The thing about ultra-rare rides from the Golden Age is, they were recognized as keepers at the time and definitely worth restoring more recently. They have a tangible presence on the collector's scene and in museums. Only 20 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88s with the 430-horsepower (more like 580 ponies) 427 cubic-inch V8 were built, but at least 16 of them are still accounted for and crushing it at auction with a $3.85 million top sale. The same is true for the Ford Mustang Boss 429, which was a limited homologation special, but nearly all of them have survived to this day and are seemingly everywhere.There were, on the other hand, several classic-era muscle cars that were built in such small numbers that it's almost like they never existed. A 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee Hemi is a 1-of-22 car, but there's a very real possibility that less than five still exist. Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars were not produced at the same volume that GM and Ford cranked out, but were plentiful enough that they still maintain a fairly high-profile today. There is, however, one ultra-rare old-school Mopar that is so elusive that both Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster question its existence. Dodge’s Working Class Coronet Muscle Car Mecum The Coronet was introduced in 1949 as Dodge's top-of-the-line model and morphed into a Chevy Bel Air-esque shoe-box tail-finned quasi-luxury ride in the late 1950s. It was discontinued in 1959, but went out with a special edition Silver Challenger model that was the first Dodge to carry that iconic moniker. It was resurrected in 1965 as an intermediate, with four-door sedans and wagon varieties, but the two-door coupe fit right in with the burgeoning muscle car craze of the day. With several big-block options like the 383 V8 and 426 Street Wedge, as well as a stripped-down aggressive styling, the '65 Coronet was a performance ride for everyone, starting at just $2,815 for a 365-hp car. The Coronet Meets The 426 Street Hemi Mecum Chrysler developed the 426 Hemi V8 in 1964 for racing only, and it was so dominant, mostly with Richard Petty and his Plymouth Belvedere rocking the track. Ford got so sick of getting their asses kicked by the Hemi that they complained to NASCAR, which banned the engine until it could be homologated. Instead of a limited run of cars sold to the public to qualify for competition, Chysler made this 425-hp, 490 lb-ft of torque miracle engine available to all Dodge and Plymouth intermediates in 1966. The '66 Coronet was one of the most Hemied cars with 741 units, including five utterly bizarre, but totally cool, four-door Deluxe sedans packing 426 V8s. ’67 R/T Muscle Car Designation Mecum When the 426 Hemi first hit the scene, it was kind of free-for-all with it being available on any Dodge or Plymouth mid-sized car. That meant it could be ordered in anything, including a Coronet station wagon, and while that sadly never happened, Chrysler decided in 1968 that the Hemi would only be allowed in designated muscle car models. For Dodge, those rides were the Charger R/T, Coronet R/T, and Super Bee, with the Challenger R/T joining the ranks in 1970. The R/T muscle car designation actually got a head start in 1967, with the Coronet R/T that was Dodge's most Hemi-equipped car of the year with 283 units versus the 118 that went under the hoods of Chargers. Coronet Hemi R/T Production Does A Vanishing Act In 1970 Mecum The Dodge Coronet and Cornet R/T was one of the most frequently Hemi-equipped Mopars with 1,379 cars, and if you throw in the Coronet-based Super Bee, it was 1,820 units, second only to the 2,014 Road Runner 426s. Just 9,137 Street Hemi cars were produced between 1966-1971. So it's actually an extremely rare engine option, but the Coronet was still a major consumer of this wondermill. All of that changed in 1970, when suddenly there were barely any Coronet Hemi R/Ts rolling off the factory floor. In fact, just 14, and maybe 15, cars were blessed with the 426 Street Hemi, marking the lowest total for any classic-era Mopar. 426 Hemi Specs The '67 Plymouth Belvedere and Satellite had lower numbers, but that's because performance was shifted to the new-for-that-year GTX. Also, there were just two Cornet Hemis in '68, but again, it was all about the designated muscle cars with the 426s assigned to the R/T. After being such a gracious host to the Hemi, the '70 Coronet R/T was kind of frozen out, but that's how many people wanted one that year. Of the 14 Hemi cars, nine were automatics with only four manuals, while 13 were hardtops and one convertible, but there is a rumor of a second drop-top so the total is in dispute. ’70 Coronet Hemi Super Bee Street Sasquatch Mecum Introduced in 1969 as a cheap, no-frills street machine, the Dodge Super Bee was technically its own nameplate, but was more or less a Coronet. The sheet metal and grille were the same, but the Super Bee had different hoods. In 1970, the Super Bee, like it's nearly identical Coronet R/T, suffered from a serious 426 Hemi famine. 