mopar is available here on craigslist for $21,500 OBO. Once again, “Curvette” comes through with the tips.
Dodge sold twice as many Coronets in 1970 as Chargers, but that’s because all body styles were represented, including sedans and station wagons. The Coronet had a different front clip and no tunnel back roofline, so it wasn’t as sexy as the Charger. The mid-range offering was the Coronet 440, with the Deluxe at the entry point and R/T at the high end. Many of them came with a 318 cubic inch V8 like this one, paired with a 904 automatic transmission (numbers-matching?).
Upgrades to this ’70 Coronet are an Edelbrock intake manifold and 4-barrel carburetor, dual exhaust, and an open gear set. Aftermarket wheels set off the exterior, and the interior was treated to new upholstery and carpeting just a few months ago. It’s a solid runner that was once a factory A/C car, but the hardware has been removed. Newer components include the fuel tank and a Bluetooth stereo system.
That’s it for the good news. On the minus side, rust has developed below the back glass, the trunk floor, and the driver’s side rear quarter panel. And the blue paint is showing its age, though most of it looks good at the right angles. If you don’t have the budget for a second-gen Charger, what about this Coronet that needs some effort to be show quality?
This would be a good starting point for me….