My first Mopar : '68 Chrysler 300...needs a lot of love...

Hi there!

Sorry for this delay, I'm really busy (school, work, girlfriend, 5 cars...) and I rarely find time to use the PC :s
But that's a pleasure to see all these enthusiasts posts, thanks to everybody who takes time to post here, that give me a dose of courage! :p :)

Welcome.
Would be interesting to hear about all the circumstances on how you acquired the 300.

It was really simple, I've seen an ad on a facebook group (Quebec antique cars or something like that) for this Chrysler, the guy was looking for a trade so I propose my "clean as f*ck '91 Accord" and surprisingly he said yes, and bring the Chrysler at my door on a trailer (after 5 hours of travel)
It can be strange but you must to know my 300 is subject to provincial inspection (I don't remember the exact word you use in USA) and it reduces the value of a car because it can't be plated without this inspection ;)

I usually don't like 4 doors but you car is really nice looking with the black and white interior.

Same thing for me I prefer 2 doors habitually, but they are too expensive for me, and really rare in Quebec I don't know why
The interior is "gold" but all interior upholstery is discolored because of the sun :(

Congratulations and welcome aboard! I think you got a good trade, the car looks pretty nice. It sounds like you did a lot of work to it already. The chrome looks good and I like the hub caps, and the tires look new or newer. I wouldn't invest too much in it and just drive it for now. You're a young guy and it sounds like you don't keep your cars very long so I wouldn't put too much into it, but it sounds like you know what you're doing.
Joe

Yes I think that was a good deal, my Chrysler is not as clean it looks but generally straight and it works very good :)
So I'm gonna do the minimum on it for the moment, and drive it as is, but I absolutely must resolve the leakage/infiltration problem, I always find 1 to 2 inches of water on my rear floors after each rain shower, so I can't reinstall my carpets before repair/change my backglass seal, but I need time and a bit of equipment maybe, and I'm afraid to scrap my backglass chrome moldings...
If I resolve the infiltration problem, I'll probably buy a new carpet (like this one: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1965-1968-Ch...65-66-67-68-/131505374330?hash=item1e9e54c47a ) or search for a shop who can cut me a similar looking carpet, because my original carpet is totally scrap
And before install a new carpet, I must repair and repaint my floor pans ahahah, a lot of work like you see, and I don't know when I'll can do that
In addition to that, a car I know since a lot of years and see in old car shows is now for sale, an entirely restored '71 Imperial with its original 440, the old owner was selling it 8500$ last summer but is deceased this winter and his wife has decided to sell the Imperial, 5000$ and I probably can have it for 4500$, actually the price I think I can sell my 300 if I plate it (after an inspection or if I can transfer it with a dealer to bypass inspection)

Welcome aboard. Nice car. Looks like you are going to be doing a lot of body work. how do the floor and trunk pan look?

You'll see that more precisely in my next post with a lot of pictures (I don't have time to write it tonight :( ) but they are quitely straights, I've found a some little rust holes scrubbing with a screwdriver but very little and the floor pans themselves are really solid :)
For the trunk there's a lot of spare parts in it but it seems to be similar to my floor pans, rusty but solid

I think that trade worked out very well for you congrats!

Thank you! :)

And thanks to each others, I'm gonna try to continue this post as soon as possible with the next part of my adventure, but I must tell you that I've done my first ride with my 300 today (I've a 10-days transit, or temporary plate) and apart from an intermittent miscontact in my left turn signal the car is working absolutely lovely, on highway like on the streets, with habitual little faults that I'm habituate to in old cars, but generally fine for a '68 car that was stored for a long time, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, brakes, lighting, excellent :p
I still don't know how to repair horn and 8-tracks player but I'm gonna begin by infiltration, if someone has or had the same problem (water infiltration by the backglass seal) and wanna give me some advices, I'm all ears :p
 
That is a really good looking ride.
As long as you keep original wheels and caps - why not change for your choice of rims ?

Mark.
 
That is a really good looking ride.
As long as you keep original wheels and caps - why not change for your choice of rims ?
Mark.

Ahah yes, I'm habitually a big purist (no modifications) but my 300 is all but original (does'nt have its original paint and original engine) so why not to "personalize" it a bit with dog-dish caps and a dual exhaust?
But off course I'm gonna keep the original wheels in my basement



I don't often give you news of my 300 sorry, I'm well occupied, check what I've bought last week:
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1971 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron, hardtop sedan, Midnight Blue metallic (original color but repainted), 75,000 original miles, never winter driven so incredibly clean, with its original 440, it was for sale last summer at 8500$ but the old man died this winter and his wife sold me the Imperial for only 3000$

Is it not pretty with my 300?
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I was expecting to sold the 300 before buy the Imperial but I'm attached to my 300 more than I was thinking so I'm trying to find a solution and keep my two big Chryslers :)
The Imperial could be my clean driver for weekends and the 300 my project car, the problem is evidently my budget but we gonna see

Last week I went to Sherbrooke (3 hours far from Quebec) pick up a '70 NewYorker for my good friend, original 440, 115,000 miles, grey with black interior, full options (front and rear climate control and heater, dual exhaust, cruise-control, power windows, AM/FM radio with 8-tracks and 4 speakers...), a beautiful C-Body, it's riding really fine, the owner just put 2500$ on it for a complete tune-up including a new Holley 4-barrels carb, the body is rough but we'll slowly do it up
He paid 3000$ for it (like me for my 300 and my Imperial)
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My friend's uncle in Ontario owns a '69 NewYorker, we could make a C-Body meet with the '70 NewYorker, my '71 Imperial and my '68 300!