36 1970 Hemi Super Bees were produced, which is more than double the Coronet R/T output, but still places it as one of the rarest Mopar muscle cars there is. The '69 Charger 500 had 60 Hemi cars and the '69 Daytona just 41 (some claim 70). The rarer '70 Super Bee Hemi is essentially a Mopar cryptid, akin to a 425-hp El Chupracabra or a stump-pulling 490 lb-ft of torque Big Foot. ’70 Coronet Hemi R/T Convertible Holy Grail Dodge As we mentioned, there were maybe two '70 Coronet Hemi R/T convertibles built, but only one is known to exist. It was found a while back rusting in a junkyard without an engine, but the VIN don't lie and it was a real-deal Hemi car. It was featured on an episode of Graveyard Carz, where it got a meticulous restoration as well as a period-correct replacement 426 Hemi V8. It may not be a numbers-matching ride, which is a big deal for classic Mopars, but it is so extremely rare and spectacularly cool that, should it ever come up for auction, could be a record setter. On the show, the Hemi R/T was referred to as a "million-dollar car," and it very well could be. Hemi R/T Auction Apparitions Mecum That Dark Green Metallic '71 Coronet Hemi R/T hardtop pictured above sold for $247,000 at Mecum Kissimmee 2023, after failing to hit the reserve in another auction a year earlier. A few years before that, a Plumb Crazy Hemi R/T hardtop dropped the gavel for $143,000, which is a tremendous bargain for such a ripping ride. Way back in 2014, however, a Dark Green Metallic Coronet Hemi R/T blew up the block, selling for $305,000, but the twist is, it's the same car that sold for less in 2023. These two cars are the only ones we can find that have been up for auction in the past couple of decades, making the '71 Coronet Hemi R/T one of the most elusive classic muscle cars ever. Last Dance for the Coronet and 426 Hemi Mecum 1970 was the last year a Coronet and a Hemi left the factory together, which is another reason why it is such a special year for the ultra-rare Hemi R/T. In 1971, the Dodge B-bodies were split with the Corona going full-family ride making only sedans and wagons, while the performance arm was shifted to the third generation Charger. The Coronet did get a shout-out with a Super Bee trim of the '71 Charger, that kept it real as a budget bruiser. The Coronet Hemi R/T came in with a bang as one of the most badass cars of the Golden Age in '67, and while it retained its street cred until its demise in '70, it went out rather quietly, which is probably why so few people ordered them back in the day or know about them now. Real World Value of Mythological Muscle Mecum With only three auction sales between two cars, there's not a ton of data to base a valuation on the '70 Coronet Hemi R/T, but Hagerty's Concours condition price of $146,000 seems really far off. This is a Hemi car, after all, and a particularly rare one at that. So, it should probably be closer to a half-million, but demand drives the value and not enough people are even aware of this hidden Mopar gem, so it remains a killer classic bargain. J.D. Power makes it even more affordable with an average retail price of $91,000, which is simply ludicrous. Under $100,000 for a Hemi anything is not in the least bit realistic, even if the car is being held together with duct tape and carries an ancient curse. The Legend Of The 1970 Coronet Hemi R/T Mecum With only 14 or 15 produced and as few as three left on the planet, the 1970 Dodge Coronet Hemi R/T is as close to a mythological creature as a car can get. There are some single-digit Corvettes and Shelbys that are rarer, but also have a way higher profile, while the '70 Hemi R/T lurks in the shadows like a haunting beast. It's something people tell campfire stories about and sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory like shape-shifting reptilian extraterrestrials living among us. It does, however, exist and is really one of the greatest classic Mopar muscle cars. Another thing about the '70 Coronet is that for its last year, it got some cool Coke bottle curves and a wicked front fascia, making it as sharp-looking as a second-gen Charger. With those looks and that power, it's actually less like a mythological monster and more of a superhero or Norse god.Sources: Hagerty, J.D. Power, Mecum