Plymouth Belvedere Altered Wheelbase (1965)
Chrysler didn’t offer the Race Hemi lightweight models for 1965. Instead, they went a step further and produced a handful of altered wheelbase Plymouths and Dodges for professional racers and the newly-founded FX class. The FX (Factory Experimental) class in the NHRA championship was a predecessor to today’s Funny Cars class. It was a place where factory-supported teams could race cars that only resembled stock vehicles. These cars were equipped with engines, drivetrains, or body modifications that would never appear on a street car. Chrysler decided to make six Dodge Coronets and six Plymouth Belvederes with altered wheelbases (via Auto Evolution).
They moved the whole floor pan 15 inches forward, moving the rear axle just behind the driver. This helped the weight distribution and traction off the line. Those altered wheelbase cars were never street legal and featured numerous exciting combinations such as fuel-injected, supercharged, or turbocharged engines. Today, real altered wheelbase cars are extremely rare and represent a valuable piece of muscle car history.