Meet Buttercup, a 1972 New Yorker Brougham 2-door Hardtop

[saforwardlook]

Buttercup went to her first C-body show today: the 4th Midwest C-Body Show organized by @sixpkrt. Before heading out this morning, I posted a photo of her at Wyatt's shop together with her older cousins Medina and Elvira. Attached below is a photo that I took at the end of the afternoon, after putting one hundred or so miles on her clock going to and back from the Show (she's now just shy of 100,200 miles).

This was my first drive with the car. @71Polara383 and I had agreed that we'd just do the minimum necessary for her to drive safely before the Midwest show, so that each of us could get a base "reading" for the car -- and figure out from where we'd be improving her. So, all she had since being delivered a week or so ago were new tires (Hankook Optimo H724), a change of oil and oil filter, and that's it. Wyatt put several dozen miles on the car in the past week, during which he concluded that the spark plugs and plug wires were fine and that the brakes were great.

I concur! In short, she drives like a champ.

Of course, what this really means is that the car as it currently is will be a great starting point. @david hill, who went over the car, thinks that she can be brought back 100%, confirming what Wyatt and I thought.

The three of us agree that she needs new U-joints. I'll also replace the transmission mount while she's up on the lift (Wyatt has yet to see a single one that was not dry-rotted on any of the cars he's fixed in the past few years). Once that is done, hopefully all the vibrations will be gone -- otherwise, she'll be getting new engine mounts.

She also needs new shocks, as I experienced some pumping both of the times when I had to brake hard. Once the shocks are done, we can determine if the front end needs redone (idler arm, ball joints, etc.).

This said, the two key things that need done are the exhaust leak (we need her on a lift to figure out if the manifold is the issue, or if I will be getting off "easy") and the vinyl top (first, some minor rust needs fixing below the rear window, and once that is done then I will take her to get a new vinyl top in Indiana at a shop recommended by David). Buttercup will also be getting her driver's seat re-upholstered at that time -- the rest of the interior looks great, it just needs detailed.

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That car should be a keeper IMO. Looks great and for my tastes, I really like the front end of that car a lot more than the 73s. I really like the color as well.

 

[71Polara383]

After getting some spare keys cut, I stopped at this cool old building I spotted on the way to the locksmith for a pic.

Neat key fob they had hanging right there too. Why not?

 

[saforwardlook]

After getting some spare keys cut, I stopped at this cool old building I spotted on the way to the locksmith for a pic.

Neat key fob they had hanging right there too. Why not?

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Just a stunning looking vehicle and you know all the right angles and settings for taking great photos. That is indeed a great location for a photo.

Henry Freeman former principal – RPL's Local History

If Ayilar ends up letting it go, you should get it. Think of all the chicks you could pick up in that rig!

Even I am getting some serious thoughts about that car!

 

[Don Stolfi]

I found this beautiful GY4 Honeydew NYB with a gold top and black buckets on CL in Westtown, NY in mid-June and I managed to buy her before any sandbaggers got to it. Thanks to several members, in particular @coco , @Marv , @AussieFellaWithaCbody , @71Polara383 , and @saforwardlook for their help in this process!

This car was a 60th birthday gift to the seller by his son. The father, who just turned 90, stopped driving the car last year. He and/or his son used to drive the car every week, on "cruises" in NY/NJ/PA. That explains the 109k miles on the odometer, which is fine by me. There are some dings in the body panels because of what happened to the owner's ability to drive her in close spaces as he aged -- I guess that explains the bent front valence. Nothing major though.

The car was stored in a carport after the son helped the father sell his place last year, and you can see the result on the roof -- the son told me that the tears in the vinyl were not there before, and that's when they decided to sell the car so that it would not deteriorate further. Mechanically, the seller's son said that there is an exhaust leak. The incorrect exhaust and road wheel caps were there when he bought the car for his dads in 1991, so I have no plans to change them in the short term.

Later this afternoon, Buttercup will be on her way from New York to Illinois for some work by (mostly) Wyatt and myself. Here is the plan for restoration, based on what I have seen (pictures in the ad and the ones the seller sent to me, video inspection):

I. Mechanical:

1. Fuel tank replacing or patching;
2. tune-up (plugs, plug wires, oil change, air filter, hoses, engine and trans mounts, trans service);
3. brake service, including replacement of all brake lines/hoses and a power booster rebuild;
4. carb rebuild by @Dana;
5. LHS exhaust leak, could be as cheap as a gasket, hopefully it does not need a manifold repair;
6. get the slow rear windows to move faster, grease tracks and/or replace motors;
7. A/C repair (heater works);​

II. Cosmetics:

1. Top -- surface rust repair (bottom of the rear window, by Wyatt) & new V1G vinyl installation (with a shop recommended by @david hill );
2. LHS front fender bubbles, patch metal / paint & blend (Wyatt);
3. Driver's seat -- foam and vinyl replacement (hopefully the springs do not need replacing);​

Of course there may be more expenses if the tires and shocks need replacing, the water pump and/or radiator need work, or the springs and exhaust pipes are close to end-of-life. I am hopeful, however, that these won't be issues as the car has been very well maintained.

Attached below are photos that the son's wife took this morning -- ain't she beautiful?

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Beautiful! My father-in-law had a ‘73 New Yorker coupe the same color only with a white top - loved that car! Just didn’t have the cash at the time he parted with it.

 

[71Polara383]

One of the projects that we have planned, is to replace the Vinyl top as it was worn and definitely needed to be replaced.

Today I removed the trim from around the windows, used a razor to cut close to the drip rail to see what we are working with underneath. It looks excellent, no major rust or corrosion. It even gave us a look at how they let the assembly line worker know what color top to install...

