C Body fan from long ago

Ram50V8

New Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2022
Messages
4
Reaction score
8
Location
Harrison Arkansas
So I knew about this forum from long ago via brothers (and friends) of mine in Vaccaville California. This goes back to when I owned a 1968 Chrysler 300 convertible for almost 22 years. Which is this car - For Sale - 1968 Chrysler 300 convertible (Maine) - $10,900 . It has been 13 years since I last saw it so let me fill you in. In 2004 I decided to give up my life as an auto mechanic and go to work for the military in Iraq. I put all my stuff in storage including my collection of cars (1968 300 convert, 1968 300 coupe, 1968 New Yorker sedan, 1968 Newport coupe w/stylized top - yes I have a thing for 1968 C-Bodies, several RAM50's in various states of conversion to V8's and a 1 of 75 built 1974 GTX along with a huge collection of spare/OE/custom parts. Upon my return in 2008 I was a bit stressed out (un diagnosed PTSD) so I decided to focus on me. Built a nice shop at home, 40X60 with heated floor and then had a falling out with the now ex. I am not going to go into details about the falling out but lets just say I opened my mouth and went where no man should go concerning her weight. About this time I also suffered a severe back injury (rolling over in bed of all places) which left me paralyzed from the waist down for a a few weeks and a long recovery process. Anyway, my now ex along with help from the rest of my family managed to wipe me out financially and since not able to work or fight her in court they were able to liquidate what they could and abandon the remaining (this 300 convertible is one of the abandoned sadly to say) Needless to say, my love of classic cars was ruined and has taken me this long to finally talk about it.

So, what made me finally talk about it? Well a young man came into my shop (Drollinger Auto repair) recently with a huge interest in classics and I proceeded to open up and teach him a few things about my early days. In 1978 I bought my first 68 C body. A Newport sedan, 383 auto light blue metallic to be exact for $100. It barely ran, had no brakes at all and still had the original mile long muffler under it. On the way home with my foot on the floor the muffler blew off (which my buddy following me collected) and it ran better. The next day I took it to the high school auto shop and the instructor taught me how to install points. (mind you I knew nothing about car repair at that time) Short story, I drove that car about 6 months with no brakes (in retrospect I realize the master cylinder was bad) but what impressed me was how durable the transmission was since I would throw it into reverse and nail the gas at the same time to stop. This would lead to some interesting car and tire activity lol. So in the trunk of this Newport was an original dealer brochure and in it was a photo of a gorgeous girl with a deep red metallic 300 convertible (god I loved that picture) From that point on I was on a mission to get a 68 300 convertible. Problem was, not many were built (just a tad over 2100 as I remember) so in my quest to find one I looked at many, but I was either not impressed at the condition for the price or just plain out of my $$$ range.

Fast forward to August 1988, my dad had died and I was approached by a former boss who had moved across the country and happened to be in town (Champaign Illinois) who offered me a house to purchase. So I decided to buy the house and give up on trying to find the "just right" 68 300 convertible. About 8 months later a friend calls me to say a 300 vert in for sale in the Thrifty Nickle. I decided to call and one thing lead to another I ended up buying the car for 2K.

Details about the 68 300 convertible.....

So the 300 vert. had some body damage when I bought it. Bambi had committed suicide causing body damage and the original engine had overheated per the person I bought it off of. The right front fender and hood were dark green. The sub frame was bent and it had a 400 2bbl engine in it. The original 440 TNT was supposedly buried in the weeds but was never located and long gone. I had a friend try to color match the paint (close but obvious) and I eventually acquired a 440 out of a mid 70's New Yorker (1977 I believe) The New Yorker was one I had towed in from an accident. The lady who owned it was the former wife of George Chin (goggle that name from Champaign Illinois, quite the character) Anyway, I installed the 440, with an intake from Scott Spies (BPT Racing) and an air cleaner from a 1973 or 74 Road Runner with a repo TNT pie plate. The radiator that came in the 300 vert (when it was 400 powered) was not an original so installing an original fan shroud was not an option. I ended up taking a piece of 1/4" lexan and making a shroud. This car had a nasty habit of closing the headlamp doors at idle so I traced the problem to voltage drop to the headlamp door relay. Now let me tell you, having those doors suddenly close in the dark of night while driving was at best annoying and definitely scary. Not wanting to alter the car any more than necessary, I installed a relay on the center grill support to control the headlamp door motors that had a very low drop out voltage thereby keep those doors open at idle. The original alternator was rated at 36 amps on a good day and the wiring was not going to like a higher rated alternator. So although I really enjoyed driving this car there was a problem with having time to drive it. When I bought it (1989) only had 74K miles on it. So when I was not driving it, it was parked at my sisters farm in the work shop. Around 1990 Her son, my nephew asked one day if he could take it for a drive. I said "OK" but if anything happened he was to make it right. Well, he had a minor mishap, causing a crease in one of the rear quarter panels. Since I was planning at some point repainting the car I opted for him to purchase a new top from Warshawsky and Company (J.C. Whitney) black since the original white top was crap and I did not like that color anyway. Moving ahead to the year 2000, my mom had passed away that spring, I discovered the Canadian version of the Mopar Nationals in Kitchner, Ontario Canada so I made a plan to get the 300 ready for a road trip. I had managed to track down several rebuild kits for the Bud 4 piston calipers and a set of Raybestos pads (let me tell you, at the time finding these parts was not easy) So I set out to fix her up and correct a few problems. Reds Muffler shop in Urbana Illinois bent up a new exhaust based on the original patterns and even had the original exhaust hangers in stock (a big plus) I removed the original fuse box (fried, and glass fuses) and installed 2 new BUSS ATC 8 place fuse boxes to divide up the load and eliminate the dreaded burnt fuse problems these were known for. I stripped the carpet and padding, installed 2 layers of padding and a new repo carpet (not the best repo, but all that was available at the time). My GF at the time sewed up a new rear seat and piping for the trim panels. I recovered the doors with new matching carpet lowers and the vinyl covering I found at at old upholstery shop. Then on to finally replacing the top. So I had the factory service manual and found a copy of (How To Install A Chrysler Convertible Top - Or How To Erect A Circus Tent Single-Handedly!!) I also found a 1968 Newport convertible in a salvage yard that was totally trashed and rusted away but had a perfect front top bow (since mine was rusted out) I also installed new P265-60R15 tires on 15JJ wheels and MOON wheel covers (held on with screws on the edge). Rebuilt the front end with new ball joints (try to find original lowers then was a night mare but MOOG came through) and the strut arm bushings, tho NLA were sourced from a dodge van and modified to fit.

