It’s not every day you come across a station wagon that’s “ready to be taken to any drag strip.”
In my opinion, wagons are one of the most practical vehicle configurations possible, and honestly, I really enjoy the styling of most wagons. It’s a shame that in today’s market, crossover SUVs have mostly replaced wagons, and while that’s another tangent for another day, you’d be hard pressed to transform a crossover into something as radical as this 1966 Dodge Coronet Deluxe Station Wagon.
Vintage Motorcars in Madison, Wisconsin offers this wicked wagon for sale, immediately noting in the first sentence of the advertisement that “this car is ready to be taken to any drag strip and will surely be a head turner and surprise everyone watching.”
Despite a heavy focus on horsepower with this Coronet, both the interior and exterior are in excellent shape. The interior is completely original (spare for replaced carpeting), and though there are are a few small imperfections on the outside, this car is mostly stored indoors and never sees rain. Additionally, the undercarriage is rust free, and most removable parts received powdercoating.
Now, of course, anyone reading this article wants to know more about the drag-ready drivetrain. This wagon features a 415 cubic-inch stroker V8 engine from Indy Performance, which makes 539 horsepower and 527 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine pairs to an automatic transmission with a stall, a reverse manual valve body, and a column shifter. There also various upgrades to the fuel system from Holley, MSD ignition parts, a custom aluminum radiator, a new gas tank and more.
The suspension and braking of this wagon also receive upgrades, such as front disc brakes, new front end components, mono-leaf rear suspension, and various powdercoated items. Lastly, this wagon features a Dana 60 rear end with a 4.10 ratio, Strange axles, and a staggered set of Cragar SS wheels and Mickey Thompson tires.