keithb7

I 100% agree with your post @Dodgeb4ya. It does seem odd that the 1953 Windsor SN on the 1969 Massachusetts Vehicle Registration card is listed as C-53-xxx-xxxx number.

The Vehicle Registration card I found certainly raises some questions. My car was built in Detroit. I do not know much of it's history. I do not know that it spent its entire life in Canada. Looking at the car, the body, everywhere is green all over. Inside and out. It does not look to me like it was originally Grey. The VIN tag on the firewall, deciphered, tells me it was originally green. However looking at my chassis SN in the doorpost, it seems odd. Someone somewhere on a forum mentioned that it looks off. Like it was possibly a new SN tag installed. My SN on the tag shown does not match the one on the registration card that I found under the seat. Here is my SN: I am not convinced the registration card under the seat has any business in my car. I am trying to come up with a story to explain why the registration card may have ended up there. It was under the carpet. Under the seat. I rolled back the carpet when I pulled my floor access panel to pull the pedals and service the master cylinder. That's when I found it. Possibly that car from Massachusetts was a donor, parts car. Gutted and used for parts to restore mine. I have reason to believe my mine was restored in Saskatchewan around the year 2000. Yet the registration card seems to have been placed there. Not fallen in there and buried accidentally. Here's whats also weird. A 1953 Chrysler is a C-60. Not a C-53 as shown on the card. C-53 is a block SN for an engine. As seen here on my 1953 Windsor block. So it's certainly confusing. If the original family is ever found, I will offer to send them this card, a memoir of their Father, Uncle, Grandpa. If anyone knows how to decipher the C53-804-8220 on the registration card that I found, please chime in. Thanks, Keith

I found this under the carpet, under the front bench seat of my 53 Windsor recently. The left side upper edge is dated 1969. Unfortunately, a Google search turned up this man's obituary.

A fine day for a cruise to go pick up some building supplies. I may or may not have taken a 40 mile long-cut. I always stop for a gallon or two on the way back home. It helps prolong the trips out in the car.

Has anyone had much success pulling their rear shocks and finding a modern mass produced match, by dimension? I’m thinking if I look for shocks for a 1953 Chrysler I see pretty expensive options.

Up here in on the West Coast of Canada we pay environmental levies on oils, antifreeze, batteries, even some electronics like TV's, computers etc. It is a small tax fee that the Govt collects to run recycling programs. I think about $1.00 on a gallon of oil for example. $10 on a new car battery for example. Then there are multiple places in each town where these items can be taken for recycling. Places like the drive through Jiffy Lube stations are also told they must take back old oil and antifreeze for example. Even if you buy their oils or not. I believe somehow they are paid per L by the Govt to take it in and deal with it. Its easy around here to deal with old waste fluids. I drain my rads into a couple of 1 gallon milk jugs and turn them in. It works well here. Not everyone has this service I understand. It can vary across each Province I suspect. Each State too no doubt.

Anti-Freeze. Ah yes. Such a small, yet very important part of our cars. It should be in your cooling system yes, however not ignored. Anti-freeze also degrades over time and should not be ignored. A good flush and re-fill should be part of your car's maintenance schedule. Scale, corrosion and rust are often major contributors to overheating problems. Not just old cars either. Even new cars are susceptible, if you own one long enough. This winter a friend's son was complaining that his late-90's car had little to no interior heat. It would take very long to even slightly warm up. Barely enough to get the ice off the windshield. I was visiting at the time and said, lets go outside and take a look. Under the hood I found the heater control valve. He worked the controls and I watched it move. It was working. His blower fan was working too. So next I said lets pop the rad cap and take a look. I found the brownest crappy thick sludge in there. He had no idea. He had never looked in there. I suggested he drain it and flush it several times with water. Then finally end with new proper 50-50 mixed coolant. Like most kids today, he took it to a garage and $400 for a shop to do it. I shook my head.... He works for near minimum wage. Then pays top dollar for a mechanic at his car's dealership to do something he could have easily done himself. Maybe it's just me. I just don't get it. But he's happy. He has heat now!

Well, I was at a large book store yesterday. They had all these books about Supercars. Or Million dollar cars. Muscle cars. You name it. I glanced through several of them looking for Mopars from my favourite era. No such articles existed. I had only visited 1 book store, however quickly surmised that maybe there are too few of us old Mopar fans, and we're all here. Not popular enough I guess to publish a coffee table book. I then headed over the the large magazine section. Thumbed through the latest Hemmings. In the Chrysler section there were a few listings from our era. Boy those 40's Town & Country convertibles sure attract a high dollar. There were a few ads but not many. I think half the book was Corvette ads. I then saw a special publication on Vintage American cars. It featured storys from each decade starting in the 1940's. The magazine had over 50 original car ads printed in the book. It was interesting. Inside the cover, the first car ad was a 1954 New Yorker with the original chrome spoke wheels you mentioned to me earlier in the week, @Plymouthy Adams. It was then I realized, you were bang on once again with your knowledge. This post is awfully quiet so I'll assume there are few if any published books of our cars. Maybe someone will put one together some day. Are we a rare breed? A small pocket of the vintage car industry? I like to come here to see the photos and hear the stories of other vintage Mopar owners. My own car? Well I can open the garage door and look at it any time. Looking at other cars is fun too.

