Introduced in 1949 as a top-of-the-line full-size model, the Dodge Coronet was among the company's first post-WWII designs. The nameplate was relegated to entry-level duty in 1955 and remained in production through 1959. Dodge revived the badge in 1965 as a midsize car to replace the first-generation Polara.
Available in no fewer than six body styles, the intermediate Coronet became Dodge's bread-and-butter vehicle. From 1965 through 1970, the midsize moved more than 1.1 million units. And it outsold its Plymouth twin, the Belvedere, by a ratio of 2.2 to one.
The Coronet also spawned one of the company's most iconic muscle cars. In 1966, the company used the platform to design the Charger. Initially a premium fastback with big power, the Charger morphed into a more common muscle car in 1968. That same year saw the arrival of the Super Bee, a more affordable alternative to the Charger, also based on Coronet bones.
But while the Charger and the Super Bee were marketed as muscle cars exclusively, the Coronet was also available with Chrysler's range-topping big-block V8 engines. Moreover, the Coronet was, in fact, the first Dodge to get the high-performance R/T package. When ordered with this bundle and a two-door body style, the Coronet was as powerful and fast as its stablemates.
But while the Coronet itself was a popular rig that moved more than 150,000 units per year, the R/T version was much rarer. The 1970 model you see here, for instance, is one of only 2,615 Coronets ordered with the R/T package that year. That's only 2.2% of the total production.
But this figure narrows even more if we include the convertible body styles. Limited to the more expensive trim levels, the drop-top wasn't exactly popular at the time. Factory documents indicate that only 1,220 customers went with the retractable soft-top. And only 296 of these rigs were equipped with the R/T package.
But wait, there's more. The 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Magnum V8 (375 horsepower) and the Torqueflite automatic combo was used in 203 examples. This figure is small enough to make this Coronet a classic many of us may never see in the metal.
It's not quite as rare as the Six-Pack and HEMI versions, though. The former found its way into just 16 cars, while the latter powered only three examples. Even so, this Coronet R/T convertible is a fully-fledged collectible that deserves all the attention it can get.
Spotted at an auction event, this Mopar is as spotless as restored classic cars get. Not only is it a true-blue 440 car by VIN, but it also rocks a numbers-matching drivetrain. How much is such a beauty worth? Well, this one failed to sell despite a high bid of $70,000. Check it out in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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