The moments that make life awesome

[Princess Valiant]

I posted this pic in another thread but I thought to make a thread so you guys can add.

It seems to me that one of the most awesome moments in life is that moment when you find your next project car. When you find it and it almost seems like no one else in the world has noticed it. When it almost feels like the car was waiting for you and calling your name seductively.

That moment when you ask the owner if he or she will sell it to you and the answer is YES
That moment when you hear the asking price and think to yourself "I have that"
That moment when your done negotiating and you are happy with the agreed price and you don't show any emotion in front of the seller but you are thinking deep down "oh, dang MEGA SCORE!!!!"

That moment when you get it home and nothing else matters in the world, its better than the best Christmas of your life.

The moments when the excitement peaks ......before you get bored with it and just park it out back.

All this describes when I got my 70 swinger.....this pic is in the previous owner's front yard .....this is the first time I ever met the car.

These moments are getting far and in between these days because good projects are getting harder to find where the seller isn't asking a crack CL price.

Share yours?

 

[MobileCustoms]

I know that feeling too. I had a '70 Dart 30 years ago and am wanting to find another one!

 

[MobileCustoms]

forgot to add the pics!

 

[66340SEDAN]

forgot to add the pics!

You need to post those pictures in the ""Street Freaks" thread...love that old school ride :glasses7:

 

[MobileCustoms]

You need to post those pictures in the ""Street Freaks" thread...love that old school ride :glasses7:

along with my old van too, I suppose :icon_smi:

 

[TrailBeast]

Told the wife I needed another car since my Nissan pickup was coming up on 500,000 miles and I was literally sick of driving it.
Told the wife this and she said "well I guess we better start looking" and I said I already found the car I want and it's here in Arizona.
I contacted the seller and he told me what he wanted for it and I was good with it since it was a running driving 1973 Dart Swinger.
All I had to do was to sell the motorhome I had that got 5 miles to the gallon when the gas was at it highest price ever so far, so it wasn't promising.
Two days later the motorhome sold for more than I wanted for it and I went and picked up the Dart driving it the 125 miles home without a glitch.

It seemed I was meant to have it, although it acted like an unbroke pony for awhile with little things here and there like it was testing me to see if we were going to get along.
I started fixing things and upgrading things like the radiator, water pump, Electric cooling, custom seats and on and on.
Somewhere along the line it straghtened up and decided we were friends.
Now it is one of the most reliable best running cars I have ever owned.

3 days from the first contact with the seller, the motorhome sold and the Dart was in my driveway.

This is a pic from a show and cruise I attended with it.

 

[67Dart273]

Probably the unsurpassed "moment" for me was the day I committed to my "would become" second owner of my 70 V code RR

I had called my good friend George, who owned the car. I had a 69 383 RR at the time, "whatcha doin?" he asked

I told him I'd saved some money, was going to repaint the 69, and "fix it up." New tires, brakes, an few things.

"Don't put all that money in yours, buy MINE!!!!"

George and the car near new

before I owned it. He has just trophied, I think, at Lions in Pure Stock. If I remember correctly, and I may not, I paid 2800 for the car when it was a little over a year old

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/attachment.php?attachmentid=1714576995&stc=1&d=1356805732

After a few years. He had put these wheels on before bought the car, and I never changed them. This is after "some little girls" in a Datsun had a-holed the car, and it no longer wore the dust trails or even the RR emblems. I would have had a 340 swapped into it when this was taken. The paint isn't really that bad. The photo has faded badly

http://i13.tinypic.com/81sruds.jpg

This was my all-time, bar none, favorite car. If I could afford it I'd have at least one today. I'm not interested in "V" code or "restore correct". I'd be happy with a late Mag or 3g hemi. I can't row 4 speeds around anymore, so TF would be in there.

This car was a 4 speed, Dana, 3.54. Had "hang on" "knee knocker" A/C In it's day, it was a brute.

 

[Princess Valiant]

the top pic looks FJ6 "sassy grass" and the bottom pic looks FJ5"lime light"

do you remember which one it was?

 

[66340SEDAN]

the top pic looks FJ6 "sassy grass" and the bottom pic looks FJ5"lime light"

do you remember which one it was?

J6 "Sassy Grass" or "Green Go" was a 1971 color :glasses7:

 

[Princess Valiant]

J6 "Sassy Grass" or "Green Go" was a 1971 color :glasses7:

:evil3: ok, so you are right about the name, butt......theres more

 

[66340SEDAN]

:evil3: ok, so you are right about the name, butt......theres more

Butt?? lol...back to regular programming :happy1:

 

[Princess Valiant]

Butt?? lol...back to regular programming :happy1:

ok, I think you are half right. J6 Green Go was released mid-year which is mid-march. A documented TSB dated April 1,1970 states that Green go was available as part of the spring promotional color lineup which included the very famous FM3 Panther pink.

