Vehicle Description
We've had a few of these pretty mid-60s Mopars recently, and this
1966 Dodge Coronet hardtop is as solid as they come. The bright red
paint shows off the angular body quite well and with a burly 440
under the hood, it more than lives up to the hype. Add in a couple
desirable options, a cool white interior, and you end up with a
Mopar that tops the cool charts.
Big Mopars sometimes blended in with the crowds in the '60s, and
given how non-committal many of the factory colors were back in
1966, the red works just fine at turning heads today. It's an
attention-grabber, that's for sure, but the good news is that they
seem to have gone the extra mile to make it tidy. You'll note that
the detailing on the quarter panels is crisp, the crease along the
top of the fender is sharp enough to give you a paper cut, and the
smooth, flat areas are distortion-free. The only way to get all
that is time and effort, and it shows. The paint shines up well and
the gloss is impressive, and although there are a few signs of age
and the shade could be more consistent throughout, the red really
sets off this car's more aggressive look that's often lost on the
softer colors. I'm glad they skipped the vinyl roof, too, because
draping the dramatic roofline in red only makes it stand out that
much more. The chrome and trim is in decent condition, highlighted
by shiny bumpers fore and aft. Man, this Mopar sure looks good
bombing down the road.
The sparkling white vinyl interior is also a combination of
original and restored parts that works really well. Bench seats are
made for cruising and there are newer carpets on the floor, black
to really anchor the interior. The dash and gauges are crisp and
sharp, surrounded by a gorgeous steering wheel with one of the last
horn rings in the industry. Even though there aren't a lot of
options, there's a certain appeal to the no-nonsense Coronet's
dedication to performance. The headliner is taut and appears to be
original and the back seat barely looks used, but has plenty of
room for all your friends. Out back the massive trunk is fitted
with a correct plaid mat and an original jack strapped to the inner
quarter panel to round out the period-correct look.
This car was no slouch when it was new, since it came with a 318
under the hood. Sometime in its past, however, someone swapped it
out to a big block 440 cubic inch V8 and dressed it up like the
factory put it there. From the finned Mopar Performance air cleaner
to the corporate turquoise paint on the block, it has a very OEM
look under the hood. The valve covers match the air cleaner, and
the firewall and inner fenders are neatly painted in the same red
that adorn the exterior. The TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic
transmission snaps off gear changes without hesitating, and the
original 8.75-inch rear end carries street-friendly gears. The
Flowmaster dual exhaust sounds fantastic, and the floors are
painted to match the body, so you know there's nothing hiding
underneath. Power steering and front disc brakes round out the
options list and chrome Cragar SS wheels with fat 235/60/15 front
and 245/60/15 rear Cooper Cobra white-letter radials finish off the
list of combat-ready features.
Surprisingly fast yet completely civil, this is the kind of Mopar
muscle that built the legends. Best of all, it's still insanely
affordable, so call today!