Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
Hello all,
Some of you may remember that I picked up a 1968 300 locally, just before I left for Phoenix in April. I normally wouldn’t have bothered, but this was such a clean survivor car that I couldn’t pass it up. Truthfully, I should have because I need it like an extra hole-in-my-head… If the background doesn’t make that obvious.
The car was listed on CL just outside of Detroit and I couldn’t bear the idea of it being “donked” on some 26” rims, or just having the 440 pulled for some ill-advised Duster project.
The price was fair, but not a giveaway. My plan was to go through it, doing what was required to re-awaken this car which has been kept in a dry garage for a few decades. I did some of that, but basically just enough to drive it to one of my rental houses where the tenants don’t get the garage. So does it run with good oil pressure? Yes… from a detergent bottle I mounted under the hood. (I haven’t dropped the gas tank and didn’t want to chance anything.) Does it move? Yes, although I’d flush the trans before I really drove it. Does it stop? Yes, the brakes work. It seems that the little tweaker nephew of the older lady who stored the car decided to cash in on the parts value of the car. As such, he removed items that will surely cover his habit for a day. It is missing:
The fan and belts
Windshield wiper arms
Sunvisors and rear view mirror
All ashtrays
Rear marker lamps
Dome light lenses
Emblems & front marker lamps (although I picked these up in California and will include them)
*Somebody also mounted a hood ornament, probably from a '67. I was going to just put it back rather than deal with the holes.
The little SOB also took the keys before the family could get the car out of Auntie’s garage. Never fear, I was able to get new ones made. There are a few garage scrapes here/there. If you can live with them, you could keep the original paint. I could kick myself for not taking underbody shots before I packed it away, but it’s as clean/dry as anything I’ve shipped from AZ, yet without the baked out interior. In fact, the interior is very good with the exception of split seams on the driver’s cushion. Unfortunately the windshield has a crack, extra sad because it has so many vintage stickers. Aftermarket hubcaps, but I have originals.
When I took the back seat out (to remove the trunk lock) I discovered that someone had stored a vinyl pool liner (!), so I had to drag that out a good ways. Also found an old furniture receipt tag from Hudson’s and a Farmer Jack plastic grocery bag. (Their claim to fame was introducing plastic bags to the Detroit area… They’re kaput now.)
Interior still very nice. Outside of the driver's cushion, I don't think it needs anything but some clean up, maybe dye on the yellowed parts.
Vinyl top is excellent. My Fury photo-bombed me and stuck its nose in far enough to look like rust bumps! Thanks car.
Chrome is excellent. Not NOS, but excellent.
Foam trunk mat is dust, but trunk has no rust. In this you can trust.
Did I mention there was a $%*@'ing pool liner from 1973 shoved in the trunk? I had to pull it out through the rear seat in order to remove the trunk lock!
Anyways, $3200k is my price. That covers what I have invested + the pool liner labor. I think this is a good deal for you Euros that are willing to turn a few wrenches and detail stuff, or mid-western folk who would pay this price + shipping from the SW US. If I bring this car back to life, it will increase in price. I realize that I shouldn't have bought another project, because it's already August and I'm still buffing out my '70 Fury. I want that car indoors this winter, so "big red" needs to go.
Some of you may remember that I picked up a 1968 300 locally, just before I left for Phoenix in April. I normally wouldn’t have bothered, but this was such a clean survivor car that I couldn’t pass it up. Truthfully, I should have because I need it like an extra hole-in-my-head… If the background doesn’t make that obvious.
The car was listed on CL just outside of Detroit and I couldn’t bear the idea of it being “donked” on some 26” rims, or just having the 440 pulled for some ill-advised Duster project.
The price was fair, but not a giveaway. My plan was to go through it, doing what was required to re-awaken this car which has been kept in a dry garage for a few decades. I did some of that, but basically just enough to drive it to one of my rental houses where the tenants don’t get the garage. So does it run with good oil pressure? Yes… from a detergent bottle I mounted under the hood. (I haven’t dropped the gas tank and didn’t want to chance anything.) Does it move? Yes, although I’d flush the trans before I really drove it. Does it stop? Yes, the brakes work. It seems that the little tweaker nephew of the older lady who stored the car decided to cash in on the parts value of the car. As such, he removed items that will surely cover his habit for a day. It is missing:
The fan and belts
Windshield wiper arms
Sunvisors and rear view mirror
All ashtrays
Rear marker lamps
Dome light lenses
Emblems & front marker lamps (although I picked these up in California and will include them)
*Somebody also mounted a hood ornament, probably from a '67. I was going to just put it back rather than deal with the holes.
The little SOB also took the keys before the family could get the car out of Auntie’s garage. Never fear, I was able to get new ones made. There are a few garage scrapes here/there. If you can live with them, you could keep the original paint. I could kick myself for not taking underbody shots before I packed it away, but it’s as clean/dry as anything I’ve shipped from AZ, yet without the baked out interior. In fact, the interior is very good with the exception of split seams on the driver’s cushion. Unfortunately the windshield has a crack, extra sad because it has so many vintage stickers. Aftermarket hubcaps, but I have originals.
When I took the back seat out (to remove the trunk lock) I discovered that someone had stored a vinyl pool liner (!), so I had to drag that out a good ways. Also found an old furniture receipt tag from Hudson’s and a Farmer Jack plastic grocery bag. (Their claim to fame was introducing plastic bags to the Detroit area… They’re kaput now.)
Interior still very nice. Outside of the driver's cushion, I don't think it needs anything but some clean up, maybe dye on the yellowed parts.
Vinyl top is excellent. My Fury photo-bombed me and stuck its nose in far enough to look like rust bumps! Thanks car.
Chrome is excellent. Not NOS, but excellent.
Foam trunk mat is dust, but trunk has no rust. In this you can trust.
Did I mention there was a $%*@'ing pool liner from 1973 shoved in the trunk? I had to pull it out through the rear seat in order to remove the trunk lock!
Anyways, $3200k is my price. That covers what I have invested + the pool liner labor. I think this is a good deal for you Euros that are willing to turn a few wrenches and detail stuff, or mid-western folk who would pay this price + shipping from the SW US. If I bring this car back to life, it will increase in price. I realize that I shouldn't have bought another project, because it's already August and I'm still buffing out my '70 Fury. I want that car indoors this winter, so "big red" needs to go.
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