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'61 Chrysler Newport 2 Door Hardtop

This is my '61 Chrysler Newport I'm in the process of redoing!!

General Information

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I learned to drive in my parents '61 Chrysler 4 door sedan. It was equipped with a 361 motor mated to a 3 speed manual tranny. It was void of any options. Manual tranny, no power steering, no power brakes, no A/C, radio delete, no carpet-rubber mat instead. One good thing about it is that car would fly. My dad took it to the garage for a tune up. The mechanic took it out for a test drive after the tune up. When he came back, he told my dad " Brother Carrico, that Chrysler will roll!!!"
I searched for a long time to find my old car, but the trail ended in Richmond Virginia. It seems the man that owned the car, when it was there, died. It was setting, abandoned, in a vacant lot there. After several years, the city picked the car up and took it to the crusher. Crushed me to find this out.

Fast forward a few years and I'm in search of a replacement. I found this solid '61 outside of Houston Texas, made the deal and went to get it. It also has factory air with all components intact. Now to tear it apart and put it together again.

I have a low mileage 413 from a '59 Imperial that I want to put in it. I also have a 3 speed manual from a '62 Chrysler I want to convert it to. Trying to recapture my youth.

Problem is '62 tranny won't bolt to the pre '62 motor. They couldn't wait one more year to make the changeover. Oh well, I'll figure it out in due time. I've already requested info in the forum here. Hopefully somebody will give me a clue to a fix. I want to put a late crank in my 413 which will work. Anybody out there with a '64-72 413 or 440 crank they no longer need, give me a shout. It would be gratefully appreciated.

Comments

Intersting, I own an '59 Imperial Custon Coupe and '62 300 conv. w/3 sp. trans. The shift boot is a devil to get, mine is split. Love your fins etc.
 
I saw that car in an internet echo ad (one that had been copied to another site and reprinted but led nowhere).

I'm glad you have it and are restoring it how you remember/want!

There are quite a few Ram Induction long 30" inside runners 2800rpm torque peak
ramlong1.JPG

and short 15" inside runners 3600rpm torque peak
ramshortcrease2.JPG

intakes on eBay now in case you want that 413 to torque your head off...
 
Thanks for the info. Contemplating ram tubes. Have to solve the tranny swap issue first.
Pete, the tranny is coming out of a '62 300 non letter car. It's mated to a 383 presently.
 
Sounds like you are dedicated and were dealt a wonderful car. At my yearly car show (Crosstown Edmonton, don't work there, own a '70 and '71 purchased there. An older gentleman shows up with a '61 coupe, mirror black with bright red interior. I just drool.
 
Love that you have rescued this car. It's a process for sure. I am a few years in on my 62 New Yorker. When I bought her in 89 it had a 440 from a 72 truck in it with a Holley double. Ran that engine until it threw a rod. Then put in a 413 with a single carb as an emergency fix. Now I am back to a 440 that's been bored out, injection and some nitrous for good measure. Hoping to have her done and back on the road in a month or so. Good luck with your search.
 
Well, a direction change is in the works!!!
I bought a set of ram tubes, then discovered that was a small down payment on what it was going to cost to make that happen.
Fast forward a few months and I bought a complete '69 six pack set up, with an aluminum Eldebrock intake, including an air cleaner. Carbs being rebuilt as we speak. Sticker shock on the rebuild kit as it was about $200 for the kit to do all three carbs.
After I bought this set up, I was looking under the hood of my car, just glowing about how that set up was going to look on my 413. Then, after seeing how the A/C compressor sits on the front of the block, I'm wondering if that massive air cleaner is going to fit. Only time will tell. Anyone have any ideas on this problem? Hope it doesn't become one.
I'm planning to have the air cleaner top and valve covers powder coated in the gold color used on early Chrysler air cleaners. Then I want a graphics shop to make me a graphic of a lion to go on my version of a Golden Lion motor. Been googling photos of lions, looking for a candidate to create a caracture from like Plymouth's version of the cartoon Road Runner. Gotta come up with a catchy name for it, ie: Air Grabber, Coyote Duster, etc. I'm open to name suggestions from you witty guys on here. Some of your guy's posts crack me up. You're the ones I'm talking to. You know who you are.
 
Bought a new gas tank and sending unit. bought new gas line and used the old one as a pattern to bend the new one. Took the old gas tank out. It was badly rusted on top and had about 10 gallons of the most foul smelling gasoline you ever smelled. bottom of the car has extremely mild surface rust, so lightly wire brushed it and painted chassis saver on the bottom where the gas tank would go. Reinstalled gas tank, installed new gas line, (it was a pain in the donkey to get through the frame in the front, put new gas in and fired the engine. It actually worked.
One thing off the list. Gazillion more to go. I'm hoping to be driving this thing by summer's end. We'll see.
 
This is the only picture I have of the '61 Chrysler Newport that I learned to drive in. That's my dad and mom standing in front of it, circa 1965. It became my hand me down in about 1968.
As stated previously, it was a stripped down version. It had manual steering, brakes and was radio delete. It had rubber floor mats instead of carpet and no A/C. My favorite part of the deal was the 361 big block and the 3 speed floor shifted manual transmission. That bad boy would fly and I made sure to stretch its wings regularly. I always loved that car and hated when my dad traded it off. Tried, in vain, to find it years later and my search lead to it being crushed after being abandoned after the owner died in Richmond, Va.
This is the car that lead me to the car I have today and other than the two doors and automatic tranny, looks identical in both interior and exterior color. My car also has a radio, A/C, carpet, power steering and power brakes.
I sure miss my old Chrysler and hope I do it proud with this latest edition.


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This is the only picture I have of the '61 Chrysler Newport that I learned to drive in. That's my dad and mom standing in front of it, circa 1965. It became my hand me down in about 1968.
As stated previously, it was a stripped down version. It had manual steering, brakes and was radio delete. It had rubber floor mats instead of carpet and no A/C. My favorite part of the deal was the 361 big block and the 3 speed floor shifted manual transmission. That bad boy would fly and I made sure to stretch its wings regularly. I always loved that car and hated when my dad traded it off. Tried, in vain, to find it years later and my search lead to it being crushed after being abandoned after the owner died in Richmond, Va.
This is the car that lead me to the car I have today and other than the two doors and automatic tranny, looks identical in both interior and exterior color. My car also has a radio, A/C, carpet, power steering and power brakes.
I sure miss my old Chrysler and hope I do it proud with this latest edition.


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can't get the pic to load
 
Help. I've posted pictures on here before. Somehow I can't figure out how to do it now. :BangHead:
 
Well, made some progress, finally. Got the front clip, valance pan and radiator core support off the front end. Now getting the 361 motor and push-button tranny ready to come out.
Clean, blast and paint front of frame and get 413 and HEMI 4 speed ready to go back in. Can't wait!!!!
 
I have made a little more progress on my build, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to post pictures of it in my garage.
 

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