I talked with him at the Indy Cylinder Head swap a couple weekends ago. I believe it is a real car, 426 street wedge since the broadcast sheet has it written at the bottom. The "H" in the VIN means 426, not necessarily Hemi! Just like the M-Code A-Body's the fender tag says 383...

Does it have a fender tag?
Looks like a pretty cool car non the less, especially the 500 part.
426W isn't on the option list

He has enough proof now to show that it was ordered that way through Mr. Norms but why?!

Why would anyone order a 426 street wedge when the 440 was available?

in 1966, only the standard 440 was available and only in C-Bodies as the new, large luxury V8. The first Hi-Po 440 came in the R/T and GTX in 67, that's probably why...

JS

Why would anyone order a 440 when the street hemi were available
The street 426 wedges were dogs

My take one this?
Norm probably wanted 440s in a Coronet, but they were all shipping to the C body plants, so end of life 426Ws were offered.
Keep a hemi or two in the showroom, then steer buyers to the more affordable wedge version. It's a really old sales tactic.

That makes a lot of sense.

I'd have to see the broadcast sheet to believe this. Especially with the 383 badging on the fenders. And BTW, I'm with Cab, as the former owner of a '65 Sport Fury with the 426 Street Wedge, that thing couldn't get out of its own way.

He has shown the broadcast sheet on Facebook. Clearly has "426 Wedge" at the bottom.

The build sheet has been commented on, the emblems on the fenders are kinda explained in the video.
The car was wrecked in the front at some point and the front clip (fenders) were changed.

If you had the money, and a salesman that knew what he was doing, and the dealership management agreed to the deal, Mopar would build you pretty much what ever you wanted. A lot of people had to sign off on a specially built car before the order processed, and it usually had to be paid for when ordered. When it came in, it was yours, so you better be sure it was ordered the way you wanted it. Didn't happen often, but it did happen.

That's interesting. If I read the build sheet correctly the VIN is WH23G67165814. Wonder what that decodes as?

Build sheet is coded for a 383 as well as the fender tag. There is no motor. Car is debatable to death as whether it came with the 426 wedge or not.

The fender tags on '69 A12 Road Runners and Super Bees are coded for 383's as the A12 was a "package" or option that was added to a base 383 RR/SB. Also there were a few, very early first run '69 A12 Road Runners that still had an "H" in the 5th position of the VIN (dash plate) instead of the "M" for special engine (i.e., 440) as on the later production A12's.

What did those cars build sheets say.

Also as I recall the VIN on the build sheet is for a G code 383 not an H. So the build sheet VIN does not match the door jam VIN tag. I recall this from a previous conversation. The guy with this car did get the IBM card and I do not think that confirmed it had the 426 wedge. All he has is a car that went to mister Norms, a VIN tag and a build sheet that only says 426 wedge at the bottom.

What would that 426 Wedge have had for an intake manifold and carburetion and exhaust manifolds?

I've seen the broadcast sheet, says 426 WEDGE on the bottom typed in the comments, I think I got it right. The 68 GSS Darts Norm had built had 383 FOUR BARREL emblems on the fenders...

I know of one 66 CSS half ton pickup that has 426 HEMI badges on it but no engine when it was found. Everything on the CERT tag says SPCL...

66 426 engine was a CBody engine along with the 365HP 440. My 66 Sport Fury convertible is a J engine code 365HP 4speed car.

Would it have looked like this?

That photo is the max wedge

So it should be termed 426 "STREET" wedge and not just 426 wedge? Like these:

( VIN is WH23G67165814. Wonder what that decodes as?)

WH is a Coronet 440

1964, 426S = 426 street wedge, dual log exhaust manifolds, 2206000 intake manifold, turqouize engine paint, chrome air cleaner and chrome valve covers
block casting number 2406730, 2406516 cyl heads, Single AFB Carter carb.365HP 1965 426 street wedge blocks were casting number 2532230

By chance was there a specific radiator for the 426 street wedge versus the 383 or 440 ? Be interesting to know if the car in question still has the original radiator and what the part number is. That would be a telltale. Are there any other telltales when a 426 street wedge is selected? Hey Dan ?

