Ruth writes: FINALLY! We got the Dodge running. Back in 1983 my brother went to a wrecking yard with me to get a part for my car and saw this Mopar and had to have it. The Dodge was set up for bracket racing but had a cracked block. He rebuilt the suspension, motor and tranny, hand-sanded many layers of paint off and primered it and into storage it went — for 25 years! He had never driven the Dodge since getting the engine redone and only once around the block prior to that. An unheated rural location in a barn with critters was hard on the old gal, mice nested in the valley pan and it was literally rotted through to teh oil pan: engine ruined.
In 2009 we trailered the car to my house and he gave the Mopar to me “saying please do something with her.” It became a partnership project since then. You can imagine the smell of 25 years of mice and wood rat infestation. We got a 440 engine and have rebuilt all systems front to back, have new exhaust with Tri-y headers. We got a 4 door Polara part’s car which gave us a perfect steering wheel, grill, hood trim and bumpers and lots more goodies to transfer. The 440 has nice stainless trim so now body work has started and when in paint we should have all we need to get her back together and then new interior.
I’ve snapped a photo to share after I ceased jumping up and down and yelling in elation as she sat there nicely running. Despite being torn apart, my brother just HAD to test drive it. He was so excited to get the Dodge running he wouldn’t wait for me to go get him a booster chair before his test drive! |
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Thanks to all on the 1962 to 1965 Mopar Mail List Clubhouse who have nurtured me along so far.
Contact Ruth: 
August 7, 2011