Going to the dark side...

[James_Douglas]

After a lot of discussion we decided to not use the 1947 Desoto Suburban for our cross country retirement travels. The big issue is that we now live in an age where:

 

1. People just have no patience on the freeways and in the mountains for slow 1940's cars.

2. No trunk. We are seeing more and more reports of people with cars, both classic and not, getting broken into by bashing the windows to get to things in sight. The 1947 Desoto Suburban does not have a trunk. We do not want to worry about someone looking in and deciding to break a window to get to things while we are in some diner someplace.

 

By dumb luck we ran across last week an 88 year old man that had a few cars. He cannot drive any more. One of the cars was a 1964 Chrysler 300K hardtop. It was his mothers that she purchased new in the fall of 1963. FACTORY paint still on it. The sheet metal unibody is perfect. A couple of small dings here and there but where it counts the metal is just fantastic. The car has a documented 98K miles on it.

 

Now you have to understand that my mom and dad, in addition to the 1949 Desoto that a got back and restored, purchased a 1964 Chrysler 300K in the fall of 1963 as well. I restored that car as well a convertible. I sold them both in the late 1990's. I regret to this day selling the hardtop. Neither of the 300K's would fit into the garage space here in San Francisco at the time.

 

So, we are going to rebuild a stock 265 for the big Desoto and not do all the fancy modification I was contemplating. We will use it for spring and fall cool weather trips in Northern California for fishing and the like.  The 1964 Chrysler will be completely rebuild for cross country trips.

 

James 

 

 

[TodFitch]

Doesn’t sound too much like the dark side to me. That '64 300K sounds like a great road car.

[keithb7]

Sounds like a very practical plan to me. A good idea. 

[Sniper]

I used to have a 64 300 Sport Series, with the 413.  It got 12 mpg rain or shine and it was a stick cat to boot.  Kind of pricey as that 413 required premium gas other wise it pinged and it was still finicky about who's premium it liked. 

[James_Douglas]

I have had two 300K hard tops and two 300K convertibles. So, I know well what I am walking into. The big deal is the unitized body. The rust proofing from 1960 to about 1968 sucked and a lot of them are rust buckets under the skin and hard to fix. Not to mention expensive.

 

I plan on rebuilding the 413. When I do, I may down tune it to 9.25 to one so I can run regular.  I may also put on fuel injection with a knock sensor.

 

We shall see...

James

[Adam H P15 D30]

I would not drive or park any car in SF especially a classic...

[Worden18]

I had a 65 Imperial with a 413 about 25 years ago.  It was a really nice driving car; I miss it.

I like your plan!

[James_Douglas]

On 9/19/2022 at 9:44 AM, Adam H P15 D30 said:

I would not drive or park any car in SF especially a classic...

I really do not know why not? I have been driving and parking my classic cars here in San Francisco for 30 plus years. I do not leave them out on the street overnight, but other than that I use them just like any other car.

 

I have never had a car stolen, I have never had a car get hit.

 

Given that San Francisco is more or less a classic grid, one can always find ways around to avoid the bad traffic spots.

 

What would make one make such a blanket statement? In a few weeks six hundred of us will be driving our classic cars to the annual old car picnic in Golden Gate Park.

 

James

Edited September 22, 2022 by James_Douglas

[RNR1957NYer]

I think the K would make a great long distance hauler - rock solid, dependable drivetrain and the weird dual cylinder front brakes were a memory in ‘64.  There was a silver K in the back row of the neighborhood Chrysler Plymouth store when I was in high school- we thought “what a great demo derby car “ (forgive me, it was ‘71 and I didn’t act on that thought).  I am sorry I didn’t pick up a nice buildable silver special ‘64 sport 300 I could have had for for scrap prices five years ago.  Unfortunately I drive by that guys house one a week and rue that decision…

[James_Douglas]

RNR1957NYer,

 

I know the feeling. I went through and restored my parents 1964 300K coupe in the 1980's. They purchased it new. I even have the original window sticker my mom too off with a razor. I then got a '64 300K convertible and restored it.

 

I then moved into San Francisco. The old buildings garage doors were just too narrow to get these cars in and out of. I stored them out of SF. But after many years of them sitting, and me paying to store them, I decided to sell them. What a stupid mistake. The CV I could live without, too much scuttle shake for me. But mom and dad coupe I should never have sold.

 

So, now I will be doing more more of these cars over the next couple of years. I will also rebuild the 1947 Desoto.

 

The car things we regret!

 

James

[Ranger]

What.......no pictures!