Walter Joy
Active Member
It felt like that. I’m kicking myself in the butt right now. I did miss seeing you and your Vert. But funny enough, I ran into your daughter and son in law
Medina, a 1971 T-code Monaco
- Thread starter ayilar
- Start date
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Rachel mentioned you had asked about me, thanks for that. I guess that conversation was spawned by her Polara shirt. We need to do shirts again.
Walter Joy
Active Member
It was! I was wearing Delmae’s shirt and it was the only other 1971 Polara on a shirt I saw the entire time
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
We made those shirts about 6 years ago. Two prints, one with a 70 , one with a 71. They were pretty popular. I didn't make anything, I probably lost money but it was worth it for the Polara recognition.
Time for an update!
As I'd written after Carlisle, it was time for Medina to get new front rotors. For safety reasons, I wanted them installed prior to getting Medina back home from the East Coast (where she was stored for a few weeks after Carlisle) and taking her to the CATL next week. I bought Raybestos 7012R rotors and PDG39M pads from Rock Auto. Many thanks to @david hill for helping me with the installation on the way home.
All vibrations under hard/sustained braking (which had become noticeable in the hills of PA, on the way from Chicago to Carlisle in July) are now gone. The braking is again strong and super-smooth, as it had been after @71Polara383 first replaced the pads in 2019 (those 2019 Raybestos PGM-39 pads were still good now, but the rotors finally needed replacing, and when I change rotors I also change pads).
The rear brakes were checked for good measure, all good. A front bearing was replaced when changing the front rotors, all good now. The oil (Valvoline VR1 10W30 for a change) and filters were changed too, as there had been more than 1.5k miles since the last oil change (I've driven her almost 2k miles/year on average since I bought her). The Gates accessory belts that had been installed in 2019 were replaced by matched Continental Elite, too.
David commented that Medina is very solid and smooth. Coming from him, that is high praise indeed. Remembering how the car drove when I bought it in February 2019, this smoothness is a credit to all the work that Wyatt did in the past 2.5 years and that is described in this 18-page thread. Medina is back in the shape in which I wanted her.
Her solidity belies the 82k miles on the car (I passed the 82 mark today!). There was not one rattle inside, or any clanging in the suspension, when I drove the car for 3 hours straight today. She is a real pleasure to drive on small roads and highways alike, regardless of their states of (dis)repair.
Enough talking, time for eye candy. Here is a photo that I took today.
As I'd written after Carlisle, it was time for Medina to get new front rotors. For safety reasons, I wanted them installed prior to getting Medina back home from the East Coast (where she was stored for a few weeks after Carlisle) and taking her to the CATL next week. I bought Raybestos 7012R rotors and PDG39M pads from Rock Auto. Many thanks to @david hill for helping me with the installation on the way home.
All vibrations under hard/sustained braking (which had become noticeable in the hills of PA, on the way from Chicago to Carlisle in July) are now gone. The braking is again strong and super-smooth, as it had been after @71Polara383 first replaced the pads in 2019 (those 2019 Raybestos PGM-39 pads were still good now, but the rotors finally needed replacing, and when I change rotors I also change pads).
The rear brakes were checked for good measure, all good. A front bearing was replaced when changing the front rotors, all good now. The oil (Valvoline VR1 10W30 for a change) and filters were changed too, as there had been more than 1.5k miles since the last oil change (I've driven her almost 2k miles/year on average since I bought her). The Gates accessory belts that had been installed in 2019 were replaced by matched Continental Elite, too.
David commented that Medina is very solid and smooth. Coming from him, that is high praise indeed. Remembering how the car drove when I bought it in February 2019, this smoothness is a credit to all the work that Wyatt did in the past 2.5 years and that is described in this 18-page thread. Medina is back in the shape in which I wanted her.
Her solidity belies the 82k miles on the car (I passed the 82 mark today!). There was not one rattle inside, or any clanging in the suspension, when I drove the car for 3 hours straight today. She is a real pleasure to drive on small roads and highways alike, regardless of their states of (dis)repair.
Enough talking, time for eye candy. Here is a photo that I took today.
I love that color! Beautiful car!
65sporty
Old Man with a Hat
It's looking good, with all the work you put in to get it where it is at drive it as often as you can
Charlie's 66 Fury
New Member
Did you apply high-heat primer or just go with the high-heat paint? I am debating whether to primer first or not. IDK
Charlie's 66 Fury
New Member
I am contemplating on painting the exhaust manifolds off of my 383 engine. I have them cleaned up and was thinking of using the VHT Flameproof cast-iron paint. I see that VHT also sells a high-heat primer. Any suggestions on using the paint only or both, primer first and then paint?
Did you apply high-heat primer or just go with the high-heat paint? I am debating whether to primer first or not. IDK
I went with both the Hirsch primer and paint. See here for more details and links.
