1958 Dodge Coronet Convertible

This 1958 Dodge Coronet Super D-500 Convertible was offered for sale at the 2007 Sports and Classic Car Auction presented by The Worldwide Group, in Hilton Head Island, SC where it was estimated to sell for $125,000 - $175,000. It was offered without reserve, which was a rather daring move considering the value of the vehicle. This car is outfitted with the Super D-500 V8 engine that displaces 361 cubic-inches and produces 325 horsepower. There is a torque flight automatic transmission and four-wheel power drum brakes.

Virgil Exner's design influences were prominent in Chrysler Corporation vehicles during the mid-1950s, as evident by the finned cars that took the market by storm. The Chrysler C300 was created to satisfy NASCAR homologation purposes, and variations of this masterpiece would continue for more than ten years.

At the Dodge and DeSoto marques, only slight changes were on the horizon. The Adventurer was given a dual quad setup similar to the C300 and offered superior performance to most other cars on the road. For Dodge, their D-500 was their performance pinnacle that kept its owners smiling a quarter-mile at a time. Above the D-500 was the Super D-500.

The Dodge D-500, Plymouth Fury, and Desoto Adventurer were introduced in 1956 with the D-500 being the rarest. These super performance machines were not 'add ons' or dealer options, but a model in all respects. The D-500 was given a heavy-duty suspension, larger exhaust system, larger and lighter brakes, limited paint colors and schemes, special high-performance engine, and more. The result was astonishing, as the 1956 D-500 set or broke a total of 306 race records.

The Dodge D-500 was introduced on December 22nd of 1955 and offered as a two-door hardtop and later a convertible. The Coronet Convertible body style was offered in 1956 and 1957. In modern times, only one example is known to exist.

The 'Super' D-500 Dodge was introduced in 1958 and brought with it more horsepower thanks to the factory dual quads, higher compression ratio, hotter factory cams, larger bore, and many other upgrades. The braking and suspension were also given additional attention. The engine was offered exclusively on the Super D-500.

Only a few buyer's selected the 'Super D-500' option, meaning only a few remain in existence in modern time. The Chrysler 300D outsold the Super D-500 by at least four-to-one. Today, there are only 11 examples of the 1958 Dodge Super D-500 known to exist.

This example is a numbers matching, factory-built Dodge Super D-500 Coronet Convertible. It is equipped with the original engine and transmission and is one of the most significant Dodge in the post-war era. It has been treated to a cosmetic restoration which is still in excellent condition.

At auction the lot was sold, surpassing the estimated value, and selling for $220,000 including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2007