68 Coronet 500 ragtop

[Propwash]

Hey Folks,

Greenhorn here. Looks like a nice site. Been a mopar guy ever scince I was knee high thanks to my dad. A Black 69 Roadrunner stuffed with a Hemi rattling every window in our house on a cold wisconsin winter day is something every kid should wake up to. Year round car back then.

Got a mopar of my own now. 1968 Dodge Coronet 500 vert. Had it half my life now. I suppose I'm only 31 but for 16 years it's lasted longer then any relationship i've had.

When I bought it, I drove home sitting on a milk crate, steering with a vise grip and using a 8ft chunk of speaker wire tied to the throttle arm on the carb for my accelerator. The gas tank consisted of a folgers coffee can tie straped to the radiator wall with a hose running to the fuel pump. The top was a permenant sunroof which shed half it's skin like a lizard by the time I got her home. It was a good thing the valve guide seals and piston rings were so shot in the engine. It provided the perfect smoke screen to help me elude the cops (so I thought), seeing I had no license, no plates and no registration. You know you have a bunch of work to do when you pop the trunk and you see your feet. Oh yeah, and when I pulled the two little knobs under the dash that say "vent" the car turned into the Great Plains Dust Bowl. I looked like PigPen from the Peanuts after that one. I think my eyes are still watering.

I could go on and on but this would turn into a Barnes & Noble back shelf special before too long. Anyway, I look forward to talking with you folks and thanks for the site.

 

[69 Runner]

Welcome. Sounds like a dangerous drive

 

[daredevil]

Youre so funny. Cool story and nice car. welcome

 

[71_deputy]

great looking car- hope mine turns out great like yours!!!!!!

 

[moparstuart]

Wow i bet that was a storied restoration ? Hope to see alot more pictures of that beauty . WELCOME

 

[Pistol Pete]

Nice ride, welcome aboard.

 

[696pack]

That story reminds me of the first Corvette I dragged home when I was 18 years old. I was in the car being towed with a tow strap and nearly NO brakes.

The 1968 500/R/Ts have one of the BEST looking tail panel/tail lights ever made on an automobile.

 

[Suicide_Scott]

do you have a pic with the top dropped?

Sweet ride!

 

[old tired rebel]

BEAUTIFUL and Welcome

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Welcome! Nice car! Funny story:rolling: Where abouts in Wisconny? Just wondering, One cheese head to another.

 

[Propwash]

Thanks for all the compliments and comments guys. Nice to meet you all.
I look forward to talking with you all. I'll work on that pic with the top down.

I have a roadrunner project kicking off this winter when work slows a bit. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions to pic your brains with (doing my own quarters and trunk pan this time).


Alleyoop, located a bit northwest of Appleton. How about you?

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Thanks for all the compliments and comments guys. Nice to meet you all.
I look forward to talking with you all. I'll work on that pic with the top down.

I have a roadrunner project kicking off this winter when work slows a bit. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions to pic your brains with (doing my own quarters and trunk pan this time).


Alleyoop, located a bit northwest of Appleton. How about you?

Hudson, Wisconsin. It's about 20 minuets to the Twin Cities.

 

[iraqivet01]

:yourock:
I know the feeling, (Pig Pen) When I pulled the bumpers off my car, I was covered in the beautiful Oklahoma Red dirt that covered the whole back side of the car.
I hope my Coronet 500 turns out half as nice as your did.

 

[Propwash]

I know exactly where that is Alleyoop. I use to work at a dairy farm by Durand. Real pretty country out there with all the hills. I can't believe how much it has built up out there over the past 10-15 years.

 

[Propwash]

Thanks for the compliment iraqivet01. A little time, patience, love, and moola is all it takes. I hope yours turns out just as you imagine it.

And Thanks for serving! I am a vet myself (USAF). Got out in 2005 after 8 years. Got sick of the sandbox and never seeing my family.
I was a Crew Chief on F-15E's with the 335 Fighter Squadron.

Any questions on your Coronet, please do not hesitate to ask. Spent 3 years restoring mine. Heck, i'll probably be asking you some questions about yours.

Thanks again

 

[moparstuart]

Thanks for all the compliments and comments guys. Nice to meet you all.
I look forward to talking with you all. I'll work on that pic with the top down.

I have a roadrunner project kicking off this winter when work slows a bit. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions to pic your brains with (doing my own quarters and trunk pan this time).


Alleyoop, located a bit northwest of Appleton. How about you?

what year road runner are you starting on ?????

 

[alleyoopmgv]

I know exactly where that is Alleyoop. I use to work at a dairy farm by Durand. Real pretty country out there with all the hills. I can't believe how much it has built up out there over the past 10-15 years.

We go through Durand quite a bit in the summer time when we go to the drag strip (Rock Falls). I've been to Appleton a few times, seems nice around there too.

 

[Propwash]

We go through Durand quite a bit in the summer time when we go to the drag strip (Rock Falls). I've been to Appleton a few times, seems nice around there too.

Appleton is OK. Kind of big for me. I grew up by Rhinelander so the Fox Valley seems a bit overwhelming at times. I would like to live back up there again but it seems the only work around those parts is driving logging trucks or working at the lumber mill. Nothing but forest back home but I sure do miss the peace and quiet. Miss the hunting and fishing as well.

 

[Propwash]

what year road runner are you starting on ?????

I purchased a 1969 Roadrunner a few weeks ago from a guy that works for my company up in Duluth, Minnesota. It is a factory 2 dr hardtop with a 383
4 speed with black on black. It also has a black vinyl top so i don't know if that paint scheme is original (just seems like a lot of black). The original motor is long gone but I have a couple 383's hanging out in my garage. A 1968 and a 1969. My plans are to stroke out one of those 383's to a 496 and dump it in.

The car needs trunk pans, extention panels, quarters, outer wheel houses, some lower fender work, interior redone and obvious drivetrain work. Not too bad for $2500. Him and his wife just had their second child so he needed the lute.

I plan on picking it up the friday after thanksgiving hopefully if too much snow isn't flying around yet. I'll post you guys some picks as soon as I get it home on the trailer.

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Appleton is OK. Kind of big for me. I grew up by Rhinelander so the Fox Valley seems a bit overwhelming at times. I would like to live back up there again but it seems the only work around those parts is driving logging trucks or working at the lumber mill. Nothing but forest back home but I sure do miss the peace and quiet. Miss the hunting and fishing as well.

I hear that. We got a place up north on a lake for the hunting and fishing.