65 coronet console

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

Hey guys... I am new to the awesome world of Mopar and have acquired my second love... 65 coronet 500 - 4 speed/383. The guy I got it from was an awesome dude and gave me a good price on it because I knew he dealt in old cars and he came across this one and let buy it from him. The car needs a paint job (I am stripping paint now) and a new interior. The car came with a console but it looks like someone has been doctoring on it :-( It has a tach (says "SunsuperTach II). I have been doing research and am sure the car had a tach in the console because my dash has a clock in it. I can post pics of the console but I need your help. I don't think this is the original tach and the console is missing the arm rests. I would like to put this back in with the new interior but finding stuff on consoles is very hard to do. Can anyone out there tell me about these "tach in console" units and if the clock in the dash means that for sure the console originally had a tach? I would appreciate any help on this. I am very proud of this car and hope to have it on the road this spring! :headbang:

 

[5.7 hemi]

And here we go....the clock is a factory item, and so is a tach, but very few cars have the original still there, you can get one from classic industries. A wiring harness is also needed, seen a few on ebay before and yeah they are super pricey so is an original tach. Most console equipped cars came with a "decorative" plate to fill the hole. Any 64-65 b body console will interchange, dodge or plymouth, and 64-66 (i think) c body but those are longer, meaning they go to the front of the rear seat.

You mention you need the arm rest padding, I have seen some also on ebay.

Here is a few pics of mine during the resto.

 

[moparsteve636]

You will need the build sheet for the car to find out if it had a tach,that was an option!The clock was also an option. I have some consoles for the 64-65 b-bodies!e/m me with what parts you need!

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

Thanks for the helps guys..... Here are some pictures. moparsteve-I will get a hold of you for parts and 5.7 hemi your console padding looks awesome!

You can see where someone cut the console but doesn't it have to be notched more towards the center? Is there any chrome piece I need to put back on the outer edge after the shifter boot (where someone cut? I am sorry guys... I got this stuff like this and just want to make it right. I have learned so much about this car over the months but this console is getting to me. There is just not a lot of information I can find on it.

 

[moparsteve636]

They really cut that console up!!! It will be easier to replace it than fix.I can fix you up,so be sure to let me know!

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

I know man! It is a shame to cut something up like that that they make no more of. I fall asleep at night thinking the guy didn't know or was just not too sharp. It looked like he tried to convert an automatic over because I have the automatic plate that come with the car. I kept looking at the areas where he sawed on it and kept thinking that it was not factory!

You asked me to e-mail you when I need and I certainly will. For now, I just need to get the engine and paint done because I am borrowing someone's shop. I can do the interior after I get the car back on the road. I got the car for a steal and it is in such good shape that I cannot complain but the original 383 engine and tranny did not come with the car and it came with 440 tail lights. I at least got all of the stainless side pieces, trunk accent pleat and grill. The car came with a 440 cid and a later 883 4 speed.

I am really in need of emblems for the car like the front "DODGE" for the hood and for the trunk. I have a good emblem guy (makes really nice reproductions)that I can share with you if you need one but he does not make these two. Do you know of any emblem guys by chance? I also need a source for rear and front windshield seals. I think it is best to remove the windshields for paint right? The rubber looks good but do you think the windshields need to be removed for paint or can you get by with leaving them in and doing a good taping job? I would rather not take them out if I didn't have to.

Here is a pic of her before I tore her all down for stripping.

 

[stevenfkennedy]

Timely Topic! I'm in the middle of restoring the console for my `65 Coronet 500. As mentioned by others, the console mounted tach was a factory option. A sender unit (also mounted inside the console) is also needed as well as the tach harness. In addition, the dash harness needs to be modified - wires added - to accept the console tach. I have several console tach and sender but none work (even the "NOS" one). But then again, the factory tachs had notoriuosly short lives anyway. There are a lot of companies out there that can convert the tach to electronic. My car also came with a dealer installed dash-mounted Sun Greenline tach, with the HUGE sender unit mounted on the firewall. Boy, the semiconductor/microchip revolution sure changed the way tachs look.

But I had a different question/comment. I just sent the center console lid off to Just Dashes to have the soft pad restored. The one on my car looked just like the photo posted here - soft foam covered with vinyl upholstery. The guys at Just Dash indicated that these cars came from the factory with hard molded and skinned foam pads, just like the armrests. Funny, but I have two console lids with black padding - both are covered in upholstry like the one in this posting. But I also have a lid with a white pad that is hard/skinned like the arm rests. Maybe the only way to repair these old pads was to cover them in vinyl upholstery?
Steve

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

One more question.... (sorry) since this was a 383 4 speed car originally is there a specific gear ratio they would have used for the rear? I need to pick a cam for the 440 stroker going in this and I would like to know the gear ratio without taking the pumpkin apart if the ratio was standard for this set up. Do you know?

