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What Are The Best Features Of 1967 Dodge Coronet W023?

Built specifically for racing, just 55 units of the 1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 were produced.

The Coronet has a total of eight generations (from 1949 to 1980). Yet, some particular models in the line are very rare, and one of them is the 1967 Dodge Coronet W023. Dodge built the 1967 WO23 Hemi Coronets specifically for the Stock class competition. Just 55 units of the vehicle were produced.

Dodge designed the 1967 Dodge Coronet W023 with drag racing in mind. To give you a little background on drag racing, it’s a unique activity that includes two automobiles or motorbikes for a rapid race on a straight course to see who is the fastest.

The engineers didn’t mess around while making the car because under the hood of this menacing muscle car was a hot charging power unit(Hemi 426ci). Its engine is a 7.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 with 443 horsepower and 511 pound-feet of torque, linked to a 3-speed gearbox. It was a rear-wheel-drive car with white paint on all 55 vehicles made.

Warren Barnett, a well-known driver, helped make the car a part of automotive history by winning many races and setting a new record for its class. The Hemi engine wasn’t the only thing that made this car run so well. The car was a lot lighter than other Dodge muscle cars.

The History Of The Dodge Coronet

The first generation of the Coronet came out between 1949 and 1952. It was a full-size car with fewer trim lines than other cars made by the company at the time. The first Dodge Coronet had an oval design that made it look like an egg. It had a 230-cubic-inch flat-head straight-six cylinder engine that produced about 103 horsepower.

Dodge changed the design of the Coronet in 1953. The body was more sleek, but the Red Ram 241-cubic-inch Hemi V8 engine was what made this car stand out from the rest. With the 315-cubic-inch Hemi V8 in 1956, Dodge made the engine even more powerful.

The Coronet took a break from 1959 to 1965; when Dodge came out with the 1965 model, it looked very different from its older siblings. It had a body that looked like a muscle car. One year later, the Coronet came with two different engines, namely the 440-cubic-inch V8 and the 425-cubic-inch V8 engines.

In 1970 Dodge released another Coronet, and it was rarer than the 1967 Dodge Coronet W023. The vehicle’s name is the R/T model, and Dodge released only 2,615 units. The Dodge Coronet R/T features a 440 Magnum V8 engine, which was a powerful engine during that time.

The R/T had a gorgeous design and exceptional performance, but it was not as well-received as earlier Coronet models. Dodge made only 296 convertibles out of 2,615, making the convertible model the rarest in the Coronet range and the world’s rarest muscle vehicle.

The Coronet R/T convertible wasn’t that popular during its debut days in 1970. It became more well-known during the following years, which made it more valuable in the vintage car market. Coronet R/T convertibles can sell for as much as $1.5 million, making them one of the most valuable vintage cars ever made.

The W023’s Design Was Its Best Feature

All the 55 Coronets came with a hardtop body. Part of the reason for choosing this design was to advertise the new 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T. There were 39 models that came with a TorqueFlite powertrain.

The vehicle came with a 7.0L Naturally-Aspirated V8 443 bhp, 511 lb-ft. It’s a front-engined vehicle with rear-wheel drive and a 3-speed transmission. The vehicle weighs around 3,451 lbs.

Some might say that those specs do not come close to the vehicles that are being made right now, but during that time, the specs and features were impressive, especially for a drag racing car.

The Coronet That Warren Barnett Drove

Warren Barnett was one of the lucky ones to drive the Coronet W023. He was a skilled racer, and Dodge offered him the option of a four-speed or automatic gearbox to go with the strong Hemi. Warren chose a manual as a change of pace, despite having plenty of expertise with the latter.

The Dodge’s chassis number was 200190, and it was built on February 12, 1967, at the Lynch Road facility in Hamtramck, Michigan. The designers removed the car’s heater, radio, and any sound dampening material. They also replaced complete carpeting with rubber floor mats, and they fitted the most basic clothing/vinyl bench seat. The battery was relocated to the right side of the trunk, and the designers added simple stamped steel wheels and hubcaps.

The Coronet had a large hood scoop that came together with the twin four barrels, and a sheet metal pan that directed unfiltered air. The car came with standard-grade 10-inch front and rear brake drums, which were really important because they saved even more weight. Warren’s four-speed selection necessitated the installation of a Dana 60 934 rear axle with a 4.88:1 ratio gear.

Warren regretted choosing a four-speed transmission since it was difficult to maintain consistency between passes; yet, this did not stop him from making advances. Warren Barnett won a few point races throughout the year and races at Bristol, Tennessee, Indianapolis, and the 1967 World Finals at Tulsa International Raceway in Oklahoma.

Barnett switched to a new Hemi Barracuda as his main car in early 1968. He sold his Coronet in September 1969. There were only 283 miles on the 200190 Coronet when it was bought in 1982 by Michael Robbins, whose family operated a Dodge business in Ringgold , Georgia. He tried to rebuild the car while looking for the right parts for the drivetrain. Later, he was able to get his hands on a Hemi engine that came from the Barnett Brothers’ first run.

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