Summary
- The 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T 426 Hemi is a highly underrated muscle car, with less than 32,000 miles and in pristine condition.
- The car has a touching backstory, as it was originally owned by a friend who passed away, and now it is lovingly looked after by Alan Pedersen.
- The rarity of this particular model, with only 61 units produced and a four-speed manual transmission, makes it a unique survivor and valuable collectible.
Classic muscle cars are as popular as they have ever been, with Ford Mustangs, Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Camaros still selling for big money. One muscle car that gets overlooked however is the Dodge Coronet R/T. YouTuber Lou Costabile was able to get a look at a 1967 Coronet R/T 426 Hemi that is a real survivor. With less than 32,000 miles on the clock, it is virtually brand new, and it is lovingly looked after by Alan Pedersen.
Pedersen shared the car with a friend who sadly passed away around ten years ago, and since then Pedersen has kept the car on the road.
This Dodge Coronet Has A Touching Backstory
1967 Dodge Coronet Hemi 426 R/T Engine Specs
Manufacturer | Chrysler |
Production Years | 1964 - 1971 |
Configuration | Naturally-Aspirated V8 |
Displacement | 7.0-Liter |
Power | 425 hp |
Torque | 490 lb-ft |
Fuel | Gas |
Notable Applications | 1966–1971 Plymouth Satellite, 1970 Monteverdi Hai 450 |
The 1967 Hemi Coronet R/T, with a four-speed manual transmission, has been under the ownership of Pedersen for around ten years. His friend, Nick, who owned the car for 30 years prior to him passing away, left the car to his widow after he died. At the time, Pedersen was looking for a Coronet and had eyed up one in Florida before it turned out his friend's old car was still for sale, safely tucked away in a consignment shop. Following that revelation, Pedersen went to take a look at the car and quite quickly came to the decision that he was going to buy his friend's old car.
Nick was a Mac Tool salesman, and had a T-shirt that proclaimed this, and it was part of his giveaways as well. While tidying up his drawers, Pedersen spotted the shirt as it fell out, and he decided to offer it to Nick’s widow. But she decided that the best thing for the shirt was for it to be with the car. This all happened just a few weeks after he bought the car, and so Pedersen keeps the shirt in the trunk of the car in a special frame. Nick’s wife actually was visiting the area when Pedersen made contact with her about the car.
Upon recognizing that this was Nick’s old friend, the pair went to chat about it and what it meant to her as Nick’s widow. Her sons were sadly not interested in it, but she was happy for Pedersen to buy the car should he so wish after a test drive of the Coronet. While at the consignor with another friend, Pedersen was then told that if he didn’t buy the car, he was nuts. After driving it, he knew he was going to have it and a week or two later it was at his home. After a ride along with Pedersen, his wife was quite happy that her husband had bought the car!
Hemi V8 Power Is Under The Hood Of This Coronet
Muscle Cars That Had The 426 Hemi V8
- 1966–1971 Dodge Charger
- 1966–1971 Jensen Interceptor
- 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
- 1970–1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda
- 1968 Dodge Dart Super Stock
The condition this particular 1976 Dodge Coronet R/T is in is quite remarkable, and the 31,000 or so miles on the clock are all original from when the car was first built. Under the hood, we can see the original stickers still in great condition, while all the paintwork is original as it was from factory. These two facts alone make this a survivors car, one that is incredibly hard to find in its all-original condition.
Powering the Coronet is a big 426 Hemi V8 engine, which is also mated to a four-speed manual transmission. In the YouTube video, Pedersen gives us a good listen to the sounds that the engine makes and it's a sweet sound that this Coronet makes. Revving the Coronet gives us a good old Hemi V8 rumble, and it was the power of the Hemi engine that also drove Pedersen to buy the car. As did the four-speed manual transmission, making this a Coronet for the true gearhead. Its clear that the Coronet has gone to the right man after Nick’s passing.
This particular example of the Hemi Coronet is rare. Hemi examples are rare in general, with 740 examples sold in 1966. However, in 1967, deliveries dwindled to 61 units making this an exceptionally rare example of the Hemi Coronet. This is one of those 61 units, and what makes this rarer is the four-speed manual transmission. Just 28 Hemi Coronets were actually ordered with the manual transmission in 1967. This could be the only example with a black-on-black color combination. The fact it is also untouched and virtually all original makes it a very unique survivor.
The Cornet’s Hemi 426 Is A Powerful Drivetrain
That Hemi 426 V8 engine is one of the most powerful engines made by Chrysler back in the 1960s. The engine was officially rated at 425 hp, with it having a displacement of 7.0-liters. The engine would find its way into various Plymouth and Dodge muscle cars, and the 426 Hemi would become one of the most revered muscle car engines of its time. The Hemi would have a long production cycle, but remarkably, comparatively few machines would have the 426 motor under the hood.
Chrysler would only produce 8,921 vehicles with the Hemi 426 V8, which is roughly just under 1,500 produced per year. This fact alone would drive up the value of this 1967 Coronet R/T. Some of the more common Hemi cars are the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner with 840 produced, and the 1966 Belvedere II which had 531 examples, produced back in the mid-1960s. With just 61 units, this is easily one of the rarest Hemi vehicles produced. Nick and now Pedersen have looked after the car to a high standard during their ownership. Its few years in storage, after Nick passed away, ensured the car was well protected from the elements.
How Much Are 1967 Dodge Coronet R/Ts Worth?
Unsparingly, a car of this rarity and originality is not going to go for cheap. A glance at Classic.com will reveal what some have sold for over the years. One example sold at Hagerty earlier in 2023 for $63,000, while the highest one has sold for is remarkably $200,000. This was for a 1967 Coronet R/T Convertible, with several other examples selling for well above the $150,000 mark. That gives us a rough idea as to the value of this particular example, especially with its incredibly low-mileage and how original this Coronet still is.
Sources: Lou Costabile YouTube Channel, Classic.com