The trip to Canada went great, averaged about 19 to 21 MPG (except for play time), I put about 2100 miles on it during that trip and the only problem we had was a slight leaking caliper piston. I would have replaced the caliper pistons before the trip but at the time finding those was not going to happen. As an aside, I still have in my tool box an original set of MOPAR brake pads n the box. There are a bunch more details about this car but it is late, this is something I have not wanted to talk about since the break up and loss and only because of a young man showing an interest in classic Mopars did I decide to write. So in 22+ years of owning it I managed to put about 26K miles on it.
 
Thank you for the write up! tons of illinois members on the board. Still got connections to the Chambana area?
 
Thank you for the write up! tons of illinois members on the board. Still got connections to the Chambana area?
@rkrochen -- what's with the red cross? Your inbox is full, so I can't send you a PM
 
@rkrochen -- what's with the red cross? Your inbox is full, so I can't send you a PM
Sorry about that. It’s a bit of a long story but I haven’t really been doing much with the forum lately due to some expected and unexpected health issues. I don’t want to hijack this thread so I will do one later to explain. Back into the groove now and will respond. Inbox is empty now.
 
Welcome from Indianapolis, @Ram50V8.
Thank-you for your service!

Back when I was 16 in Terre Haute IN, I was itching for my own first car. As I think back of the cars I looked at in that town, 2 'forgotten' ones popped back into my mind.

A medium blue 70 300 convertible, with Road Wheels, in really nice shape and needing only seatcovers. @ayilar
A dark green 71 'Cuda, 340 4-speed, with painted wheels and PlyDiv hubcaps. I looked at this one very briefly, I was turned away by too much body rust. I sometimes wondered how my life might've been different if I had gotten a bona-fide musclecar like that one. I might not be a C-body guy today - or I might have died in it.

And the 3rd one, the one to mention to you, was a 68 300 convertible.
Was very much a project, it was red with black interior. Originally it was tan or pale yellow. My memory was that it only had 1 rusthole about the length of a pinky finger on a lower body crease.
I don't know the authenticity of it, but it did have the correct dual-snorkel air cleaner of a TNT and the HP manifolds. I just pulled a ziplock baggie of photos out of my desk and there they were.

It was on the opposite side of town, 1 side street off the main-drag, and we went to that area several times for something I don't remember. I walked to the side street several times to look at it, and one time there was someone there I guess, because I remember hearing it run. I remember it didn't run very well, but it was alive. And when I look at the pictures of it, I can still kinda 'feel' that car after all these years.

For the posterity of it - the 70 convertible was $1500 IIRC, the 'Cuda was $1500 IIRC, and the 68 was a princely $1300.
The difference in condition between the 68 and the 70 Chryslers was astounding for the extra 200, so I cannot fathom why this 68 tugged at me so much.
I guess it was a feeling rather than economics.

1675216781829.png

1675216821908.png
 
Welcome from Indianapolis, @Ram50V8.
Thank-you for your service!

Back when I was 16 in Terre Haute IN, I was itching for my own first car. As I think back of the cars I looked at in that town, 2 'forgotten' ones popped back into my mind.

