came across this on craigslist- opinions

[bigbry230]

http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/2682995606.html

Hey guys,

So I am new to old mopars and have been shopping around recently. I have been looking for a convertible, but came across this coupe when i looking on craigslist, and wanted to get some opinions. i talked to the owner. says his father bought the car from an old mechanic who owned it. the car was restored frame off about 8 years ago, and says it runs great. is 8,700 a good price for this car? it is very close to me and I am going to check it out hopefully soon, just wanted to get some feed back.

thanks a lot

Bryan

[BobT-47P15]

I don't think you could restore that for the asking price.

If all is good with it, both mechanically and cosmetically, then it

probably is a deal. Check the floors and the trunk floor. It's maybe

on the high end of what these cars tend to bring....but if it's a driver

and looker right off, and if it fits your budget -------

[mrwrstory]

I think it's a very fair price IF it looks this good up close. Rust and rust repair is the biggest concern. Check the bottom edge of the trunk opening, the spare tire well, look under the carpet at the interior floor corners where the toeboard meets the cowl structure, the master cylinder access panel(under the driver's feet) and of course the door bottoms and rocker panels.

Some rust is to be expected and some repairs done right are quite acceptable. However, huge holes or gobs of Bondo indicate expensive repairs may be needed if you want it to be right.

Good luck. Let us know. Send pics of questionable areas. This gang of knuckleheads will steer you right:D

[greg g]

I would start my negotiations a bit lower than the askig price but it does appear to be a well preserved car. If it runs and drives as it appears, it should be a nice vehicle.

I would suggest that you familiarize yourself with "fluid drive" before you make the leap.

Not that there is any problem with fluid drive, my father had 3 or 4 Dodges and never had a lick of problem with them, but they do present some differences you need to be aware of. Most primarily a properly functioning parking brake.

just read down to the Chrysler emblem as the rest applies to the semi auto transmissions.

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/fluidrive.html

They are very nice driving and riding cars, fairly easy to maintain, and if you go to shows and cruise in, they stand out nicely from all the fords and chevies.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Restoration..by who and to what depth is quite a big gap in workmanship and parts replaced...frame off suggests a bit of detail was done..8 years should not have had a serious effect on this car unless it stayed out of door...of course an amatuer would call pop rivet panels and bondo over screen wire a restoration..just do be careful and inspect it close...odds are this could be a real soild car..if so ..the price reflects a driver that you could enjoy at half the price you would have into one yourself..and don't forget the time you would invest..

[bigbry230]

Hey guys,

I really appreciate the responses! I am hopefully going over to check out the car today if I can get out there. after inspection, I will definitely post some closer pics and more details from what i find. This may be a dumb question, but what type of gas mileage can I expect from this car? I know there are many variables, but just curious as it is always hard for me to find this information. I used to have a 1950 buick super so I know these cars are more comparable to tanks lol. just wondering.

[Plymouthy Adams]

17-19 IMO..depends on state of tune, no dragging brakes, properly inflated tires and of course the major item, your driving habits..

[John Reddie]

These Dodges are great cars. As was said, careful inspection for rust and rot and the mechanicals are very important. Convertibles of these years for Dodges are quite rare so if you find that this coupe measures up, I would strongly consider it. Good to you whatever you decide.

John R

[greg g]

With my Plymouth with a bit of a heated up 230 engine, I get 17 to 20. 20 being on extended road trips. Real world over the past 10 years this has not varied much. My car has a 4.11 rear end, the Dodge has a bit lower gear but its also a bit heavier than my Plymouth coupe. If it gets below 15, that would be unnusual.

[wayfarer]

That sure looks good in the pic...let us know what the inspection turns up.

[48ply1stcar]

Fixing mechanical stuff is lot cheeper than body and paint. So if looks good up close, go for it.

[RobertKB]

Check it out carefully. If the body, paint, and upholstery are good, those are the big ticket items. If it runs as well as it looks, that is a very reasonable price. If you can get it for less, watch out for the police car lights/sirens behind you because you stole it!

[bigbry230]

didn't get a chance to go look at it this weekend unfortunately but will be making my way out there as soon as I get a chance this week. Just to specify, i was looking at the price guides and they have the 2 door deluxe which is valued lower than the club coupe. from the pictures, could someone tell me if this is the club coupe or the deluxe? thanks again for all of the help and support!!

Bryan

[Young Ed]

Thats a club coupe. Business coupes dont have a window behind the door(for dodge desoto chrylser only) and the 2 door sedan roof goes all the way back into the trunk. There's a spotters guide on the homepage.

[bigbry230]

Hey guys

So I finally got a chance to go take a look at the 47 dodge today, and I must say that I was in love with it at soon as we pulled up. The car has some dings and dents here and there but couldnt find any rust, interior is in fantastic shape, white wall tires look brand new, all gauges work, including the original tube radio! Car also starts right up, and sounds very good. He was asking 8700 but says 8400 would do it. I am hoping to get it down a bit more, but what do you guys think? All input would be greatly appreciated

[Don Coatney]

If you want it pay the money before someone else does.

[Roadkingcoupe]

If you are buying the car to keep and enjoy, the price is not too far off.

I would offer $8000 and not sweat over the extra $400 you might spend to purchase it.