I cant find the actual TSB now but I think its on the Hamtramck site but here is an article saying the same thing .

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/parts/body/mopp_0003_chrysler_paint_jobs_and_body_kits/


So if that car was built after mid-year it could have had J6 , however where I think you are half right ....is I think it would be a long shot at best if was J6 ....I think that late in the game it will have to be very rare and more of a 71 thing.

:butthead:

 

[Princess Valiant]

along with my old van too, I suppose :icon_smi:

BTW ....that is an epically awesome and total badass van. I never realized that I am into vans till I started looking at them and finding some really nice ones ......this would be in the top of nice ones I have seen.

 

[Cuprum-74]

I remember the day I picked up my duster.

It was in November of 2012 about a month after I came back from my deployment in the Middle East.

I was looking around for a budget project. I was originally looking for a Nova or a Plymouth Satellite.

The only Novas that was under 4 grand was a 77' (yuck) and a 73 with rotted out quarters and floors.
I did find a 73' satellite but it needed a lot of work and I was only able to talk him down to $2,700. Too much for something with cancered out trunk, doors and rear quarters.

I then found an ad for a running 73' duster with a 400 cu motor in it at Grand Junction CO. He wanted $3000 for it but was willing to negotiate. So I drove 5 hours to a small farm near Fruita and lo' and behold I met a mopar fanatic. I mean this guy had Dodge trucks everywhere on his property, some running some just used for parts from what it looks. There was also an A100 by one of the sheds.
Well I went into his barn to look at the 73... I was... Well, quite disappointed, the thing had cancer all over the rear quarters and pin holes rusted through on the roof as it was a vinyl top. The car ran and sounded great but was a mess body wise.
On a good note at least it was armor-plated with bondo. Sheesh!

Well I then saw two other cars one covered and the other one in pieces in the corner. the covered one was a 68 Barracuda, I tried talking him down from the $5000 price he wanted, as it was in great condition but it was a no go. All I had was 3500.
I then decided to look at the 74' that is in pieces just for the heck of it, as I was about to leave empty handed.

But as I looked at the 74' closer, I started seeing more and more potential from this one. It was stripped to bare metal, it had no motor, it did have an A904 that was hacked to pieces still in it. There was a tiny cancer spot and some surface rust, other than that it was pretty much solid. He even said that he'll throw in extra parts with it.

I then asked what he'll accept from it, he said $3,000. I then asked would you take 2500?
Sure... SOLD!

These are from the day after I picked it up:

This is the most recent picture, all the accessories have been installed since then:

 

[RustyRatRod]

Nice lookin Duster. ^^^^^

 

[1968dartman]

I have shared this before, but what the heck. It was three years ago and I had heard of a guy bringing a 68 Dart to a show here in town to sell. I did not pay much attention to the rumour as I did not think for a moment that I would get to see it. We were at a breakfast for the show and a guy I know was talking to my buddy about the Dart and told him where it was and that he should go look at it. He said yes, so I asked if I could tag along. We jumped in his 69 Swinger and drove out to where the dart was sitting in an enclosed trailer. As soon as I walked in the trailer I was in love! My buddy wanted the car, but did not have the time or money for another project so I called the owner of the Dart and made the deal. The po even delivered it to my garage. As they say the rest is history. The car is a keeper and I have enjoyed every minute of owning this car!! I am adding a picture of my Dart and my buddy's 69 Swinger.

 

[draginmopars]

Our story starts with the blue swinger

we did all the mechanical items first
340, a-999, 3.91 sg

pulled the vinyl roof to paint the rest
oops, to much rust
We need a new top

The search is on

Jan 1 2013
Gayle found a parts car- no eng /trans
We took the trailer to go look at it
To good of condition to part
We brought it home, gathering parts to put it back on the road

so the search continues

A friend called said he saw an ad for a dart parts car
again we load up to go look
Wow, a 70 Dart 340/4 speed

Well, we finally found our parts car for the roof

only 1 problem
We had to buy both in order to get the parts car

so now the 70 is sitting in the barn, purchasing parts to restore it

 

[SSVDP]

Yes a it's a stirring experience seeing your next ride for the first time.
Here 'scone I documented:

http://www.earlyabodyforum.com/board/messages/17/3304.html?1209935731

 

[goldfish65]

I agree it's an awesome moment when you first see the car you end up owning, or when you drive it for the first time.

