7d2 Scamp-a-roo

[V-100]

Last July was talking with a 'car buddy' about how things were going and all that. Since it's pretty normal to ask about car projects, asked him how his Plymouth was doing. He told me that he was having some health issues (he is in his 60s') and that between that, his Dart and everything else he'd probably never get it done and he should get rid of it.
Now knowing that his mom's friend bought the car new and sold it to him just before fully retiring and moving out of state to be near her son and his family, it had never been wrecked (well, except for when an owner of an M-class Benz decided to open their door before looking and the Scamp took the door off), no rot, and was just a clean little A-body- I piped up "Let me know how much." A little bit later in the conversation "$1000" was the ask. We met up a few days later and I gave him the cash.
About 10 days later another buddy and I p/u the car and took it to his garage. We got a little more work done to it, but between work, family and basically life, it was hard to get together. So today I put a dolly on my Ramcharger (a story in itself how I ended up with that rare/odd beast) and brought it closer to home in a friends barn.

 

[gdrill]

Cool story. Sounds like a great car. Pics????????

 

[V-100]

Car is gold w/black top (originally vinyl, but it will go back as paint with SS trim pieces in place), 225, SBP disc brakes

 

[gdrill]

Nice shape! Are those buckets or a camel hump seat? I have one in my 73 340 with the armrest. Wow that interior and trunk look brand new. Good score.

 

[V-100]

The trunk is packed with parts-exterior trim (all nice, just pretty much buff & shine, grille and headlight surrounds are perfect), black interior plastics, dash bezels, kick plates...you name it! Sad fact is, I'm heading over Wednesday and have to load the Ramcharger with more...new weather strip, carpeting, wiring. Crazy. Am I happy? Check out the second pic.

 

[V-100]

The guy I got the car from had me and a couple others help him take the interior out. He prepped, re-sealed, primed and painted everything. Even under the inside of the quarters are better than factory.
Seat is the "Double hump" split bench.

I have a couple extra sets of 11 3/4" BBP discs, an extra 340, a V-8 radiator, an extra '73-up V-8 K-member with swaybar, and (4) 8 3/4 complete rears. I think I'll convert it and change the interior to black so it matches the exterior combo better.

 

[gdrill]

Dang cool......I guess I'm subscribed now!!

 

[74DartSwinger360]

Great Deal

 

[V-100]

I'll have to get pic's of the 340's (they are in the garage). One (1970 vintage)was given to me after the guy accidentally put a timing cover bolt through the close cylinder- long bolt into the short clearance side. It can be sleeved, but in order to clean up and have all cylinders match, I'll have to go 0.060 over. The other is an Aug of '67 340, very nice. It'll clean up at 0.030 over and I can use the '70 motors forged pistons (0.30 over, awright!)in it (they are still "Hangin' on the rods"). Tranny-wise I have a 904, am going to ask my tranny guru what he thinks about a beefed 904 behind a 'warmed' 340- I think it will be okay, this is going to be a cruiser with a 3.23 or maybe a 3.55 rear, not a strip ripper. But if the guru says no, I'll SB 727 it.

 

[gdrill]

From what I have read here the 904 will be just fine. Sounds like a nice combo for cruisin'.

 

[V-100]

Thanks gdrill!

 

[V-100]

Will get pictures of the 340s', the .892/.893 torsion bars, and springs if I can tomorrow

 

[V-100]

Didn't get a picture of the leaf springs, they are in the shed and it is just blowing and rainy tonight. Suffice to say, they are 340 springs, re-done (arch checked/adjusted, cleaned and painted), and just need poly bushings to be complete. The torsion bars are .892/.893s', cleaned and re painted- both are originally from a slant 6 car that was a public utility car (weird options on that one).
The LCA's and swaybar are from an HD optioned '76 Dart with a 318 and AC
The red 340 is one I bought from a buddy, has the 1967 build year, and was a core number of 5. You should be able to see it in the photos
The '70 model 340 (picture of a cylinder with the hole they punched in it with a timing cover bolt) is actually a 3/17/69 340 block. It's core number is 8.
I'll probably use the '69 340 in the Scamp, because ultimately I am just going to sell it and use the money to go through my '69 Valiant 2-dr sedan ( I like the Valiant better). Not that I will chintz out on the Scamp, I have never sold a car and cheated/ripped somebody off. Just can't keep them all!

