(Found in) Islais Creek (San Francisco) – 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 4 Door Sedan

One would look at this swanky “all new” for 1968 mid-sized Dodge and not see an older “full sized” Dodge underneath.

However, Mopar middle children for nearly 2 decades before they were re-visioned 20 years later back to full sized sedan status can all trace their roots back to the infamous shrunken sales failures of 1962.

Each year more and more sheetmetal distance was put between that failed start and a semblance of success. Underneath however, were the main basic goodies that had long proved these to be rather wonderful choices in the intermediate field.

 The 1968 redesign bridged the design gap between the super rectilinear 1965-67 Coronets and the swoopy Fuselage restyle that would come along for 1971. The results were more pleasant and with the times that what came before, and less out of sync with the design ethos of the early 70’s that came after.

They were much visibly larger than the initial shrunken ’62s that spawned them. Their visual footprint expanded to nearly the size of what constituted full sized standard cars at the turn of the decade 8 years earlier. This ever increasing exuberance in sheetmetal set the tone for the positively battleship cruiser styling of the 1969 C-Body Full sized fuselage Highland Park offerings as well.

There is a bit of rival influence to the undulating curves as well, as those hips at the rear door denote a healthy 1963-67 Pontiac intermediate and full size buxom beauty school of thought to the design proceedings as well.
There was still a wide variety of engine, transmission and suspension tuning options that kept the Coronet and its variations as rather well regarded and roadable automobiles despite the age of their core chassis.

There’s a reason why Dodge and Plymouth Mid and Fullsizers were the preferred purchases of city police forces and Highway Patrols nationwide in the late 1960s. Mechanically tough and rugged with V8 engines that could keep up with all but the most fearsome of street legal cars, the B Body Mopar Machines offered service second to none for civil servants enforcing laws.

Although they lagged in popularity against the also “all new” General Motors A bodies, they decidedly held their own, and now present themselves as cheaper alternatives to entering the classic car hobby nearly 50 years later.