Saying goodby to an old friend

[Taylormade]

It's with a heavy heart that I've decided to sell my great old 48 P15 four door sedan. I never would have considered letting it go under normal circumstances, but an extrordinary thing happened over the weekend.

First, a bit of history. It was 1965 and I was attending Syracuse University. One day while walking to class, I spotted a large black sedan in the faculty parking lot. I'd loved "old cars" since I was a little kid and this was an old one - a long black four door with suicide doors and sidemounts. I crunched through the snow to the ancient beauty and discovered a For Sale sign in the window. I jotted down the number and that afternoon called the owner. He told me the car was a 1932 Dodge DL Six and he wanted $400.

After spending some hours on the phone with my dad trying to weedle a loan out of him, I finally talked him into forking over the cash and the next day I was the proud owner of the Dodge. I drove it rain, snow or shine for the next three years. It never failed to start, always ran great and was the best car I've ever owned. Sadly, my brother started college in my senior year and money got very tight - my Dad couldn't afford the insurance anymore and I wasn't making enough to afford tuition, room, board and car insurance. I was forced to sell the 32 to a fellow Frat member and I moved on with my life. But I bet I thought about my old Dodge at least once a week for the next 45 years.

He she is on the day I bought her, back when I was skinny and had hair.

A month or so ago my wife suggested I join Facebook and find my old college friends - whom I had lost touch with years ago. Facebook isn't really my thing, but I did end up reconnecting with a bunch of old classmates and frat brothers. In one of the posts I put up the photo of the old Dodge. Someone mentioned he thought Phil, the guy I sold it to still had it. It turns out he did! And when I finally got in touch with him it turned out he had bought another 32 and had my old beast in his garage where it had been sitting on blocks for over 40 years! He said, by coincidence, he figured two 32s was one too many and was thinking of selling my old car. And the first person he'd thought of was - me.

Long story short, my 32 is coming back home after 45 years. She has a few nicks and bumps more than when I sold her, but she's still got shiny black paint and doesn't look much different now than she did then. Sadly, I only have one restoration left in me and need space in the workshop, so the 48 and my 50 Dodge Wayfarer convertible are going to find new homes.

I'm posting them in the classifieds if anyone is interested.

[JIPJOBXX]

Just a great story-thanks!

[mrwrstory]

Great story! Good decision!

[Kudzuking]

WOW! never can tell what's around the corner, great story, must be some good Karma coming back at Ya. Enjoy

[Labrauer]

Ok how much for the 48 P15?

[Niel Hoback]

I can imagine how you must feel. Somewhere still, I hope there's a 1930 Chrysler 6 four door with a blue body and black fenders that I would give an insane amount to own.

[Thumbtack]

That is a really cool story! A project worthy of the sale of a sweet ride such as that!

[JIPJOBXX]

I won't go into big details about my friends long lost car but its kind of interesting to read it. My friend had an old BMW Sedan that he affectionately called grandpa! Well many years ago he got divorced from his first wife but she got grandpa with the divorce settlement. Fast forward my buddy just loves to stop at old wrecking yards and one day while on a trip from his house he decided to stop at one of the out of the way junk yard. As he stated to me he was just looking around and he heard a voice in the back of his head saying "I'm over here"! he keep on hearing that little voice in his head and headed over to a high fence that separated the junk yard from the impound yard. As he approached this fence those little words kept on saying to him "I'm over here". Well he had to get on another car to see what was on the other side of the fence and I guess you know what was over there!. It was his old car grandpa and was about to be scrapped or whatever they do with those impound cars. He was amassed to see his old car which he had been separated from for years. This is a true story and of course you know the rest as he rescued his old car and latter found out that his x wife had sold the car to another party and somehow it wound up in that junk yard. Kind of strange but now old Grandpa is back with my friend after he negotiated a deal to retrieve his old friend and has restored back to it original form. Sound kind of strange but it true and as he loved for that old car and it called him back in the strangest way:). Jon

[Taylormade]

Ok how much for the 48 P15?

