A 1969 Dodge Coronet R/T equipped with the 426 Hemi and an automatic transmission will cross the block at Mecum’s Nashville auction on September 26, 2026. Dodge built only 39 hardtops with this engine and transmission combination, making the car one of the rarest Coronet configurations of its era and explaining the strong focus on its factory-correct specification.
1969 Dodge Coronet R/T heads to auction with matching-numbers Hemi and rare W23 wheels
The 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8, equivalent to 7.0 liters, produced a factory-rated 425 hp. Both the engine and TorqueFlite 727 automatic transmission retain their matching numbers and underwent a full rebuild during what Mecum describes as a museum-quality restoration. The work also covered the rear axle, suspension and braking system, while the car received a new exhaust system.
The restoration returned the body to its original Y2 Sunfire Yellow after completely stripping the previous paint. A black interior with bucket seats and a center console provides the contrast inside. The restoration team also rebuilt and recalibrated the Rallye instrument cluster, retaining the 150-mph speedometer and distinctive Tic-Toc Tach, which combines the tachometer and clock in a single unit.
A Ramcharger hood directs fresh air toward the massive V8, completing a specification designed around the highest performance Dodge offered at the time.
The sale also includes a rare original set of Kelsey Hayes wheels identified by the W23 code, paired with Firestone Redline F70-15 tires. Chrysler once subjected these cast-aluminum wheels to a technical campaign after discovering improper heat treatment in the centers, which could allow the lug nuts to loosen.
Dealers had to remove the wheels before delivery, and many original sets disappeared as a result. Genuine W23 wheels have therefore become much harder to find than reproductions, making the original set included with this Coronet especially significant.
The car’s provenance includes its original broadcast sheet and fender tag, along with a Chrysler Registry report, restoration documentation and an inspection by Mopar specialist Dave Wise. Mecum has not published a pre-auction estimate, so it remains impossible to predict whether the final result will exceed the $165,000 benchmark cited for another non-convertible 1969 Coronet.
The rarity of the automatic transmission represents only one part of the expected value. Matching-numbers mechanical components, original factory documentation and authentic W23 wheels give bidders a chance to evaluate a car that already includes several of the hardest period-correct parts to source.
