Joined: Tue May 02 2006, 12:23PM
Location: Ridgecrest Ca. (China Lake Naval Weapons Center)
Posts: 140
Hey Gang
Clair just sent me the link to this site (thanks Clair!)
I'm Rob, Ridgecrest Ca. is home and I've had A-bodies for most of my Mopar life. Due to an expanding family (two kids + one in the oven and #4 planned in two years)....I've discovered that they are to small. Soooo I'm in the process of selling off the three project cars I have, to finance a C-body! I did some measuring at a local bone yard...and a C is the only car I can get three kids car seats/boosters in the back seat and still get the rear doors closed! My wife isn't crazy about a rear facing third seat in a 9 pass wagon (unless the seat can be flipped around so it faces forward...not likely!). So that leaves it to a 4dr of some sort.
Now, I really like the looks of the '63-'64 300, Newport and New Yorker. But I understand that they are a bit different than the '65 and later models.
Just how different? Is anything interchangable? or are those two years their own animal and not compatible with the rest of the zoo mechanically. I know engines etc would be mostly the same.....but what about brakes, steering boxes, other suspension stuff, rearends. Are these cars full frame or unibody? (couldn't see under the yard cars...they were all on the ground)
I was starting to build a roadrace/Auto-X A body...would kinda like to do the same to a C (yeah, I know....it won't be the same. I just want it to go, handle and stop good!).
Joined: Tue May 02 2006, 12:23PM
Location: Ridgecrest Ca. (China Lake Naval Weapons Center)
Posts: 140
A 'vert is pretty much out for us...back seat is to small! There's a '64 New Yorker 'vert in that boneyard...I checked the back seat with my tape and no way! The '64 New Yorker 4dr I checked was 63 inches...and I need 64 for the current kid seats we have. That's without removing the arm rests! #4 kid will ride in front, so a bench seat is mandatory.
tHis boneyard has at least a dozen C-Bodies of various models and years...but his prices leave much to be desired I'm suprised he didn't charge me just for looking!
Joined: Sat Dec 10 2005, 04:28PM
Location: United States
Posts: 4954
Man of my own heart. . .a 62 Chrysler. I own 2
I guess we should thank Clare for inviting you. Welcome to the board Rob! Great bunch of guys. We're glad to have you.
If you are interested, I have a California, 66 300 2 door that is in Oregon. 383 car, running and driveable. I just want $2K for it. Car is complete, but does need some work, Mostly on the LR quarter that was not installed correctly. The interior is emaculant and I am told it purs like a kitten. I never saw the car, a good friend of mine is harboring it for me. (My wife doesn't know) As you can see from my line-up below, I have 7. Narrowing it down to 4 cars, 2 62's and 2 72's. I also have a real nice 72 Fury 3. Mechanically, the car has been rebuilt, including the engine. That one is going for $6K. I have a rechromed rear bumper I am throwing in. Fly out and drive it back sort of car. Only rust is a small spot on the RR quarter from a previous repair gone bad. New Interior.
Here they are if you are interested. The Fury is just some minor dent repairs and a paint job. Mechanically it's 99% completed. Little things.
You seem to be talking about just slab sides, are you not considering fuselage C's (69 & up)? I am pretty sure I could fit 3 in the back of my 69 Fury Vert. I haven't had one back there is year yet, but last fall there seemed like plenty of room. I will have the new booster back there in a couple weeks.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
Hi Rob, welcome to the Dock!
A '70 Fury convertible will handle three kids in car seats and a dog quite nicely, I speak from experience. However you do need to put brackets on the back of the window well to attach the kid seat top tie down strap - AND you must remember to undo those straps before you lower the top; again I speak from experience. The only disadvantage being you can't use the kid seats with the top down.
We also had a couple of 9 passenger wagons (Buick) over the years and found the rear facing seat to be ideal on long trips with the kids. Long trips with kids who have outgrown car seats is not a fun experience. They simply won't stay strapped in without a constant battle of will's. So loose kids in the rear facing seat are pretty safe if you have to stop fast because the seat back is an automatic kid catcher. Another wagon plus is the power rear window and the ability of the kids to amuse themselves making faces at following cars. When the kids got older and much harder to amuse we'd fold all the rear seats flat and throw in a couple of air mattresses. In today's safety crazed world that was probably not the smartest thing to do, but we did thousands of highway miles that way. We did however enforce seats and seat belts when ever the weather was crappy or we entered areas of heavy traffic.
The biggest thing I suppose with a car full of kids is to pretend you've got an open box of eggs on the seat beside you and drive accordingly. Even with car seats you simply can't make any mistakes.
Having said all of that and after driving accident free for nearly 50 years, I don't know if I'd feel comfortable anymore with '70's technology to haul kids around anymore. New cars with their safety cage, side crash bars, airbags, ABS brakes, etc do an infinitely better job of protecting your family. Lets face it, C-Bodies are great, but they just don't crash well.
I don,t know how many kids would fit in the back seat of my 69 monaco 500,but i can tell you,it fits 3 full grown girls in the trunk when going into the drive-in.Welcome aboard.Glen
Joined: Tue May 02 2006, 12:23PM
Location: Ridgecrest Ca. (China Lake Naval Weapons Center)
Posts: 140
Don't really care for the "fuselage" C's...the Slab sides are growing on me and I really DO like the looks of the '63-'64's (not the Imp though). I wouldn't mind tossing the oldest in a rear facing...but SWMBO put her foot down on that one...maybe when he's older...maybe (he's 5 now...and Autistic, so there are issues with that as well)
As far as regular daily driver family vehicle, that's what the GMC 3500 van is for. the C will be a hobby car, occasional outings, car shows etc. An occasional track day for me and I'll be solo in it for those. Once I get whatever we end up with, seatbelts, tethers and maybe a latch system will keep all three seats anchored down. We have Britax seats, they a bit bigger and bulkier than the generic Graco's you find at Wally-Mart. When kid #4 shows up Liam will get booted to the front seat, Ceilidh, Rhiannon and #4 will be in the back.
Yeah, you won't have much of a problem getting everyone in an Engel-C body. ( psssst. & you're not alone on your dislike for Fuselages ) I have Graco seats and they fit well even in the 'rear-facing' position, and I have a 2-door.
& as for Autocross, I've pondered throwing my number magnets on the Polara for a gag at one of our events....hopefully I won't rip my door handles off in the turns.... It'd take a lot of work to make a C worth anything on an auto-x course I think....although the caprice-style ImpalaSS's seem to do okay... maybe sometime when my Subaru is broke
& for the record, my brother has gotten 3 car seats all side by side in the back of his 1970 road runner..... so theoretically, a B Body isn't out of the question, if you want to pay more $$$$$
<span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Tue May 02 2006, 04:09PM ]</span>
Joined: Tue May 02 2006, 12:23PM
Location: Ridgecrest Ca. (China Lake Naval Weapons Center)
Posts: 140
Um...yeah...B bodies. Wouldn't mind one...just can't see dropping THAT much coin on one. I wouldn't mind a nice E body either.....just gotta win the lottery first! &|
So far it looks like C's are the way to go, prices are reasonable, they're plentifull and with gas prices the way they are probably not to popular with the masses!
But for a nice family hobby car........just right!
I'm suprised he didn't charge me just for looking!
However you do need to put brackets on the back of the window well to attach the kid seat top tie down strap - AND you must remember to undo those straps before you lower the top; again I speak from experience. 
The only disadvantage being you can't use the kid seats with the top down.
) I have Graco seats and they fit well even in the 'rear-facing' position, and I have a 2-door.