I'd like Six grand. The car has a completely rebuilt front suspension and a new master cylinder, clutch, throwout bearing and clutch plate. New freeze plugs in the engine after I completely flushed out the engine cooling passages. The radiator was also flushed by a pro shop. New hoses, correct period clamps, new battery cables. The rear engine seal was replaced. No leaks from the engine or tranny. New battery. It has a nice redone interior and most of the original paint - a few of the usual nicks, no dents or body damage. I repaired two small rust spots on the front floor. The rest of the car is really solid - it spent most of its life in South Carolina. No rust in the rockers - inner and outer. It also has both perfect lower stainless trim pieces - a really hard part to find, especially on the passenger side. I rewired the car with an authentic cloth loom. The engine compartment has been completely detailed and the engine cleaned and painted the correct silver with POR engine paint. The engine has a new old stock exhaust manifold installed less less than two years ago. All the gauges work, although the gas gauge is a bit hinky at times. I also have a Fulton sunvisor that goes with the car, plus a nice set of dash knobs and many extra parts. New wide whites with less than 600 miles on them. The upper stainess has a few small dents, but everything is easily repairable. The chrome on the bumpers is showing its age buts it's presentable for a driver. The usual light pitting on the pot metal, but I have a better set of taillights and a NOS brakelight housing. All door hardware is there and the windows roll up smoothly.

This is a solid driver that needs nothing to be a fun car. It does fine up to sixty, but I'd install an overdrive if you want to do a lot of extended highway driving. I'd keep it, but I want to work on my old Dodge and need the shop space.

[Joe Flanagan]

That's an amazing story. I think you're really going to enjoy the restoration since you have a history with that car. I love the picture, by the way. I'll bet you don't still have those pants.

[greg g]

Hey I think I recognize the location of the Photo I think. In 1972, I began to work at SU. I was the manager of the student Cafeteria in Shaw Hall at the corner of Comstock and Euclid. If I am correct that pic of you and the 32 was on Euclid at of near Ostram Ace?

[Taylormade]

Hey I think I recognize the location of the Photo I think. In 1972, I began to work at SU. I was the manager of the student Cafeteria in Shaw Hall at the corner of Comstock and Euclid. If I am correct that pic of you and the 32 was on Euclid at of near Ostram Ace?

Dead on - in front of what used to be the Delta Tau Delta house. Now it's a parking lot!

[RobertKB]

$6,000 is very reasonable for the P15 in the great condition it's in. If you can afford it, have you thought of renting space to keep it in? That way you still have an old car to drive when you want while you work on your '32 Dodge? Great story by the way.

[Taylormade]

$6,000 is very reasonable for the P15 in the great condition it's in. If you can afford it, have you thought of renting space to keep it in? That way you still have an old car to drive when you want while you work on your '32 Dodge? Great story by the way.

I thought about it, but I really want to concentrate on the Dodge at this point and I need the space. I don't like keeping my cars away from the property. I enjoy driving my cars, but I actually have more fun working on them. The Dodge will probably be my last project - I don't think I have more than one restoration left in me. The convertible was going to be the last as I never figured I'd ever see my old Dodge again. Life's funny that way.

[RobertKB]

Sounds like you are going to have a great time. When the old Dodge is done you will really enjoy driving it not just because you worked on it but it will also bring back a lot of memories. Have fun and good luck! Hope your P15 finds a good home.

[Reg Evans]

Where is the car located?

Would you send additional photos ? regoevans@sbcglobal.net

Thanks

I'm still searching for my first car. A 33 Plymouth.

[JIPJOBXX]

Cool!!!!!!!!!!!

[Taylormade]

Where is the car located?

I'm still searching for my first car. A 33 Plymouth.

The car is in the St. Louis Missouri area.

Love your 33 - no wonder you want to find it. And I think your pants are even shorter than mine in the photo!

