From behind, what is evident was the use of brightwork on the rear panel (three pieces of cast metal – the center section and the taillight housings) as well as the V-shape of the hardtop roof line. To keep the structural integrity, coupes were used for the SS program. The rear is the standard 8.75 banjo with 3.55 SureGrip gearing.
As far as can be told, the 426-S was only available as an option in two-door hardtop and convertible models (read Coronet 500 and Plymouth Belvedere III), but this has not been verified.
When Motor Trend tested a 426-S Coronet in their June 1965 issue, they stated “…it could easily support the title of ‘Super/Sleeper of the Year’ – there is no external indication that it’s anything special. Only when you put your foot in it does the truth come out. It is one of the hottest, most exciting machines we’ve tested this season.”
The car shown here may be the best surviving example of the breed. Owner Gary Arvanigian of Massachusetts purchased the car in 2001 from a private Massachusetts collector who had owned it for over 20 years; it had not been seen in public except at two local shows before appearing among the invited cars at the 2007 Forge Invitational Musclecar Show. Painted a light shade of brown, the machine shows just under 25,000 miles on the odometer; only standard maintenance has ever been done to it. The paint is original. All that trim and the gorgeous interior are original, too. One thing is different - the addition of a set of spoked 15” American Racing rims with radial tires (235 front and 285 rear) makes it look period correct as opposed to grandma’s car.
It was sold new with a dealer list price of $3576.40 at Stanley Dodge-Simca Inc in National City, California, but the rest of the story prior to Gary’s purchase is not known. As optioned, this car got the code 80 426-S package (discounted at 502.80), the AM/FM radio (a rare option in any car in 1965), tinted glass, better whitewall rayon tires, bumper guards, electric clock tach, and the auxiliary light package.
The Dodge script in the rear panel is done a gold finish; finding parts like these in good shape can be hard. None of this stuff has even been off of this car…
The Hemi was the infamous car in 1965 for Chrysler; the 426S cars are actually way under the radar, though their collector value has skyrocketed since all Hemi Mopars are still in the stratosphere. Those racecars may have gotten the accolades, but there may have been a few wise guys in National City, California who have found out the hard way that the street wedge was also a player in the middle of the decade that the musclecar was born.