71 Dodge Polara Brougham coupe

[71Polara383]

It has been done before, the whole polara R/T plum paint with and without stripe thing. It never seems to be pulled off quite right

After browsing endlessly, I've determined my fathers 71 Gran Coupe was GC8 Mood Indigo. Not Plum Crazy. That is the color I would like to use on my Polara.
Rear ended by a Valiant or Scamp, it was his first car. 360 2bbl.

 

[polara71]

Why not? Since the car needs restoration anyway. I've had my own theory on a RT polara in my head for 35 years but as I see these cars done my images get questioned

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

Why not? Since the car needs restoration anyway. I've had my own theory on a RT polara in my head for 35 years but as I see these cars done my images get questioned

it is very difficult to do it "right" and make it look like the factory would have done it.
It needs a lot of thought (and no coloured bumpers, spoilers, louvers or any kind of stuff). Would need to orientate at the SFGT.

Road wheels. No trim on the side (front to back). Decent kind of strobe stipe?

Carsten

 

[polara71]

cant say.... its bad enough im 30 years behind schedule

 

[71Polara383]

Didnt get the engine out completely yesterday. The weather didnt fully cooperate with my plans. But I got the rad out. All the front accessories off. Intake and carb off as well. Need to make room to pull engine and converter together.This engine is completely frozen and looks like something made a home inside of it. Got a 440 lined up for it. Stay tuned.

 

[71Polara383]

Got the 383 out of the Polara today. Came apart pretty easy, alot more room to work compared to my 78 New Yorker I had. Didnt accomplish much more then that this afternoon. Planning on finishing getting the old door panels out and the front bench. Hopefully after that the smell of mildew and moss will go away. Also the fuel tank will be pulled. Hopefully I can knock that out before the weekend.
Oh before I forget. It is the #s motor. 7/28/70 build date. Will be inspecting it to see whats what and maybe I'll get to the bottom of why the distributor was out and half the oil pump was missing for so long...

 

[Ripinator]

Got the 383 out of the Polara today. Came apart pretty easy, alot more room to work compared to my 78 New Yorker I had. Didnt accomplish much more then that this afternoon. Planning on finishing getting the old door panels out and the front bench. Hopefully after that the smell of mildew and moss will go away. Also the fuel tank will be pulled. Hopefully I can knock that out before the weekend.
Oh before I forget. It is the #s motor. 7/28/70 build date. Will be inspecting it to see whats what and maybe I'll get to the bottom of why the distributor was out and half the oil pump was missing for so long...

Thanks a lot for sharing your journey with us. The pictures during your trip, and the progress updates are so cool.

 

[71Polara383]

Spent an hour or two outside messing with the Polara today. Got the rest of the door panels out. Also got the quarter windows unfrozen and lubed up. Need to get a shop vac and get it cleaned up. Next thing is the front bench. Gonna get the seat off the power frame and get that cleaned up and ready for the black one Ive got waiting for me.
Also spent some time going through something I found in the glovebox. I got K Mart receipts! 7.28.78, 9.15.79, and 11.3.86. K Mart Auto Center. 1340 N. Wenatchee Ave. Wenatchee,WA 98801... Phillip Miller, I have your Dodge. I wonder if that warranty is up? Lifetime right?

 

[71Polara383]

Heres another update on the 71. I busted the shop vac out and took most of the trunk floor up with it. I knew it needed a whole pan. Got lucky with the rails. Passenger side needs a little work but the driver side is mint. Gas tank was junk. She is rusty, but compared to the ones I've seen recently. Its really not bad, just sucks it sat so long. It was probably very solid when it was parked in 99. I've also started refinishing the dash bezels inside as it dropped back down to winter like temperatures here in Illinois. I have decided before digging any further i will attack the trunk pan and rear window channel first and work my way forward. Seems like most of my issues are in those areas. Its strange how the trunk extensions barely have any rot but the entire pan rotted out. Lower 1/4s look good. Passenger side being the worse. I could only imagine if this car was in the rust belt, there wouldnt be much to save. Stay tuned for more updates.

 

[saforwardlook]

Great progress and potential. Just keep in mind how great it will look when you are finished. It will be worth it. Those are great looking and great overall cars.

 

[polara71]

VERY happy this one is being brought back. ..

Once the water gets through the window channel then it's onto the truck pan. The extensions usually survive when the above happens

 

[Fratzog]

Thanks for the update. Nice to see the car getting some love. I'd be interested in knowing if the 383 can be salvaged.

 

[65sporty]

From the looks of the trunk and frame rails you are a surgeon with the sawzall.

 

[71Polara383]

From the looks of the trunk and frame rails you are a surgeon with the sawzall.

What I did was sucked up the loose stuff with the shop vac. Then because there wasnt much left of the pan I was able cut the spot welds pretty easily and split the pan from the rails and cross braces. Then I chopped the jagged rusty edges some what straight. I dont wanna clean it up much more until I have a replacement pan on hand to go by, but I wanted to get it back to the clean metal.
Refinshed the door panel emblems. They came out lighter then I would have liked but they do look pretty good so I might stick with them. Not bad for some testors model paint and clear coat.

 

[71Polara383]

Thanks for the update. Nice to see the car getting some love. I'd be interested in knowing if the 383 can be salvaged.

Thats another thing I am getting ready to tear into. Trying to clear parts out of my garage from previous projects to make more room for Polara parts. I have a '73 440 in line for it come spring time, I dont wanna hurt the #s motor if its savable.

 

[71Polara383]

I have been out of town for the past few weeks. Not much has gotten done. Mainly hunting parts waiting for better weather. Got the ebay trunk pan. I havent seen it in person but my father sent me a few pictures and feels like its definitely a good start which I kinda figured. Something is better then the nothing it had! Sure wish we had the aftermarket support the other mopars have. Also scored a certified squad car speedo off moparts! Hopefully grabbing a parts car this weekend...just a quick update for now.

 

[71Polara383]

Picked up our parts car today. Got alot of black interior odds and ends. Buckets and console as well. 69 H code Sport Fury Convertible a guy dragged out of the scrapyard near him in Indiana. Pulled a 67 440 out of it for one of his projects. It really hurts I can't save this one too. She has plenty left to keep others on the road.

 

[65sporty]

Your not kidding when you said parts car, I hope there is enough good stuff to make it worth your while.

 

[polara71]

Doing what he's doing I presume a console will be going in. At 500 asking for the parts car how could you go wrong

 

[71Polara383]

Yeah thats the plan. All the convertible specific stuff is up for grabs. Non AC dash. All the glass. Doors are workable id say by illinois standards. Same with the fenders. I'm torn she is dead.