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Finally drug the 64 Dodge Polara convertible out of the barn. It was parked there in October 1993 and hasn't moved since then. 73000 miles, driven by my grandmother who was the original owner. Rats, mice and racoons have made a mess of things but right now my main concern is the locked up parking brake I can't break loose.
Perhaps if you, the rats, the mice, and the racoons all try at once, it will come loose.Quote:
Originally Posted by cam76034
Literally a rat's nest
If you have a decent Barnes & Noble or Borders near you, look for a magazine called "Practical Classics". It's from the UK so it's $10+(!) but the current issue has a feature actually on barn finds. Lots of neat tips, stuff I'd o' never thought of. Joe Bob says check it out.
Hope you can get it back on the road soon. Hot Rod mag. has had a few issues this year showcasing Barn finds. That one looks to have potential.
You can do it!
WOW! I'm not a Mopar Man, but i've always liked those.
There was a '62 Invicta 'vert that Chris and I were drooling over at the car show saturday.
That Polara should be the same. ;)
Sh*t, I just noticed it's a convertible.
I so hate you right now... :D
Anybody know how to tell what block is in it? They came stock 2bbl/383, but also had 318 and 440 as an option.
Can you tell from the VIN?Quote:
Originally Posted by cam76034
I can tell from the engine photo its a 383 or 440, not a 318. If you look to the right of the distributor (standing in front of the car) there is a small flat pad on the top of the block. Stamped into the iron will be either 383 or 440.........Also if its got a 2 brl on it its a 383, I am pretty sure Mopar never sold a 440 with a 2 brl.
Here is the website for the under hood electrical stuff we talked about earlier this week!
http://www.lectriclimited.com
I'm also pleased mine was a garage find and not a barn find, I had a lot less nesting in the 'lac. ;)
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...85_39_full.jpg
Hey, nice mower.
Yea my dad sold it along with the house, luckily I got the 'lac out just in time! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by jrj512
lectriclimited.com didn't have much for Chrysler products. Plenty of GM applications tho.
I can only hope that the rats, rodents and raccoons got copper poisoning from all that wiring they digested.
BTW, thanks VFR750, it is a 383. Does anybody know if the 383 had any type of heat shield between the intake manifold and the block? I found some stuffed up in there, but then again there was alot of twigs, foam, acorns etc..in there.
Be careful how you get that stuff out of there. Don't use compressed air or other things that spread that mess out in a cloud. Dust from rodent droppings is horrible stuff to breathe.
RJ
Big block Mopars use a sheet steel intake manifold gasket, the manifold actually sits an inch or so above the gasket. Its a pretty unusual setup, the intake manifold stays much cooler than most V-eight motors. It sounds like the squatters built a nice home under the manifold on top of the sheet metal gasket...............
Right! there's a gap I can stick my fingers into, which is kinda scary, and pull out all the crap they jammed up there. But there was a piece of insulation, kinda like what goes on ductwork in the attic with the foil backing and it almost looked like it was supposed to be there. Then again, there was the twigs, grass, twine, shredded 1964 Texas maps, etc...Quote:
Originally Posted by VFR750
Sheet metal gasket? Just under the intake manifold and when you rap it with your fingernails it sounds hollow.?
Yep....nothing below that thin piece of sheet metal but air, hot oil and your cam whirling around about 4 inches below it......