Automakers revive nameplates all the time after a lull. Buick reintroduced the Skylark in 1975 after a break of two model years. Ford revived the Crown Victora as a trim level for the LTD after previously appearing as a fancy 1956 Fairlane. Our Pick of the Day is a revived Dodge name that took a six-year respite: Coronet. This 1965 Dodge Coronet 440 two-seat wagon is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a seller in Pittsburgh.
The Coronet first appeared in 1949, at the top of Dodge’s first all-new postwar cars. But what seems to be endemic in the industry, the Coronet was pushed down a notch when the 1954 Royal was introduced. The following year, Dodge introduced the Custom Royal, pushing Coronet to the bottom. This would be the case through 1959 as, in 1960, Dodge introduced a low-line Dart series and a larger series that included Matador and Polara.
When Dodge introduced its mid-size series for 1965, it applied the Coronet name. There were four Coronet trim levels in total: Coronet, Coronet Deluxe, Coronet 440, and Coronet 500. The former three came standard with the 225ci “Slant Six;” optional for those and standard for the buckets-and-console Coronet 500 was a 273ci V8. All Coronet models could be ordered with a 318 “Poly,” 361 big-block, 383 four-barrel, or 365-horsepower 426 “Street Wedge.” An additional 101 “A990” Coronet two-door sedans were built with the 426 Race Hemi.
Coronet sedans sat on a 117-inch wheelbase, while wagons utilized one that was an inch shorter. While 116-17 inches sounds somewhat large for a mid-size vehicle, don’t forget that Dodge downsized its full-size cars in 1962 in a bid of failed intelligence. Both the Dart and Polara used a 116-inch wheelbase, which was three inches shorter than the competition’s. Dodge’s usable interior room was competitive, but the public generally regarded bigger as better, and Dodge’s sales were hurt as a result (though, admittedly, awkward styling may have been a bigger culprit). Dodge rushed to bring a true full-size car, cobbling together a Chrysler Newport with a tweaked 1961 Dodge nose. The new Custom 880 would help fill the gap until the new, full-size C-body appeared for 1965, and the “downsized full-size” B-body became a mid-size Coronet.
This 1965 Dodge Coronet 440 two-seat wagon, one of 8,447 V8s built, is the mid-line offering, hitting the sweet spot between austere and sporty. Is it any wonder that the Coronet 440 was the most popular mid-size Dodge for 1965? Customers overwhelmingly preferred the V8, with this family hauler being powered by the 230-horsepower 318 backed by the trusty TorqueFlite automatic. Note the snazzy two-tone paint scheme of Light Blue (code C) with White (code W) top. Other features include full wheel covers. Inside, you’ll find a matching blue interior with aftermarket cassette radio and not much else. But this is the 440, so it’s far from the most austere offering.
Ever so insightful, the seller says, “This was a family car through and through and brings back many memories of just that, the family grocery running car. Don’t let this piece of history and nostalgia slip by.” That’s truth in advertising! For $18,750, you can have your own revival and develop new memories on the open road with your family.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