HTTPS://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/threads/engine-paint-chrysler-blue.62309/#post-980887
Well, I have taken advantage of the great weather in the Midwest and have put about 1,400 miles on Medina in the last 4 weeks. During that time, she continued to rack up miles without a single issue. She averaged about 15mpg plus about a quart of oil every 750-1k miles, not bad for an untouched engine. Here are a couple of photos taken during this period.
First is my Monaco on the night before the 2021 CATL Drive. There are plenty more pics of the car in the CATL thread.
The CATL was three weeks ago. Yesterday, I drove Medina all the way to @71Polara383 's shop for a swap with Buttercup, my 1972 NYB. Here she is before heading out to Rockford.
First is my Monaco on the night before the 2021 CATL Drive. There are plenty more pics of the car in the CATL thread.
The CATL was three weeks ago. Yesterday, I drove Medina all the way to @71Polara383 's shop for a swap with Buttercup, my 1972 NYB. Here she is before heading out to Rockford.
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By comparison, MB factory warranty in the mid 2000's allowed a qt every 600 miles BEFORE factory warranty would pay to address burning oil. In 71 that was good consumption and lots of folks checked the oil when refueling.
I picked up Medina back this Monday evening, and drove her for 3 hours at night. Thanks a real lot to @71Polara383 for waiting for me at the shop as my plane was delayed for 2 hours, and for prepping the Dodge so that I could hop in and go on my merry way after exchanging the keys of Buttercup and Medina. It was great seeing him and comparing notes on the two cars -- too bad the rain started and put a stop to our chat!
The weather did not cooperate on the way back from Rockford: rain and wind were on the menu, but the Monaco handled it like a champ. This is an opportunity to comment on two suppliers:
1. tires: I was impressed by the Hankook Optimo H724 that I bought 2.5 years and about 7k miles ago: they were fine on the highway in pretty heavy rain.
2. wipers: The OEM-like wipers I got from MoparMall gave a period-correct experience: they worked, but after about an hour they started squeaking, and they lifted off the glass above 65mph (so they are a great security enhancement, making sure one does not drive too fast in the rain
). Joke aside, I would buy them again -- I don't think much better performance can be obtained given the size and space available, and they look correct.
Here is a photo taken during a quiet moment without almost any rain or wind.
The weather did not cooperate on the way back from Rockford: rain and wind were on the menu, but the Monaco handled it like a champ. This is an opportunity to comment on two suppliers:
1. tires: I was impressed by the Hankook Optimo H724 that I bought 2.5 years and about 7k miles ago: they were fine on the highway in pretty heavy rain.
2. wipers: The OEM-like wipers I got from MoparMall gave a period-correct experience: they worked, but after about an hour they started squeaking, and they lifted off the glass above 65mph (so they are a great security enhancement, making sure one does not drive too fast in the rain
). Joke aside, I would buy them again -- I don't think much better performance can be obtained given the size and space available, and they look correct.Here is a photo taken during a quiet moment without almost any rain or wind.
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Beep Beep Dave
Senior Member
Sounds like you have that car well sorted out now. Great job.
Dave
Dave
71Polara383
Kid with ballcap
Its a very good driving car now.
I can only imagine how much better it would be when we eventually replace all the control arm bushings and ball joints. For the time being they are fine. 50 years old, but not an immediate issue.
Beep Beep Dave
Senior Member
Well there is always something to do or improve upon with these old cars.
Dave
Dave
Wyatt visited my asylum several years ago now and I was impressed with his "can do" attitude and his motivation to get things done and done right. He is the reason Medina is well sorted out along with @ayilar's motivation to achieve a really nice driving vehicle that will be reliable over the long term. Well done.
Medina will go into winter storage at the end of this month. Meanwhile, thanks to a state law change, I can keep driving her on extended antique plates this month. The weather has been so nice that I’ve been able to enjoy her a lot as a result — as @73Coupe pointed out when the law was passed, this is great!
Here she is today, with a fallen leaf sucked into her grille just in time for a photo.
Here she is today, with a fallen leaf sucked into her grille just in time for a photo.
@73Coupe does get around and he was at my asylum for the second time now to pick up some parts on Friday. Super nice, smart guy. He mentioned he was back East recently and met you and some other guys from the site back there.
I am very glad you have not sold the Monaco - it is my favorite of all the C bodies you have.
I am very glad you have not sold the Monaco - it is my favorite of all the C bodies you have.
Indeed! @73Coupe trekked all the way from California to Chicago to attend @sixpkrt 's 5th C-bBody Show, so the least I could do was to let him drive Medina there
As you know, I briefly entertained an offer for Medina this summer, but in the end I decided to keep the car for at least a while longer. I might still let another enthusiast have a go at ownership -- but I have been enjoying her reliability and comfort so much that it will be hard to let her go.
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