11. 1965 Dodge Coronet/Plymouth Belvedere Altered Wheelbase
Chrysler didn’t offer any Race Hemi lightweight models for 1965. Instead, they went a step further and produced a handful of altered wheelbase Plymouths and Dodges. They were for professional racers and the newly-founded Factory Experimental (FX) class. The FX class in the NHRA championship was a predecessor to today’s funny car class. Basically, it was a place where factory-supported teams could race cars that resembled stock vehicles.
They equipped them with engine, drivetrain or body modifications that could never go on a street car. Chrysler decided to make six Dodge Coronets and six Plymouth Belvederes with altered wheelbases. They simply moved the whole floorplan 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. But they featured numerous interesting combinations, such as fuel-injected, supercharged or turbocharged engines. Today, real altered wheelbase cars are extremely rare, but they present a valuable piece of muscle car history.