Those of us who lived through the ’60s know there will never be anything like the cars of that era. Big, fast, stylish, fun, classy, dependable: all these adjectives fit that iconic decade’s Big Three classic cars. The 1967 Dodge Polara was certainly no exception. The Polara was born in 1960 and continued through 1973. The name “Polara” is an allusion to Polaris, the North Star. It was Chrysler’s answer to the Ford Galaxie 500 and the Chevrolet Impala.
source: Wikimedia
Body Styles
Built on Chrysler’s C-body, the Polara came in a four-door sedan, a two-door coupe and convertible, and a four-door station wagon option. The station wagon came with either two or three rows of seats and sat up to nine passengers. The Polara 500 was the more desirable car and, while not considered a muscle car, the Polara was nonetheless a force to be reckoned with – even while also serving as a good family car.
Under the Hood
The Polara came with three engine options: the 318-cubic-inch, the 383-cubic-inch, and the 440-cubic-inch, with the 318 being one of the best all-around engines any automaker ever manufactured. You could get either a 3-speed automatic or a 3-speed manual transmission. The two-door convertible featured the 383-cubic-inch engine with a two-barrel carburetor that output 270 horsepower. The two-door coupe sported the 383-cubic-inch high-performance engine with a four-barrel carb that delivered 325 horsepower, while the four-door hardtop sedan held a 426 Hemi under the hood that put out 425 horses. A 440-cubic-inch engine powered the four-door sedan with a four-barrel carburetor and gave 350 horsepower, while the same 440 in the two-seater station wagon was a high-performance engine that output 375 horsepower. The 383 engine had a top speed of around 120 mph.
Spacious Interior
The 121-inch wheelbase and an overall 213 inches in length made for a nice-sized car that could comfortably seat a family of six in those days, sans infant car seats and child booster seats. At 80 inches wide (6’8’’), there was enough elbow room to make riding in it a pleasure.
Updates for 1967
The 1967 Polara received a facelift from the ’66 version, sporting an altered body sculpture and a semi-fastback look for the two-door coupe. The car also came with a four-speed manual transmission, in addition to the standard three-speed manual or automatic. There was also a more economical 318-cubic-inch V8 engine with a mere 230 horsepower. Still, it was a fine little engine, snappy, with gas mileage ranging around 18-20 mpg, depending on your lead foot. It also was one of the most dependable engines ever born.
source: Flickr
Pricing
The original $2,918 sticker price (according to nadaguides.com) looks mighty good to us compared to today’s new car prices. Current values range widely depending on condition, location, and seller desperation, but go anywhere from a low of $2,800 +/- to a high of $22,800 for a Polara in pristine, show-room condition. If you found one in decent shape for around $5,000, it would still make a nice drive for the person who appreciates cars of this vintage.
