Newest aquisition...

[moper]

Well, I've had well past 100 Mopars since I got into them. Mostly muscle cars although my favorite is still a certain C body I had. But I never had, never even grabbed the engine out of an Imperial. That all changed as of yesterday. She arrived in a thunderstorm and torrential downpour, making her arrival an act of god...lol. She doesn't run at the moment but looks solid, turns with the starter, and has a little brake pedal so I'm hopeful with a little work it will run and drive. no pics yet - it's still raining - but it's a '65, 4dr, white with a red gut. I call her "The Imp". Not sure what the plans are as I took it in trade for a paint job but I'm no longer missing out on a top-of-the-line car. Pics will follow...
s_dancing2:

 

[detmatt]

Congrats, can't wait to see it!

 

[moper]

I also think it's a 66... not a '65. My bad...lol

 

[mpgmike]

Nice catch. Seats & hubcaps sent me in the '66 direction, but without a grill shot, I wasn't quite sure.

 

[63Fun]

Very nice!

 

[moper]

Yup. Pretty cool car really. I had to "phone a friend" to find out how the hood opens...lol. I saw the engine bay some weeks ago but couldn't figure out how to get the hood open for a picture. It's all original too. I'm amazed because it was purchased new on Cape Cod and spent most of it's life running around sand and salt. The only rust is the right rear lower 1/4, and a spot where the chrome is pealing on the rear bumper. Interior's good but cruddy. Aside from not running the biggest issue is the left rear door won't open. If it was a parts car I know how I'd fix that...lol.

 

[commando1]

Damn. Love that.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Is the car a Le Baron? Looking at the back window and maybe it is.

 

[Wollfen]

Its a Lebaron yup.

 

[bluefury361]

Very nice. I love the white on red.

 

[Samplingman]

Paint it black, slam it to the ground....NOT!

Holy crap that's nice...especially the red interior! Polish and drive.

 

[moper]

The short list: figure out why it won't run; clean it; get the left rear door open without destroying it or myself; check out the brakes; add some leaves to the rear spring packs; repair the rust and touch up the white paint. If I can't get the engine to run plans may change but I'd like to get it to driver status.

 

[furyus 67]

Nice find!!!

 

[patrick66]

You have a '66, so it's gonna have the 440 versus the 413 in the earlier Imperials. Nice things about the '66 are: No pushbutton shift. No need for a rear drum puller for a brake job! Real walnut veneer trim.

Beautiful interior!!!

 

[73 T&C]

Thanks for sharing your very nice car..... I love the red interior.

 

[mpgmike]

As far as getting it running, check the basics. If you spray carb cleaner or starter fluid in the carb and it starts then dies, you have a fuel supply issue. It could be gunked up fuel tank, clogged fuel filter (possibly caused by a gunked up tank), or dried out carb (with no accelerator pump operation). If it doesn't even try to start shooting something that can act as fuel in the carb, then it's time to look at ignition. Pull a spark plug wire and shove a long #2 philips screw driver in the boot. Hold a part of the screwdriver about 1/4" away from a good ground and have someone crank the engine. If you don't see a spark, you probably have an ignition issue. Start with the basics. Check for voltage at the coil +. Look at the cap & rotor. You will have points & condenser. At least check the points. If that doesn't get you running check back & let us know. There are more diagnostic checks that come after these.

 

[bluefury361]

Starter fluid will cause a more violent explosion and can bend a valve, some gasoline in the carb is a better choice.

A word of caution on the second point. DO NOT lean on the fender when performing this check. Ask me why I say that. It happened one time to me and once I got up up off the floor I bought a spark plug checker with a ground clip.

You can use a remote starter button, or even a screw driver to crank the engine at the relay.

 

[commando1]

A word of caution on the second point. DO NOT lean on the fender when performing this check. Ask me why I say that. It happened one time to me and once I got up up off the floor I bought a spark plug checker with a ground clip.

Now I don't feel so embarrassed...

 

[mpgmike]

Starter fluid will cause a more violent explosion and can bend a valve, some gasoline in the carb is a better choice.

A word of caution on the second point. DO NOT lean on the fender when performing this check. Ask me why I say that. It happened one time to me and once I got up up off the floor I bought a spark plug checker with a ground clip.

You can use a remote starter button, or even a screw driver to crank the engine at the relay.

I happen to have those tools, but offered solutions for someone that probably does not. I remember my Dad using me as a "scope". He said, "Grab those (ignition) wires one at a time and wiggle them. If the miss goes away we found our miss." When I found the bad one, I did a double back flip and convulsed on the ground for a good 30 seconds. Still, we need to do the best we can with what we have. (At least I didn't suggest using children/grandchildren as ignition testers.)

 

[thrashingcows]

A word of caution on the second point. DO NOT lean on the fender when performing this check. Ask me why I say that. It happened one time to me and once I got up up off the floor I bought a spark plug checker with a ground clip.

You can use a remote starter button, or even a screw driver to crank the engine at the relay.

Reminded me of a trick my Grandfather pulled on me. I was just starting to have an interest in cars, in my early teens, sure I was being a condescending prick to Grandpa while he was showing me how to work on a motor. Anyway we needed to shut the motor down so Grandpa asked me to pull the coil wire off...just I started to grab and pull the wire he reved the motor up....knocked me on my butt! Sure he was giggling like a fool inside...but helped me up and explained why you never shut a car off that way. :sHa_dielaughing2: