In many ways, this 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 represents our favorite type of muscle car. It has one of the coolest and most iconic body styles of the middle 1960s, it has a great color slathered all over it, it has a perfectly period interior, and the engine is a thumping 440ci big block. The reason that thing strikes us as being so good is because it ISN’T a perfect restoration, because it DOESN’T have a matching numbers engine, and because no one should be afraid to crank up the odometer in this thing while having fun driving it.
These Coronets have such great history, especially in drag racing you can’t help but love them if you are a fan of the legacy of the sport. One of the elements that we really enjoy about these cars is how the factory ran the exhaust. The way the pipes just kind of peek down under the rear bumper is cool and kind of tough looking.
Coronets were not big dollar cars back in the day. It was a model that was not designed to appeal to the guys with big bucks. They were pretty pedestrian cars in many respects until you optioned them up with big motors like the mighty hemi or a 426ci wedge engine. While this one has a 440 in it, it still looks correct, it has a couple of carbs on top of it and while we’d ditch the flashy looking air cleaner on the top of the engine that’s about all we would touch under the hood.
Also, body colored steel wheels with dog dish hub caps are basically the quickest way to our heart. They have a look to them that will never, ever go out of style. This thing is muscle as it should be done.
eBay Link: This 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 is bright red and full of big block fun
Nice car, nicely done,
My 63 Polara was built similar to this, simple and functional with minimal bling and all the performance goodies hidden from view.
If you didn’t pop the hood or crawl under the car, you wouldn’t know it was a fast car, the lumpy idle and dual exhaust being the only giveaway.
Likewise, heater delete, no power steering, single pulley, steel wheels with caps, 440 cid with some good parts in it, smooth driving, reliable, durable, but able to stomp most Camaros, Corvettes, Mustangs and imports.
Wondering if it has a quiet exhaust system?
Us old time street racers tried to keep the cars quiet, (like Jimmy Addison’s 67 Plymouth with the 4 Caddy mufflers on it), because the law dogs were vigilant back then and a loud car was a sure fire way to get pulled over.
I would ditch the 2×4 set up, (and air cleaner), for a good single 4 bbl and manifold and paint the valve covers, but to each their own.
Nice car.