[FWDLK] 1960 Chrysler unibody

["Bill K." <pontiac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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 -

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