The Bluesmobile

[monaco75]

Hey guys, figured Id start a build thread on my car.

My family saw the car for sale when visiting the old trailer park we used to live at. Had an asking price of $1500. I already had a project going on with a 75 coronet, so passed on it. Several months later they spotted it again, this time with a price of $800. Couldnt pass it up!:hungry:

When I came back with the money the guy says "your gonna love this" and pulls out a folder full of all the papers, and documentation on the car from the dealer. It was purchased out in oregon for $5418.00 The owners traded in a 68 satellite 4dr. It was purchased during the "chrysler clearence carnival".

The guy I bought it from used to work on it for the gentleman that bought it. He told him that if he ever wanted to sell it he wanted first dibs. Well the guy struck a deal with him and bought it (sorry I dont remember names lol). He brought it with him to MI. It was in michigan for 12 years before I bought it.

Pics of from when it was first spotted (notice the police dog dish caps? Some kids stole them between then and the 2nd time around before buying it).

 

[detmatt]

Kool story, nice car!

 

[commando1]

A lotta car for the money. Congrats.
Now don't be using that word "Bluesmobile" around here....

 

[1978 NYB]

Nice find. IMHO this car is in too good of condition to convert into a novelty.

 

[monaco75]

thanks guys!

Will you guys accept blumo?? lol These pics are back from 05, as well as the story. I was gonna add more post with info on the build and what not, but I have to wait for the posts to be approved by a moderator. So didnt post anymore, and havnt got back till now..

The car at the time was to nice to convert. Ill get to it in a few posts... Ill try and do a whole build thread.

------------------------------------------

The car has a stock 2brl 360 engine, 727 trans, and 8 1/4 rear with 2.76 gears. Shes far from giving anyone whiplash at full throttle lol. But is a very dependable cruiser.

I drove, and enjoyed the car for a few years as she was. Took her to a few shows. Only big problem I ever had (wich was my own damn fault!) Was I replaced the valve covers with some shiny chrome ones at one point. Well a few weeks later my whole wiring harness went up in smoke! Luckily no fire.. The wire insulation had worn down on the wires going over the passenger side valve cover, and zap! Had the nice bare metal to contact. So had her towed to the local chrysler dealer, and had a new harness made up at $1200! They did do quite a nice job though, I was pleased with it.

Ill continue with more....

 

[monaco75]

Interior is pretty clean, and all there. Right down to the music master AM radio.

As nice as it was, it needed some tunes. Had a radio put in, along with some 6x9's in the rear deck.

I drove it around for quite a while. Well I was young and dumb, and the car even saw some winter use, witch started to take its toll on her, and still is. I had taken it to a few shops for body work, but nobody wanted to work on it. Or if they did it was stupid $$.

My coronet project turned into a big scrap pile (long story in iteself) so off it went. I got a loan at the bank to do some things to the monaco.. Didnt turn out that way. The stable didnt feel right with only one car, so went and got the newport with the money. When I got the newport, all the attention went to it. The monaco sat neglected, wich made it even worse with the body. I got tired of watching it rot away for a year or so, so something had to be done.

 

[monaco75]

I took the car over to a buddys shop to mess with. I had never done any kind of body work. He got me started and off I went. worked on her for several weeks, and in the end out came a bluesmobile. I was a little reluctant to do a blumo at first, but went with it.

I got the car back together and brought her home, and started doing the graphics. Now this car is supposed to look like sh#t, so no fancy stuff. Actually makes it kinda fun, cause its cheap, and if something messes up "whoops, I meant to do that".

First the P1 on the rear doors. I took an old paper grocery bag, cut out the template, and taped it to the car. Then just mist the paint over the area. Dont want a solid color, as its supposed to look worn. Came out better then I thought it would have, the P1's arnt perfect but they do the job.

 

[monaco75]

The star came after the P1.

A guy on another forum years ago had a sign shop remake the door star graphics from an original piece. I got a set off of him.

Now I didnt want to use these nice pieces on the car, so I traced the star onto some paper. Then traced the paper star onto another paper grocery shopping bag, and cut it out. I then took the cut out star, sprayed it with some wd-40, paint, and then slapped it on the car. This was a trick I got from another ahemmmm blumo owner lol.

this is when the bluesmobile bug started to really set in. I started trying to get the car as close as possible to as seen on screen, with all the little stuff... and still am.

 

[polara71]

:Groaner:.......................Your doing nice work but I respectfully disapprove.

