Joker Movie Car: 1976 Dodge Coronet CHP 440 V8
This one crosses the line into a couple of different genres, being a former movie car and also a former California Highway Patrol car. I like the former police car or highway patrol car portion of the equation much better than being a former movie car, especially since I’m one of probably the only humans on the globe who hasn’t seen “Joker”. The seller has this 1976 Dodge Coronet ex-CHP car posted here on craigslist in beautiful Newport Beach, California and they’re asking $12,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for the tip!
It’s bitterly ironic that an ad listing a former movie car only has four photos. I haven’t seen the Batman spinoff movie, Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, and have no interest in it at all. I’m sure it’s a good movie but I couldn’t have any less interest in a Hollywood production than that, or in most movies. Speaking of movies, did I mention that this car was in that movie?! (crickets) Here’s a photo of a couple of them being hauled to NYC for the production. The Gotham City logo on the doors is most likely part of what the seller says is the blue wrap that’s over fresh white paint. I’m a huge fan of the sixth and seventh-generation Coronets and this seventh-gen model was made for only two years, 1975 and 1976.
This is it for interior photos – for the love of… I really don’t have a clue why there are only two exterior photos and only a closeup of the speedometer and column gear selector as far as interior photos go, but that’s it. The story on the CHP cars is that the powers that be in California wanted these cars but they wanted them to have 440-cu.in. V8s rather than what was the biggest engine at the time, Dodge’s 400 V8. They reportedly went over so well with officers that they continued until the 1978 model year and were said to be the fastest U.S. production cars at the time. The speed record of 133 mph supposedly stayed with Chrysler and these CHP cars until 1994 when Chevrolet came out with the LT-1 Caprice for police duty. I bet that a few of you have first-hand knowledge of these cars, either by being former officers, from having them chase you down in this era, or maybe from having had a ride in the backseat of one?
This is Dodge’s 440-cu.in. OHV V8, which would have been rated at around 250 horsepower. The seller says that this car needs interior work – probably why there’s only one closeup photo – but it has new brakes, a new exhaust, a new radiator, a new carb, and a new transmission. There’s no word on whether it runs and drives but I’m assuming that it does. Any thoughts on this former CHP/former movie car? Have any of you seen the movie Joker (I’m assuming a resounding yes) and if so, what did you think of it?
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Comments
If it starts and runs to the end of the block, it’s a $2500 car tops.
Geez I wish that was the case. Around here the only thing under $2500 with a 440 is a rotted motor home!
You obviously are not familiar with the actual price of decent used cop cars. However if that is simply your personal opinion I’m not in any position to argue it.
Well Scotty, not only have I not seen ‘Joker’ I had to Google what it was. Guessing there’s a lot more of us out there than you realize. Basically seller has an old worn out CHP car that might have been in a movie, sorry I see no added value there.
WV state police had these, used to work on them when I was employed at a CDP dealer. Took one across the route 7 overpass on I68 at 138mph-certified.
What a frustrating deal, logs me out mid-comment. It happens with such regularity, it can’t be on my end. So, I guess, no edit, no links, and a “test” comment I suppose is in order. So, testing,,
Okay then, where was I? Oh yeah, I don’t think this is a real police car. As mentioned before, Hollywood contracts body shops, or has their own, that dress up regular cars for TV and movies. For example, they “created” 309 General Lee Chargers. I believe Blues Brothers actually used old Ill. police cars, but this isn’t one. The sun is conveniently blocking the speedometer that would say “certified”, no spotlights, it’s just a prop., besides, if the hoaky, yet entertaining show CHiPs told me anything, CHP used Dodges then.
I do hope the staff corrects this “problem”, I enjoy the site, but clearly the most frustrating part of my day,,or night.
Hi Howard. Have you tried the notebook app that comes with Windows?
I can type then cut and paste my comment without re-typing.
Hope that helps! 😊
Well, you are totally wrong. This is a real CHP car and, it is obvious to anyone who knows anything about police cars which, clearly, you do not.
Now that everyone has this figured out,what exactly do you do with it?it’s an eye sore
I used to want one of these back in the 1980’s after seeing one on Knight Rider that was decked out with a spoiler, hood scoop, tinted windows, nitrous oxide and a push plow in the episode “Custom Car Killer”.
There was one of these in our town back in ’77-78. Replaced the ’74 big block Impala. All black and sinister looking with the stacked head lamps. Said to be pretty fast. Total overkill for patrolling a village barely two miles square.
The Joker movie was fantastic, it was not a Batman movie, but would fit the timeline of current Batman movies, not the old timey comic timeline. But it does explain his uncontrollable laugh, pseudobulbar affect, as it becomes clear he was severely abused as an infant which caused permanent brain damage. Dark, dark movie. Now about the car, Id rather have Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane’s ride.
