1968 Mr. Norm’s Coronet Convertible*

This ’68 Coronet started out as a 500 model with a 383 2-Bbl.  The Dodge was fairly solid, needing just floors and quarters.  I was looking for a little more in this classic looking car, so a few changes were made.

The biggest deviation from factory is under the hood. In place of the venerable (and sometimes cantankerous) iron dual quad 426 Hemi, resides a 500-inch World Products all aluminum single-quad Hemi that sets in with Schumacher mounts. This engine, along with 426 and 576-inch versions are built on special order  by Bill Mitchell. Optional dual quads can be had, but the single four makes life a lot easier, tuningwise. All engines run on 93 octane. The dyno sheet that came with the Hemi shows 558 HP@ 5700 RPM and 576 lb./ft. of torque at 4200.

The stock shifter instructs a 727 which then sends the ponies back to a 3.23 rear. ‘Course, back in ’68, you couldn’t get air conditioning with a Hemi.  But how can you go through a late-life crisis without you’re A/C? You can’t, unless you’re having just a pseudo crisis. Bouchillon Performance was dialed up to supply one of their A/C units complete with compressor, brackets and pulleys. Vintage Air coughed up the interior A/C hardware. I couldn’t have been happier.  But as much as I like to go, I also like to stop, so I upped the stock binders with a set of 4-wheel disc brakes.

This was a beautiful classic looking driver that had plenty of room for passengers.

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