 

[ayilar]

Now that everyone has seen Buttercup's V1Y tattoo, here's the issue with which I am grappling. My plan, going in, was to:

1. remove the vinyl top (since it was toast);
2. fix whatever rust Wyatt found underneath it;
3. paint the roof (possibly in white, likely in GY4);
4. and then -- after taking some photos of the painted top for posterity -- install the new vinyl top (for which, BTW, I still need to source a correct reproduction).

--> Here is the question: given that the roof metal under Buttercup's old top is pretty much spotless (except at the LHS bottom corner, due to leaves that rotted under the bright rear-window moldings), is step 3 (repainting the whole top, as opposed to just the rust area and the rear window surround) overkill or a good insurance? When in doubt, I'd go for the latter.

Comments welcome!

 

[polara71]

leave it. Its not a outdoor car anymore.

 

[3175375]

Now that everyone has seen Buttercup's V1Y tattoo, here's the issue with which I am grappling. My plan, going in, was to:

1. remove the vinyl top (since it was toast);
2. fix whatever rust Wyatt found underneath it;
3. paint the car (possibly in white, likely in GY4);
4. and then -- after taking some photos of the painted top for posterity -- install the new vinyl top (for which, BTW, I still need to source a correct reproduction).

--> Here is the question: given that the roof metal under Buttercup's old top is pretty much spotless (except at the LHS bottom corner, due to leaves that rotted under the bright rear-window moldings), is step 3 (repainting the whole top, as opposed to just the rust area and the rear window surround) overkill or a good insurance? When in doubt, I'd go for the latter.

Comments welcome!

Fix the rust and paint the entire top.

 

[73Coupe]

I'm two years into a new vinyl top project that has yet to start, so great timing (waiting on SMS). So if you plan on sourcing a new top from them, you might be going around bald for a few years.....

@71Polara383 - how are the glass and drip rail trim removed?

So @ayilar you're thinking of going away from the butterscotch color?

 

[ayilar]

you're thinking of going away from the butterscotch color?

Nope. The GY4/V1Y combination works very well. White would be nice too, but the original V1Y looks great to me and works well with the black interior.

The idea here is to protect the underside, just in case the car stays outside at some point. Unlikely, but I don't want to have to worry. By painting it GY4 underneath, my idea is to also take a photo of what the car would have looked like without a vinyl top.

 

[71Polara383]

leave it. Its not a outdoor car anymore.

Even if it sat outside...look how bad the whole roof rusted in the 48 years its been like this...oh wait it held up perfectly with the exception of the one corner that trapped dirt/moisture.

 

[71Polara383]

I'm two years into a new vinyl top project that has yet to start, so great timing (waiting on SMS). So if you plan on sourcing a new top from them, you might be going around bald for a few years.....

@71Polara383 - how are the glass and drip rail trim removed?

So @ayilar you're thinking of going away from the butterscotch color?

The drip rail trim is riveted. I am not looking forward to removing it.

The glass trim is pretty simple, just have to be careful and you can't pry it up thats when you will start hurting the trim.

 

[Samplingman]

I'm not one to leave any surface unpainted or unprotected, I'd paint it. If you are having the whole car done, then leave the V-top for the very last. I would, however, ask the trim shop if there is any drawback to having the roof painted with the type of adhesives they use, that might help you make a decision.

 

[polara71]

Even if it sat outside...look how bad the whole roof rusted in the 48 years its been like this...oh wait it held up perfectly with the exception of the one corner that trapped dirt/moisture.

Thats IF it sat outside at all which is unlikely

 

[ayilar]

Thats IF it sat outside at all which is unlikely

Starting in 1990, when the previous owner acquired the car (precisely, when his stepson bought it for him as a 60th bday gift), the car was kept inside. In the last year, however, it was kept outside under a carport -- and it is very obvious, from the slight surface rust at the edge of the fender signal repeaters and from the deterioration of the vinyl top itself, that it does not take too much to get some deterioration on those cars. That is why I am seriously considering a repaint of the top -- the rest of the car has a nice patina, but the top needs fixed and my thinking is I might as well do it "forever" (not just for the next 20 years), i.e., paint + vinyl on top of the paint.

 

[luigi164]

Neat key fob they had hanging right there too. Why not?
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I've been searching the www for a key fob like that. Only with "Chrysler Newport" on it. Are they available there ?

 

[polara71]

I've been searching the www for a key fob like that. Only with "Chrysler Newport" on it. Are they available there ?

E bay, the big swaps like Carlisle and Jessers keys in Ohio used to sell EVERYTHING key related

 

[polara71]

Starting in 1990, when the previous owner acquired the car (precisely, when his stepson bought it for him as a 60th bday gift), the car was kept inside. In the last year, however, it was kept outside under a carport -- and it is very obvious, from the slight surface rust on at the edge of the fender signal repeaters and from the deterioration of the vinyl top itself, that it does not take too much to get some deterioration. That is why I am seriously considering a repaint of the top -- the rest of the car has a nice patina, but the top needs fixed and my thinking is I might as well do it "forever" (not just for the next 20 years).

Then if thats what you wanna do there is no question is there...

 

[azblackhemi]

On a complete restoration I always painted the entire roof even on a vinyl top car. If you're painting the whole car I'd paint the roof too. Another quart of paint and a little extra prep time is no big deal. If you're not painting the whole car I'd fix the small spots and epoxy primer it and call it good.

 

[71Polara383]

On a complete restoration I always painted the entire roof even on a vinyl top car. If you're painting the whole car I'd paint the roof too. Another quart of paint and a little extra prep time is no big deal. If you're not painting the whole car I'd fix the small spots and epoxy primer it and call it good.

My thoughts exactly. If it was getting a full repaint...absolutely.