 

[V-100]

Clear, but cold today. Got my '85 "Cop" Gran Fury (was an arsonist investigation car, but is the "Full-Tilt" cop-spec) out and took a couple pics on the Microsoft campus. Then went a worked on the '88 GF cop car we are prepping for the "24 Hours of LeMons" race. Donated most of the interior to the Seattle Metropolitian Police Museum for a resto they are doing on an '88 King County Sheriff's car...fun thing is I bought this car last September from San Juan County for a whopping $330. Runs like a top.

 

[V-100]

Here are pics

 

[V-100]

I modified an older Plymouth hood ornament to fit my '85...just seemed more "Right" than a generic Pentastar emblem

The red 'thing' sitting on the package tray in the "Interoir Deleted" '88 is the trunk lip spoiler from a CMX Mirada. The car is actually going to get straightened up abit and painted a two-tone grey and black, and the spoiler actualy does fit rather well and doesn't look goofy.

 

[V-100]

Here is the auction listing for the '88 when I bought it- I know, not an A-body but last of the RWD Chrysler products (they really quit being an American company after Damn-Near, I mean Daimler bought them. The 300 and Challengers are E-class chassis Benzes, not a Chrysler)
http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auction/view?auc=766451

 

[V-100]

I'll try to post an update or two this weekend. Gonna be tough, it's my youngest's 6th birthday (aka "Princess Mayhem") but I'll atleast get the 340 springs out and a couple other things

 

[hemitheus]

sweet car... LOVVE the ramcharger

 

[V-100]

Thanks, Hemitheus- I get more comments on that truck, which is kinda surprising. Mexican guys love the thing; from what I was told there was a popular TV show called "El Heffe" and he drove a Ramcharger that apparently could hold a lot of weapons inside it.

It's a '93 LE model with the 360 Magnum in it (only year you could get the Magnum and the last year of the 4WD Ramcharger). Got it from the Emery County Sheriff's Department in Utah last May.

 

[V-100]

Speaking of the Ramcharger, used it today to p/u some of the pieces from over in a buddy's shop. Carpet, trim, Holley 750 (in the box), rear bumpers, taillights (3 sets, 2 sets are perfect), and some other small bits

 

[V-100]

Last night a King County deputy showed up at my from door around 2030 hours. Asked me my name and if I own a black truck. Answered yes and that it was more like a Chevy full-sized Blazer than a pick up. Showed me a tag number and asked me if it was my plate, and I confirmed it- next came, "I need to see your vehicle." Well, been driving my company rig since I have been the emergency responder, so the Ramcharger is in the bowels of a garage. Last time I drove it was Saturday when I picked up the Scamp parts. Get my shoes, emergency phone, and we drive to Microsoft.
On the way there, I'm thinking, "Man, did somebody steal my car or my tags?" We get all the way there, all the way to the bottom of the garage, and there it sits. He looks it over, puts his hand on the hood, and checks for the rear plate. Everything was kosher, parts still stacked in the back, no damage to anything on it.
Deputy tells me that Kirkland PD is looking for a black truck and they gave him my tag number. The story is that it is a 'hit-n-run' case from Monday afternoon, and that could be true. If it is, must be a pedestrian strike or a really good amount of property damage- awful lot of work for a small property crime (although it is a felony to hit-n-run here). Kirkland did have a bank robbery a couple days ago if memory serves me right, so they could also have a partial plate from a black full-sized truck and they are running down all the black trucks with that tag in the area.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter to me. Met another local cop, was a good interaction, and cleared my name from any possible criminal involvement.:glasses7: