Critique my purchase: 1962 Dodge Lancer

Joined
Jan 2, 2017
Messages
58
Location
CA
Lots of time this past week on Craigslist has resulted in this...

1962 Dodge Lancer (Plymouth Valiant). Push button transmission.
Runs decently when good and warmed up. Was able to hold 65-70 MPH on an incline.
Brakes have some peddle slack, but do work.
Has some surface rust (or patina, if you prefer). Body is in good shape, no holes. Only significant rust is a decent size hole in the driver floor pan. Underside of the vehicle is actually in decent shape.
Paint has clearly seen better days. Lights all work with the exception of the turn signals.
Anyone know which version of the slant 6 this has?
Has an AC compressor, although I am pretty sure it doesn't work.
The styling didn't hold back, whether it's interesting, ugly, or cool is up to you.
Has a cool custom plate: 62Dodge.
Paid $1,500

Thoughts? Critiques welcome...good, bad, or ugly.
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[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


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I like it. And the slant 6. And that is one behemoth of an air conditioning compressor.
 
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Missing heater core, or what?
Love the original color
Front bench!
The radiator has a tag
FACTORY AIR, hot darn
LOVE the PCV orifice line
WOW, dual headlights
Push button trannie on the left?
What is the array on the right?
Custom center panel
Watch your left leg on that gauge
Single circuit POWER brakes!
My money's on it being a 198 but maybe the AC got it a 225. Did the 225 exist in '62?
Here's the BIG ONE......this was my first model car! I swear.
 
Originally Posted by Barkleymut
I love it. For $1500 if you get something that runs ok you are a winner. The question I have is what will you do with it?


Yeah, that was what sold me. Went on a little country road drive and the motor seemed responsive. Being driveable is the most important, all the other stuff I can deal with over time. Probably fix it up, enjoy driving it around and the comments/conversations it'll generate.
 
Those things have been long gone. A real attention getter. It's so different, it's beautiful.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
How many miles?


Old 5 digit odometer, so I don't really know. Seller had it since the early 90s. She had the engine replaced when she purchased it.
 
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Originally Posted by Kira
Missing heater core, or what?
Love the original color
Front bench!
The radiator has a tag
FACTORY AIR, hot darn
LOVE the PCV orifice line
WOW, dual headlights
Push button trannie on the left?
What is the array on the right?
Custom center panel
Watch your left leg on that gauge
Single circuit POWER brakes!
My money's on it being a 198 but maybe the AC got it a 225. Did the 225 exist in '62?
Here's the BIG ONE......this was my first model car! I swear.


Cool that you had one!

-I am not sure what that missing area is, seller thought it was AC related, but I am not sure.
-Seller said the radiator was recored. What is the tag?
-Push-button is on the left. Those slots on the right are empty, not sure what was there.
-Custom center panel isn't operational, but I'd like to make the gauges work.
 
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This car is awesome, are you going to restore it or just leave it the way it is?

This thread has lifted my spirits today!
 
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The Dodge variant of the Plymouth Valiant. I learned to drive a stick shift in my brother-in-law's 1961 Lancer! Slant six with a factory 3 speed in the floor. His was a 2 door and had a fake spare tire indention on the trunk. One of the butt ugliest cars ever built.....I'd love to have one! Your screen name speaks volumes!
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Originally Posted by zrxkawboy
Very cool car! It would've come with either a 170 or 225, but a 198 sure could've been swapped in. The Allpar article has a tip on ID by the length of the bypass hose. https://www.allpar.com/slant6.html


Rockauto.com still lists parts for either the 170, 225 or 413 V8. A vin decoder might tell you what engine it had.
 
That's a wild one-Mopars of that era seemed so rust prone that most of them were lucky to make it into the '70s without falling apart (around here). Something weird going on with that heater box, maybe somebody hacked it & duct taped it (?). I agree on the original one-piston master cylinder-lose one brake line, brakes completely disappear! Cool to see factory A/C, factory power brakes, maybe even power steering on a car that was normally considered an economy car. That is one of the last Raymond Loewy/Exner designed Chrysler built cars-love them or hate them, nobody could ever call them boring! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Exner
 
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