1963 Dodge Polara

March 2008 Mopar of the Month

Don writes: This 1963 Dodge Polara was purchased in the spring of 2000 from Tommy Cunningham, a Baptist minister in McGeehee Arkansas who had gotten the car from the estate of a parishioner. More about the past of this car remains a mystery.

The interior and exterior were previously redone, this car still has the original floor pans and trunk floor with factory undercoating still intact.

The Dodge now sports a freshly balanced and machined 440 with two 4 barrels, a mild hydraulic cam and the pushbutton transmission.

We have added line-loc, front disc brakes, and an oversized fuel line/pick-up. We converted the car to manual steering for clearance and we also updated the rear-end with a newer 8 3/4 and 3.91 SureGrip. The frames are also tied and a driveshaft loop has been added for safety.

The car was finished in the spring of 2001 and has been judged well at local car shows. It cruises smoothly to the local ice cream shop, and we street drive it frequently. The car has been to the track just once – over one hundred miles round trip, a stop at the local Big Boy restaurant, and a handful of E.T. slips around 13.70 @ 112 (on street tires with the mufflers closed).

The really unique thing about this Polara is the sequential numbers in the VIN tag on the door – it ends 000002, apparently the second one down the line in 1963.

Many thanks to Hugh Harwell, my kids, and Bob K. for their help in bringing this project to completion.

P.S. This hot rod is listed here on the 1962 to 1965 Mopar Swap Meet and in MCG for sale; if interested, please contact Don: 517-719-7930.

Thanks, Don!

Gary H.

Go to the 1962 to 1965 Mopar Web Site Home Page.