New Member, New Polara

[Stev]

Not had at twice the price! I have a couple extra stubs from parts cars, too bad your not closer.

As long as they're out there, when i can afford to do it i'll track one down.

And yeah, i got the donor truck for free from my dad's cousin who was just going to scrap it. The thing was done underneath but the driveline was perfect. Slapped a 600 cfm edelbrock/carter on there, fitted some headers and took all the nonsense off. She'll be slaying tires by august hopefully.

Pretty sure the Y block stickers are good for 10 horsepower at top end.

The AFB on Blue is really worn out right now, i wonder if i could bolt on the edelbrock until i can figure out how to unbugger the linkages.

And after 55 hard years, Big Blue's safe and warm for the first time in it's life. It's mostly been garaged, but only in poorly sealed and uninsulated sheds. A well earned retirement, I think.

Man it makes the thunderbird look like a go kart.

 

[detmatt]

As long as they're out there, when i can afford to do it i'll track one down.

And yeah, i got the donor truck for free from my dad's cousin who was just going to scrap it. The thing was done underneath but the driveline was perfect. Slapped a 600 cfm edelbrock/carter on there, fitted some headers and took all the nonsense off. She'll be slaying tires by august hopefully.

View attachment 362740

Pretty sure the Y block stickers are good for 10 horsepower at top end.

The AFB on Blue is really worn out right now, i wonder if i could bolt on the edelbrock until i can figure out how to unbugger the linkages.

View attachment 362771
And after 55 hard years, Big Blue's safe and warm for the first time in it's life. It's mostly been garaged, but only in poorly sealed and uninsulated sheds. A well earned retirement, I think.

Yes, a modern Edelbrock will work as long as it has the correct Mopar linkage adapter.

 

[pomonamissel]

ya you never know what i come across , here is a 65 'L' car console that i got with some engine parts . dirty but it will clean , great driver unit . i was hoping it might interchange with my 65 sat console , i need a top for that 4spd b body one . but no sub frames right now , i'll keep an eye out for one . what years will work for ya ?

 

[pomonamissel]

i got a few afb , avs , thermo , holley carbs for chrysler engines from the guy i got the console from . maybe i've got a good one for your needs . he even gave me q jet carbs . i guess some guys put them on the thermo intakes .

 

[pomonamissel]

i know i've got the shifter for that auto console as well . there is one , got a lose one as well . i've got a a100 van type for this custom 60 d100 .

 

[Stev]

So I was just rejigging the choke which was set up super poorly, and one of the tiny nuts from the ghetto spacer dropped down into the space around the heat crossover port.

Not my motor obviously, but the nut fell into that little horse shoe shaped area around the port and i couldn't fish it out. I would find it extremely unlikely, but does that hole have any chance of that nut going somewhere like the valley?

The motor's so greasy and dirty I don't really mind the nut just hanging out in that hole if it doesn't go anywhere. I can't imagine that hole goes to the valley but i simply don't know these motors that well, and apparently nobody on earth has ever taken a photo of a stock head that shows that detail.

I don't mind pulling the intake manifold i guess, but it'd be a lot of effort for nothing if it doesn't actually matter any.

 

[detmatt]

So I was just rejigging the choke which was set up super poorly, and one of the tiny nuts from the ghetto spacer dropped down into the space around the heat crossover port.

View attachment 363009

Not my motor obviously, but the nut fell into that little horse shoe shaped area around the port and i couldn't fish it out. I would find it extremely unlikely, but does that hole have any chance of that nut going somewhere like the valley?

The motor's so greasy and dirty I don't really mind the nut just hanging out in that hole if it doesn't go anywhere. I can't imagine that hole goes to the valley but i simply don't know these motors that well, and apparently nobody on earth has ever taken a photo of a stock head that shows that detail.

I don't mind pulling the intake manifold i guess, but it'd be a lot of effort for nothing if it doesn't actually matter any.

It goeth nowhere...

 

[Stev]

but no sub frames right now , i'll keep an eye out for one . what years will work for ya ?

Whatever welds into a '66 polara wagon really. I can't afford it right now however. Truck takes priority now that Blue's safe.

I've yet to put the car up on the lift but uh...

Yeah i'm thinkin' the spring shackle shouldn't use the panel seam as a bearing surface.

Luckily the thing that's gone is a 'secondary' box tube section that looks easy to cut and replace. The primary frame looks pretty alright. Should be easy to fix.

Gonna get it on the lift and see everything it needs. Really hoping the front subframe is solid because it looks pretty good from the engine bay.

 

[66MonacoWagon]

Welcome to the wagon family...here's mine...

 

[LocuMob]

Whatever welds into a '66 polara wagon really. I can't afford it right now however. Truck takes priority now that Blue's safe.

I've yet to put the car up on the lift but uh...

View attachment 363273

Yeah i'm thinkin' the spring shackle shouldn't use the panel seam as a bearing surface.

Luckily the thing that's gone is a 'secondary' box tube section that looks easy to cut and replace. The primary frame looks pretty alright. Should be easy to fix.

Gonna get it on the lift and see everything it needs. Really hoping the front subframe is solid because it looks pretty good from the engine bay.

Stub frames bolt in with six bolts on your '66, no welding required.

