1967 Dodge Coronet WO23: The Rarest Mopar Muscle Car Ever Built
With great power comes great responsibility. There’s one extreme Dodge muscle car that had way too much power to trust drivers with. It would become a liability as you couldn’t trust drivers at the time to use it without putting the pedal to the metal. As a result, only 55 models of this rare Mopar racer were built.
But this monster has collectors searching for it every day as a historic model developed to outrace Ford. The Hemi-powered monster is now considered to be a holy grail find by fans and enthusiasts. However, finding one in good condition is extremely difficult because those who got behind the wheel pushed it to its limits.
This car did exactly what it was supposed to and changed the racing game in the mid-1960s. It dominated the racetrack at the perfect time, before rising regulations choked out power and dreams in the 1970s. Check out why this car was too intense for the streets while destroying rivals without any remorse.
Dodge Needed To Beat Ford
The beef between Detroit’s Big Three continues today as Ford, Stellantis (formerly Chrysler), and Chevrolet still battle for dominance with the top race cars, SUVs, and trucks. But this automotive war has been going on since the birth of vehicles, so it isn’t new. However, things intensified in the 1960s during the peak muscle car era.
In 1966, the Ford Fairlane R-Code was a force to be reckoned with on the track. It was built to dominate the NHRA Super Stock class and did insanely well by securing wins and setting new records. This Ford actually had a controversial win that was deemed illegal, as Ford failed to register a few engine parts with the NHRA.
Meanwhile, the Plymouth Belvedere I Street Hemi was a wolf in sheep’s clothing that no one saw coming. It looked like a practical mid-size family car that hid Hemi power under the hood. This underestimated rival conquered Top Stock Eliminator face-offs. Shirley Shahan was behind the wheel, making drag race history as she won the Winter Nationals with her beloved beast.
But Dodge couldn’t just sit back and watch these cars crush the competition in order to battle Chevrolet’s big-block Nova cars. It was during the ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ era, so Dodge needed to win to both prove its racing grit and to boost sales. The company got to work, building something truly special.
The Factory Muscle Car With The Highest Power-To-Weight Ratio In The ’60s
This lightweight factory muscle car achieved the highest power-to-weight ratio of the ’60s with its revolutionary design.
The 1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 Was Born To Dominate Drag Strips
In 1967, the Dodge Coronet WO23 was created to defeat rivals with blistering drag strip times. The factory lightweight muscle car was engineered to directly dominate the NHRA Super Stock class. Its mission was so serious that the cars were built on Sundays to provide workers with enough time to be patient and avoid making mistakes with this special-order race package.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 426 cubic-inch 7.0-liter Street Hemi V8. It’s rated at 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque, but its output is believed to be much higher. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.9 seconds and crushes a quarter-mile in roughly 13.5 seconds with a top speed of 109 mph.
|
Car |
Engine |
HP |
Torque |
0 to 60 MPH |
|
1966 Ford Fairlane R-Code |
427 CI V8 |
436 |
480 LB-FT |
4.9 seconds |
|
1966 Plymouth Belvedere I Street Hemi |
426 CI V8 |
425 |
490 LB-FT |
5.3 seconds |
|
1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 |
426 CI V8 |
425 |
490 LB-FT |
4.9 seconds |
The 1966 Ford Fairlane R-Code has a 427 cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Side-Oiler V8 engine packing 436 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. It has a 0 to 60 mph time of about 4.9 seconds with a 14.5-second quarter mile time. Then the Plymouth Belvedere I Street Hemi rings in with a 426 cubic-inch (7.0-liter) 90-degree V8 with 425 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. It reaches 60 mph in about 5.3 seconds with a 13.8-second quarter-mile time. Legendary driver Warren Barnett and other racers helped the Coronet WO23 complete its mission of defeating its formidable foes by securing multiple wins and setting class records. This muscle car won the Top Stock class in the 1967 NHRA Spring Nationals, SS/B class, and set records at the US Nationals, Spring Nationals, Blue-Grey Drag Classic, and World Finals.
But The Dodge Coronet WO23 Wasn’t Built To Sell
The 1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 was too aggressive for the streets. Aside from its Pursuit Police suspension paired with a 4.88:1 Sure Grip limited-slip differential and Dana 60 rear axles with manual options, it was stripped down to reduce as much weight as possible. Dodge even paired it with a fiberglass hood with a ram-air hood scoop to remain light and feed that engine fresh air.
This muscle car didn’t have carpet, just rubber mats. It doesn’t have any sound-dampening materials either. Plus, you can forget about creature comforts such as a radio, air conditioning, a front sway bar, heat, weather stripping, power steering, or windshield wipers. So, good luck on a cold and rainy day. But the battery is in the trunk to optimize weight distribution, so that helps.
The Coronet WO23 is equipped with a Prestolite transistorized ignition system, but the Hooker Headers were shipped in the trunk and left up to buyers to install. It also lacked a factory warranty. Only 55 models were made because Dodge simply wanted to meet homologation rules to become eligible for racing competitions.
Attention shifted from the Dodge Coronet WO23 to the more street-friendly Dodge Charger and Coronet R/T, which retained the iconic 426 Hemi engine while providing comfort and convenience features that muscle car fans desired. In comparison, the Coronet WO23 couldn’t cut it as a daily driver.
Only Two Were Made: Dodge’s Rarest Hemi Muscle Car Ever Built
It’s not a Challenger or a Charger. It’s the other Mopar muscle car that got the ball rolling. Today, this unicorn is worth millions.
Snagging A 1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 Comes With Premium Costs
Collectors are after the 1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 because it’s an ultra-rare piece of Mopar racing history. One could argue that it helped pave the way for the R/T models to become a long-lasting staple in the Dodge lineup by showcasing the sort of performance that was just within reach. Don’t forget that it has the iconic 426 Street Hemi V8, which is a highly desirable piece of equipment on its own. Paired with a race-ready package like this makes it absolutely irresistible at auctions.
Like any Hemi car, the 1967 Dodge Coronet WO23 can bring in serious money. While a specific value range is hard to put on them, they tend to fetch anywhere from $135,000 to over $150,000, depending on quality, mileage, and condition. Models that have been professionally restored fetch higher premiums.
Of the 55 models that rolled off the production line, about 39 models have a three-speed 727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission. The other 16 models have an A-864 four-speed manual transmission. It’s an iron-case ‘slick-shifted’ manual with a heavy-duty clutch and Hurst floor shifter. As a result, the manual models are typically worth more.
Finding an original in untouched condition is a real trick, though. They were raced pretty hard on drag strips all across the country. As a result, many suffered from structural stress or blown engines. Some owners modified their rides with roll cages and tubs to the dismay of purists.
Source: Automobile Catalog, Hemmings, Mecum
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