"Gentle Ben" is Back! The rare 1966 Coronet 426 Street Wedge 4-Speed has a new owner

[Elimin8317]

@AngryCylinders I am the new owner of the rare 1966 Coronet 440 with a factory 426 Street Wedge 4-speed "H" VIN. This car was advertised and sold through Grand Spaulding Dodge by Mr. Norm. What makes this car possible on of the rarest mopars is that it was a special order and pulled from the factory assembly line to get a special R&D treatment that included a 426 Street Wedge with a 4-speed. To add icing to its journey when R&D didn't need it anymore, it when to Grand Spaulding Dodge and got the Mr. Norm (Gary) treatment. The facts about this car are now well documented by a build sheet, data card, historical records, original owner's testimony, Galen's registry, the knowledge of Uncle Tony and other Mopar enthusiasts. The whole story can be read in other treads and Uncle Tony has a great narrative. I have put a few more pieces of its history together an may post a summary story in the future.

You can follow what I am doing to it at my YouTube channel @AngryCylinders . I don't want to spoil everything that is getting done but it IS getting a '65 period correct 426. The car is almost all torn down. The new engine is rebuilt and most of the hard parts are located. Still need a Chrome 426 Commando air cleaner for the Carter carb and nice front/rear bumpers. Hope the car will be completed for some Illinois shows in summer!

 

[1967coronet]

Cool car and great story behind it.
Congrats on your purchase.

@AngryCylinders I am the new owner of the rare 1966 Coronet 440 with a factory 426 Street Wedge 4-speed "H" VIN. This car was advertised and sold through Grand Spaulding Dodge by Mr. Norm. What makes this car possible on of the rarest mopars is that it was a special order and pulled from the factory assembly line to get a special R&D treatment that included a 426 Street Wedge with a 4-speed. To add icing to its journey when R&D didn't need it anymore, it when to Grand Spaulding Dodge and got the Mr. Norm (Gary) treatment. The facts about this car are now well documented by a build sheet, data card, historical records, original owner's testimony, Galen's registry, the knowledge of Uncle Tony and other Mopar enthusiasts. The whole story can be read in other treads and Uncle Tony has a great narrative. I have put a few more pieces of its history together an may post a summary story in the future.

You can follow what I am doing to it at my YouTube channel @AngryCylinders . I don't want to spoil everything that is getting done but it IS getting a '65 period correct 426. The car is almost all torn down. The new engine is rebuilt and most of the hard parts are located. Still need a Chrome 426 Commando air cleaner for the Carter carb and nice front/rear bumpers. Hope the car will be completed for some Illinois shows in summer!

View attachment 1598128

 

[Cojohnso1]

Congrats. She certainly qualifies for B-body discussions with this crowd.

A unique (or rare to be more precise.) build and setup to say the least.

 

[ukieone]

Congrats. She certainly qualifies for B-body discussions with this crowd.

A unique (or rare to be more precise.) build and setup to say the least.

no chrome air cleaner.engine looked like 65 383,unsilenced air cleaner.

 

[Elimin8317]

Unique details of this build was the original owner said the 426 was painted orange not turquoise, had chrome valve covers with 426 call outs, chrome air cleaner, Steel wheels with no caps. I am building off that and date coding the block and parts to 64/65 since it was built in late 65 and the parts they would have used would be those. Here is what I am using so far:
Engine Block #22056994 AAQA
Heads #2406516 1964-67
Intake Manifold #2206000 1965
Water Pump Housing #2468007 1964/65
Carberator #4130 Carter AFB 4-speed 1966

 

[Fury 440]

Very nice! Not that it maters, but do you think that the dealer added the chrome valve covers and air cleaner? Also, besides the mechanical, are you going to replace the rear quarters?

 

[Big bill]

What engines in 1966 were orange besides the hemi?

 

[hunt2elk]

Thanks for starting a resto thread so we can all follow along. Did you or the previous owners ever find out when the car was painted purple? It always bothers me when an earlier than 1970 model is painted a high impact color, but with all the history on this one, it is kind of cool.

 

[Belvedere408]

Sweet car, what was te original color? That purple looks terrible on 66-7 B Bodies IMO.

 

[Elimin8317]

Very nice! Not that it maters, but do you think that the dealer added the chrome valve covers and air cleaner? Also, besides the mechanical, are you going to replace the rear quarters?


View attachment 1598318

Yep fixing the quarters

 

[Elimin8317]

Sweet car, what was te original color? That purple looks terrible on 66-7 B Bodies IMO.

Thanks for starting a resto thread so we can all follow along. Did you or the previous owners ever find out when the car was painted purple? It always bothers me when an earlier than 1970 model is painted a high impact color, but with all the history on this one, it is kind of cool.

Born with Dark Poly Blue

 

[Elimin8317]

What engines in 1966 were orange besides the hemi?

Not sure I think all were turquoise except Hemi and now this one

 

[YY1]

Weren't the performance wedge 426 engines orange?

 

[Elimin8317]

Weren't the performance wedge 426 engines orange?

Yes but no wedges for 66 so for 66 only hemi. 383 was still turquoise

 

[Elimin8317]

Looking a bit different these days

 

[YY1]

But the 1965 426W HP engine was orange.

It's logical that a continuation of that engine would also be "HP" orange rather than non- HP turquoise.

 

[Jeff Peterson]

My dad brought 2, 426w new, 1 in ‘64, and again in ‘65, both were turquoise.

 

[YY1]

HP/Max wedge motors?

 

[6t4polara]

ENGINE DECODING

B/RB Engine Block Casting Numbers​

1852 029	413	RB	Truck &1962 Max Performance
2120 529	413	RB	59-65
2205 697	413	RB	59-65 Pass. Veh.
2205 697	426	RB	64 Pass. Veh.
2406 730	426	RB	63-65 Wedge & Max Perf. Wedge
2432 230	426	RB	64-66 Wedge & Max Perf. Wedge
2468 030	413	RB
2468 330	426	RB	64-71 426 Hemi (Stage I & II)
2536 430	440	RB	66-72
2468 130	383	B	59-71 (Full Series)
2658 836	426	RB	Commercial
3614 230	400	B	71-72 (Full Series)
3698 630	400	B	73-78 (Full Series)
3698 830	440	RB	73-78 (Full Series)
4006 530	400	B	76-78 (Full Series)
4006 630	440	RB	78

 

[YY1]