By Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher
Posted: 12.27.2016
The 1969 Dodge Coronet was a sleek and sporty muscle car introduced to the public on Sept. 19, 1968.
The Coronet models were the largest of its class during that time within the automotive industry. The models offered a variety of great features that included a distinctive new grille and tail lights which complemented the flowing styling of the series.
The Dodge Coronet models also offered a great new logo called the “Super Bee” which was a surprise winner within the consumer market, and later it would create a popular trend among many of the young teenage drivers. For the power seekers out there who wanted more engine performance, they had the option to purchase the Super Bee model with a popular 383 Magnum engine as the standard power plant. There also was the Bumble Bee striped Coronet R/T model as well.
The Coronet 440 series was a No. 1 seller among the 1969 Dodge lineup with five models that were available. The models included the two-door coupe, two-door hardtop, four-door sedan, and for families, Dodge offered a two or three-seat, nine-passenger wagon models that were available for the consumer market.
The Super Bee models also offered special body features such as a stylish racing-type fiberglass hood panel, with a functional hood scoop and a great looking six-pack logo which gave the model that high performance racing design.
The models also offered the driver many high performance and high impact exterior colors such as Bright Red, Bright Green, Bright Yellow and the most popular Bright Turquoise Metallic and Copper Metallic along with many other popular colors as well which had become a trend during the early 1970s muscle car era. The models were also manufactured with a vinyl roof along with the Bumble Bee stripes that were available in black or white.
The interior included standard bench seats or with an added cost, the driver could have purchased bucket seats which were available in black or white along with black carpet and panels. The Coronet R/T and Super Bee models came equipped with a rally suspension, and a special handling package, which included HD torsion bars, firm ride shocks and a sway bar and XHD rear springs.
The Coronet Super Bee was easily identifiable by their racing stripes that had wrapped around their tail section of the rear end of the model which most consumers thoroughly had enjoyed.
Collectible Automobile magazine had once stated of the 1969 Coronet, “The car was an instant hit. Dodge performance fans begged dealers for it and by the spring of 1968, they got it.”
The Coronet’s medium-priced model was the series 440 offering five new body styles for the consumer market. The great-looking 440 two-door hardtop models were available with either a Slant Six or the popular V-8 engine. The least expensive of the Dodge Coronet line were the De Luxe coupe models which sold for $2,657, which were also available outfitted with a V-8 engine.
In conclusion, the Chrysler Corporation led the way with muscle car sales in 1969, and Dodge was a big part of that. The Dodge models were some of the best looking designed cars under the direction of the late Elwood P. Engel, who was the vice president of design for Chrysler in the late 1960s. Engel developed some of the best looking cars toward the end of his great career. He retired in 1973.
During the late 1960’s, the muscle car era created a great time in our American culture with many high performances and most importantly great looking cars that will always be a part of our great automotive history and heritage.
