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Stored in ’94: Dodge Coronet R/T 440 Convertible

coro1

This is a unusual barn find, not only for the rarity of the car but also due to the seller’s story. You see, it seems like this Dodge Coronet R/T convertible was a car he had been chasing for a while, and then made substantial efforts to remove and transport home. But now he claims he doesn’t have the money to do it justice, so you can find it here on eBay, where bidding is at $17K and the reserve remains unmet. 

coro3

I guess I just find the level of build-up odd to simply announce you’re unloading a car. I suspect the reality of the situation is far less dramatic, and this is simply a lucky guy who discovered a one-of-203 car in a dusty storage locker and now stands to profit handsomely. I have no problem with that, but what I do take issue with is sneaking in at the bottom of the listing that this is a non-numbers matching example.

coro4

So while the color is eye-catching the exclusivity is impressive, I’m not sure this Mopar is the homerun the seller makes it out to be. The 440 is what an R/T would have come with new, and it’s a fine motor – but how much does the value of this car suffer when lacking the engine it drove home with? Matching numbers is everything in the collector car world, but sometimes, a car is rare enough to overcome these shortcomings.

coro5

The seller did remove the sheepskins and found the driver’s seat most in need of repair. The interior of the R/T presents well, including the gauge cluster, wood veneers and steering wheel. The seller also claims the Coronet can currently perform lot drives, but will still need some further sorting to understand its true mechanical health. Is the rarity alone enough to make this Coronet worth bringing home, or are there still too many questions than answers?

Comments

  1. Avatar Kevin

    1 of 203…. all that needs to be said…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Trey

      They made more than that.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar JohnD

    Cool car but I am unmoved by the story . . .The listing makes it sound like this was the car he had to have and had wanted forever . . . but the ebay handle immostlymopars and the cars he has, well, flipped in his feedback tell a different story. I wish him well, but why not just say you bought it to sell? What is wrong with a little honesty?

    Like 1
  3. Avatar DAN

    bs….just a flipper

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Bill

    Who cares if he’s just a flipper?
    He found a rare car and pulled it out of oblivion for someone to save. This will, and should, go for a considerable amount of money. I wish I had the time and money. I’d hop right in.

    Like 2
  5. Avatar Chris

    Chrysler didn’t do themselves any favors with the front end change for 1970. Still a really cool car, but the 69 is better looking.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Biggles21

    I don’t understand the negativity towards “flippers”. If you’re lucky enough to get a good deal on a collectible car and want to make some money on it, so be it as long as you don’t deceive people with concocted story.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

      I think the problem is that there seem to be an overwhelming number of folks with nothing invested in the ‘car community’ making a business on flipping cars.

      They aren’t cruising, going to shows, organizing charities etc. They are just as likely to be hocking pocket watches, guns or antique furniture.

      In my world a seller cares about the car’s future, and is not just looking for a buyer they are looking for the RIGHT buyer. Often that isn’t the one waving the most cash.

      The deal involves, a shared beer, a strong handshake and likely results in a new friendship.

      Call me old fashioned, but taking some widow for a ride by grabbing a car at a fraction of its value (an example), and then flipping it for pure profit doesn’t sit well with me.

      Like 2
      • Avatar Mike H

        Well said.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Dovi65

        Couldn’t agree more. Too many just see dollar signs, and have no passion for the cars. If a scrapyard would give them a few dollars more than a perspective buyer, they’d go for it, no matter the rarity of the vehicle.
        Several years ago I bought a 1970 Cadillac Fleetwood from the original owner. Her husband had passed, and after a “slight skirmish backing out of the garage” she bought a smaller car. The dealer only offered $1000 on trade, which she declined. She wanted someone to care for “her baby” While no beers were shared, a few tears were as she posed for last photos with the car

        Like 1
  7. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    I don’t mind “flippers” but, the way the ad comes across seems strange. If you are a flipper, then just be upfront about it.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    I guess I’m like the majority of baby boomer BF fans in that I’m used to the used car salesman in the polyester plaid suit with greased backed hair who poured sawdust in the crankcase to quiet the engine knock. “It was owned by a grandmother who only drove it to church and the store and lived next door to the two”.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar BillB

    All you have to do is check out his feedback and make your own decision.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Sunbeamdon

    In this day of political obfuscation, we may be somewhat naive to expect a mere car-salesman to be truthful!

    Great car – price as-is getting too high for comfort

    Like 0
  11. Avatar ROTAG999

    Surprise Surprise more rust….

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Dave

    Some of you guys try to read between the lines and make more of these ads then is really there. This guy found a fairly rare car, negotiated a price, carefully got it home and running, knows what he’s got and is proud of his find. Time to make a little money. Nothing more or less is said in his listing. Good luck to him, he deserves it.

    Like 2
  13. Avatar Glen

    Why are the original motors so often removed from cars?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Trey

      A lot can happen over 50 years, especially in the first few with an owner with a heavy foot.

      Like 1
    • Avatar Dovi65

      Most common reasons are:
      * Original engine choked due to high miles/lack of maintenance
      * Engine swapped into another project – swapping the original slant 6 in your Cuda with a 440 from a Coronet will bring a bigger return.

      I’d imagine that a lot of the swaps were done when the big engined, gas guzzlers were just old cars, that could be had for no money on the used car market

      Like 1
  14. Avatar stillrunners

    We all watched a 69 Super Bee convert sit and sit and sit beside the house – busy route highway in town – he then built a little carport were it sat and sat and sat….look up those numbers on a 1969……it’s been moved…..that was for like 30 years just sitting there….and rotting….

    Like 0
    • Avatar Trey

      I looked it up and no Super Bee ragtop built.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Junkfixer

      No convertible Super Bees were built from 68 – 71. The car was likely a Coronet 500 or a Coronet R/T like the one above. Both are fairly rare cars. Less than 1750 drop top 500s were made, less than 430 R/T convertibles were produced.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Bobsmyuncle

    All should keep in mind that the 440 was a varied beast found in many platforms, and doesn’t in itself equate to muscle car performance.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Joe M

    Something is not right about this car. I think this is a poorly done clone, from a well optioned base convertible, hence the non matching engine. Another tip off is the ill fitting hood on this car. The gap in the center of the front of the hood and the lower portion in a dead giveaway. This is nothing more than a really old clone, notice the non stock wheels as well. Sometimes people really want to see something as it is and ignore all of the warning signs.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Joe M

    Also the glove box is missing that may be a clue to see if it a real R/T from the factory. As well as the build tags being removed from the car itself, is not making me feel better about this car. And in some of the pictures there is some real bad overspray on some of the car that shouldn’t be there. Like the black Chrysler tag.
    Buyer beware, I would not invest in this until I had a professional check it out.
    I think that this is a clone from the early 80’s to 90’s, just because a car is in a container and dirty does not make it real.

    Like 0

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