TristateNeons

1956 Dodge Coronet D-500


























The D-500 was Dodge's ultra-high performance model of the time, and the '56 model broke 306 standing speed records. It had an 354cid, 276 hp (underrated) Hemi, larger brakes, and heavy duty suspension and drivetrain components lifted from the New Yorker and Imperial


I helped lower the body on this car last winter, so I've been really hyped seeing its progress. With the exception of a '90s Dodge truck, every vehicle this guy owns has a Hemi, I think he has 5 or 6 cars total. His son is also in the process of building an old '70s Warlock truck with a Hemi in it too. Sorry the pics are so small, they're just what my Dad sent me.

As a follow-up, I was there this past weekend where I got the full tour (which supposedly few get). In addition to this car he also has an orange '69 Super Bee Hemi auto, a red '66 Belevdere Hemi 4-speed, and a black on black with black vinyl top '70 Challenger Hemi auto, all in amazing restored condition. Rediculously impressive collection, and spread out in two humble garages next to eachother. The guy actually bought the house next door to him so he could rent the house out and keep the garage for himself lol

f'in gorgeous.... you shoulda had him pull all the cars out and take pics of all of them together! lol

Nah there was snow on the ground that day, they weren't going anywhere. Besides the garages are on an alley, nowhere to really pull 'em.

Not much progress on the D-500 since those pics. He's slowly getting upholstery back, and he's got the glass in and more of the trim on it. The amount of trim on that car is unreal, chrome, stainless, gold plated stainless, brass... there is supposedly less than 10 plastic parts on the entire car. He's also making his own reproduction of the trunk liner out of the correct type of coated cardboard material (with sewn on binding) riveted together like stock.

The guy is almost 70, friendly as can be. He's been in the same garage over 30 years so there a lot of interesting stuff all over.