Susie R/T

[Princess Valiant]

ok, i know, i know ....but since i live on FABO and dont really like any other site LOL

Suzy is a 1968 Dodge coronet 500 Wagon. 318 904 8 3/4

up till now there has been a title issue on this car ....but the good news is ....i have a green light on the title ....so i have a green light to start processing this car now.

so no more plan making and pipe dreams ....its go time!!! goal is to have this car on the street as a fully functional car by july 1, seems far away but its not really

this car is going to make a transformation from a woody 500 to an R/T (what if the factory did it) type project...... as with all my other builds ....no aftermarket parts .....all factory or factory looking items.

Suzy has been off the road for an estimated 20 years, she sat in a field in southern Colorado where she was violated by mice and a vandal. the vandal stole the battery and cut the cables crudely and swiped the radiator while cutting the cooling lines and not being very gentile with the surrounding parts.

stay tuned as she comes alive in the next coming months and all for a heck of a budget.... as of right now i have a couple hundred bucks into it and my cousin is taking care of the title but gave me the green light to get started.

 

[QuintinMotorCompany]

nice! I will be following

 

[Princess Valiant]

my first order of business in that i put oil in each cylinder to let it soak before attempting to turn it over.

i had to find some spark plug wires ....most were cut or missing by rabbits when it was in the field ....no cwazy wabbits here.

with new battery cables in place i truned it over and it did turn but slugishly.

there was no spark .....so i quickly found a rabbit chewed coil wire .....fixed that and YESSS spark lol.

i did get it to fire but very very poorly had a wap wap bum bam wap sound.....but it least she tried to talk to me.

excited i ran in the house and placed an order on ebay for a electronic ignition conversion harness ......i dont know how do to points and am not interested ...so electronic ignition will be the first order of business

a quick $25. on ebay and used parts on hand should do it.

 

[Princess Valiant]

since i got the green light only this last weekend to start on her i was excited last night and in my insomniac rage went out in the cold at 3 a.m. and crawled under the car to see if it is a 727 or 904 .....since the cooling lines are a big problem that i have to address to get her into running and driving status ....

unfortuneately ...its a 904 ....its only unfortunate bcoz for a 4 speed swap to occour i will have a driveshaft problem.

personally i see the cut cooling lines as a perfect excuse to use a 4 speed i have on the shelf ....i mean cut cooling lines !!!!! those are nearly impossible to fix or replace ***wink wink**

 

[4spdragtop]

Very nice Rani, I have a love for Coronets(had a 67 440) and a love for wagons! So double dipping in my pleasure pool....LOL

 

[Princess Valiant]

future plans definately include a rally dash...

i have a 68 charger dash frame ....(big thanks to Mr. Keith (66340sedan)

and i have the cluster and misc. pieces ..the cluster is going to require a custom rear defrost switch to account for the rear tailgate window switch (has power rear window)

i am not going to get too excited about the 4 speed and rally dash yet bcoz i have found through experience that its easy to dream a project out of the ball park....better to take it easy and work on one item or problem at a time and get it running first. sometimes you have run what you brung...it easy to turn a project into a pipe dream

so the four speed and dash are on the agenda but on a slow track

getting it running and back to life is first priority.

 

[Princess Valiant]

Very nice Rani, I have a love for Coronets(had a 67 440) and a love for wagons! So double dipping in my pleasure pool....LOL

OK, Mr. Steve has the first pass issued....if i am fortuate enough to meet him in person and i have this car with me after its finished. then Mr. Steve will be the first FABO member to take this car when finished out for a spin.

 

[SpeedracerX]

Nice wagon Rani.. Cant wait to watch Suzy's progress..

 

[65Vart]

Nice Wagon, I still want a 66 Coronet bblock car. who did the cartoon?

 

[Princess Valiant]

Nice Wagon, I still want a 66 Coronet bblock car. who did the cartoon?

the cartoon was originally a 2 door but fabo has talent http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=224521

i almost got a 67 coronet wagon .....i love the boxy style of 66/7 but the deal was better on this 68. lol

 

[1968dartman]

Nice project! How does Natasha feel about the competition?

 

[67Dart273]

Is that a 318 or a 273?

 

[4spdragtop]

OK, Mr. Steve has the first pass issued....if i am fortuate enough to meet him in person and i have this car with me after its finished. then Mr. Steve will be the first FABO member to take this car when finished out for a spin.

All I can say is yummy!! :burnout:rayer::love4:

 

[CUDACOX]

I bet Steve has asked about that 68 fish in the back ground!! lol.

 

[67cudafb]

Suzy looks pretty good for what she's been through. Look forward to your progess on the wagon. Nice cuda in the background.

 

[cudavert]

Sweet ride, Rani! Don't feel bad about being on FABO with your B-ride. You're not alone in your fascination with them. I HAD one.....bought it for cheap from an old old guy who.....wanted to sell everything and "go back to Cuba to die". Wow. Can't wait to see your progress.....

 

[Princess Valiant]

wow, love the 70 sport satellite wagon.

one thing have found odd about the coronet i thatits a factory roof rack delete car.

it makes me wonder how many came without it and wouldnt ppl of the late 60s and 70 wanted a car with the roof rack ....didnt ppl used to use them?

the good thing about no roof rack is no holes to leak water through....so the headliner is still real decent.

 

[Princess Valiant]

Nice project! How does Natasha feel about the competition?

no jealous cars here ...they all get their turn for attention LOL

Is that a 318 or a 273?

im pretty sur its a 318 ...the vin has an "F" code ....though i have never checked the block

I bet Steve has asked about that 68 fish in the back ground!! lol.

LOL ...that is actually a 67 but does not have the header panel letters.

Suzy looks pretty good for what she's been through. Look forward to your progess on the wagon. Nice cuda in the background.

its horrible what some of these old cars had to endure, but as part of my "no mopar left behind" policy we can hopefully have a fresh start for it. lol

 

[cudavert]

one thing have found odd about the coronet i thatits a factory roof rack delete car.

it makes me wonder how many came without it and wouldnt ppl of the late 60s and 70 wanted a car with the roof rack ....didnt ppl used to use them?

the good thing about no roof rack is no holes to leak water through....so the headliner is still real decent.

Yes on the water leaks AND usually those roof racks' chrome is pitted like all hell (potmetal) and just one more thing to spend $$ on and rechrome/refurbish. Luggage racks are sorta cool and stylish, but the car looks clean without them too. Maybe people knew they were never going to take the car on long trips with tons of stuff to pack.

 

[65Vart]

Hey Rani, Here is a bit of insperation for ya

 

[HawaiiDuster]

I love that wagon, my favorite year! My first car was a 68 Coronet R/T Hemi 4spd. I seen a 4spd wagon at the Russo/Steele auction a few years ago, I'll see if I can find the pics of it.

 

[smlveightis]

I'm gonna follow you on this one, Rani! Subscribed.

 

[Andyzell]

nice wagon would be a great dd. heres a pic of my B body daily driver.

 

[4spdragtop]

Is that a 67 Andy?? Nice!! Whats the truck in the background??

 

[67cudafb]

Always had a soft spot for Mopar wagons. Growing up in the 60's and 70's my mom always drove a Plymouth or Dodge wagon. I can remember going to the drive in with my parents and dad would lay down the back seats and throw a mattress back there and my brother and sister and I would watch the movie and fall asleep. The last wagon my mom had was 73 Plymouth that she let me check the option boxes, 440-4, 727, 323 suregrip. It took a while to get rolling but it would motor on down the road. I wish I would have taken it when she got rid of it nice car. Just one more I let get away.