Hey Steve,
Subscribe to Hemmings Motor News. In Octobers Issue there is a 59 Saratoga
2HT (in minimal rust Texas) for $1300. I just called him and he still has
it. I wanted it if it had power windows, but alas....ROger
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven M. Charette <SC68Cuda@xxxxxxx>
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Friday, October 30, 1998 12:49 PM
Subject: [FWDLK] Hello
>Hi,
> My name is Steve Charette. I just subscribed to the Forward Look
Mailing
>List.
> I am a long time Mopar lover, and have owned at least one Mopar from
every
>year from 1962 to 1980, and many more since. I currently have a 1968
>Barracuda, a 1984 Shelby Charger, a 1989 LeBaron GTC Turbo Coupe, the
wife's
>Eagle Vision, and my Ram.
> The first car I ever test drove, was a 1957 Belvedere 2dr Sedan. Mom
>wouldn't let me buy it because the clutch chattered. I have always
admired
>the finned cars, (Grandpa was a Plymouth/Desoto Dealer in the late '50's)
but
>owning one was never a priority... until recently.
> I had been entertaining the idea of assembling a daily driver from an
older
>car with updated mechanicals. I was looking at 81-83 Imperials, and eyeing
a
>few 68-72 "C" bodies. Then, one Sunday afternoon, I saw her. Returning
home
>from Western Michigan one Sunday about 2 months ago, I nearly put the
wife's
>Vision into a field trying to get back to a gorgeous white 1959 New Yorker
2dr
>HT . It was sitting in the front of a used car lot in rural central
Michigan,
>with $1500 on the windshield!!! Save for 2 or 3 (probably critical) chrome
>pieces, and one baseball sized hole in the front fender, the body was
>incredible. It looked like someone had swapped in an interior from a later
>Imperial, but it was nicely done. After procuring the dealer's number,
(and
>my wife pried me away) I drove home.
> At 9:00 the following morning, I excused myself from the meeting I was
in,
>and called the dealer. The dealer's wife informed me that he was up north
>visiting his daughter, and would be home Wednesday morning. The dealer's
wife
>told me the car ran and drove beautifully! I went back to my meeting, and
>began plotting.
> I took my car trailer to work with me on Wednesday morning, and told
the
>boss I would have to leave around 8:30. After leaving right on schedule, I
>gassed up the Ram, and nosed her into the wind. I thought I'd call the
>dealer, and have him get the paperwork ready. After a brief exchange of
>salutations, I told him I was on the way to pick up the New Yorker.
> I nearly cried when he told me that the car was sold! He had gotten
home
>on Tuesday evening, and a trucker stopped (probably in the same field I
did)
>and ended up buying my dream car. For $1300. Dejected, I returned to
work.
> I was sick. That was the perfect car. I was sure I'd never find
another
>one like her. It even had air conditioning!
> It gets worse. I was taking my Barracuda up to get gas one afternoon
about
>two weeks later, and passed by a house about 5 miles from where I live (the
>lot the New Yorker had been on was about 75 miles away). I approached a
>farmhouse with a semi parked behind the barn. You'll never guess what was
>parked out front.
> I've made a few attempts to contact the new owner, but have been
>unsuccessful. I seriously doubt he'd consider parting with his treasure.
> So, I've begun a new search (you were beginning to wonder if this story
had
>a point, weren't you?). A new friend I've made recently suggested that I
join
>the Forward Look Mailing List (Thanks, Clay), and put the word out.
> I'm looking for a '57 to '61 Chrysler, Plymouth or DeSoto, preferably a
2dr
>Hardtop or a Wagon. I don't want to modify a nice original, a nice
>restorable, or anything with any historical significance. I hope to find a
>car with a missing or broken drivetrain, needing some work, but not
completely
>scrap.
> My plan is to install updated engine and transmission, most probably a
fuel
>injected 360 with an A-518 overdrive transmission, R-134a air conditioning,
>and other creature comforts.
> Thank you for taking the time to read my long-winded introduction. I
would
>appreciate any information that you could share with me.
> Additionally, I have a small machine shop in which I fabricate, among
other
>things, heater delete cones for 1962-1965 B-Body cars. If you have any
parts
>you need duplicated, fabricated, or repaired, I would enjoy talking with
you
>about it. I am currently researching reproducing heater delete parts for
1968
>A-Bodies as well. What parts does the Forward Look crowd need?
>
>Thanks again,
>Steve Charette
>
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