Some of you may or may not recognize me from my other threads, so I’ll give a quick introduction of myself and a background on my car!
I’m 20 years old born and raised on California’s gorgeous Central Coast in the 805. I grew up around a lot of old cars and always loved them. When I was 18 about to turn 19, I decided I wanted a car for myself!
I told my good friend, who has since become my mentor, about how I wanted an old car!! He then took me to one of his neighbors who had “a TON of old cars.” Me being Mexican American I only ever really knew Impalas, Monte Carlos, Caprices, Galaxies, Chopped Mercs, T-Birds, Lincoln’s, Caddies etc etc. Basically GM and some Ford cars but no Mopars! I had my heart set on a 68-69 Impala or a 66 Galaxie; but when we arrived at my friend’s neighbors house - there in the corner of my eye was what would very soon become my favorite car ever... a 1968 2 door New Yorker!
I’d only ever seen one fixed up before and I really liked it (it was a 2 door 68 Newport) but I didn’t realize how much different it was to actually see the car up close! The gent who had it gave me a basic run down. It didn’t run, had no trans, trashed interior, but is a solid mostly rust free body. Best of all - it still had the original 440 (I didn’t know anything about Mopars at first but I KNEW that had to be a powerful motor!) The guy said $1,500 and it’s yours! I bought it in a heartbeat.
When I finally began to tear into it, I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into... not only was the car not running; it HADN’T ran in 40 YEARS! It came from Tom Merkel’s Cuyama Car Garden. I knew of this place! 1,800 cars left to rot in the open California Desert. It was supposed to be some weird abstract art project... but these cars have been sitting for decades rotting!! When I went to see about registering the car; they told me it hadn’t been registered since 1980.
My friend said it wouldn’t be hard to find a 727 trans for the car. I’d need that... a cap and rotor tune up kit, spark plugs, wires, and a carb rebuild kit and we should be good! Well the engine wouldn’t even turn over by hand. Not even after waiting weeks with marvel mystery oil down the spark plug holes. I was crushed that I’d have to wait to drive my car... but it turned into a full restoration because as my friend and I said... “We might as well!” I’ll continue this thread with another post...
I’m 20 years old born and raised on California’s gorgeous Central Coast in the 805. I grew up around a lot of old cars and always loved them. When I was 18 about to turn 19, I decided I wanted a car for myself!
I told my good friend, who has since become my mentor, about how I wanted an old car!! He then took me to one of his neighbors who had “a TON of old cars.” Me being Mexican American I only ever really knew Impalas, Monte Carlos, Caprices, Galaxies, Chopped Mercs, T-Birds, Lincoln’s, Caddies etc etc. Basically GM and some Ford cars but no Mopars! I had my heart set on a 68-69 Impala or a 66 Galaxie; but when we arrived at my friend’s neighbors house - there in the corner of my eye was what would very soon become my favorite car ever... a 1968 2 door New Yorker!
I’d only ever seen one fixed up before and I really liked it (it was a 2 door 68 Newport) but I didn’t realize how much different it was to actually see the car up close! The gent who had it gave me a basic run down. It didn’t run, had no trans, trashed interior, but is a solid mostly rust free body. Best of all - it still had the original 440 (I didn’t know anything about Mopars at first but I KNEW that had to be a powerful motor!) The guy said $1,500 and it’s yours! I bought it in a heartbeat.
When I finally began to tear into it, I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into... not only was the car not running; it HADN’T ran in 40 YEARS! It came from Tom Merkel’s Cuyama Car Garden. I knew of this place! 1,800 cars left to rot in the open California Desert. It was supposed to be some weird abstract art project... but these cars have been sitting for decades rotting!! When I went to see about registering the car; they told me it hadn’t been registered since 1980.
My friend said it wouldn’t be hard to find a 727 trans for the car. I’d need that... a cap and rotor tune up kit, spark plugs, wires, and a carb rebuild kit and we should be good! Well the engine wouldn’t even turn over by hand. Not even after waiting weeks with marvel mystery oil down the spark plug holes. I was crushed that I’d have to wait to drive my car... but it turned into a full restoration because as my friend and I said... “We might as well!” I’ll continue this thread with another post...
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