There is a moment that happens rarely, when your mind wanders, perhaps it is at night when mostly what you see is the gauges lit up, you're driving along with the vents open and your arm on the door sill, and you feel you are back in the '60's.

 

[67Dart273]

the top pic looks FJ6 "sassy grass" and the bottom pic looks FJ5"lime light"

do you remember which one it was?

These are the result of time and old photo slides. 70 was "Limelight" At the time I was stationed at Miramar (San Diego) I only recall two other cars that color until later on when some cars showed up "Sassy." One was a 70 similar to mine, the other was a 64? shivvy that some low rider had painted

I never would have picked the color, and in fact, George didn't either. I think he ordered black, but there was some mixup in the order, and he took what "was there."

The one "moment" I regret in retrospect was when I sold the car.....in the late 70's. Never would have thought that even just the body with that magic "V" would be worth so much. At the time, and high fuel prices, it was worth............not much

 

[MTmopars]

Rewind 16months. I was having a bad day at work. An hour behind and having to be in my busiest store during a rush hour. It was my last stop on a Friday, I was grumpy, tired and ready for the weekend. An old coworker of mine comes down my aisle and I start to chit-chat with him. I knew he liked old mopars and that he had an old barracuda. I told him the trouble I had been having finding an old mopar to restore and ask if he knows of any for sale...

"Yeah. I do."
Really? Who?
"Me."

 

[gdrill]

Well it may not look like much, but it was a great score and rescuing it made for an awesome day! I found this old girl at least 15 years ago. Didn't think much of it then. Fast forward in life, take a road trip with a friend knowing it was "a Coronet" and another buddy wanted a car to clone a Bee out of. Turns out not to be a compatible year, but it "needs" to leave the field. Offer $200.......accepted! Nice. Next weekend, back with a trailer and the rest is on FBBO!

 

[MobileCustoms]

BTW ....that is an epically awesome and total badass van. I never realized that I am into vans till I started looking at them and finding some really nice ones ......this would be in the top of nice ones I have seen.

Thank you!

 

[cosgig]

Dateline 1996...I start a job, and sitting across the street is a 67 GTX and a 69 Sport Satellite convertible! Go check on them, nobody home! Look them over, the GTX has these butt ugly wire wheel rims, the paint is all sun scorched off the hood, trunk lid and upper flanks! Talk to the owner, the convertible is his sons, the GTX is his, but he spun a bearing in the motor! Open the hood...6pak intake and carbs and some butt ugly triangle shaped air cleaner!

All summer I go over at lunch and run the numbers, everything matches...everything!! So I decide to drive my 64 Belvedere to work and offer a trade! He takes one look at the Belvy and jumps on the trade! I called my flatbed buddy and tell him to hurry before he changes his mind! I was so damned nervous and had to keepy poker face on to hide my exuberance! An hour later, its on the flatbed and I'm driving off with my new prize!!

Here's a pic from about 6 months later! My $400 paint job, some magnums I had laying around, sold the 6pak setup and rebuilt the motor, and the air cleaner turned out to be from a 67 Tri-power Vette!! Sold it to Deutchmann for all the soft products for the Cuda!! S

Still together after all these years, still wears the paint job, and that's about all I've done to it!! Best darned trade I've made I think!!!...

 

[nothingbutdarts]

Dateline 1996...I start a job, and sitting across the street is a 67 GTX and a 69 Sport Satellite convertible! Go check on them, nobody home! Look them over, the GTX has these butt ugly wire wheel rims, the paint is all sun scorched off the hood, trunk lid and upper flanks! Talk to the owner, the convertible is his sons, the GTX is his, but he spun a bearing in the motor! Open the hood...6pak intake and carbs and some butt ugly triangle shaped air cleaner!

All summer I go over at lunch and run the numbers, everything matches...everything!! So I decide to drive my 64 Belvedere to work and offer a trade! He takes one look at the Belvy and jumps on the trade! I called my flatbed buddy and tell him to hurry before he changes his mind! I was so damned nervous and had to keepy poker face on to hide my exuberance! An hour later, its on the flatbed and I'm driving off with my new prize!!

Here's a pic from about 6 months later! My $400 paint job, some magnums I had laying around, sold the 6pak setup and rebuilt the motor, and the air cleaner turned out to be from a 67 Tri-power Vette!! Sold it to Deutchmann for all the soft products for the Cuda!! S

Still together after all these years, still wears the paint job, and that's about all I've done to it!! Best darned trade I've made I think!!!...

I love this car everytime you post it on the sight!!!!!