I have made various posts here and there about Poppy, my 1970 Polara convertible, but I never created a thread for her. Early on, back in 2018, I made a number of posts in her "For Sale" thread. I had planned on using the latter as the news page for the car but, after all FCBO FS threads started getting locked 30 days post-sale, that stopped being possible. In any event, save for bringing Poppy back to the same shop to solve an overheating issue 2.5 years ago (leading to top end work — done by the same MD shop), there was not much to post about Poppy beside the trips on which I took her as she was and remained in very good shape.
So, why create a Poppy thread now? I did build garage for her, after all! Well, Poppy arrived today in Indy, where @david hill will be giving her the attention that she needs after 5 years of driving with me (especially the engine, which experienced issues when I was driving her with @Trace 300 Hurst last fall). Like all my other C-bodies, I will take the opportunity to document the condition of the car and what is being done to her -- so I am starting this thread, which is dedicated to her.
Her fender tag is here, decoded here. DL27G0D170979 has few options, yet her ER6 Red livery makes her look like a million dollars. Indeed, when she was first listed for sale in 2014, the asking price was an even $200k! Four years later, in March 2018, I acquired her for (far) less from her second owner of 40 years
What is low, and makes her special, are the miles: Poppy had just over 31k miles when I bought her. She spent all of her life with two owners in Pottstown, PA: they were neighbors and, after the first owner passed away in 1978, his widow sold the car to her neighbor and his son (from whom I made the acquisition in 2018). The son drove the car in the mid-Atlantic all the way to Rehoboth Beach, and told me that he was meticulous about washing her underside -- which, together with the factory undercoating, likely explains the fact that the lack of rust.
Poppy was dusty but in great cosmetic shape when I bought her (excellent paint, impeccable interior) as shown in the photos that @polara71 took in 2014. Of course, she had been sitting for 32 years, so she needed a complete mechanical go-over. A classic Mopar specialist from Maryland, recommended by @Imperialist67, did the work in a timely manner -- and here is the result at her first (2018) Carlisle:
Almost 5 years later, Poppy has yet to pass the 35k miles mark -- but I do drive her, she has been on quite a few multi-hours runs, and she has gone to Carlisle four times already. The only year when she missed the Mopar Annuals under my ownership was in 2021, when I brought instead Medina (my 1971 Monaco) for the 50-year reunion.
David will be adding to this thread, as he documents the work that he will be doing so that I can enjoy her for years to come.
So, why create a Poppy thread now? I did build garage for her, after all! Well, Poppy arrived today in Indy, where @david hill will be giving her the attention that she needs after 5 years of driving with me (especially the engine, which experienced issues when I was driving her with @Trace 300 Hurst last fall). Like all my other C-bodies, I will take the opportunity to document the condition of the car and what is being done to her -- so I am starting this thread, which is dedicated to her.
Her fender tag is here, decoded here. DL27G0D170979 has few options, yet her ER6 Red livery makes her look like a million dollars. Indeed, when she was first listed for sale in 2014, the asking price was an even $200k! Four years later, in March 2018, I acquired her for (far) less from her second owner of 40 years
What is low, and makes her special, are the miles: Poppy had just over 31k miles when I bought her. She spent all of her life with two owners in Pottstown, PA: they were neighbors and, after the first owner passed away in 1978, his widow sold the car to her neighbor and his son (from whom I made the acquisition in 2018). The son drove the car in the mid-Atlantic all the way to Rehoboth Beach, and told me that he was meticulous about washing her underside -- which, together with the factory undercoating, likely explains the fact that the lack of rust.
Poppy was dusty but in great cosmetic shape when I bought her (excellent paint, impeccable interior) as shown in the photos that @polara71 took in 2014. Of course, she had been sitting for 32 years, so she needed a complete mechanical go-over. A classic Mopar specialist from Maryland, recommended by @Imperialist67, did the work in a timely manner -- and here is the result at her first (2018) Carlisle:
Almost 5 years later, Poppy has yet to pass the 35k miles mark -- but I do drive her, she has been on quite a few multi-hours runs, and she has gone to Carlisle four times already. The only year when she missed the Mopar Annuals under my ownership was in 2021, when I brought instead Medina (my 1971 Monaco) for the 50-year reunion.
David will be adding to this thread, as he documents the work that he will be doing so that I can enjoy her for years to come.
Last edited:
That muffler now looks like a football instead of an OEM item. Maybe Professor Hill will post a pic in the future. It would be comical if it wasn't for the fact that the exhaust system is somewhat new and was in perfect condition.