 

[5.7 hemi]

Yeah the hard skinned vinyl is correct, but I could not afford to have it sent out and redone the factory way so I went with the vinyl, which matches my factory seats and door panels perfect.

Also on a side note, the center console is now being reproduced, just the body. You'll need to scrounge up all the other pieces. Look on ebay, thats where I saw it.

 

[tommy smith]

i purchased a factory 62-65 looks the exact same as the electrical tach.only mine is cable driven i have a super nice electrical tach complete, all wires there, glass is dirty but the letters are super clean.wires cut several inchs away from tach. i can try it to see if it works. has one wire going under the dash and it is a green one. super nice 1,000.00or some one on b-bodirshas a 70 air grabber hood for 1,000.00 or less. if you can neg. with him for a better price i havn't talked to him. he might pay shipping if he needs money.i don't need the money now.i'f your interested see what you can do on nego. could save money on this deal. e-mail [email protected] or 270-590-0983 thanks tommy

 

[wedgie]

One more question.... (sorry) since this was a 383 4 speed car originally is there a specific gear ratio they would have used for the rear? I need to pick a cam for the 440 stroker going in this and I would like to know the gear ratio without taking the pumpkin apart if the ratio was standard for this set up. Do you know?

Looks like the standard ratio would have been 3.23.
http://www.automobile-catalog.com/auta_details1.php

My '65 Coronet 500 4 speed stroker currently has a 3.23 and 29.5" tires. I am trying to keep the revs down, but I'm really having a low RPM driveability problem. If you are going stroker like I did, you may want to go really, really mild on the cam or give it more gear. I believe that you could duplicate 1970 Cadillac 500CID engine cam specs and have an awesome street setup. Just my $.02 worth.

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

Wedgie.... you are the man! Thank you!! Now the story is that the previous owner added an Eaton posi trac. I guess I am going to have to tear into it and see what I can see on the ring gear as far as a ratio. Maybe the guy already added more gear but seeing the way he hacked up that $500 plus 4 speed console, nothing would surprise me! I would love to see some pics of your car if you have any. What gear would you go with? I told the guy at Comp that I had a 3.73:1 set up (because I guessed) and he recommended a .445 cam but if you get on 440 source, they swear by the .465 Comp Extreme Energy cam. I am going to look up that spec on the Cadillac engine.

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

You are right on that Caddy engine.... that 500 cid engine propelled a 4630 pound car to 60 mph in a little over 7 seconds!!

 

[moparsteve636]

A 3:55 rear gear and a mopar perf.484-284 hyd cam works great for a mild 440 street eng.The console body is not being repopped that I know of! The side cover for the 4spd cover is all that is available.

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

Thanks to all of you guys on this forum! This is my first post and the support for a problem that has really been bugging me was awesome!! I think I am going to check the ring and pinion out to see what ration I have plus it would be a good idea to just check out everything back there anyway.

What kind of gear oil do you guys recommend for the rear? It may have the "Sure Grip" system in there still but I was told it was an Eaton Posi. What can I run for either and do you guys think synthetic is ok? I am going to check her out this weekend I guess.

moparsteve636.... thanks for the advice. Do you think this cam would work well with a stroker (493 kit from Eagle) and stock (ported just a little) 452 heads (for now/on a budget)? As for the console... I may just have to go without it at first. I have a lot more places to put an extra $500 at this point.

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

Also... going to change lube in the ol' 833. Do you guys just use a 40 weight in there?

 

[wedgie]

I use gear lube in my trans.
Attached, you'll find a picture of a correct 4 speed console with tachometer, as well as the console in my car. Note that mine has a vacuum gage (not original) in the console, and the boot is not correct. You will see that the left side of the console has a "bump out" for the 4 speed. That part is available as a repop on ebag. The 4 speed console tops are really pricey. I built one from flat stock which might look OK either painted or woodgrained like some of the full size Chrysler units. It is in no way intended to pass as a factory item, but should work out pretty well until you find an original. If you are interested in it, PM me.

 

[Iroll65coronet4speed]

Wedgie... thanks again! I certainly will. Wow you have the radio and heater delete! Nice!!

I am only about 4 hours drive from Carlisle PA and they always hold a massive Mopar show up there in July (I think) with one hell of a swap meet. Maybe I will find on up there and have the extra cash. PM pics of your car if you can.. I would love to see it. Sounds like your car is going to be very similar to my set up. I like the vacuum gauge being there like that. Your looks really nice.

The trans is not original and although I cannot read the code on the machined plate on the side, I know they did not start putting those plates on until 1968.

I am going to call my buddy at Comp and see if he can give me the specs on the 500 cid caddy cam as well. I will let you know what he tells me. And I think I am going to go with the 3.55 gear like steve636 was talking about.