1965 Chrysler Dodge Coronet 500 – Today’s Tempter

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 10.05.2019

The ultimate for Hemi fans: Dick Landy-built Hemi 426, bare-metal restoration

Fully-imported Dodges were once incredibly rare-sights on Aussie roads, however a slew of new arrivals landed throughout the 1990s.

Values are bolstered by film and TV appearances for many of these models, along with genuine muscle car credentials.

The Dodge Coronet may not have been immortalised in the Dukes of Hazzard, or Bullitt; but with 209,000 units sold in 1965 – it was Dodge’s most popular and most successful model at the time.

The Coronet originally appeared in three trim levels: Deluxe, 440 and 500; with the R/T arriving later in 1967.

There was also the A990, essentially a bare-bones factory-competition car for serious drag nuts.

This 1965 Coronet here is the fully-loaded 500 however, but draws much inspiration from the A990, and 60s funny cars such as Californian drag racing pioneer, Dick Landy.

Wildly enough, Dick Landy has his hands in this very Coronet as our sister-mag Street Machine features in their February 2019 issue: "It was love at first sight. It was on the back of a trailer not running: a ’65 two-door Dodge Coronet pillarless coupe, my favourite two-door Mopar inspired by the original Dick Landy altered-wheelbase Dodge," he recalls. "I said to the guy selling it: ‘I’d love to put a Hemi in it like Dick Landy’s.’ He said: ‘I know Dick Landy; if you buy the car I’ll take you around to meet him.’"

Dick ‘Dandy’ Landy indeed eventually built and prepared the driveline in this car. Built atop a 1^st-generation iron block 426 Hemi, the motor boasts an extensive and impressive parts list. The donk is draped by a rust-free and exceptionally straight body that the current owner stripped back to bare metal. The original odometer reads just 34,582 miles.

This ‘beaut is Hemi and Californian drag racing history, built to honour the time-warp 60s it was inspired by.

It’s a top-dollar build that would cornerstone any Mopar collection.

The car is based in Queensland, and is listed for $125,000.

You can check out the full listing here!

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