Words & photos: Gary Rosier

Ed Budd of Port Orange, Florida now owns this cool 1965 Dodge Coronet 500, which he is very quick to point out is a “tribute” car, meaning a car built to resemble the Super Stock factory cars of its era.

The Coronet was marketed by Dodge as a full-size car in the 1950’s. 1959 was the Coronet’s last year as Dodge’s entry level vehicle.  From the 1965 to 1975 model years, the name was re-introduced on intermediate-sized models. In 1965, Dodge sold slightly over 209,000 units, making the Coronet the most popular model sold by Dodge that year.

Trim levels initially were a base model, including a deluxe model, the Coronet 440 and top of the line Coronet 500, which this one is. A coronet, by the way, is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring, as per the Chrysler website and early facts guide.

For 1965 only, Dodge sold 101 units of a modified wheelbase version of the base Coronet two-door sedan and 440 hardtop used for NHRA drag racing. (Note: The 440 label has nothing to do with the powerplant that was in the car).

Coronets were manufactured at Chrysler’s Los Angeles assembly plant and at Lynch Road assembly plant in Detroit. Engines offered for 1965 included the base 225 Slant-Six, 273, 318, 361 (the last year for this big block engine was 1966), 383 and 426 in multiple HP choices. Sales brochures list the 413 (its last year offered) as available, but no records exist of this engine – commonly used in Imperials – being installed in Coronets for 1965 as this one has now.

You may want to look it all up, Ed says, but the Ramchargers were a loosely-put-together group of Chrysler Engineers who “off the record” (they worked off the clock and after hours) basically were responsible for the whole MOPAR racing program. These were very early Chrysler engineers; drag racing enthusiasts who wanted to see the Dominant Ford and Chevy racers get beaten on the drag strip by a Chrysler product. As the years went by the Ramchargers, as they became known, incorporated and started modifying their cars to maximize weight distribution and traction to go faster and win more races.

These altered wheelbase vehicles eventually became popularly known as “funny cars” due to their unique wheel spacing. The front and rear axles were moved forward significantly from the stock location, putting the front wheels directly behind the front fender, and the rear wheels almost under where the rear seat would normally go; this alteration transferred weight to the rear tires, increasing traction on launch. From the popular term “funny cars” was born an entire genre of racing vehicles, which exists to this day.

Ed’s car is also equipped with the Dana rear end with 3:89 gears and extra leaf spring added to one side like the Super Stocks had – to help the cars launch and plant the tires better. It features the dual carter 4 barrel – the famous cross-ram (hence “Ramchargers”) manifold, Forged pistons like the factory cars – but also modern roller rockers, and it was bored .30 over during a recent rebuild in 2018, which means it’s now got 426 cubic inches!

Its flawless body and resurrection, if you will, began in Tennessee, traveled through Mecum Auctions in Indy about 2014 and ended up in a garage of his good friend in his hometown of Stoddard, New Hampshire. Always interested in it, Ed was able to purchase the car when the owner informed him he was “thinning out” his collection.

Ed has quite a history of collecting cars, this is his 14th car currently in his “stable”.  Ed has quite a history himself too of Military service (Marines and US Army – 21 years), and its his Martial Arts School in Keene, NH that he has had for over 40 years that he’s very proud of as well which allowed him to pursue his love of the many muscle cars in his collection.

Ed served several tours of duty in Vietnam back to back (’67 through ’69). Very much a proud father and devoted family man, he’s had a great life overall, he says. While there are many other cars in his possession, this is one that certainly stands out as the crown jewel of his collection, tribute car or not! Thank you for your service, Ed, and thanks again for continuing to preserve and share the legacy of such a cool ride!