correct mileage on your car.....?

[claybill]

on ebay i often see plymouths with low miles, but recently one was 18,000+ and another 16,000+. very possible for sure. i have always hoped my 41 convertible would hold the mileage prize at 15,000 original miles!!!! documented.

(i understand some listings are after a motor overhaul)

anyone else out there with low mileage cars.?

bill

[greg g]

Mine is 150 away from 99K

[Robert Horne]

My 38 Coupe's speedometer had near 68,000 when I bought the car in 1985.

The car had 1970 plates on it at that time.

About ready to hit 69,000 now.

The engine I bought and installed, had 67,000 on the speedometer.

[RobertKB]

My '63 Ford:eek: Fairlane has 642 miles on it..............................unless you count the other 100,000 it has done.

[BobT-47P15]

In years gone by, when there were salvage yards to roam and old

Mopars to look at (in the 70s & 80s)...........I recall seeing a lot of odometers with

50-, 60- or 70- some thousand miles showing.

Doesn't seem like many miles by comparison to today's cars with over

100 or 200 thousand registered.

But--you have to consider that it took a lot longer back in the 40s and

50s to run up the miles. People didn't go as much as today. So by the

time the mileage hit 60,000 or so......the car was several years old and

perhaps a little outdated and banged up.

Also, the engines were not as tough and well engineered as with todays

metals and tolerances. And, the motor oil wasn't as scientific as now.

So, another reason for trading in or selling to the junkyard was that an

overhaul was going to be needed before long.....and they didn't want

to invest that much in the old hoopie....

At least those are my opinions about odometer readings on old cars in

the salvage yard. Or still being driven today...

(That, plus about a buck, will get ya a cuppa coffee....somewhere.)

Edited July 21, 2012 by BobT-47P15

[JIPJOBXX]

I think my old Dodge has either 127,000 miles on it or 217,000 miles on it? By the age and looks when I got it probably 217,000 miles

[JerseyHarold]

If a collectible car ever was sold at a used car dealership in its lifetime, chances are that the mileage has been rolled-back. It wasn't illegal to do before the 1970's (when federal odometer laws were enacted) and loosely enforced after that. Unless there is a lot of documentation with the car to back it up, my personal belief is that that the majority of old cars being touted as low-mileage beauties have odometers that were tinkered-with.

[TodFitch]

If a collectible car ever was sold at a used car dealership in its lifetime, chances are that the mileage has been rolled-back. It wasn't illegal to do before the 1970's (when federal odometer laws were enacted) and loosely enforced after that. Unless there is a lot of documentation with the car to back it up, my personal belief is that that the majority of old cars being touted as low-mileage beauties have odometers that were tinkered-with.

Why tinker when you can just drive it enough to roll it over.

My car was showing 58,000 when I got it. The question I had was whether or not it was "only" 58,000 or 158,000 or 258,000, etc. Spring shackles, etc were shot which could indicate higher mileage. But when I first tore down the engine (number matches build card so not swapped) it had standard sized pistons with CPDP on the tops. I decided that it was probably 58,000 very hard miles many on unpaved roads beating the cr*p out of it.

Now it only shows a bit under 20,000 miles, so it is low mileage again. As long as I don't tell a potential buyer that I've driven it over 60,000 miles. Another 80,000 and it will be new again.

Edited July 22, 2012 by TodFitch

[busycoupe]

The odometer on my coupe showed 56,000 miles when I bought it, but the Massachusetts title said 256,000. The engine in it is a 51 Plymouth block that has been rebuilt. I have no idea if it is the second, third, or more engine that has been in the car! It is still fun to drive and work on.

Dave

[Mark D]

69,081.4 on the ODO when I stopped for gas this morning. I dont have any reason to beleive it is anything other than original but have no way to prove it.

[54Illinois]

DX tag on the door records 55,000 in 1971. Car was parked till 1983 with 63,000.

So far I have put about 500 miles on the replacement motor...

[claybill]

are there any plymouths or dodges out there with less than 15,000 miles documented.?

i bought my 41 with 14,500 actual miles, documented, about 5 years ago.

now i am at 15,500. in a way i am reluctant to add more miles.!