Radiators listed for 66 BBody big block cars. 2582945, 22inch 361 manual trans, 2582948 26inch 361 and 383 both transmissions
2582946 22inch for 361 388 with auto trans
no mention of other radiators for BBody big block cars except Hemi cars.

Under remarks there is a number 020673, then 426 Wedge. What do those numbers mean? Anything of significance?

Let's round up the fender tag, maybe there will be another odd set of (facts)

The date 426 Wedge was added to the broadcast sheet?

People implying that this has been concocted.

Usually the main reason VIN's and fender tags are changed for financial gain.

Don't mistake rare for desirable. It's not like a 426 street wedge is something that is sought after.

Were those odd ball 4 door hemi cars VIN'd as SPCL ?

back in my junkyard days, a 1970 newyorker was hauled in with the "special" letters stamped into a second fender tag.
the car itself wasn't anything seemingly different than any other of the newyorkers that were in the yard.
never did figure out what that was all about, other than it might have been a zone reps car ?

Great story and a really cool car!
KID

Ohh fun a thread I didn’t know existed

Yes Ben (The Mr Norm 1966 Dodge Coronet Street Ram) the 426 Wedge Coronet is a legitimate 426 Wedge 4 speed Coronet it’s been confirmed by Galen that’s it’s 1 of 3 known to exist and 1 of 2 in the United States and the only 1 available for someone to purchase. I’ve spent a full year researching every bit of this car from the time we stumbled onto and am still learning more I’ve been in contact with the original owner as well who can confirm when he bought the car new it had an Orange 426 Wedge sitting in it. We obtained the car from our buddy who goes by the name StreetKing on here you may know his race car Shawanda. There was a 2nd Build sheet with the car that was also marked 426 Wedge however it got lost before we got it while the build sheets both called out the car as a G code or 383 which was the specs the car was originally built to the car was changed on the assembly line along with a hand full of others to have a 426 Wedge dropped in in the event the 426 Hemi couldn’t compete in NASCAR while the build sheet says G the cars actual VIN has an H which is commonly mistaken for 426 Hemi when in reality is just 426 C.I. If anyone wants any more specific questions I’d be happy to share and show all my documents sales ads and conversations with the original owner as well as proof from Galen Govier.

Just to let you know Galen G is not the best reference to use. Some of his decoding has been found to be questionable.

Yes I know some people question Galen which is why I didn’t stop researching even after what he’s said like I said I have dealership ads and as well have spoke with the original owner and confirmed it with employees who worked for Mr Norm himself I leave people free to believe or don’t believe the car is what it is. I have all the evidence even StreetKing realized what the car was after he sold it. (Gonna try to see if I can get photos uploaded so bear with me) https://imgur.com/a/CyJgg6D

Bumping the thread again so don’t hate me too much

I realized I forgot to answer why this car came with the 426 Wedge. Ben was produced literally right before the 1st Hemi STREET Hemi cars (that anyones been able to show us so far came down the line) another interesting fact was the 426 Wedge was orange. The reason Ben exists in the 1st place was Chrysler trying to pull a quickie on everyone we all know how the Hemi was temporarily banned in NASCAR and we also know how the rules were X car manufacturer had to sell X amount of street vehicles for a car to be competitive in NASCAR. Being that the test street Hemis were having so many problems Chrysler was unsure wether they were going to have the street Hemi ready in time for nascar so what did they decide? Take another orange 426 C.I. motor put the same VINs on those cars as the Hemi cars and get them out the door to make the Hemi competitive in NASCAR. It was originally believed that there was supposed to be 50 of these cars produced but there’s no confirmation that 50 of them were ever made at this moment there’s 3 confirmed 2 of them in the United States 1 of them in Canada and none of them have the original 426 Wedge. Bens 426 Wedge was with the car in storage in Cicero Illinois until the motor got scrapped before the guy that drug Ben out of the garage could get it.

Kind of a long winded response but I realized I forgot to answer that