Concerning my 300 (the principal subject of this topic ahahah), it is now plated and I often ride it, it works wonderfully good and its always a pleasure to ride it, in alternation with my Imperial (and my two modern cars) :)
I have a problem with my turn signals, they works only when they want, probably a miscontact in the switch, and all my rear lights does'nt works, no flashers, no stops, no reverse, nothing
The rain stills enter in the car, by the backglass seal or more probably the rear chrome moldings fastenings, I've only reinstalled my front seat and the rest of the interior is completely naked...no more carpets, backseat, drain plugs...but it works!

I've a ton of pictures but my busy schedule don't allow me to post them tonight

Have a good evening and see you soon I hope!
Loïc
 
Man ! These are some really gorgeous cars ! And without a lot of serious rust like so many Canadian cars.

Welcome to FCBO. I will follow your progress with much interest.
 
Welcome, great looking 4-doors, especially the 300! Regarding the 383, how do you know it is not original?
 
I don't think the VIN was stamped on the blocks in '68, but the brochure doesn't list it as an option, that must be the reason. Looks like the 383 was last available in the 300 in 1966.

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Man ! These are some really gorgeous cars ! And without a lot of serious rust like so many Canadian cars.
Welcome to FCBO. I will follow your progress with much interest.

Ahah thanks man! :p
I'll try to show you my progress often enough, these times I don't progress quickly but I hope it will change soon
This weekend or next week I go to see someone who's owning 2 big Chrysler (a '68 Imperial and a NewYorker but I don't know which year, I hope '69-71 but probably a '67/68) rotten in a field , with a '61 Imperial and other cars, if I can find some parts like the Imperial's carpet for my 300 or a dual exhaust or other spare parts, I'm gonna take them!

For the rust that's true my two boats are relatively spared from rust, the 300's floor pans are beginning to be a bit rusty but very solid, and the Imperial is perfect (apart from some little rust on the C-pillars below the vinyl) :)

Welcome, great looking 4-doors, especially the 300! Regarding the 383, how do you know it is not original?

All '68 300 was equipped with the 440, and I drove some 440 before, my 300 has not their power ;)
But I'm curious to know more about my 383, which model, which year, which power...
I think there is a number stamped on the block but hard to reach, somewhere on the right side of the block below the car I think lol, I'm gonna try to check when I'll have more time

I don't think the VIN was stamped on the blocks in '68, but the brochure doesn't list it as an option, that must be the reason. Looks like the 383 was last available in the 300 in 1966.

Good answer! :p
 
Sweet Ride! You're going to find a world of hurt under that chrome Molding! I've repaired two of these on my own cars. 68 Monaco 67 Polara Coupe. Check the Trunk Pan and under the Rear Seat Carpet it's usually where the water goes when it rust through and leaks
 
Thanks to you all guys! :p

Sweet Ride! You're going to find a world of hurt under that chrome Molding! I've repaired two of these on my own cars. 68 Monaco 67 Polara Coupe. Check the Trunk Pan and under the Rear Seat Carpet it's usually where the water goes when it rust through and leaks

Yes I fear what I'm gonna find under these damned moldings
The trunk pan is rusty but generally solids (like my front floor pans) and the floor under the rear seat is perfect, but the water leaks and stagnates right there, so I was surprised when I see there is no rust here!



Here we go I continue my story!
Lets continue the little tour of my 300 and after I show you the little work I've begun

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The valvecovers gaskets are leaking, but not enough to drip on the manifolds so it gonna stay like this for now, later I'll remove them, repaint and reinstall with new gaskets

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The rims under caps are really clean, and the 4 original caps are decent

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When I received the car the 2 headlights panels were stucked open this was ugly, I've searched the reason with a multimeter but everything was good and the electric motor for headlights panels was receiving the good tension, then I strike a couple of times on it with a hammer and panels closed, magic! :sSig_noob:
The car is radically nicer with these headlights hidden!

