Mike Stroh is the current owner of a 1966 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible that underwent a major restoration via its previous owner and his wife.
The Coronet is still in show-winning condition after the former owner’s meticulous restoration process in conjunction with Mike’s high maintenance standards and improvements to the car.
Sometimes life just gets in the way for car guys.
Jim Sutherland
Mike told MyStarCollectorCar the former owner was 93 years old when the man sold the Coronet to him about six years ago. He was no longer able to use the car and wanted to ensure his beloved Coronet went to somebody who would respect the convertible’s heritage and understand the amount of effort required to restore it.
The convertible’s bright red exterior may be familiar to Dodge Viper fans because the ’66 Dodge Coronet now sports that shade of bright red. The former owner even tackled the Coronet’s interior–no small effort because it is a convertible and required a major overhaul in the passenger area.
Nevertheless, the entire project was a labor of love for the former owner, and he understandably became attached to the ’66 Coronet drop top because he and his wife were willing to put in the enormous amount of time and effort to bring it back to life.
As mentioned, the former owner had reached a point where he had to sell the car and was in tears when Mike came to pick up the car, even though he knew his ‘66 Coronet 500 had gone to the right person.
Fortunately, Mike realized his responsibility to protect the Coronet while enjoying the driving experience behind the wheel of his convertible.
For the record, a 1966 Dodge Coronet 500 was an intermediate-sized car that was larger than a compact Dart and smaller than a full-sized Polara or Monaco. Mike told MyStarCollectorCar a convertible body is about an inch longer than any other ‘66 Coronet model because extra storage was needed for the roof when it is down.
The ‘66 Coronet used to have a 318 small block in it but now it sports a 383 big block donated by a 1967 Mopar. The vintage 383 has plenty of punch, given it is also a 4-barrel engine with a performance intake manifold and headers, along with performance cylinder heads that are much stronger than factory heads and can handle higher RPMs.
Mike also wanted to monitor the new engine’s vital signs, so he added a tach and other gauges to give him accurate readings about its health. Mike is not a fan of “idiot lights” (warning lights instead of gauges) because they tend to activate after a mechanical problem gets very serious-instead of before it gets very serious.
Mike replaced the car’s radiator with a more efficient aftermarket rad and custom-built a shroud to increase its efficiency. Mike is a welder by trade but is very handy in the mechanical and fabrication department.
He also added a front disc brake system donated by a 1985 Fifth Avenue to stop better and halogen lights to see better at night. MyStarCollectorCar readers will notice the chrome covers on the inner dual headlights because the single halogen headlight system is bright enough on the Coronet.
Mike said his Coronet “is beautiful to drive and floats along at highway speeds”.
We at MyStarCollectorCar believe Mike has made the 1966 Dodge Coronet convertible better than ever and its former owner made the right decision when he sold the car to him.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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