[55 Fargo]

It's with a heavy heart that I've decided to sell my great old 48 P15 four door sedan. I never would have considered letting it go under normal circumstances, but an extrordinary thing happened over the weekend.

Very cool story, pic and car.

First, a bit of history. It was 1965 and I was attending Syracuse University. One day while walking to class, I spotted a large black sedan in the faculty parking lot. I'd loved "old cars" since I was a little kid and this was an old one - a long black four door with suicide doors and sidemounts. I crunched through the snow to the ancient beauty and discovered a For Sale sign in the window. I jotted down the number and that afternoon called the owner. He told me the car was a 1932 Dodge DL Six and he wanted $400.

After spending some hours on the phone with my dad trying to weedle a loan out of him, I finally talked him into forking over the cash and the next day I was the proud owner of the Dodge. I drove it rain, snow or shine for the next three years. It never failed to start, always ran great and was the best car I've ever owned. Sadly, my brother started college in my senior year and money got very tight - my Dad couldn't afford the insurance anymore and I wasn't making enough to afford tuition, room, board and car insurance. I was forced to sell the 32 to a fellow Frat member and I moved on with my life. But I bet I thought about my old Dodge at least once a week for the next 45 years.

He she is on the day I bought her, back when I was skinny and had hair.

A month or so ago my wife suggested I join Facebook and find my old college friends - whom I had lost touch with years ago. Facebook isn't really my thing, but I did end up reconnecting with a bunch of old classmates and frat brothers. In one of the posts I put up the photo of the old Dodge. Someone mentioned he thought Phil, the guy I sold it to still had it. It turns out he did! And when I finally got in touch with him it turned out he had bought another 32 and had my old beast in his garage where it had been sitting on blocks for over 40 years! He said, by coincidence, he figured two 32s was one too many and was thinking of selling my old car. And the first person he'd thought of was - me.

Long story short, my 32 is coming back home after 45 years. She has a few nicks and bumps more than when I sold her, but she's still got shiny black paint and doesn't look much different now than she did then. Sadly, I only have one restoration left in me and need space in the workshop, so the 48 and my 50 Dodge Wayfarer convertible are going to find new homes.

I'm posting them in the classifieds if anyone is interested.

Where is the car located?

Would you send additional photos ? regoevans@sbcglobal.net

Thanks

I'm still searching for my first car. A 33 Plymouth.

Nice Pic Reg, very cool car, hey them britches are a tad short.....

[Reg Evans]

Where is the car located?

I'm still searching for my first car. A 33 Plymouth.

The car is in the St. Louis Missouri area.

Love your 33 - no wonder you want to find it. And I think your pants are even shorter than mine in the photo!

Yeah, it was a high water year

[TodFitch]

Where is the car located?

Would you send additional photos ? regoevans@sbcglobal.net

Thanks

I'm still searching for my first car. A 33 Plymouth.

Seems like I made a good choice by keeping the first car I ever bought. Just over 40 years old when I got it in August of '73 (was built in late June '33):

In a little better condition now (the car, not me):

[frankieflathead]

That's a great story, Taylor. Second chances like that surely don't come up very often. And your old P15 looks just gorgeous.

[thrashingcows]

I'm thrilled your getting your first car back...that is something most of us youngins now days just don't have the ability to do. I think this is a very worthy reason to sell off your current garage patrons.

Please keep us posted on your restoration when it begins. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to follow along.

[Mark D]

Taylormade - Perhaps you want to look into contacting the producers of this new series and let them know about your story...

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/01/10/restoration-reunion-gets-picked-up-for-pilot-still-looking-for-stories-of-long-lost-cars/?refer=news

by the way I left you a private message - curious to know what tires you have on your p15. thanks

[mackster]

WOW great stories!!! I belive the pants race was even from where I can tell..so you both win the high water pants marathon! I love these stories..I feel real bad my first car is a 73 VW and i have no intentions in ever finding it!

Edited January 11, 2013 by mackster