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I'm not proud of me for that but this is temporary, I was needing to stop water leakage on the front floor pans
There was already a seal of old silicone sealer on top of the windshield but the right corner was too deteriorated
I think the water is entering by the bottom of the windshield too or a moulding near because the water is still entering now, but just some drops
Like you see, the top windshield moulding is missing :(
 
Now, the best part (for you, not for me :BangHead: )



Just when you see these carpets you understand instantly that you'll have some really bad surprises when you'll remove them



All the carpets are wet and soaked, the insulating pad stucked under the carpet is good in Florida or other south states, but in Canada when you enter in the car with snow, slush and calcium, it stays in this pad and never dries before spring...
In my 300 like you see the floor pans is beginning to rust and I have a lot of work but the pans are not rotten yet


On a close-up view this is pretty scary but in reality this not so bad: the car was repainted black a long time ago, fully repainted, interior-exterior, even the floor pans, so you see the black paint peeling off, but the gold original paint below stills relatively well preserved
My job is to remove all the drain plugs from the floor pans, scrub out all the black paint and all the rust, then, eliminates all the rust until the good metal
After my plan is to sand all the floors, repatch holes (with fresh new sheetmetal and a MIG but I don't have one and I don't have time so I'll probably just repatch with fiberglass putty or other stuff until I can restore the entire car (or sell it, because I rarely keep a car)
After repatch, repaint with a good and thick black paint or a sort of "gravelguard" I don't know


Before remove the old carpet I must remove the front bench seat, and the seat is fixed 4 nuts...below the car...
What a good ideal Mopar engineers, below the car, with the projections of mud, snow, water, calcium...
Surprinsingly my studs threads were good and the nuts were not so jammed so with a lot of WD40 a lot of patience I'd successfully removed all the 4 nuts (one broken but at least I'd removed it even though)


Brand new WD40 can : 0
Chrysler 300 : 1 :laughing4:
 
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I don't know for you, but here in Canada I'd owned a lot of old cars and almost all of them had these crusty door sill plates...aluminium does'nt like calcium

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Now the truth about my floor pans...I've scrubbed a long time with a screwdriver and a trowel and open a couple of rust holes but not so big, the bigger ones are these ones, on the left front corner

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Same thing on the right front corner, and a lot of places elsewhere but only little holes, maybe 1/4 to 1/2in each


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The seat is out!
 
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Before and after

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The floor pans are in better shape than I was thinking!
There is a good amount of work but at least they are not completely rotten :)
Yoo see on the second to last pic all the crap (old primer and paint) I must peel off ahahah
 
Nice work, keep it up. That car is a real beauty and deserves to be repaired right and cared for as you are.
 


The front and rear original old carpets...they're definately scrap...
The question now is: what can I do?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1965-1968-Ch...id=100011&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=131505374330#shpCntId
I'd seen on eBay (and Summitracing I think) these new molded carpets ("licensed by Mopar"!), it seems really nice and the price is not so bad (210$ CAD) but all the fees seems to be terrible: shipping 40$, import charges 30$, Ohio sales taxes (I've never paid taxes on a eBay purchase...?) 7.25% so 15$...and shipping within 15 open days + 20-28 days for delivery...I could not receive the carpet before 1 or 1-1/2 month :BangHead:
Anyone here ever bought a carpet like this?


A random pic of the dashboard...I really love this old-school design with an enormous and deep steering wheel, long horizontal speedo, chrome switch (unlike the ugly round knob headlight switch of later models) for headlights and wipers, and the awesomely old-school half-moon horn ring...scuse this enthusiast, I'd never owned old '60s rides, my '70s Ford and GM does'nt had these "special features" :p (and my '71 Imperial not either)
This pic was taken during my first ride with the car on the road, just after successfully and legally plated it, bypassing the provincial mechanical inspection (obligatory for a car that does'nt been plated for more than 1 year...and mine does'nt been plated since at least 10 years)
All the fluids (motor, transmission, brakes, power steering) had been changed by the previous owner so there is no danger for now
Surprisingly the 300 is working perfect, the engine is running really fine, transmission shifts good, brakes, suspension, power steering, everything's perfect, and the sound of 383 is quite funny!
Finally, I love this car!


When I received the 300 the trunk was stucked, I've tried all the ways, never been able to open it with the key...
So since I'd removed the backseat I'd be able to "crawl" into the trunk by inside the car and unbolt the trunk latch by inside of the trunk...with the sun on the BLACK trunk door I was suffocating but it was a success, the door opened!
I'd bring the lock to the locksmith and for 30$ they refurbish it, I'd reinstall it and then it's working perfect :p
 
Good photos looks like you have some work to do keep us posted on it things turn out.
 
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Like you'd seen I finally opened my trunk, and find a great stock of spare parts...intake manifold, exhaust manifolds, water pump, valve covers, fan, timing pan, window handles, wiper linkages and motor and a lot of gaskets and other parts...I'll show you them in details later

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There is a carb too, I don't know the exact model I'd quickly check but does'nt found any number stamped on it

When it's raining (and after), I see that:

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Right front floor

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Right rear floor

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Left rear floor :BangHead:

The water drops on the rear wheel archs into the trunk (at the bottom of the backglass) and runs down on the floor pans

I don't had time yet to try to resolve the situation, I plan to remove all the mouldings around the backglass and between the trunk and the top (and C-pillars) and see what I find below... :/

Funny fact: look out what I'd found below my front seat:
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The original option sheet (or I don't know how you call it?) of the car!
 
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