I drove squad cars like this, drove a brand new one head on into a very large tree. I survived, the car didn’t. Ours had V8’s, but definitely not 440. Not an impressive vehicle. I agree this is not a squad car. No spotlight, no evidence of radio antennas, nothing to indicate it ever had barlights. Could have been a movie car, wasn’t a squad.
I drove squad cars like this, drove a brand new one head on into a very large tree. I survived, the car didn’t. Ours had V8’s, but definitely not 440. Not an impressive vehicle. I agree this is not a squad car. No spotlight, no evidence of radio antennas, nothing to indicate it ever had barlights. Could have been a movie car, wasn’t a squad.
I drove squad cars like this, drove a brand new one head on into a very large tree. I survived, the car didn’t. Ours had V8’s, but definitely not 440. Not an impressive vehicle. I agree this is not a squad car. No spotlight, no evidence of radio antennas, nothing to indicate it ever had barlights. Could have been a movie car, wasn’t a squad.
You are 100% incorrect. It clearly has a 140-mph certified speedometer and it was, clearly, a CHP car. The ONLY way you got a 440 in a 1976 B-body was as a police car. You should do your research. Please don’t comment if you don’t know what you are talking about.
I would say a 440 in a 76′ B-body is possible. A know trucks had them in 79′. If a 400 was common then, then why not a 440, which is much the same block.
Interesting that in the picture you added showing two being towed to NY for filming that they have a unit number on the rear quarter panel (actually the same unit number on those two) but this car does not have a unit number. I can understand not having the light bar as that can get you pulled over for impersonating a police officer.
Oh and actually I did see the Joker movie. It was pretty good. Made you feel kind of weird because you actually felt bad for the bad guy. A bullied mentally ill individual who finally snapped.
Hi, all. Just an addendum that I should have listed in the article, the seller says that this car has “All CHP tags, ghost marks etc are in place to verify its original Agency use.”
… another follow-up in case it was missed in the second paragraph that the blue and other graphics are a “wrap”, they come off, and underneath it is a new white paint job.
Not the car one wanted to see in a rear view mirror 40 years ago.
I have bought from the lister in the past. He’s a straight shooter. And, no, there’s nothing in it for me.
Before he listed, we chatted about this and some other cars he has. I have no reason not to believe this is a real-deal CHP car.
One interesting thing (at least to me) is, this is a B-body and your typical Chrysler police car offering were C-body. It’s my understanding at the time, CHP wanted a “smaller” car. For me, that’s one thing that makes it unique.
GLWTS!
I know the owner down in Southern Calif. He does own many certified and authentic Police package vehicles. This one is legit and he is also selling or was, a 76 Coronet with a 318, non-package car also for movie display. He is asking $12K for the 440 one.
Can’t be a certifiable California car; doesn’t have the obligatory surfboard
That only applies to station wagons.
Steve R
This is definitely a real CHP car. These were offered in 49 state emissions with the 400 Magnum engine, P in VIN, sales code E68. That engine was catalyst exempt in ’75 and ’76.Even though the 400 would easily pass California emission standards, California had a strict rule that ALL cars 1975 or newer sold here must have catalytic converters regardless of whether they were needed to pass smog or not. Chrysler offered the U code 440 Magnum, sales code E86 to California only for 1975 and ’76 B body Police cars. For ’77 and ’78 the U code 440 was available in Police cars in all 50 States. I own a ’78 Dodge Monaco CHP car. These vintage CHP cars regularly go for 8-10K plus needing partial to full restoration. This car is priced right and will soon find a new owner. These run and drive very nice, and will definitely run 140 mph plus at top speed (ask me how I know). California version does not use the Lean Burn system that is forced on the 49 State cars. These perform much better than the Federal version.
It’s interesting that the prop people chose to closely emulate the NYC police-car markings of the period, while using the “Gotham” markings on the door badge. Especially since these, as purchased, probably had most of their CHP colors intact.
I would have thought a fictional movie might go a little more creative with its background props and tells.
I’m not into the comics like my son is, but according to him Gotham has always been based on a fictionalized version of New York City so copying the styling of the NYPD makes sense.
Would like to have the car but not to piss everyone off but I would put a nice set of wheels on it and a Clean one color paint job on it and build that 440 as much as I could. Also I started to watch “Joker” but just couldn’t keep my interest long enough to finish it. Wasn’t that good of a show in my book. To bad to because I was really looking foreword to it.
4 door slant 6, no way. 4 door 440? Hell yes!!!
Listing update: the price has been lowered to $10,500.