NO RESERVE '67 Hemi Coronet R/T Convertible ONE OF A KIND!

OVERVIEW

Every car ad you read claims "one-of-one" but, like any other desirable identifier in the car world, "one-of-one" has been co-opted by marketeers to describe cars that are anything but. They may make the claim based on some obscure reason- the only one with orange stitching on the seatbelts with blue interior, perhaps. When we talk about this 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible, we mean it is THE ONLY ONE sold new in the U.S. in this drivetrain combination. "Go find another one" would send you on a never-ending wild goose chase.

The current owner first saw this '67 Dodge Coronet R/T HEMI Convertible in 1971 while walking through his high school parking lot. He followed it for the next 12 years before finally becoming its fourth owner...and in 2015 its eighth owner. One thing is for certain, when you are looking for a collectible HEMI to add to your stable- two things are most important, knowing the history of the car and overall rarity. Any significant "one-of-one" claim can command big dollars compared to higher production cousins. They built 11 '71 Hemi Cuda Convertibles and now each one of them are worth millions- even those with mysterious past. Only three Dodge Coronet R/T Convertibles destined for the U.S. market were fitted with the almighty HEMI in 1967 and only ONE was equipped with the race winning 727 Torque flight. This is that car. And no, he didn't know that all those years chasing this beauty either!

It spent the early years of its life as a show car on the World of Wheels circuit, wearing a custom coat green metal flake and blazing red flames. When it wasn't playing "show pony", it was tearing up the Atco Dragway. It's factory 426 beefed up with 12.5:1 pistons, headers, big cam, and the rest of the usual quarter mile mods. Ironically, this is part of the reason that the car survived so well. Trailer Queen and Drag Race duty spared it from the ravages of rain, snow, and salt that ate most other Mopars of the era.

By 1983, the current owner brought the car back to factory specifications, returning it to the factory correct shade of W Code White. If you look closely at the original floor pans, you can still some of that garish green paint that the car wore for most of the '70's and early '80's. The interior is still largely original to this day. She is all original sheet metal, original interior, factory correct engine bay and undercarriage inspected and confirmed by Dave Wise.

The car is restored as factory stock with the sole exception of the rear-end, which is an era correct Dana 60. The interior is virtually all original, the gauge cluster being recently mechanically restored. All the sheet metal is original, repainted in the original factory color back in the 1980's. The paint is still in very good condition. The engine bay has been cleaned and detailed, appears factory stock. The engine itself is a date code appropriate HEMI block. Engines were not VIN stamped in 1967.

INTERIOR

The interior is in very good to excellent condition, patina consistent with unrestored original trim. The gauges were recently mechanically restored by Instrument Specialties, INC. All gauges, lights, and accessories are in working order. There are no significant rips, tears, or blemishes to note. The car has been used as a show car/collector piece for nearly it's entire life and that is evident by the quality of the interior condition.

ENGINE BAY

Engine bay is stock appearing, clean, and neat. The engine starts and runs as factory intended. The engine itself was recently services and tuned, the gas tank and exhaust system replaced at the same time. Everything works, including heat and the power steering. There are no signs of leaking or weeping anywhere in the engine bay. The engine itself is date code appropriate to the era of the car, but not likely original. They did not VIN stamp drivetrain components in 1967. This engine assembly was cast, and short block assembled before the scheduled production date of the car, but final assembly dates are about one month after. The current owner states that the original motor was not in the car when he first purchased it in 1983 and that this motor is the one, he originally rebuilt when he restored the car in the mid-1980's. The transmission is date code correct and believed to be original to the car, also rebuilt when he restored the car during his first tenure of ownership.

EXTERIOR

The exterior sheet metal is original to the car. The stainless and chrome are in excellent condition. The keen observer will note the 500-spec grill, blacked out, as opposed to the bright look of the R/T. It was replaced with factory original OEM parts in the late 1970's by the second owner when the car was being prepared for World of Wheels show circuit duty. The convertible top is fully operational and looks nearly new. There is a small rip in the top, near one of the support bows, less than an inch long that can be repaired. The car was repainted back to its factory W Code white in single stage back in the 1980's by the current owner and remains in very good to excellent condition, worthy of regional and national invitational shows. All the side, rear, and front lights and bezels are in likewise in very good to excellent condition.

CHASSIS

The undercarriage is unrestored and yet, in well-kept condition. The floorboards are rust free and very clean. There is no evidence of surface rust, rust through, or collision or rust repair. The floor pans and trunk are original to the car. The R/T is fitted with a new Accurate Exhaust OE specification system and factory spec gas tank.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Thanks to the engineering genius of Tom Hoover and the Ramchargers, 1964 saw the return of a champion to the NASCAR circuit thanks to Richard Petty and the 426 HEMI engine. By 1967, Chrysler was well underway with selling the Elephant powered street cars to an unprepared public. One of the most spectacular versions of a HEMI powered Mopar was their Plymouth and Dodge "B" bodies, still a true midsize vehicle they were smaller and lighter than their GM and Ford counterparts. The GTX and Coronet R/T convertibles were lethal weapons compared to the larger-for-1967 Pontiac GTO and others. The HEMI option was unprecedented both by the cost of an engine option, adding nearly 30% to the final cost, and the sheer power available to the public without a racing license. A person's pocketbook and constitution were the only two things that kept HEMI convertible production numbers low, not unlike the modern-day HELLCAT Charger. This ultra-rare 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible was the platform twin to the Plymouth GTX convertible. Freshly serviced and road ready, the original "Hellcat" awaits. OFFERED AT NO RESERVE. So bid your limit and plan to own it. The car is for sale locally and I reserve the terminate this auction at anytime. Questions? Call 847-665-8448