 

[Stev]

Stub frames bolt in with six bolts on your '66, no welding required.

Oh so they're actually sub frames?

I was expecting them to be welded to the monocoque like a falcon or beetle or something. That makes that job much easier.

 

[LocuMob]

Oh so they're actually sub frames?

I was expecting them to be welded to the monocoque like a falcon or beetle or something. That makes that job much easier.

C body's don't have them welded like an A or B body does, comes in helpful.

 

[Big_John]

Oh so they're actually sub frames?

I was expecting them to be welded to the monocoque like a falcon or beetle or something. That makes that job much easier.

Take a look in the service manual. Lot's to learn by an evening or two of turning the pages. The link to download one, and a parts manual was back in post #15 of this thread in case you missed it.

BTW, Chrysler called it a "stub" frame. Just another little quirk.

 

[Stev]

Take a look in the service manual. Lot's to learn by an evening or two of turning the pages. The link to download one, and a parts manual was back in post #15 of this thread in case you missed it.

BTW, Chrysler called it a "stub" frame. Just another little quirk.

Yes it turns out my grandfather had 3 hard copies lying around. They're each about 800 pages though, you'll forgive me for not having eaten through all of it just yet.

 

[LocuMob]

Yes it turns out my grandfather had 3 hard copies lying around. They're each about 800 pages though, you'll forgive me for not having eaten through all of it just yet.

I'd like to have an 800 page version! They are a couple inches thick, but have most of the info you'll ever need.

 

[Big_John]

Yes it turns out my grandfather had 3 hard copies lying around. They're each about 800 pages though, you'll forgive me for not having eaten through all of it just yet.

That's great!

Between the service manuals and the parts books, it's a real education in how these cars are put together.

 

[HWYCRZR]

I have a desk copy and a shop copy.
Once you learn what is in each section, it is a pretty quick search . Also many of the parts in the parts manuals are categorized with the same section numbers (with a few exceptions) so also helpful to find something.

 

[michiganhotrod1]

Welcome to C bodies. I just found this thread. I have taken several cross US trips with unknown vintage used cars, and can relate to your trip.
A couple of things I noticed. The AA1 code for paint on your fender tag is silver metallic. CC1 is for light blue.
Wagons often do not have self adjusting brakes, mine didn't (66 Town and Country). They are also bigger brakes, and stop well once set up.
All 65 to 68 Plymouth, Dodge and Chrysler full size wagons use the same structure, just different exterior sheet metal; that may help your chassis search. I have a parts wagon for my 66, bought for the tailgate and a quarter panel. The chassis will be surplus, but I'm in Detroit so it probably won't help. Keep looking though, more rot free metal is out west than in my area. Sedan parts can probably be adapted. Usually the exterior sheet metal rots and the chassis is fine on these.
Once you get the rust and mechanical sorted out, the 383 4 barrel with dual exhaust is a sweet motor as is, especially since the car probably has pretty tall gears; more of a torque engine for highway hauling. Make sure the suspension is tight, and invest in a set of quality shocks (I used KYB) and good tires and it will be a nice compromise of ride and handling.
Good luck.
Mark

 

[Stev]

Welcome to C bodies. I just found this thread. I have taken several cross US trips with unknown vintage used cars, and can relate to your trip.
A couple of things I noticed. The AA1 code for paint on your fender tag is silver metallic. CC1 is for light blue.
Wagons often do not have self adjusting brakes, mine didn't (66 Town and Country). They are also bigger brakes, and stop well once set up.
All 65 to 68 Plymouth, Dodge and Chrysler full size wagons use the same structure, just different exterior sheet metal; that may help your chassis search. I have a parts wagon for my 66, bought for the tailgate and a quarter panel. The chassis will be surplus, but I'm in Detroit so it probably won't help. Keep looking though, more rot free metal is out west than in my area. Sedan parts can probably be adapted. Usually the exterior sheet metal rots and the chassis is fine on these.
Once you get the rust and mechanical sorted out, the 383 4 barrel with dual exhaust is a sweet motor as is, especially since the car probably has pretty tall gears; more of a torque engine for highway hauling. Make sure the suspension is tight, and invest in a set of quality shocks (I used KYB) and good tires and it will be a nice compromise of ride and handling.
Good luck.
Mark

View attachment 363705

Yeah as it turns out the car was originally silver. The car was bought new by my uncle Allister for his players cigarrette delivery franchise, and he had it painted to suit. It is not a factory colour. They did a bang up job however. I was peeling back some interior while vaccuming it out and cleaning it, and the paint is under all the trim and carpets. Remarkable.

Amusingly, 90% of the sheet metal is fine, but the frame is very nearly done. The leaf springs have also sagged so much it's causing u joint phase problems. I think i'm going to just put air shocks in to correct it and take some weight off the problem areas until i can secure a replacement rear frame. I'd be astonished if the shocks were in good condition.

Regrettably my Jag still has zero brakes, so i'll have to wait until i finish that job to put Big Blue on a lift and see how bad it really is.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Stev]

Oh yeah here's a few images from the road trip.

Glorious conditions. The island leg was fantastic.

Only having my grandfather's tapes to listen to gave me a new appreciation for Stan Rodgers too.



Good times were had.