The “Landy’s Dodge” 1965 A/FX Coronet altered wheelbase machine is one of drag racing’s most memorable machines on the planet. The precursor to the true flopper-style funny car, this was the definition of what that term used to be. It did start life as a 1965 Coronet, before being sent off to be acid-dipped, then off to Amblewagon for the visually arresting wheelbase alteration, Plexiglas windows, llight door hinges, and a heaping helping of fiberglass parts. In standard form, these Dodge Coronets and Plymouth Satellites would weigh in at about 2,800 pounds, or almost half a ton lighter than a 426 Street Hemi model and four hundred pounds below the NHRA mandate for the A/FX class. That wasn’t an issue, though…teams would ballast the weight back in, usually over the rear where they wanted it.
A recreation of the Landy Dodge that is this high caliber would be worth every last cent, wouldn’t it? Landy put this car on the map by putting this car on the bumper as far as the body would let him go, up until the two tiny little caster wheels tucked up behind the bumper kissed the asphalt. Fuel injected, ready to rock at a moment’s notice, this Dodge was the opening salvo for a new movement in drag racing, one that saw the rule book being thrown into the fire for the sake of performance. And for fifty years, it’s been kept as-is for the most part, with the car being personally verified by Landy himself in the late Nineties…the cracked taillight and “This Side Up” etched on the underside of the car were telltales that Landy himself knew about.
Another one of the stunning gems from the Mecum Kissimmee 2018 auction that is filled to the brim with some choice pieces, the Landy Dodge is certainly worthy of every last dime in the piggy bank. As far as we know, the car has never been publicly up for sale or auction and early estimates are calling in between $750,000 to an even million dollars take when this Coronet crosses the block as Lot F124 on Friday, January 12th, 2018.
Mecum Auctions Link: 1965 Dodge Coronet AWB A/FX, “Landy’s Dodge”
I have a parking place at my house and would be happy to keep the thing limber if the new owner needs some place to store it. Just sayin…..
I loved AF/Xs and built many model kits of them when I was a kid – but if the British lottery wasn’t fixed so its impossible to win it I’d buy a ticket and live in hope at owning the real thing – but having it made streetable.
I have an old Drag Scoop from the mid/70’s that has this car listed in its classified section. Back then it was a used up old race car.
Steve R
The Auto cars used the LONG Fuel Injection stacks as it helped with torque for the Launch–The Stick Shifts used the short stacks
Jim
I didn’t know that. thanks Jim.