Saved from the crusher

[Kaharvey88]

Hi everyone!

 

My name is Kirk, I'm 32, and I'm from a small town in southeastern Arkansas. One of my buddies and his dad run a scrap metal business and they buy a lot of junk cars. Most of it is usually modern throw away stuff. They let me dig through their junkyard when I need a part here and there. After they get the yard full they'll crush the cars and make room for more. I try to go there about once a month just to visit and see what they've dragged in. Well back in February I drive down and as I'm walking into the yard I see this car. I immediately called my buddy and asked if they were going to crush the Coronet and he said yes! I asked him what it would take to buy it and he shot me a price. It seemed a little on the high side, but I agreed to it because I couldn't stand to see that piece of American automotive history get destroyed. The car is fairly complete. Engine isn't seized. Carburetor is missing however. I plan to try to get it running and driving and hopefully sell it to someone that has the time/money to make it really nice. Let me know what you guys think of it!

[Bryan G]

Thanks for saving this fine old Dodge; it looks much too nice for the crusher. Someone's going to have a lot of fun getting it roadworthy again.

[knuckleharley]

I not only think you have a good plan,but you may have accidentially discovered a way to make a second income while having fun and working at your OWN schedule.

 

Go for it!

[Marcel Backs]

Knuck is very right on that. I have a friend buying an selling old cars using his websites and social media. He is making a pile of income with this that would make one’s head spin. The present situation everywhere has created a huge market for pretty much anything motorized and the car market is at the forefront! M

[hi_volt]

Good on you!  Love to see classics like that saved,  Keep us up to date....and we love pix......

[Worden18]

Awesome!  I'm glad you saved it. Post more pictures if you can!

[plymouthcranbrook]

Be very careful, Old cars are addictive.  Great plan though? 

[Booger]

very cool. and its got a ball cap (visor) when you do find a carb (theyre out there) please put a new inline fuel filter before carb. Its well worth the 5 bucks

[DJ194950]

Heck, that visor alone would probably bring ( based on asking prices anyway) on Ebay in the $3-450 range. Maybe more these days. Has been a while since I looked at them but other mopar prices have really gone up on there from several years ago.

 

DJ

[DonaldSmith]

Has the front end been lowered, or is something broken?  No bid deal, though.  Just another thing to fix. .  

[Kaharvey88]

Thanks for all the positive replies guys! I currently have a full time job at a chemical manufacturing plant and I work on cars in my spare time. Most of it is just regular maintenance type work. Some modern hot rod stuff gets mixed in every once in a while. ViceGrip Garage is one YouTuber I follow that goes around doing exactly what my plan is and I know he's making a killing! He actually gets the cars running where they were parked and drives them (usually several hundred miles) back home. I'll update with more pics asap. The car is actually still at my buddies place right now. It does have something going on with the left front tire. The wheel isn't attached to the hub. Looks like at minimum it has a couple of studs broken. He's supposed to deliver it to me on his rollback. I didn't want to risk damaging anything on the car trying to winch it up onto my trailer. That's pretty cool about the visor. Is that a factory option or something aftermarket? Also, does anyone have a good source for a carburetor and a wiring diagram? From what I've read there's a few solenoids that help to control the shifting of the transmission. Not sure if this wiring is still there. I'm sure when I get more pics posted the experts here can point me in the right direction!

 

Thanks again!

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, DJ194950 said:

Heck, that visor alone would probably bring ( based on asking prices anyway) on Ebay in the $3-450 range. Maybe more these days. Has been a while since I looked at them but other mopar prices have really gone up on there from several years ago.

 

DJ

Prices have gone up on everything. For one thing,this stuff is getting harder to find with each year that passes.

 

For another,and I am going to do my best to tap dance around the politics,it's seems like certain political parties are determined to destroy our economy so that everybody ends up on goobermint checks and food stamps.

 

Saw a report on the ebening news a few minutes ago about a couple that decided to remodel/expand their garage themselves because they were working a lot fewer hours and pulling in a lot less money. Ended up costing them a bundle,anyhow. One example given was a 4x8 sheet of plywood that sold for 9 bucks a year or so go,now sells for 50 bucks. Businesses shut down,new plywood wasn't manufactured,and the demand now outsweighs the supply.

Edited April 23, 2021 by knuckleharley

[DJ194950]

Saw or heard a lot of taps but no dancing!  ?

 

DJ

[knuckleharley]

3 hours ago, DJ194950 said:

Saw or heard a lot of taps but no dancing!  ?

 

DJ

Truth me,when I dance,it's not a pretty thing to see.

[Kaharvey88]

Hey guys!

 

Finally got the car up to my shop. Here's some pics for ya! Let me know what you think.

[Kaharvey88]

Also, here's a few after a bath and hooking up a battery just to see what all worked.

[Worden18]

Looking good man!

[RobertKB]

Great save!! ?

[knuckleharley]

3 hours ago, Kaharvey88 said:

Hey guys!

 

Finally got the car up to my shop. Here's some pics for ya! Let me know what you think.

I think it is a major score. Not only does it appear to be complete,but it even looks better than most of the stuff I drag home.

[keithb7]

She got good bones. Keep going. It only gets better after every little job you complete. 

[Doug&Deb]

Is it a 51 or 52? Can’t see if the lower grille panel is chrome or body color. What trans is in it? If it’s the Gyromatic you need a Stromberg BXVES carb. They’re not hard to find and easy to rebuild. If you have a 3-speed with the fluid coupling you need a Stromberg BXVD-3 carb. Again not hard to find. I have a 52 Coronet so if I can help let me know. 

[Kaharvey88]

5 hours ago, Doug&Deb said:

Is it a 51 or 52? Can’t see if the lower grille panel is chrome or body color. What trans is in it? If it’s the Gyromatic you need a Stromberg BXVES carb. They’re not hard to find and easy to rebuild. If you have a 3-speed with the fluid coupling you need a Stromberg BXVD-3 carb. Again not hard to find. I have a 52 Coronet so if I can help let me know. 

 

Pretty sure it's a 51. Lower grille panel is chrome. It's a gyromatic transmission according to the fender badges. I can post better pics of the engine to show you what I have to work with. I found some miscellaneous carburetor gaskets in the trunk and some kind of linkage/rod. Not sure if it even belongs to this car. I'd definitely like to get a carburetor for it soon so I can get this thing running! If any one has one let me know. Thanks!

[Kaharvey88]

Just grabbed this off carburetor off eBay. ? hopefully it will work. I noticed the exhaust manifold has a big crack in it (see pic). Also, can y'all tell me what I'm missing as far as linkage and wiring goes? Thanks!

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, Kaharvey88 said:

Just grabbed this off carburetor off eBay. ? hopefully it will work. I noticed the exhaust manifold has a big crack in it (see pic). Also, can y'all tell me what I'm missing as far as linkage and wiring goes? Thanks!

 

[knuckleharley]

That exhaust manifold looks to be VERY repairable to me. The only drawback is that welding cast iron can be a little tricky if you don't know what you are doing,so pay a pro to weld it up. To do it right is a lot more involved than hitting it up with a wire wheel and using a brass rod to tack it together.