Torqueflite question

[Forward_look]

Hi,I’m new here. I joined because I would like to eventually find a 1967 Coronet. I know this isn’t a “B” body question but In my search I recently had a 1970 Duster present itself. It was converted from a 318 to a 360 w 727 torqueflite. The seller says it runs and drives well,but has a broken motor mount and manifold on the drivers side from accidentally being put into reverse when he let his son drive it. He said it was in “D” and at the time in second gear when he tried putting it into neutral and made a loud gear “grinding” sound,locked the wheels and stalled,but after he restarted it that it runs and drives fine. The price seems to be reasonable and the body is pretty decent,but I’m concerned about this and thought I’d get some opinions from the people here.

I know the 727’s are pretty robust transmissions. Do you think if I go to look at this and it drives and shifts alright that transmission and drivetrain are likely ok?
The fact it broke a motor Mount and manifold would indicate the motor twisted pretty hard. Are frames the steering box/mounts on pretty strong? I’d really appreciate any input you guys might have.

 

[R413]

Sounds like they don’t have the shifter adjusted right, or a silly aftermarket unit.

The grinding was from hitting park, which won’t engage at speed. Then the reverse locked the wheels.

It would seem the passenger motor mount would break in reverse. And why would that break the manifold?

I would bet this kid has beat the tar out of this car so I would walk away, or low ball them so you can fix all the stupid that’s been done to it.

Side story: I called on an ad for a 20 year old economy car that was advertised as low miles granny car. Well it was when they bought it, until they let their kid drive it for a year. Now it has the exhaust cut off to sound cool, dented up body, and food residue all for the drivers area. PASS! The dad was too busy to talk because he was missing the football game. PASS!

 

[Forward_look]

Hi,The seller (the dad),said his son only drove the car that one time and he was with him when he did it. He said it was maybe going around 25 or so,and that the grinding noise was loud and sounded like gears, his son “panicked” after it made that sound and put it in park while pressing the brake pedal and the car shuddered to a stop.
You are right,I think it’s a combination of both of those things because he did tell me when relaying the story to me that the shifter isn’t adjusted right. That the indicator on the column no longer properly tells what position the trans is in.
Seems stupid to risk driving it that way. As far as the manifold/exhaust breaking,I was told it was due to the engine rotating and breaking the mount causing the manifold to hit the steering box.

 

[Forward_look]

Sounds like they don’t have the shifter adjusted right, or a silly aftermarket unit.

Side story: I called on an ad for a 20 year old economy car that was advertised as low miles granny car. Well it was when they bought it, until they let their kid drive it for a year. Now it has the exhaust cut off to sound cool, dented up body, and food residue all for the drivers area. PASS! The dad was too busy to talk because he was missing the football game. PASS!

It reminds me of a similar experience. I went with a friend who was interested in buying one of those “Smokey and the Bandit” 1977 trans ams. This was 30 years ago at least. Anyway,we showed up early and the seller was beating the tar out of the car doing power slides and donuts in a lot next to his yard. The guy selling it had a sheepish expression on his face because he was caught and said something like “he wanted to have some fun with it one last time in case it sold”. My friend turned around and left without even bothering with it. It was also a low mileage “gently driven” car.

 

[Forward_look]

Sorry,I realized maybe I should have posted this in the transmission section. If one of the moderators wants to move it there they can.

 

[oldkimmer]

If it seems fine it probably is. If it has a decent body anything else can be fixed. If the price is right I’d buy it.