I just got a look at someone's web page list of production figures. Pontiac built 72,650 plain jane Catalina 4-dr sedans in 1960; Chrysler built a total over all models and body styles 77,285 cars if this list is correct. Which is about 1/4 of the total for Pontiac. I found three of them in one spot - all rough; one maybe savable. The 2-door hardtop is so bad, I got the trunk lid open and when I went to close it one of the hinges tore out of the lid. I figured it's no big deal they probably built a lot of them that year... I sit here with my mouth open looking at these production figures. Over all series it's one of 12,000 cars. To top it off, another car here is a '58 Chrysler Saratoga 2-dr hardtop. I'm not sure yet if it's the big window or not. It needs a lot of help - pans, rockers, headlight eyebrows - but is pretty well all there except some engine parts. One of 4456 cars either way. Someone has to want to save this thing - it's bad but could be lots worse, and what a good looking car restored. Were people just not buying the Chryslers these years? I'm amazed when there are so many stupid Corvairs, Ramblers and Falcons I could walk into a junkyard and pick up a rock and throw it with my eyes closed and hit one of them. Good luck finding one - I saw one on eBay that went for $8000 or so for a 4-door, a nice driver, so they are out there - it just may take some time. ----- Original Message ----- From: "bill parker" <hemirr@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 7:58 PM Subject: Re: [FWDLK] 1960 Chrysler unibody > We're wanting to acquire a driver '60 Chrysler ourselves, NOT a show car, if > anyone is thinking of divesting of one. > > > > Bill & Kathi Parker, South Central Indiana > > > > > > >From: "C. B. Kidder" <60Saratoga@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > >Reply-To: 60Saratoga@xxxxxxxxxxxx > >To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >Subject: Re: [FWDLK] 1960 Chrysler unibody > >Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 21:19:40 -0700 > > > >Bill, I drive a 60 Saratoga every day and it has rusty floors and trunk and > >who knows what else under the paint. My "frame" looks good and my doors > >open > >and close so I'm happy, but I've had the same questions as you do regarding > >where the limit with these cars is. My advice is for you to contact Aloha > >Automotive Services in Wisconsin (www.alohadreamcars.com). From what I > >gather they can take your unibody down to metal and return you with a car > >worthy of sitting on a new car showroom floor. I wish I had the cash to > >send > >them my Saratoga (I may anyway). Even if you can't afford a total resto > >now, > >they may have some good alternatives. > > > >So definitely go for it on the wagon--it sounds like an awesome cruiser. I > >wish I had a 60 wagon. > > > >Brion > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Bill K." <pontiac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > >To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > >Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2003 5:15 PM > >Subject: [FWDLK] 1960 Chrysler unibody > > > > > > > Is there anyone out there who's had, has, or is familiar from dealing > > > with/looking over 1960-61 Chryslers specifically, and to some degree > >also > > > the other Mopars these years, to have some idea as far as what > >constitutes > > > being too badly rusted out to save? By that I mean where the car's > > > structure will be compromised should you try to move it. > > > > > > The only reference I've ever had to how these cars were built is the old > > > JoHan DeSoto model kit, and because of how you build those there is > >little > > > detail to the rocker panel area to show me just what there is to a > >"frame" > > > through the middle of the car (front and rear sections are obvious > >though). > > > I presume the rockers must be extra-heavy to provide a structure through > >the > > > middle of the vehicle, and if they're rusted badly it could lead to the > >car > > > folding in half. > > > > > > So I thought maybe someone out there's dealt with these issues before, > >even > > > if they were watching on as someone crushed out, to have an idea what I > > > should look for in a car that's sat for 30 years rusting to determine if > >it > > > can be moved in one piece, or will need to be cut in half to remove it > > > without causing major damage. I found a '60 New Yorker wagon that > > > externally looks pretty solid; underhood looks okay; interior is not bad > >but > > > the floorpans have holes along the edges. That doesn't bother me so > >much, > > > if I know what to look for when I jack it up I am entertaining ideas of > > > stashing it someplace for a project provided it can be patched up. > >Here > >in > > > New York the two wagons (this, and a beat Newport) I found may be the > >only > > > two at least anywhere within a couple hours drive. But the third '60, a > > > 2-door hardtop, is so rusty that when I pulled up on the trunk lid, I > >got > > > most of the lower panel coming up with it, and when I closed said lid > >one > > > hinge tore out of it. The second wagon's had no glass for a long time, > >it's > > > rough. > > > > > > I am totally new to these cars from any more than a standpoint of being > >able > > > to tell them apart and have some idea of the motor combinations for > >these > > > years. Because this car has no motor, I thought it easiest to just > >throw > >a > > > later motor and trans at it. With the Pontiacs I am familiar with, this > > > model year motor mounts will bolt to most later PMD V8 blocks, for > >example. > > > So I am also wondering what block family might be able to be put into a > >'60 > > > with a minimal hassle? It's not hard to find pickups in particular > >that > > > are rusted bad but run decent yet, and some of the '70's full size cars > >as > > > well. > > > > > > > > > I also want to look over a '61 Plymouth post coupe which does not look > >bad > > > from the side, but also sits on the ground and I have not tried to look > >in > > > or under it. Most of the other cars in this location (Dodge > >56-59-60-61, > > > Plymouth 59-60-61, Desoto 59, Chrysler 58-60) are sedans and probably > >not > > > worth the bother except to haul out as parts cars. One car, the '64 > >Pontiac > > > near said Plymouth, the trunk is open, I look in, the floorpan's gone, > >the > > > frame rails are gone, the gas tank is gone - all you see is the dirt on > >the > > > ground. From what I've heard stories, the '57-8-9 Chrysler products > >were > > > prone to rust issues, don't know if they learned anything for the > >'60-'62 > > > cars or not. There is a '58 Chrysler Windsor 2-dr hardtop which isn't > >too > > > bad, but the interior floorpans are gone, and the gas tank has a huge > >hole > > > in it. (anyone looking for a parts car? it's pretty well complete > >outside > >of > > > intake/carb/radiator/generator). > > > > > > > > > Thanks - > > > > > > Bill K. > > > > > > deep in the Rust Belt of NYS - > > > > > > -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- > > > Over 25,000 pages of archived Forward Look information can be easily > >searched at > > > http://www.forwardlook.net/search.htm Powered by Google! > > > > > > >-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- > >Over 25,000 pages of archived Forward Look information can be easily > >searched at > >http://www.forwardlook.net/search.htm Powered by Google! > > _________________________________________________________________ > Send instant messages to anyone on your contact list with MSN Messenger > 6.0. Try it now FREE! http://msnmessenger-download.com > > -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- > Over 25,000 pages of archived Forward Look information can be easily searched at > http://www.forwardlook.net/search.htm Powered by Google! > -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Over 25,000 pages of archived Forward Look information can be easily searched at http://www.forwardlook.net/search.htm Powered by Google!
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