Make sure to ask for any manuals, spares, parts books and related items that might be included with the vehicle.

As Greg said "Fluid Drive" cars are interesting but reliable. Two things you might want to remember....the parking brake is the only thing stopping the car from rolling away on a hill (always carry a tire chock) and secondly the car can only be push started at a higher rate of speed then usual.

If the car is to your liking and you are somewhat mechanical it looks to be a good choice. Now buy it before someone else reads the ad and decides it would look good in their garage!

[carls 49]

beauty, nice price too.

[bigbry230]

i took these pics with my iphone of the body of the car. as you can see there are a couple of dents, and spots that look like they were touched up (or attempted) but overall the car seemed solid. do those look like real problem areas?

[Plymouthy Adams]

so...how long you gonna kick these tires...

[bigbry230]

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be a tire kicker, just trying to make an informed decision. i'm 21 years old, so spending this amount of money on a car is a big decision. didn't mean to be a nag about it...

[Joe Flanagan]

If that's all you found wrong with the body, it's nothing. I'd get underneath it and see what it looks like. Check the rockers and the cowl/firewall area. As others have said, see what the floor looks like. Have you had a chance to drive it yet?

[greg g]

Well that makes a big difference, especially if you are a rookie to the auto hobby as well.

Perhaps you should have included that information in your post.

So lets take a step back, how do you intend to use the car, occasional pleasure use, daily driver? If daily driver what is your level of mechanical ability as a 60+ year old vehicle is not plug and play like today's seem to be, you can't take their maintanence for granted. And there are not a lot of places that uderstand the old systems.

I like the idea that you are interested in old cars, and I would encourage your purchase if you or some one you know can assist with learning and understanding the things needed to operate it in a manner that fits your needs.

I was 21 when I bought my 46 Plymouth ( and it was only 25 years old at the time)

So how and where you drive it, how much you can do to keep it up and howmuch you can afford to keep it running all ad int the equation. It not just a can I afford the selling price (which has been established looks reasonable) question.

Were I in your shoes, I might reach out to one of the members who might live near you

Aero3113 comes to mind as he has some experience with a similarly aged vehicle and a bit of mechanical ability, You might want to send him a PM, introduce yourself and see if you might works something out for another set of eyes on the car.

You might want to take a look on the all par wesite and familiarize yourself with the Dodge fluid drive system. just use the search functioin embedded in the all par site.

Big purchase, lot of money, but can be satisfiing and or frustrating depending on the circumstances.

[aero3113]

bigbry230, I would be more than happy to help you out. Are you near me? what part of NY are you in?

[bigbry230]

Well that makes a big difference, especially if you are a rookie to the auto hobby as well.

Perhaps you should have included that information in your post.

So lets take a step back, how do you intend to use the car, occasional pleasure use, daily driver? If daily driver what is your level of mechanical ability as a 60+ year old vehicle is not plug and play like today's seem to be, you can't take their maintanence for granted. And there are not a lot of places that uderstand the old systems.

I like the idea that you are interested in old cars, and I would encourage your purchase if you or some one you know can assist with learning and understanding the things needed to operate it in a manner that fits your needs.

I was 21 when I bought my 46 Plymouth ( and it was only 25 years old at the time)

So how and where you drive it, how much you can do to keep it up and howmuch you can afford to keep it running all ad int the equation. It not just a can I afford the selling price (which has been established looks reasonable) question.

Were I in your shoes, I might reach out to one of the members who might live near you

Aero3113 comes to mind as he has some experience with a similarly aged vehicle and a bit of mechanical ability, You might want to send him a PM, introduce yourself and see if you might works something out for another set of eyes on the car.

You might want to take a look on the all par wesite and familiarize yourself with the Dodge fluid drive system. just use the search functioin embedded in the all par site.

Big purchase, lot of money, but can be satisfiing and or frustrating depending on the circumstances.

Greg,

I appreciate the response, and words of encouragement. I appologize for not exactly being clear from the get go. I owned a 1950 buick super for about 2 years, so I have a pretty good understanding of what these old cars need for maintenance. Luckily, I have close friends and family members who are mechanically inclined, and I have had the good fortune over the past few years to observe them doing a variety of work on my car, and I picked up quite a bit by doing so. I am definitely not concerning myself with only the asking price, as I know how much money can be poured into these old cars, and how much love they really need. I unfortunately did not drive the car, and I am not familiar personally with the fluid drive system, but I have driven many manual cars, and I understand the concept of the fluid drive system. I am definitely excited for the oppurtunity to purchase a car that will offer a new driving experience to me, and that is another reason why I like this car so much. As for the body of the car, I did a pretty thorough inspection of the underneath, and found the usual amount of surface rust, but did not notice any serious issues. All in all, I really love the car, and I definitely don't want to lose out on it. I've pretty much made up my mind on purchasing it, and I'm proud to say that at 21 my business life is successful enough so that I can purchase such a nice car, and I can't wait to be an official member of this board and a fellow owner. Just figured i'd seek out some last minute encouragement and wisdom to make the most imformed decision. Hopefully next time I talk to you guys, the car will be mine. thank you Greg, and thank you everyone else for taking the time to help!

Bryan