1970 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T: 1 of 4 And Up For Auction

By Dave Ashton

Engine: 426CI. V8 Hemi/425 HP
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Color: F8 Dark Green Metallic

As far as muscle car rarities go, this 1970 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T is up there with the best. Coming up for auction at Mecum, May 12-17, this example is one of 13 Hemi Coronet R/T’s produced in 1970 and only one of four with a hardtop and four speed manual transmission.

The Coronet was first released in 1949 as a full-sized vehicle, eventually transforming into the muscle car we know today in 1968. The 1970 model removed the flat looking front end, to be replaced by a dual oval grille, known as ‘bumble bee wings.’ But, it didn’t exactly help sales, especially with 1970 being such a hot year for classic muscle car production.

Poor sales equal future rarities, which we have in this case, originally a California car having 426 cubic-inch Hemi V8 going to a 9¾ inch Dana 60 rear end, which was restored and re-built by renowned drag racer Dick Landy in 2000. The engine was given a complete overhaul with a freshly bored engine block, new valve guides, balanced connecting rods, high-performance valves and Magnafluxing and micro-polishing of the crankshaft. The rest of the car was treated to all factory or NOS parts in 2014. Additional engine items include a Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetor, dual-plane aluminum intake manifold, Black crinkle-finish valve covers. All resulting in the 3,400-pound of mass hitting 60 mph in 5.3 seconds.

The exterior of the car comes in F8 Dark Green Metallic paint, with a black vinyl interior, Hurst Pistol-Grip shifter and very 1970’s wood rimmed steering wheel. The Coronet tail stripe was deleted on this example, with no center console, but it does have the Tic-Toc-Tach, along with a R22 AM/8-Track tape, tinted glass, Protection group and the Light Group ordered interior lighting in the trunk, glovebox and ashtray.

The Numbers matching car comes with ‘extensive documentation’ which includes the broadcast sheet, receipts, photos of the restoration process and a Chrysler Registry report.

As for how much this Dodge Coronet is worth, a 1 of 14 1970 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T sold for $305,000 back in 2014. Hmmm, that one looks mighty similar I thought and checking out the original Mecum auction listing for the vehicle, it’s the same car(Dick Landy Restoration, 1 of four 4-speeds, Woodgrain steering wheel, V88 transverse stripe delete, Chrysler Registry report). Which means six years later, it will be very interesting to see what the final bid price will come in at.

One things for sure, whoever lands this prize rarity, will not only have a fine example of the breed, but also a vehicle that will steadily increase in value over the years.

Find out more here.

 

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