[JIPJOBXX]

Well I know the history of my car from almost day one and it was a car well used by a farm family for over 50 years! Being owned by a farmer well at least he knew how to change the oil and keep old Cowdodge well lubricated! If I ever buy another old car it will have little or no mileage on it as I do not enjoy tinkering around as much as I did 10 years ago with old cars. I'm happy to have my blackout and its a real magnet for people attraction with its unusual history. Just glad that I'm satisfied with what I have because you can only drive one car at a time.

[JIPJOBXX]

Going out in a few minutes and do a little garage sailing and think I will just take my old Dodge! A friend of mine called it one time a "Super market lead sled!" and it truly was a family car made for such things.

[Flatie46]

I wonder about mileage whenever I get an old car. I've got a 47 Plymouth that I bought as a parts car. It had last been tagged in '87. It had changed hands a couple times since then, had 33,000 on the odometer and showed some low mileage signs. The pedal pads wern't worn, drivers door was tight. I noticed a few other things. I was working on the engine to see if I could get it to run and pulled the head. The cylinders looked good, when I looked closer I noticed they still had the crosshatch pattern in them and I saw the head gaskett was a Felpro. I'm not sure, I think it may be actual miles but someones overhauled it. I know 33,000 was more on one of these cars back in the day than it is on a newer car these days.

[Rusty O'Toole]

Right now I am dickering with a fool to buy the engine out of an excellent 52 Chrysler Windsor with 38,000 miles on it. He feels the old flathead is not reliable so he wants to replace it with a V8 out of a junkyard Fifth Avenue (mileage unknown).

So yes, low mile flathead Mopars are out there.

I also have a 1966 Dodge Coronet sedan with 34500 miles, I bought it from the grandson of the original owner and the mileage is documented authentic. The old boy didn't use it much. The grandson inherited it, used it on weekends for a couple of years, then it sat in the garage for 13 years before I bought it about 12 years ago.

[claybill]

the short story of my 41 plymouth ....It was sold 2 weeks before pearl harbor...the young owner went into the army, was soon killed in a plane crash, and his dad kept the car garaged until 1975. Used only in parades and hospital visits it accumulated 3,400 miles, 1941 to 1975. a few owners later it was resurrected by a car-loving man who restored it in part, including replacing the original tires (3,500 miles)..this was in 1991.! Then a retired jeweler bought it for his wife to go for ice cream..she of course preferred his street rods with a/c.,automatic, power this and that, etc...in 5 years they put on 200 miles....i have owned it for 6? YEARS ...AND CHERISH IT.!

[claybill]

the short story of my 41 plymouth ....It was sold 2 weeks before pearl harbor...the young owner went into the army, was soon killed in a plane crash, and his dad kept the car garaged until 1975. Used only in parades and hospital visits it accumulated 3,400 miles, 1941 to 1975. a few owners later it was resurrected by a car-loving man who restored it in part, including replacing the original tires (8,500 miles)..this was in 1991.! Then a retired jeweler bought it for his wife to go for ice cream..she of course preferred his street rods with a/c.,automatic, power this and that, etc...in 5 years they put on 200 miles....i have owned it for 6? YEARS ...AND CHERISH IT.!

[austinsailor]

I have a 53 Plymouth 2 door ht with 11972. Neither the seller nor I realized what was showing was correct until I got into it. His mother bought it in 1973, never liked it and never drove it

I have a 42 Plymouth 2 dr sedan with low 20k. Bought it from the guy who'd had it the past 40+ years. He drove it a couple times.

Both need a lot, but all mechanics, doors, steering and suspension on both are tight as new.

[Young Ed]

My 48 came out of a junkyard with 76K showing. Engine was shot and the car had been hit at least once and had some replacement parts. I saw no signs of it being 176K which would also be unusually high so I believe its original. Its now showing 94K.

[Scruffy49]

My truck probably has one of the higher mileages. Was used almost daily by my grandfather or one of his 4 kids from 1949-1974. Hauled enough 4H and FFA livestock to have rotted out the white oak bed floor.

Current (deceased) 218 was installed in the late 50s or early 60s.

Odometer shows 38K miles, my dad and his older brother verifiy it is actually on its 4th trip around. 338K miles on two engines in 25 years...