1965 Dodge Coronet

500 A/FX Coupe

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Gasoline

This 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 was modified and rebuilt in the tradition of The Ramchargers, a group of factory built cars in the mid-1960s by Chrysler, in an attempt to raise the bar of drag racing. They were labeled as altered wheel base A/Factory Experimentals (A/FX), and from their unique appearance became the first "funny car." To improve traction and weight distribution the front and rear axles were moved several inches toward the front. Only in racing action a few years before the models evolved, these frontrunners of modern drag racing are still alive in spirit in this custom built born-to-drag Mopar muscle car. Under the hood of this beast is a 1966 Dodge 452 ci big block with Brodix B-1 McDowell Aluminum heads, Edel Brock Cross-Ram STR 14 intake manifold, a Mopar .590 lift cam with roller tip rockers, and forged crank rods and pistons with a 14.5:1 compression ratio. It’s balanced and has Doug’s Fenderwall Headers with two inch primaries and an ATI Super Damper. It’s equipped with a 727 3-speed with Cheetah reverse-pattern manual shift kit and 4000 stall converter, 8 3/4” rear with 4:10 Richmond gears, and super-stock springs with pinion snubber and traction bars, and puts out 650 horsepower. Complete with fiberglass front fenders, doors, hood, deck lid and bumpers, Lexan windows and ten point roll cage, speed is its priority, but with character in mind with its period correct details like it’s beautiful blue and white paint job and name of “HANG ‘EM HIGH” in honor of it’s four-foot high wheelies. This car was raced in the Nostalgia Super-Stock class for two seasons, reaching up to 128 mph in 10.31 seconds in the quarter mile, with hopes of reaching the 9’s, but the owner’s untimely passing marked the end of the chapter for the time being. It’s potential has yet to be reached. Many A/FXers are meant for the show room and never to be raced or tested. “HANG ‘EM HIGH” does shine beautifully under the lights, but it’s true domain is the drag strip. Among the small but distinct class of period-correct A/FXers, this is among the few that are raced, and one of the fastest in the world. For serious inquiries please contact Ben Obenchain at 717-380-2333. More pictures available upon request.