Customizing a 73 Newport "Custom"

SuperDave

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2020
Messages
153
Reaction score
147
Location
Pittsburg, Tx, USA
Little by little, bit by bit, Project Turd (so named on account of it's doggy door brown and presently it runs like crap) coming along. Thought I'd show off some of my tweeks.

So far it has shorty headers, the torsion bars and rear ladder bars have been dialed down, and a new set of Magnum 500 muscle car rims have been mounted, and I blacked out the grill & headlight bezels. Today I added a mesh inset & a pentastar emblem onto the grill. It still needs touch up painting and clear coat but here's a pic alongside the Halo ring headlamps I recently received from fleabay.

I still have a mess of upgrades for it to be mounted: complete brake/steering/suspension overhaul, 4bbl Eddy carb & intake, tricked out finned valve covers & air cleaner, and red split-loom for the spark plugs wires.

Can you polish a turd? The TV show Mythbusters proved it is possible, so I'm gonna try it myself. Why?
1. Because true classic muscle cars are prohibitively expensive to purchase & insure, for me anyway.
2. It was damn near free and dispute its condition, it still starts, runs and drives. Not only is it a survivor, it's not a quitter.
3. I've seen tricked out Cadillacs, Lincolns, Impalas, but a hot rod Chrysler isn't something you see every day.
4. My great granddad had one, he taught me about perseverance, dedication & hard work. This car reminds me of him.

I know what I'm doing may piss off some of the die hard, numbers matching purists, y'all can go suck eggs.
IMG_20200312_121242.jpg

IMG_20190523_182402.jpg

IMG_20200119_160311.jpg
 
I love it! It's up to you how you modify a car you own. Alot of people dont get that. I like stock stuff, and I like custom stuff too.

What brand shorty headers are those? How well do they fit?
 
Got the headers on fleabay, no name, box said made in China. They were cheap and they fit. Sorta, had to "massage" it to clear the steering gearbox. But new motor mounts are ordered, that may solve the issue, it says.
 
Love it, part of me wants to find a SMOG powered Newport/New Yorker and stroke it out to a 514, gear vendors overdrive and a 4:10 gear, and keep it all stock looking
 
Love it. I have the Grandpa look on my New Yorker but it is a 440 with a little bit of nitrous.

20200309_192736.jpg
 
SuperDave...well of course I'm feeling your vibe. Understandably this kind of site will give both the most grief and the most help with your car but the average person is just fascinated by uncommon big metal that isn't a Cadillac. And likely will encourage another to go save another one.

upload_2020-3-13_9-28-50.png


upload_2020-3-13_10-4-6.png


View attachment 359875
 
Back
Top