Jon O.
Well-Known Member
I post a lot about my Newport all over the forum. I finally decided to condense my project posts into one thread. Ill start with the history of the car, and then move onto the recent timing gear and chain swap.
The car was originally purchased in Belle Vernon, PA. In 1972 by Ms. Margaret Crawford. Margaret had no husband and no children. I believe the car was bought as a retirement gift to herself. The car was decked out with almost every factory option except the FM radio. Power everything. Ms. Crawford drove the car only on weekends to town. She drove it to church, the grocery store, and to get her hair done. She kept up on all of the maintainence, and kept the car undercoated. She never drove it in the rain or snow. As she got into her 80's she started getting small dings in the fenders, and called it quits when she drove through her garage door.
She sold the car to her neighbor, Tom in the mid 80's. She passed away shortly after. Tom used the car to drive back and fourth between Belle Vernon and his other home in Ohio. In the late 80's Tom passed away with the car parked in his garage in Belle Vernon, PA. 64,000 miles. There it sat waiting until 2016.
In 2016 Tom's house and all of the contens were auctioned off. Brad (whose grandmother was Margaret's hairdresser) bought the car for $300. New sparkplugs, new fluids, and a new battery later and he drove it home. He polished the car up and entered it in the 2016 chrysler nationals. It was in the survivor car booth.
I bought the car in september 2017 with 71,500 miles on it. I drove it 450 miles home to Indiana. I have rebuilt the carburetor, replaced spark plugs, replaced axle bearings + seals, replaced timing gear + chain , rebuilt oil pump, replaced water pump, belts etc.
The rest of the story is still being written.
The car was originally purchased in Belle Vernon, PA. In 1972 by Ms. Margaret Crawford. Margaret had no husband and no children. I believe the car was bought as a retirement gift to herself. The car was decked out with almost every factory option except the FM radio. Power everything. Ms. Crawford drove the car only on weekends to town. She drove it to church, the grocery store, and to get her hair done. She kept up on all of the maintainence, and kept the car undercoated. She never drove it in the rain or snow. As she got into her 80's she started getting small dings in the fenders, and called it quits when she drove through her garage door.
She sold the car to her neighbor, Tom in the mid 80's. She passed away shortly after. Tom used the car to drive back and fourth between Belle Vernon and his other home in Ohio. In the late 80's Tom passed away with the car parked in his garage in Belle Vernon, PA. 64,000 miles. There it sat waiting until 2016.
In 2016 Tom's house and all of the contens were auctioned off. Brad (whose grandmother was Margaret's hairdresser) bought the car for $300. New sparkplugs, new fluids, and a new battery later and he drove it home. He polished the car up and entered it in the 2016 chrysler nationals. It was in the survivor car booth.
I bought the car in september 2017 with 71,500 miles on it. I drove it 450 miles home to Indiana. I have rebuilt the carburetor, replaced spark plugs, replaced axle bearings + seals, replaced timing gear + chain , rebuilt oil pump, replaced water pump, belts etc.
The rest of the story is still being written.
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