Muscle cars are so easy to fake or alter that an entire industry is devoted to authenticating them. For Chrysler products, Galen Govier is the man, a decoding expert who can determine whether a Mopar was born with the desirable performance gear that it now possesses.
The Pick of the Day is a no-holds-barred 1967 Dodge Cornet R/T hardtop with a 440 Magnum V8 and four-speed manual transmission that is apparently original and shows just 52,338 miles on its odometer. The big-block engine is rated at 375 horsepower.
The seller, a dealer in Scipio, Indiana, advertising the Dodge on ClassicCars.com, says it has been inspected by Govier, who determined that it is, indeed, the real deal. The only question was whether the trans is original – it has an earlier date code – although the original window sticker shows it came with a four speed.
So the transmission might have been sitting on the shelf at the factory for a while before this car came down the assembly line. Who knows?
Whatever the case, the seller notes that a Coronet R/T 440 with a factory four speed is a rare find.
“When I was a young fellow I always wanted one of these cars with a four speed when my Dad had a Chrysler Dodge Plymouth dealership,” the seller says. “But one problem was that I didn’t get my driver’s license till 1972, and they only made 1,355 with four speeds. So they were hard to find and now they are even harder to find that are (REAL) like this one.”
The Coronet looks to be in gorgeous condition, with lots of photos showing its solid undercarriage with just a few small blisters on its second paint job in its original color. The original interior, including the seat belts, looks terrific, and the seller says all the gauges, lights, horn and turn signals are in working order.
The only noted changes from original are a replacement Mopar factory wood-rimmed steering wheel and custom wheels with modern tires, although the seller says the original hubcaps come with the car. The mufflers and tailpipes were recently replaced, according to the ad.
This Coronet should please any Mopar muscle fan, with an asking price of $39,500.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day
i had a dodge 500 383/4spd.
would like to know if you would come down on that price.
Sorry, that car has been sold