New from CA

[McPorGuy]

I need to add a big block Mopar to the garage. Thanks for all the good info in this forum.

What do you think of the following car and price? It's a 20 year old restoration so even in the photos you can see the need for some TLC. Headers are rusty, pan is dented. I've restored cars before and know how fast the $ can add up. Also this is a Hemi in a 1963, not the Max Wedge. Wondering if the Hemi is a negative or positive. Seller says paint is 8.5/9. I plan to do a little bracket racing and take to shows like Good Guys.

http://www.zubesimportauto.com/listings/1963-dodge-polara-330-hemi-426-torqueflite-automatic/

Thanks for your help.

 

[MoparLeo]

aboard. Beauty and value is in the eye of the beholder. It is what you think it is worth to you that counts. Good luck.

 

[Jerry Hall]

Welcome from Alabama. I like your choice, the price seems fair, if it only needs some cosmetic improvements. Mechanicals would be the deciding factor for me. They all can be made to look pretty, but a Hemi can be serious money to make right.

 

[mr. b]

welcome to FBBO from Pa

 

[GetX'd]

Welcome to FBBO from SoCal

I’d say the car is in the $30-35k range with a standard engine. Because it’s sporting the Hemi I’m more like $35k

 

[VANDAN]

Welcome from WNY
The '63 looks like a decent car, depending what you're looking for. If the mechanical condition is up to par, and the body and paint is done correctly, the price is not bad. The car is missing a lot of trim and correct items unique to the '63s, and some of the work like the exhaust system looks a bit cobbed. I've been working on my '63 for 5yrs now, so I tend to be more original to these particular models...

 

[polywideblock]

g'day from Australia

 

[68sprtsat383]

Welcome

 

[Budnicks]

welcome from NorCal Sierras

 

[khryslerkid]

Welcome McPorGuy!

My observation of the car is it looks like it started out as a fairly solid car. There was at least some rust in the cowling area looking at the one picture in it's raw form. The floor looks good and original.

The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is it's not period correct having a Hemi. They weren't available for 1963. The 426 Hemi came out in the latter part of '64 production cars. You might catch a little slack from the "purists". It definitely would be a wild ride though!

Looks to me to be a amateur job. From the pictures the bodywork and paint looks quite good but I would like to see it in person first. Looks like a lot of work to make it look good but the underside was really half assed. Plenty of rust scale on components that was just painted over. Rear axle housing, front suspension parts ect. The gas tank looks original with a bit of factory undercoat on the one section of it. The fuel line looks original even with rust showing on it. Those things show that there wasn't any effort in making it better than what it is. Someone lost interest, was in a hurry, just wanted a car to bang on, wanted something to flip or just wasn't experienced enough to make it better.

If you really like this car, wanting a '63 post and like to do your own work, you could make this car so much better. It needs to be at a lower price in order to recoup what you might get into it. Myself, if I bought it, I would pull the Hemi, sell it to buy a period correct Max Wedge with Crossram.

And that's my two cents. You asked

 

[Hey-O]

Welcome from Missouri!!!
A Hemi car is nice, period correct or not to many people. The small stuff can add up quickly. The bottom rockers and wheel lip trim on my coronet cost a thousand. My car was in mopar action and a test mule for b body 5.7 hemi conversion kits. That doesn't mean it's worth more, what's bragging rights worth. I think it's worth about 30 all day, but a period correct hemi work be nicer. Just my opinion.

 

[McPorGuy]

Thanks for the assessments. I agree that it would take $ to get this car in shape. Quite a bit of disassembly powder coating to clean up suspension and such, replace dented oil pan, replace rusty headers. The Hemi is not period correct. I might buy at $30k, but seller started at $49k. The hunt continues.