A medium blue 70 300 convertible, with Road Wheels, in really nice shape and needing only seatcovers. @ayilar
(...)
For the posterity of it - the 70 convertible was $1500 IIRC
Did you take a photo of the 1970 300's fender tag? :poke::D
 
So I knew about this forum from long ago via brothers (and friends) of mine in Vaccaville California. This goes back to when I owned a 1968 Chrysler 300 convertible for almost 22 years. Which is this car - For Sale - 1968 Chrysler 300 convertible (Maine) - $10,900

Well, would you look at what the cat drug in! Howyadoin, remember me, that guy from Wackyville? I was thinkin about you about a year ago and wondered what happened. I'm retired and living near Fayetteville TN. Brother's in Reno NV. I still have my 300 as well as the hippy van, was it painted when I last saw you? I got rid of the pop-up on top and now have the lift out windows in the rear doors. Bill sold his 300 to help fund a 66 satellite project, that he just sold last summer. Don't be a stranger, TTFN!!!! Before & after pics. Yes, I painted this in the driveway in CA. during a 100+ degree heatwave, that wasn't fun at all, but sure helped to cure the paint!!!
591.JPG
592.JPG
593.JPG
132.JPG
133.JPG

Then big brother and I did a deal on some wheels!
617.JPG
618.JPG
619.JPG

I still have the Caravan; this is my garage now with my 3 liitle mopars!! Caravan's been replaced with a Jeep Grand Cherrokee.
P1010680.JPG
 
Well, would you look at what the cat drug in! Howyadoin, remember me, that guy from Wackyville? I was thinkin about you about a year ago and wondered what happened. I'm retired and living near Fayetteville TN. Brother's in Reno NV. I still have my 300 as well as the hippy van, was it painted when I last saw you? I got rid of the pop-up on top and now have the lift out windows in the rear doors. Bill sold his 300 to help fund a 66 satellite project, that he just sold last summer. Don't be a stranger, TTFN!!!! Before & after pics. Yes, I painted this in the driveway in CA. during a 100+ degree heatwave, that wasn't fun at all
Hey John!!

The last time I was out there was late summer 2010 with my buddy in the fine ship lollipop. The rear bumper was about 2 inches off the ground (way overweight) and you hooked us up with Sacramento Spring on a Saturday morning. I still have the van, runs great with 350K on her now but has been parked due to failed injector rail leaks.
output_image1675265562370.jpg


I think you had just painted Bam Bam that summer if I remember correctly.

Remember that time back in 2004 when I flew out to San Jose and picked up the 68 300 coupe with the bad transmission and nursed it to your place? We changed the fluid and filter 3 times and used a cup of lacquer thinner in the fluid to bring it back to life. Worked flawlessly all the way back to Illinois.

So if you remember the first time we met at the car show, it was that girl I was dating at the time who cleaned me out.
 
Well I'll be!!! McQuaid!!! Damn dude been a long time As Brother Jon mentioned, I now live in NW Reno NV up in the Sierra foothills/Eastern slope. I am out of the hobby now and trying to get rid of a tone of 66 Ply Sat B Body parts left over from the sale. I hear ya on that PTSD Marine so I am very sympathetic when it comes to those things and ailments. Me!! I have Chronic Bronchitis/Asthma/COPD from my exposures to the burn pits in Iraq and the oil well fires in Kuwait. Enjoying my retired time playing with some model Trains and my house. Other than that, not much has changed for me. Glad to hear that you are still kickin it and at least on the mend. As Jon said...stay in touch...cr8crshr/Bill:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::usflag::usflag::usflag:
 
Hey John!!

The last time I was out there was late summer 2010 with my buddy in the fine ship lollipop. I still have the van, runs great with 350K on her now but has been parked due to failed injector rail leaks.


I think you had just painted Bam Bam that summer if I remember correctly.

Remember that time back in 2004 when I flew out to San Jose and picked up the 68 300 coupe with the bad transmission and nursed it to your place? We changed the fluid and filter 3 times and used a cup of lacquer thinner in the fluid to bring it back to life. Worked flawlessly all the way back to Illinois.

So if you remember the first time we met at the car show, it was that girl I was dating at the time who cleaned me out.
Man, you should've looked us up back in 2010, we were both still in CA. My caravan has 168K on it and has left me stranded a couple times, so I bought the Jeep, come to find out that the Caravan needs a new alternator, that's what the killer was as I couldn't figure out why I was being stranded. Dash gauges gave me no warning as to issues. I just need some nicer weather to do that job. I believe it was the Belvedere Mopar show that we first hooked up at, to many moons ago to recall? Then you & Becky came to Chicago for whatever reason and you both helped me install a Pertronix on my buddies VW Ghia around a 4th of July.
We both had to leave CA. in 2016, as it just got to outta control to even try and deal with their B.S. with gun laws & wetbacks getting better treatment than Vets, or even citizens for that matter! Thanks to toxic leadership, the A.F. made me a homeless Vet for 8 years before I could collect retirement. Tried to start a small biz in CA. and that was a total loss to even try and get that off the ground. I've been here a little over a year, I closed on Veterans Day 2021 after being in Reno for 5+ years..
 
Reading the last few posts reminds me of comedian Steven Wright:
"I like to reminisce with people I don't know. Granted, it takes longer."

Cool that you guys have reconnected.
 
Champaign Illinois? I was born and raised in Thomasboro! Live in southern Illinois now, but still have lots of family in the area.
 
Back
Top