Re: [FWDLK] 1960 Chrysler unibody

["C. B. Kidder" <60Saratoga@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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 -
>
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