Somewhat new guy here. I’m a mopar guy. 70 Cuda and a 60 Chrysler are the current cars. This is the only ForwardLook era car I have worked with and the oldest car I have owned. It still has a generator and a dual pump transmission! I would like some style ideas and input on the future, possibly with a build thread later on... Wheels? Subtle pinstripes, etc. the goal is to make the below Chrysler a family cruiser with some subtle era correct custom touches. I want it to look like a mostly stock family cruiser that would fit in the 1960s. (Yes, I know it has 4 doors.) The car is bone stock and original. I don’t want to mess with that. It’s a bit far to be called a true survivor and eventually will need some minor rust fixed and a repaint. The engine and trans will eventually be replaced. Don’t fret, the original stuff will be kept and push button controls will be used. For now I’m looking at a wheel change, some clean up, redo the interior and see how long the 383RB and cast iron torqueflite last. Possibly a VintageAir kit. Minor stuff like new fuel system, brakes, and suspension rebuild have been done. Thanks!
I love it. The astrodome gauge cluster was always a favorite of mine. Double cool points for working electromagnetism gauge lights.
Fill the gas tank, run it through, repeat often. Chrome reverse with baby moons always work. Lower it just a little. Dosent look like it needs A/C. You'll be cool as all get out just bein in that.
You’re right. It doesn’t need much. The interior needs seat skins as the springs come through on the drivers side. Fairly easy to lower for a bit different stance. The back is actually sagging a wee bit and needs re arched springs and the front end is torsion bars that could be brought down a wee bit without causing problems.
Neat car! Being a four-door, any changes you make won't really have a negative impact on the value (within reason). A repaint and some interior restoration might make it a little prettier, but a stock '60 Chrysler is impressive all by itself. Personally I might drop it a little bit and get some more appropriate tires, and drive it a lot. Love the Goldwater sticker. The 'sky-high' rear window was optional on any Chrysler 4dr hardtop, and indeed standard on NYer.
You don't have to do anything to make it unique. But if it was mine, I would paint it gold metalflake lower it slightly and find some cool rims.
Post a picture over on the "Photoshop" thread and they can show you what different colors and wheel/tire combos can look like. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...p-thread-to-end-all-photoshop-threads.300531/
Thanks guys. The sticker and Air Force decals stay. Both are vintage eBay pieces. I am traveling on a pretty busy work schedule for the rest of this year. But next year the overall plan is set. 1. Drivetrain Clean and freshen! -new cam and lifters (it has an untrustworthy lifter that doesn’t always pump up) -4bbl (efi or I do have a thermoquad laying around) I really want to keep the stock air cleaner and fab a baseplate. -Ignition is done -convert to universal joint driveshaft -new exhaust, I’m looking for some later manifolds that would flow better. Headers aren’t necessary, available, or cheap. -keep trying to find a transmission filter... very difficult with this old trans. 2. Inside -Speedo needs rebuilt atSpeedometer Service in Colorado Springs. -Seats & carpet. Headliner is fine. Dash is good enough. Possibly AC. -front seat belts. -sacrifices to the vacuum dashpot and electrical Gods. 3. Rust -Trunk floor needs replacing & some minor neutralization here and there. 4. Outside -polish, buff, touch up -wheels.... I haven’t found anything yet that says pick me! -windshield If I paint it, I was thinking of black with some black flake inserts in the trunk panel inset contours. Nothing crazy, but something that would pop close up.
Clean up the interior, any rust issues and paint, even touch up what is fixed. Lower it a tad, some better wheels and call it done. Work on the mechanicals when you have time. Get it totally reliable first.
It doesnt appear to be sagging in the back to me, almost looks like it may be raised a little in the pics, Is that longer shackles I spy? Heres a similar one I found to gander at.
The original owner had an ancient set of coil over spring shocks on it when I took these pics. It sags a bit after those were pulled.
I used to work on those in my apprenticeship days. Power steering really WAS, transmissions & drive trains were tight. Exceptional road cars...I drove my customer's '59 Chrysler 300 on a 200 mile trip to pick him up. He insisted on driving back...we could have fought over it.
Since you're doing rust repair and a repaint........If it were mine, I'd do a 2 door conversion (see Squablow's conversion posts) as it'd be pretty straight forward with that nice roof line. That would set the tone for an early 60's Mild Custom in a Watson, Bellflower style. Lowered, appropriate wheels/tires, panel paint. Eventually a Custom pleated interior..........
I personally like the four doors. I would be inclined, however, to remove all the door handles, to accentuate the integrity of what must be the longest tailfin in the industry!
Wow! Those panel outlines would provide the perfect format for the black-flake panel accents the OP suggested. Watson's Pearl Black Caddy.
Update. Wheels are staying stock until I can find a set of Chrysler wire wheels. I can’t see anything else fitting with what I’m going for. Or maybe a set of Polara “jet fin” hubcaps. It runs like a top. 60 year old Chrysler engineering seems to be working. Dual master conversion, plus usual maintenance, keeping the drums as they work well. I will likely convert to post 64 Non integral drum/hubs at some point. I have a 4v manifold and thermoquad ready to go but the stock Carter BBD hasn’t had a single problem (other than that one stuck float). I can’t bring myself to change it yet. It has good power and runs great. Interior and some paint touch up is next, and I still can’t figure out if it needs any pinstripes at all. The styling is too different. If it didn’t have trim down the side it would need something but for now I’m not seeing anything that would add to the car outside of a repaint with subtle accents like the caddy above. another note. The dash mount rear view mirror is darn near worthless. Other than seeing kids in the back. Cool, but yeah. I don’t know if I’m being tailgated or not!
The dash mounted mirror on my '60 Plym doesn't have a problem showing tailgaters, but either side is a problem for changing lanes. If you're going to change front spindles I'd go disc. I put '77 NYer on mine. Not into shaving door handles, but if I was doing it to a 4 dr I'd only do the back doors.
I have been talking to AAJ brakes in Portland about their conversion kit that keeps the spindles. Bracket kit.
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