Maintainability of '66 Coronet

[ikeepmychevytoo]

no problem, specs/options are easy. I found a 65 brochure (in French). You're right, still 40 cms longer than my current ride, it's like 80's Seville, DeVille. Many engines... 225, 273, 318, 361, 383 and 426!

http://www.fedrelandsvennen.no/amcar/brochures/mopar/65dodge/65dodge.html

Hmm... "polysphere 318", not fire-dome... I'm always confusing them since I never owned a Chrysler. Now I know some keywords. May be it is easy to convert to a pointless ignition to save the frequent spark-plug changes. Torque-flite indeed seems economy-minded, 1:1 in high range.

 

[Crashbox]

The "FirePower" (Chrysler) and "FireDome" (DeSoto) engines were true hemispherical-head designs. They did produce polyheads earlier in the 1950's but their names escape me. The polyhead could be called a "poor man's Hemi' as it was considered to be just about as good as a hemi-head but less expensive to produce.

Also, from what I understand the latest "HEMI" is in fact very much a polysphere engine in reality, the HEMI name being pure marketing hype.

There's some interchangeability in parts with respect to the small-block 273/318/340 wedge-head engines and the 318 polysphere, the distributor may be one of those. However, the valvetrains are almost totally different and the camshafts- though they'll fit just fine in a poly- will NOT work as the lobe positioning is very different due to the valve layout, so you MUST use a cam ground for the polyhead.

I could say much more but I'm running out of typing ambition...

 

[CrAlt]

The Poly engine came out in 56. It was called the "A" engine family. There are a few families in mopar land and not much interchanges between them.
"A": 277,301,318
"LA": 273,LA318,340,360
"B":350,383,400
"RB":383RB,413,426W,440
"LG": 170cui slant6
"RG": 198,225cui slantsix.
I think there is a few other odd ball sizes but those are all the come to mind.

IIRC the "LA" and "A" share the same rotating assembly as well as the bolt on stuff like water pump,dist,timing cover,etc. Its the heads and top end that are different. LA and A also share the same transmission bolt pattern so you could put in a newer motor with out issue.

Disk brakes are cheap and easy to put on. All you need for a B-body is the spindles, rotors,calipers and a few other parts off a 73+Disc Abody or any (1976-1989) F,J,M body car.

 

[widman]

I had a 62 Dart 4 door (what became the Coronet when they came out with the compact). Bought it in Jan 65 from a little old lady with 3,000 miles on it and sold it in June of 66 with 60,000 miles on it, most of them between 70 and 130 mph crossing the US back and forth to school. Very nice handling.

My father bought a 65 Coronet new. First week the battery went, second week the transmission, third week the left front suspension. (the start of a 135,000 car recall). Then he (and I) drove it for 12 years without more than oil changes and spark plugs.

 

[addyguy]

Nice car, the one you are looking at. Don't see them in that kind of shape up north very often....