Most people take their old cars to the junkyard. That's why there are so many scrapyards packed with desirable classics across the U.S. nowadays. Some people, however, do not part ways with their old rigs and park them in barns or backyards. And some enthusiasts have so many of them that they basically end up with a private junkyard. Like the one you see here.
I know, many people argue that owners who don't plan on restoring their old cars shouldn't hold onto them for decades. Because they will eventually rust out and become way too expensive to revive relative to their market value. And that's a valid point when the cars in question are already too far gone. But you see, no owner is actually planning on letting them sit for a very long time. Life just gets in the way.
Fortunately enough though, some owners do get around to restoring their beloved rigs. And that's exactly what this video is about; most of the classics you see here will get a second chance at life. Sure, some won't become more than just parts donors, but others will be restored to original specifications and find their way back on public roads.
But there's a second reason why I'm showing you this private junkyard walk. This classic car stash made up almost entirely out of Mopars includes a very rare gem. It pops up right at the beginning in the form of a 1970 Dodge Coronet. And before you say "wait a minute, Dodge sold more than 100,000 Coronets in 1970, how can it be rare?," you should know this isn't a run-of-the-mill B-body Mopar.
The hardtop you're looking at is an authentic R/T car, which saw daylight in only 2,319 units in 1970. That's only 2% of total Coronet production for the year. And that number includes every R/T hardtop regardless of engine and transmission, so this B5 Blue beauty is actually much rarer than that.
Now, the owner says it's a 440 car, but fails to mention whether it's a Magnum or a Six Pack. But I'm going to assume the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 that still lives under the hood is a Magnum since it's the more common mill. So if we eliminate the 13 HEMI cars and the 194 Six Pack-equipped Coronets, we end up with 2,112 examples. But we also know this R/T has a Torqueflite automatic, so we can narrow it down even further to just 1,543 units.
If I'd also include the B5 Blue paint, which, by the way, is still original on this car, this Coronet R/T would surely be one of fewer than 150 made like this, but a four-digit production number is good enough for me. Especially since many of these cars are in far worse shape or have been crushed as of 2023. And here's yet another cool thing about this Mopar: the 440 under the hood is a numbers-matching unit.
But is this car worth saving? Well, even though it's been parked for a few decades, it's still in relatively good shape. It's surprisingly clean rust-wise for a vehicle that's been sitting for so long and it appears to be complete. If the frame is also in one piece, it's definitely worth a second chance. As the owner puts it, these cars are never too far gone to restore.
The Coronet R/T is not the only interesting Mopar in this yard, though. He also has a pair of 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury coupes, a 1957 Chrysler Windsor, and a 1964 Dodge 880. The latter is a rather rare and forgotten classic since it's been built for only three years (1962-1965). The stash also includes a 1956 and a 1957 Plymouth Fury, as well as a Studebaker Hawk. Yeah, the last one is not a Mopar, but I like them a lot.
Check them all out in the video below and let me know which one you'd restore if you had unlimited funds. Needless to say, I'd definitely go with the 1970 Coronet R/T.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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