The Canadian-built Dodge Dart looked exactly like its American counterpart,
except that it had a Plymouth dashboard and a generator under the hood. The
alternator was optional, unless you purchased the imported Dodge Dart
Phoenix convertible.
Chrysler of Canada did not build Polara models in 1961, so there is no way
this "hybrid" came from Windsor, Ontario.
The front fender trim would not be that difficult to modify for anyone with
experience in metalwork. The 'blade' the trim is on ends before the door, so
it would not be too difficult to modify the trim to end along with the
blade. The lower extension from the door is a standard Polara piece.
The interior seats and door panels are from a 1961 Plymouth Fury, not a 1961
Dodge Polara.
The record player is not a Mopar piece, as someone had pointed out. The
sales code for the 1960-61 RCA 45 rpm record player was 370.
The electronic day/night Mirror-Matic mirror was not offered in 1961. The
1960 sales code was 387, which for 1961 was used for the optional closed PCV
system. The 1961 day/night mirror was a manual job, sales code 386..
The rear wheel form on the trunk lid is not a 1961 item, nor a 1960. It is
probably from a 1959 model.
The tailight housings should be chrome with no black paint and the taillight
lenses should not have chromed strips on them.
The wire wheels were not a 1961 item, the rear trim panel is not either,
although the bumper guard on the rear is correct for 1961.
Paul Garlick also owns/owned a 1961 Polara convertible that was shown in the
December 1989 issue of "Collectible Automobile". That Polara convertible
has the correct Polara interior and the correct RCA Victor record player.
It also has the black painted tailight housings but has the correct taillamp
lenses. The rear has the correct "D-500" nameplate with no wood-grain
applique behind it..
As for destroying cars because they were too ugly to sell, what a load of
hooey! The 1961 Polara was not that popular with 14,032 built, down from
the 42,517 Matadors and Polaras built in 1960. The 1960 Polara figure was
14,609. But then, Plymouth production fell to 198,444 in 1961 from 242,725
in 1960 and the Dart plunged from 306,603 to 167,678 in 1961. (These are US
production figures). The 1961 Polara 2-door hardtop saw 1,862 units
built. The convertible came to 512 units. But Chrysler built cars to
sell, not destroy. Thus the production figures fell in 1961 along with the
falling sales.
The build record is available from Chrysler Historical, and it can
verify/refute the claim it was built for Mexico.
The more I look, the more I doubt.
Bill
Vancouver, BC
----- Original Message -----
From: "eastern sierra Adj Services" <esierraadj@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 10:25 PM
Subject: [FWDLK] Tangled WEBSites/thickening burial PLOTS
> Wow, Paul, first your car was 1-of-3, exported
> to Mayheecoe, then it was found "in a field, in Penna"?? How many cars,
> "like this-guy", have y'all ever found, lying-around, in rust-free PA?
> It's a long way, a fur-piece, to Tiparrarie(sp), too. Did the car BELONG
> to anyone, when it was "discovered", in that field (of dreams: sorry)
> Speaking of providential occurrences, does your car have a Paint/Trim
> plate, a Broadcast Sheet, a factory Build-card, or, even, PHOTOS of its
> "as-discovered" appearance?
>
> Can anyone 'here' (Bill W.?) confirm whether the CAN-Dodge had a
> non-"Plymouth"-badged
> grille, and 'special' chrome-fender-trim, that Paul's car would NOT
> have?
>
> Can anyone 'confirm' the various option/item "descriptions", that Paul
> provides? It's already been 'confirmed' that the car has an after-market
> 45rpm record player, & not a "HiWay HiFy"-----eg: I didn't know that
> the "mirror-matic" was available in 1961.
>
> Does anyone recognize the upholstery-patterns? I know that another of
> Paul's trademarks is beautifully-done seats, but in "over-padded"
> execution. He also is a fan of 15" wire wheels, & cross-rams.
>
> Has anyone ever seen, before, the pretty rear above-bumper
> 'finish-panel' ?
>
> It's a gorgeous car; no question about that, & I DO like the PLY grille,
> on a Polara!
>
> One reason I don't enjoy magic shows, is I don't like being 'fooled'.
>
> Neil Vedder
>
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