I was wondering if there are any great Vintage Mopar books that you would recommend. Say 1935 to 1955-ish era. Coffee table photo books or any other. I am interested in some reading and photos. Thanks.

Jay is! Here's a good one to watch. https://youtu.be/gd5qq9e3apk?t=835

Driven regularly in fine weather, spring , summer and fall. All stock powertrain. 265 CI 25” engine. Detroit built car. Fluid torque drive with engine fed torque converter. Which means about 3.5 gallons of engine oil at each service. Stock windshield wipers are not too great for steady rain. Rain-X helps me there. Ample power. Handles good with radial tires. Stops pretty darn fine too. A pleasure to drive and a head turner. My 1953 Windsor Deluxe.

How’s the job progressing Worden? Any updates?

Could be a Canadian thing Fargo. My car VIN plates tells me it was made in Detroit. However the engine could have easily been swapped out at a later time. Here in Canada a previous owner could have swapped in a Canadian engine. Or my VIN was changed? Who knows.

I wonder why my 1953 C60 stamped 25" 265 engine does not have the cool red "Spitefire" logo.

Speaking of Rims, I was thinking about what type of aftermarket rims migh have been popular in the year of my car, 1953? My stock rims with full hub cabs are cool but wondering all what would have been an upgrade stock option on higher end models. Where chrome spokes available at the time? I am interested in something period correct. For example, is this stock? Or aftermarket of the times? Period correct?

I checked 3 different Mopar manuals that I have from the era. Nothing mentioned about drum max wear limit in any of them.

For peace of mind, I jacked up front end today after I got home. I have put 60 miles on the car now since I completed my brakes. I wanted to inspect cylinders for any possible leaks. With all the talk about Chinese rubber seals lately I think I may be developing a little paranoia. All good behind the front drums. All all visible connections dry throughout.

I took the Ol' Emerald out for a Shamrock shake on this fine St. Patrick's Day. I visited a friend who I recently made in my local vintage car club. Toured his shop and property. Lots of neat stuff to see there. A good resource if needed in the future too. He's got multiple vintage cars and trucks. He has a real knack for digging up original low milage cars. Seen here is is 1975 F250 and 1964 Oldsmobile. Both are survivors. Original with exceptionally clean interiors. He's working on an old Essex 1929. Looking mighty fine too. Stopped on the way home to enjoy the sun and the view for a minute.

Wow. Thanks for all the kind words everyone. That means a lot to me. I am very lucky to own it. I am honored to be its caretaker. To keep it looking great and share it with anyone who’s interested. This world needs more great old Mopars on the roads.

A puller and a big sledge? Lol. Oh and ear plugs. Safety glasses. Maybe a riot helmet. Good to see your son helping. Those are great times. My sons were the same. One hung on and still helps out a bit. The other met girls, cars, and beer. Lol.

You guys were right. So quiet now and no fumes! I got the tail pipe bling addressed too at the exhaust shop. I think My car drives as good or better than it ever has tonite. Quiet. Soft ride like a caddy. Good smooth power. Great Brakes. Radials. Full tune up. Valve grind and set. Idles like warm butter. It really feels like a new car. Very, very happy over here.

Took "The '53" all the way down the big hill today. To the valley bottom. Put on my new seat belt and put the tranny in low range. I went 15-20 Mph to the bottom. Low range holds 4,000 lbs back pretty good! Not unlike a master cylinder, I need to pump up my confidence in my recent brake overhaul job. Time for a visit to the exhaust Doctor. Tail pipe is rusted through in the low spots where water sits I guess. Tail pipe broke off at muffler too. All rusted up. Its all going. New exhaust pipe and muffler from header back. The mechanic is in his 50’s I estimate. I offered to show him how to do the Fluid Torque Drive boogie. He had never seen a F.T.D. Before. He was intrigued. Asked how long it was around for. I could not rightly answer. How long was it around? The ‘53 will spend the night the shop. I’ll pick it up tomorrow evening. One last fearful look as I walk away. Nobody else has turned a wrench on my car since I took possession.

Whats the scoop on your brakes Worden? Poor performance? Leaks? Thinking about a front disc conversion?

What about installing new proper sized tubes in your new radial tires, mounted on vintage rims? For peace of mind at hi-way speeds. A valve stem sealing problem could lead to a bigger issue when travelling at 60+ Mph. Will new tubes inside radial tires cause any other issues?