I don't know why it took me so long to join up but here I am. I have always been interested in older Mopars. My first was a 1968 Charger 383HP car I bought in 1990 for the princely sum of $1000. It was rusty and leaked everywhere. It ran good enough for a high schooler but it was beyond my time and money so it was sold off a few years later.
I finally got back into the game early in 2002 when my Mom was told that her second cousin (a nun) was selling her 1962 Plymouth because she was getting up in years and just couldn't drive it anymore (no a/c, no power steering or brakes was a bit much for a 5 foot nothing, 80 year old nun).
So my Mom and I hopped a plane out to Albuquerque, NM from Cincinnati, OH to drive it back, sight unseen. The car was bought brand new by the nuns sister (her actual sister). We paid $1000 for it and drove it back, the only mishaps were a wiper blade arm that tried to escape on I-40 and a loose starter wire that gave a few interesting moments in Arkansas.
I did some minor fixing up as the car was actually in very nice shape. Seats were recovered, rear bumper straightened and re-chromed. Gas tank replaced because the sister backed it over something and crunched in the back and just cleaning it up. It was unmolested and ran like a sewing machine.
Fast forward to last year and having been relocated to Arizona for work I wanted the car back here. So, a flight home to visit the family and another road trip back across the country with a buddy and we drove it. Only issue was a blow out west of Albuquerque middle of nowhere doing 70mph. That was hairy, I actually saw the hub cap float by the window in slow motion lol. Rim was flatspotted but the spare carried us the rest of the way.
So, here is the car and I am slowly getting some work done on it. I doubt i will go full resto as I am not a body guy and just don't have the space or patience for it now. All the metal is in fantastic shape, never had a leak in its' life as far as I can tell. There are some minor dents and dings one would expect from a car pinballed around town by a short old lady
It is a 318 Poly motor, BBD, 727 torqueflite pushbutton automatic 4-door. The motor appears to be an early replacement (small discs epoxied onto the ends of the head showing replacement). Rear brakes, seals have been re-done. I finished rebuilding the 727 several weeks ago because it really liked to leak fluid and ball and pinion was rebuilt as well. Also rebuilt the steering box and now I am working on the front suspension and steering. Everything is getting blasted and painted or left natural if that was how it came.
All the seals and steering components are worn out. I doubt they were serviced in the last 30 years looking at the build up of grease and dirt around everything. I am seeing the small DPCD logo on many seals and bushings so they are most likely original.
Sorry for the longwinded intro, but that is the story of my car. Now, some pictures...
I finally got back into the game early in 2002 when my Mom was told that her second cousin (a nun) was selling her 1962 Plymouth because she was getting up in years and just couldn't drive it anymore (no a/c, no power steering or brakes was a bit much for a 5 foot nothing, 80 year old nun).
So my Mom and I hopped a plane out to Albuquerque, NM from Cincinnati, OH to drive it back, sight unseen. The car was bought brand new by the nuns sister (her actual sister). We paid $1000 for it and drove it back, the only mishaps were a wiper blade arm that tried to escape on I-40 and a loose starter wire that gave a few interesting moments in Arkansas.
I did some minor fixing up as the car was actually in very nice shape. Seats were recovered, rear bumper straightened and re-chromed. Gas tank replaced because the sister backed it over something and crunched in the back and just cleaning it up. It was unmolested and ran like a sewing machine.
Fast forward to last year and having been relocated to Arizona for work I wanted the car back here. So, a flight home to visit the family and another road trip back across the country with a buddy and we drove it. Only issue was a blow out west of Albuquerque middle of nowhere doing 70mph. That was hairy, I actually saw the hub cap float by the window in slow motion lol. Rim was flatspotted but the spare carried us the rest of the way.
So, here is the car and I am slowly getting some work done on it. I doubt i will go full resto as I am not a body guy and just don't have the space or patience for it now. All the metal is in fantastic shape, never had a leak in its' life as far as I can tell. There are some minor dents and dings one would expect from a car pinballed around town by a short old lady
It is a 318 Poly motor, BBD, 727 torqueflite pushbutton automatic 4-door. The motor appears to be an early replacement (small discs epoxied onto the ends of the head showing replacement). Rear brakes, seals have been re-done. I finished rebuilding the 727 several weeks ago because it really liked to leak fluid and ball and pinion was rebuilt as well. Also rebuilt the steering box and now I am working on the front suspension and steering. Everything is getting blasted and painted or left natural if that was how it came.
All the seals and steering components are worn out. I doubt they were serviced in the last 30 years looking at the build up of grease and dirt around everything. I am seeing the small DPCD logo on many seals and bushings so they are most likely original.
Sorry for the longwinded intro, but that is the story of my car. Now, some pictures...
aboard!