 

[detmatt]

Nice work, it's a shame the car didn't stay the way it looked in the first couple of pics. Nice work on the BM part of it though, reminds me of the ex police car that I had as a senior in H.S. and only year of college. It was an ex Highland Park `81 Gran Fury with the badging adhesive still on it which gave it the same affect as you have done on yours. Had some good times in that one, delivered pizza in it up at Ferris State College. Freaked out all the apt keg parties when I pulled up with the A-pillar spotlight blazing. They caught on quickly enough though and it actually got me invited to a lot of parties after work, hence the only year of college!

 

[commando1]

Went to make a comment but I decided it was best not to.

 

[70NPORT]

oh boy,...batten down the hatches, here we go.

 

[monaco75]

As I said in my introduction thread, I know the car is kinda frowned upon here. Ive been lurking here for a while and seen some of the feelings towards other BM's. I was kinda waiting for it :coffee2: lol.

I respect everyone's opinion. Im just sharing what Ive done with my ride, whether its loved or hated. Hey it could be worse... I could be driving around in a chevy, or even a ford! :yuk:

I take pride in my car (as the rest of you) and share the same love, and enthusiasm for the mopar/c boddy hobby. There's not a whole lot of places for c body stuff/talk. The car actually got the most hate from the cop car forum guys. I took the car to a show they sponsored back in 2010, and they abosultly hated the blumo's. It kinda made me scratch my head... There seemed to be a few cars that were joe blows grandma's fury painted police colors, with a period correct siren, and light bar setup. They got commended for them, yet the blumo's got shunned :whip:. Oh well cant please everyone.

I will say I do share the same hatred as commando1 for the people who make the cars hoopties, with the big 24 inch rims, and whacked out interios, and trunks. What a joke!

Commando1, you would have loved the car I got some parts from in maryland....

But im getting ahead of myself....

 

[commando1]

Holy flashback. I think I saw something like that in 1969 while in college. We went to frat party and we were....

 

[monaco75]

lol

The guy I bought the parts from was getting this car via the internet. Never saw the car in person, just pics. The guy selling the car kept going on about how he didnt really want to sell it cause he "just put all this money into the interior, and stuff" How clean the body was with no rust yada yada yada. Well finally one day he sold it to him. He gets the car shipped to his house, and man what a rust free/straight car.. Not!!

The trunk floor was completely gone, with wood/sheet metal glued, and riveted into spots. Bondo everywhere. The guy was pissed! He got another car, and grabbed parts from this one, and sold what he could. I grabbed the drivers door, wich had a tiny bit of rust, but seemed straight otherwise.

Ive got the door panels if you would like to rekindle you college days... lol

 

[monaco75]

After the star I started messing with the front fender graphics "to serve and protect". I went through quite a few trial and error runs with different size fonts. I typed the phrase out on microsoft word, and printed it out. I then taped the papers together forming the phrase and cut the letters out. taped them to the fenders, and painted them solid white. After they dried, I sanded them down.

After some talking with guys on the bluesmobile forum I ended up as close as I could get with the lettering later down the road. They are 1 1/2 in lettering, and 24/or 29 inches long (its been a while, cant remember for sure).

Once they were done, I added the red primer spot to the front drivers side lower fender, along with some cheapo front pushbar a freind and I welded together.

Threw some new tires on her, and off cruising!

The "to serve and protect" above is not the final stencil used. Thie was one of my own first tries that didnt look to good.

 

[aretee]

Looks like one that used to roam around Hell.........

 

[monaco75]

Looks like one that used to roam around Hell.........

You know Ive heard of that guy.... He has no clue though! haha Hey Rick! Was actually gonna send you a PM today, you beat me to it.

forgot you were on here, till yesterday when I saw your profile. I saw your avatar, and thought "man that car looks familiar!"

Did you get the 300's radiator back yet? I gotta shoot you a call soon.

 

[monaco75]

Next thing to do was the lettering/numbers on the rear of the car. Did these the same way as the "to serve and protect" on the fenders.

Once the stencils were placed on the car, I misted some red primer first, then did a complete top layer of white. After it all dried, sanded them down.

Quarter panels got the phone number.

 

[monaco75]

After a few months time made up a new pushbar. Had a metal shop cut, and bend up the 3/4 in stock, and also had them cut the center support bar.

Took it to my mechanic, and had him weld it all together. The side pieces are made from the old pushbars

Last summer, I was able to score a set of original NOS CHP pushbar rubber's, from a friend on another forum. These were the icing on the cake! I felt a little bad putting them on this car.. But I love em!