Sounds like you have done your homework on this. I like your game plan. The cast iron TF is a good unit, and if you can rebuild it yourself so much better for the wallet. The OH kit is still expensive though. Yes the shift cables are the same, I swapped one one time.
Joanne's is closing down for good in April so you won't have to avoid that on future trips!
Really ?! I hadn’t heard that . My wife has as almost as many craft gadgets as I have Snap On tools and equipment in my home shop in 50 years of wrenching . Whenever she wants yet another new paper machine gadget from Joanne’s or Hobby Lobby , if I ask , Do you really need that one too ? She looks straight at me and says “ Hello , Mister I gotta have this new tool , these gadgets are my Snap On tools “ . That ends that discussion lol, and I just get out my wallet .
She didn’t complain though when I told her I adopted a “Cat “ awhile back , and showed up with an O4 Jag XJR supercharged sedan that a late friend , who I had kept his fleet of dozens of amazing cars running , knew I loved that car , made me such a deal he knew I couldn’t turn it down . I swore I’d never get another Jag after having an XKE years ago was beautiful but painfully unreliable to own ,a 77 XJ12 I restored that was smooth and fast but only got 5 mpg , then a LWB 02 XJ 8 Vanden Plas ( which btw means - “Picnic tables “ on the back of the seats ) ,It was bulletproof reliable much to my surprise , I sold it eventually , Then I drove the supercharged aluminum body light 04 XJR my friend Bill had it was a rocket and got bit by a Jag once again . Over the years I’ve had various cars of all types that I bought broken and revived such as just a few of them , a 66 GTO , 70 Chevelle , 72 455 Grand Prix , 79 Fiat Spyder, Porsches - a 912 , two 928’s , and finally Kermit a lime green 74 911 , the one car I most regret selling , omg what an engine , I never turned on the radio because the engine sound was so glorious , a 2180 stroker dual downdraft Webers Baja Bug with Porsche transaxle that would carry the front wheels into second gear I built , engine included as a teen .
Then the Mopar Bug bit me and hard . I had always wanted an early Hemi powered hot rod . I bought an unassembled incomplete project bare shell 46 Dodge truck rat out of Virginia , because it included a never run or even fully assembled "professionally" built 54 Dodge 241 Red Ram Hemi , 3 deuces , straight zoomies , 64 pushbutton Torqueflite with a Valiant dash pushbutton shifter and loose cables in the many boxes , a 9" locker rear axle , with a bare custom frame . I spent 6 yrs building it up from scratch . The engine had $9k of receipts from a big well equipped VA all Mopar hi perf shop built , I thought well at least the engine would be okay , I paid less for everything than he had in just the engine . Wrong ! the engine was a total disaster , they left out an internal galley plug it wouldn't build or hold oil pressure when I first primed it . I found the missing galley plug and installed one . It made little difference , it ate the impossible to find 241 cam in the first few minutes because they put the cam bearings in wrong . I ultimately just started over on it and spent another $6k on the engine making it right . I learned more about early Hemi's than I ever wanted , but I know every inch of them now. I'd never even seen a pushbutton shifter and cables , but it was easy to figure out and hasn't needed any adjustment since I installed it even the neutral safety switch and illuminated buttons work perfectly . The overhauled Torqueflite shifts great and locker diff definitely works . The rat wrecker is loud and raw but fun , it gets more looks than any fancy car with multiple coats of paint I've had and thumps with the engines heartbeat . I can't do direct sun and over 95 degree heat anymore , and with my wifes weakened respiratory system , she cant breathe in the heat . We needed a comfortable cold A/C car.for hot Texas summers . I was going to do an LS in a 60 Caddy with no engine or trans , but drove a couple hours to look at a one family owned 62 Imperial that ended up languishing in a field a couple decades after its 413 engine was stolen from the Wichita Falls , Tx shop it was at while out for repair . I had never even seen one . It had dual air , was loaded , but in poor shape after being vandalized and open to the weather. I bought it cheap and learned quickly finding parts was going to be difficult . Cadillac outsold Imperials 15:1 but they drive far better with their Torsion Bar suspension , 392 and 413 strong engines , bulletproof Torqueflites , plus many Chrysler innovations such as Auto Pilot cruise control they invented , and bulbless 200v AC instrument illumination that glows like a watch . I bought and stripped a rotted pans 62 Imperial parts car for the interior and exterior parts and glass I needed that also had the non running partially disassembled longblock 413 engine and a spare aluminum transmission I have now.
Things were coming together slowly , then my wife suddenly developed AFIB heart trouble . They did an ablation that stopped the AFIB but two weeks later the lining around her heart became inflamed full of fluid . It was a very scary situation.They did open heart surgery and drained off the fluid . She could breathe better instantly but it caused enough residual damage she will need supplemental oxygen 24/7 . While she was recovering she was laid off along with 1650 others , from the company she had been working for after the economy slowed . She had made nearly six figures . Our situation changed very quickly to just me working . We are a year into trying to get her Social Security disability using an attorney that specializes in only that. They always turn down the first request we are waiting on the appeal . She had multiple other major health issues prior to the heart problems, that were worsened , her doctors here all agree she qualifies several times over and got her a tag for the car so at least she can park closer in disabled spots . The attorney says she will get it but it’s a very slow process .Fun with big government . I can’t imagine living without her she is amazing .
Once everything was out , The floor pan in the 62 turned out to be much worse than it initially appeared I couldn’t afford to spend at least $40k on a likely $10k value car when done even with me doing all the work except the paint , interior floor pan , and all new upholstery . I knew going in it would cost more to restore than its value , that’s normal for most project cars , but really liked the car and liked I’d probably never see another one at a car show they are so unique. I made the decision to stop on the 62 , took off what I could use , and donated it to Trenton at Browne Salvage in Sunset , Tx who has always treated me fairly to add to his vast number of vintage salvage yard cars . It’s like old car Heaven . I’d seen a clean looking running 60 model Imperial with no reverse listed for sale a few times . The price dropped as time went on when it would pop up . Next time it was listed I drove out to look at it . It had been parked indoors and overall in good condition plus it was complete , it ran , and it had dual A/C . The vintage car magazine reviews by Tom McCahill said even on the hottest triple digit summer days imaginable, the dual A/C made it like the North Pole inside .
I made him a lower offer and we struck a deal . I love the 60 Imperial even better . The unique rings of Saturn look taillights with red cone lenses are one year only and very hard to find . Someone had substituted shorter Valiant lenses that would work but didn’t look right . I got lucky a guy found a pair in the trunk of a 55 Chevy he bought that the previous owner had thought of using to customize it . I drove out and met the guy and voila ! I had the correct taillights . I had already rebuilt the 200v AC Panelescent dash lights power supply on my 62 , I did the same on the 60 and its huge dinner plate sized instruments came to life again . I need to fix a couple of the tiny hair sized wires that power the red needles to make them glow , I learned on the 62 to use a drop of special conductive glue to reattach them . They are so thin they just melt if soldered . With the weight of these Imperials and huge C bodies in general somehow it seems only right it would have a cast iron transmission . So that’s the plan hopefully the hard parts are okay and it just needs a band and kit . I’ll know when I take it apart , I look forward to driving it . Thanks !
