[You know what you get, when you cross an elephant, with a prostitute...well..] I'm not gonna toot my own (car's) horn, but I have been a 1-man-brand, since 1980, and I have been around the block, a coupla times. Before I list the stuff you-all, & I've found, on this car, which are not "correct" on a "Best-of-Show restoration", please understand that I'm not nit-picking a $35 -$40K asking- price car, but an ostensibly beginning-point $100K car ( & that's @ $USD ). Ok, in no particular order: 1. Interior: absolutely-wrong upholstery cloth (may be 58 CRL cloth; I think it's actually aftermarket stuff , that resembles 57 Royal "Linear Lucidty" material, which I have seen installed, on a Royal. Also, the "gold(?)-colored seat-beading has an absolutely-wrong installation-pattern, & the vinyl, itself, may not be the correct "texture", or color. Red color is correct, for code 231, & door panels are also correct, with plain-black center-sections. 2. Carpeting: it looks to be loop-pile, not cut-plush. 3. Carpet foot-pad & pedals: whats-up with them? They ain't for any 1957 Dodge. 4. Paint: almost certainly a clear-coat (a VERY rare option, in 1957). Black color IS correcet, for "1AAA" paint 5. Top: Hartz-cloth , not cheapo-vinyl (actually, "ivory' top bows are 'fine'). 6. Tailpipes/exhaust-hangers: the pipes appear to be oversize (hmmm, that's what I'm looking to do, with Horrie's newly-bought, but not-yet-installed Sanderson "Block-Hugger" exhaust-headers!) Theyalso bend DOWNWARD, so that, to try to fit exhaust deflectors to them would require a careful 'trimming' of the H.D. pipe-steel . The hangers are also not "stock". 7. Weatherstrips: I'd bet "pink-slips" that the car does NOT have the correct, but very-expensive "flocked" weatherstrips, on the windows & convertible-top (available "only" from Finland--Timo Tanskanen, where are you?) 8. 15" Wire wheels: OK, these are somewhat "discretionary", but why not find/restore/install spinner hubcaps? Also, Dave Homstad advises that Dodges/Plymouths had the 'wires' installed very-close to the edge of the rim, while Chry's had them located considerably-more-inboard, on their rims--check-out which style this car has. Also, wouldn't the 15" wheels kinda throw-off the speedo/odo (not that anybody dropping 100- large, would ever DRIVE this car, & depreciate their "investment"!) 9. Battery & cables: nuff said. 10. Aircleaner: NO DECAL? c'mon. 11. Carburetor: I "missed" its gold(?) anodization . 12. Oil cap breather-system: (?!) It might be a "California closed-crankcase system", which was instituted in late 60's (Sherwood?) & later rescinded. 13. Generator: incorrect finish; the end-plates should be 'natural-finish' (hey, we're talkin $100k, here) 14. D500 emblem: obvious, not-very-well rechromed, but the knight's head should be GOLD-plated (bonus points , fot this one!) 15. Amber park lamp bulbs: Some jurisdictions might require them, though. 16. [And last, but not least] Trunk mat: Aftermarket printed-vinyl stuff--GOOD O.E.M. Rubber mats ARE found, on East-coast wrecking-yard cars (see Greg Leggatt). Other than for the above minor-discrepancies, its mechanical-condition is, also, completely-unknown! But, whaddaya expect, for $100,000.00 (+) ! Neil Vedder 57 D500 (Horace) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2003 Calendar voting results and ordering information is online! Please visit: http://www.forwardlook.net/calendar2003 for more information.
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