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1966 Coronet project

ShaneG.

Member
Local time
1:19 PM
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
19
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Location
Indiana
About 2 years ago I was going past a neighbors house and noticed another old green car sitting out by his barn. There was already a Duster sitting out there and I stopped in one day and asked about it. Turns out it was a 66 Coronet that had been sitting around their transmission shop for a long time and moved around to different storage places. Apparently the owner wanted a stock transmission rebuilt... blew it up and come dragging the whole car in. Well it had a built 440 and they say a 3800 stall converter. So after building another trans and relocating the springs and doing some work the owner never came back to pay for it. So after waiting for at least 8 years they got a mechanics lien on it and got a clean title for it.
Here's how it sat when I seen it.
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I asked if it was for sale and was told probably they'd get back with me and a week or so later they called and said they wanted to keep the 440 but the car was mine if I wanted it. So for $2k I got the car minus the engine. I found a motorhome 440 in the junkyard later for $350.
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Then after I kept asking about the engine that was in it 2 years later I got it bought for $1k. 030" 440 with 440 source heads and crane 1.6 roller rockers, TRC 850 DP crb and Eldelbrok victor 440 intake. It had aftermarket balancer,pulleys,flexplate.
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Then engine is part now getting the block cleaned with new cam bearing and freeze plugs just because it sat for so long without being ran I figured new rings and bearings were cheaper than trashing something.
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The engine will get put together and put back in so I can try to drive it a little before it goes in the garage for winter then the few rust issues will get fixed. Still needs new interior and paint.
 
That looks great. I see the mice thought so too (always, little bastards).
 
That looks great. I see the mice thought so too (always, little bastards).
Yeah I only found one in the car. It built a nest under the spare. He poked his head out when I lifted the tire up so I snatched the mouse and nest up and he found a new home in the dumpster. Only wires I found chewed were the lights in the console.
I took all the interior out except the drivers seat and left glue traps in it.
 
Good job Shane!!! You have one of the great ones. I would dang near do anything for a 66.:praying:
 
Congratulations, sounds like you got a heck of a deal. What part of Indiana do you live? I live about 20 miles NE of Indy. What’s the story on the Duster, is it still around?
 
sweet

I thought that engine looked pretty serious
 
Congratulations, sounds like you got a heck of a deal. What part of Indiana do you live? I live about 20 miles NE of Indy. What’s the story on the Duster, is it still around?
I think the duster still might be there it was really bad. I don't know if my Coronet spent all it time in Indiana or not. I just dont seem to have enough rust to originally be from here.
I'm roughly 40 minutes East of Indy right off I70
 
sweet

I thought that engine looked pretty serious
The 440 source heads have been reworked with very large valve springs and everything is all port matched. Also has a very large Crower camshaft. I called and gave them the numbers and they said it was a custom grind and they don't have the specs on it. It figures to have just under .600" lift with the 1.6 rockets. It had Hughes racing intake gaskets too. I thought maybe it was a cam grind they use. With my heads and pistons it looks to have around 11.5to1 cr.
 
you just might have stole 10K or more of engine for 1K
 
you just might have stole 10K or more of engine for 1K
I imagine there was a bit spent on it for sure. Wish I knew if it was built by the owner or if if was a top end kit or a purchased engine. i kind of doubt the owner of the car ordered a custom ground camshaft.
 
Nice one you have there. Good luck with your project.
 
Well I got the engine back together and dropped back in the car. Drove it about 50 miles so far. Ended up with a new radiator and electric fan setup. Had a few gremlins show up...fried wires from aftermarket ammeter which got bypassed. Crappy 2 piece valley pan has a leak that needs fixed.
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Video of it running before I swapped out the radiator....which looks like it was from a truck and the crappy little plastic fan that was on it. I also got rid of the mile long plug wires.
 
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