Description

This Coronet 500 is DY-NO-MITE!

No seriously, sit down, you've got to hear this story.....

It's a beautiful summers day in West Virginia circa 1980. The sun is shining, a slight breeze flows across a cornfield, the birds chirp in the distance........then "BOOM", dynamite charges explode, dirt and rocks go flying through the air. One of those rocks' lands in the cornfield with a loud metallic "BANG". A member of the excavating team clearing the area near the cornfield hears this and decides to investigate what had made such a noise in the endless rows of corn stalks. After a short investigation he stumbles across this very Coronet 500 pictured here left abandoned in the cornfield. The loud metallic noise was from a rock landing on the roof, putting a dent in the passenger side roof pillar. (There are period Polaroid pictures showing this damage with the car) The dashboard showed just over 32,250 miles, and there was Hemi under the hood!
This Coronet 500 was originally sold to a John D. Cook by Elk Way Dodge in Sutton, WV in March of 1967(A high priced Hemi Coronet must have been a hard sell back then). When the car was found in the field, it still had the dealership license plate frame which it retains today. After it was removed from the field it was then sold to a Daniel M. of Knox, PA. Dan owned a repair shop specializing in Mopars and recognized the rarity of a 66' Coronet 500 with a Hemi and auto transmission. He intended to restore the car, but time went on and life took over. Dan then sold the car to finance a business expansion in 1985 to a William Gratowski of Crawford, PA for the grand sum of $300(or that's what the title says, wink wink) with 32,253 miles on the title. Mr. Gratowski stored the car for about 15 years, until starting a bare metal restoration in 2000. The floor pans were replaced along with the front fenders and rear quarters. The damage to the roof was repaired, and the body was coated in a fresh finish of snow-white basecoat/ clearcoat paint. The original interior components including dash, floor console and seats were recovered. During this process the original broadcast sheet was found under the seat springs looking almost pristine and laminated for future posterity. New carpets and a new headliner rounded out the interior refresh. Under the hood, the mighty elephant engine was rebuilt to stock specifications. The engine still retains the original carburetors, intake manifold, and cylinder heads. The block is original, with a casting date of 3-28-66, a build date of 5-20-66, and the production date of the car of 7-14-1966. The transmission is period correct (stamped H2538389), and the driveshaft and rear axle are original to the car. The suspension was gone through, along with replacing body bushings, engine mounts, and other rubber perishables. The car has a trunk full of spare parts and originals parts that were replaced with the restoration. It has had a recent tune up with a Petronix Ignitor II SS ignition kit that improves performance while retaining the stock look. The original steel wheels with option 48 blue streak tires are included with the sale.
This well documented Coronet comes with Certicard, Chrysler Car Record, broadcast sheet, owner's manual, reproduction window sticker, Govier report, copies of original titles, 1966 Coronet sales brochures, along with receipts and photographic records of the restoration process.
This rare Coronet 500 Hemi is one of only 136 426/727 Coronet 500s produced in 1966, and one of only 339 total Hemi equipped Coronet's built that year. The combination of documented history, low original mileage, and excellent restoration quality make this Coronet a collector's dream. Contact Brian at 352-307-1968 and take this dynamite cornfield Hemi Coronet home today!!!
FEES & TAX INFORMATION - We are a licensed dealer in the State of Florida and adhere to all state and federal laws and regulations concerning the sale of a used vehicle. All applicable taxes and fees will be charged accordingly as required by the State of Florida. A fee of $495.00 will be charged to process the vehicle.
Classic Car Quality Disclaimer: We do our best to inspect, drive our vehicles, and note any imperfections in the advertisement and pre-sale. However, due to the nature of classic automobiles we cannot guarantee that every function, electrical or mechanical etc., will work as it should. These components will need upkeep and attention. In addition, often these vehicles can sit for periods of time and once you begin to drive them issues can arise without warning. Please make sure you are comfortable with this before buying a vintage automobile. We did NOT build or restore the vehicle. Vehicles are sold AS-IS, with all faults known/unknown and with no implied warranty. Pre-Purchase inspections are welcome, we describe these vehicles to the best of our knowledge.