Flew in, drove it home. Or, 2183 miles in a '63 Dart wagon

This story is a little late in telling. Back in June, I began the search for a new daily driver. After looking around at a few local rides, and finding nothing that really blew my hair back, my wife suggested I look in the 'States for something. I told her what I really wanted was an early A-body Mopar wagon. Shortly there after, I spotted a post on the for a-bodies only site, a link to a craigslist ad for a '63 Dart wagon in San Diego. I contacted the owner, who was pretty surprised to be getting an inquiry about his car from a guy 2200 miles away. I then posted a plea for help on here, seventhirteen was gracious enough to go check it out for me (thanks Jimmy, I still owe you a beer and a burger!). So, all systems go, I left a deposit, enlisted a buddy's help, and booked a couple of plane tickets for Saturday July 9. We arrived around noon, the seller picked us up at the airport, and brought us to this;

 

Sweet - glad ya had a safe journey!
Love those wagons...,,

 

After a going over of the car, and noticing some floor rust, I was a little disappointed. My initial reaction was 'I wouldn't drive this thing across the city, nevermind 2200 miles', but I had left a deposit, my word, and I didn't wanna get back on a plane, so we closed the deal, and off we went. the seller had a receipt for an engine rebuild, and really wanted us to meet the engine builder, so we followed him over to a repair shop. Hidden in the back was a genuine Donk! I had never seen one in the flesh (and don't care to again), but it had a 'car crash' sort of draw. After telling us how he felt the motor should be broken in, and some other nonsense about ' the carburetor is about 90%' and the vacuum advance on the distributor wasn't hooked up because it needed a 'vacuum modulator', we shook hands and parted company with the seller and his mechanic. Next stop, the local Napa to pick up the supplies I was unable to bring along. We installed an oil pressure gauge in the parking lot, as the oil light was flickering on and off. I also picked up a couple of nuts for the seat, the driver's side wasn't bolted down, and it'd kinda lurch rearward every time we accelerated. The oil light flickered because the wire to the sender was just tucked up in the harness near the firewall, so it would ground off and on, turning the light on and off, easy fix. We weren't able to install the temp gauge we picked up as well, the ol' girl was already a little warm for that project. Did I mention, we had No functioning instruments? A vacuum line to the distributor, and a stop at the local gas station to air up the tires, some water, and a celabratory cigar, and we were off. That's my buddy PJ rummaging through the toolbag.

 

I like it Brad! Looking forward to checking it out.

 

So if you made it that far you will be joining us at the Queens Diner in Red Deer on the 24th?

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...Reliabilty-Run-to-Red-Deer-W0QQAdIdZ312083459

 

you did pretty good with buy-what an adventure-had a friend from Northern California do the reverse trip in a '37 Ford with a Chevy 409 he bought from an estate sale-nothing but, problems-even had the Mustang II frontend fail on the highway at Nite near Chicago-had it hauled home.

 

So, the seller told us the tank was full. I'm certain he wasn't lying, he genuinely believed it was, as 'no-one had been able to get any more gas in it'. We were soon to learn why, unbeknownst to us. We had to go inland to Temecula, due to a tactical error on my part, to pick up the trip permit from the most helpful registration service I've ever dealt with, C.A.R.S. So, there we are at the last stop light before entering I15, and the car quit. After a quick couple of attempts at a restart, we decided to push it around the corner to diagnose the problem, into the gas station that was, fortunately, right beside us. The station was sorta uphill, so I went to fill my new jerry can, so's we could drive it to the pump. Stupid new jerry cans. No vent, and a ridiculous contraption for an outlet tube, sort of a two-piece deal that has to be operated by pushing the outside sleeve against the car while standing on your head and humming the intro to Beethoven's fifth. That went in the bush, and we put a funnel in the filler neck and dumped the gas in. Then we discovered why no-one could get fuel into the car. Stupid California Air Resource Board. For those of you that don't live there, they have these gorilla condom things on the pump nozzle, that have to be compressed (TIGHT!) to the car in order to get fuel into the neck. Christ on a bike! I did eventually get a knack for using them, but that first fill was a bitch. Then, off to Temecula, and our trip permit. Did I mention C.A.R.S. was fantastic? She left the trip permit outside for us in their drop box, since they were closed Saturdays, how cool is that?

 

Yes.

 

More to come, but it's bedtime. Nighty-night all.

 

Very cool! Check out my 64' Dodge Dart Wagon I fixed up for the wife!
I have a lot of trim and misc. parts if their is anything you are looking for. I also have spare dash stuff (push buttons and all). Good luck on your project. The best thing is you won't see another one at your local shows. I have owned mine for 5 years and have always been the only one no matter how big the show.

 

Very cool wagon, and quite an interesting trip saga. I am sure you are going to enjoy this little cruzer. Enjoyed seeing the new ride, thanx. ~sololobo~

 

cool score & a great story..

 

I am betting the story isn't over? Looking forward to hearing about the other 2000 miles or so!

 

After a late lunch/early supper at a sammich joint in Temecula, we struck off for the coast. We went through Lake Elsinore onto highway 74. An hour or so of hairpin turns, and beautiful scenery, passing through Casper's forest got us to San Juan Capistrano and highway 1. Our objective for Saturday evening was a cacklefest that was happening in Long Beach, learned of thanks to the HAMB. By the time we hit Laguna Beach, it was clear we weren't going to make the cacklefest. But, there are worse places to be stuck in traffic. Holy smokes! The most beautiful woman I've ever seen, go another 20 feet, nope, there she is! No wait, there she is, hang on, hang on, there! An hour of that, traffic breaks up, the sun's goin' down and we're headed to Long Beach. Oops, not really, Sunset Beach, traffic packs up again, it's 8:30 or so, and time for a beer or 10. We get a room at the Ramada, wander down to the local Seafood joint/bar, Harpoon Harry's. Thus concludes day one.

 

Nothing against Jimmy, but this is why I will never leave a deposit on a car sight-unseen. Your analysis vs. Jimmy's analysis of the car is obviously different. I also bought a car based on someone elses examination. I, too was a little disappointed. It turned out OK, but lesson learned. Good luck on your new ride.
BTW, do you want to sell the licesnse plates?

 

Cool story and nice looking wagon. Can't wait to hear the rest of the story.
Is this taken from the Lookout?

 

Daybreak day two, Sunday July 10. Daybreak for us being 8:30 or so, remember we were out a little late carrying on at Harry's fish joint. Gazing through the window in the motel hallway onto the beach, we questioned the wisdom of continuing north. After deciding that I should, in fact, return home to my wife, we loaded up and bid farewell to Sunset Beach. In light of the fact that we lacked a gas gauge, we gassed up in Long Beach, wow, couldn't even see the dude hidden in his cage when I went in to pay. We Stopped in Oxnard at 'A Burger' for lunch. Pretty good stuff. When we returned to the car, we could smell gas. A quick peak revealed a rotten fuel hose to the pump. No biggie, five minutes of chatting with the parking attendant while we swapped the hose and we were back on the road. We made a fuel stop again in Lompoc, as we were still very mindful of the non-functional gas gauge (this would change, we quickly became very lax). We also spotted a Napa, so we stopped to get the charging cord for the booster pack we bought in San Diego. The cord that turned up missing when we decided to charge it up the night before in Sunset Beach. The kid behind the counter got it handled while we told him what we were up to, he had to come outside to see the 48 year old car we were driving that far. Lompoc also turned up a couple cool old buildings, and a closed up drive-in theater (locals, feel free to correct me on this, it might not have been Lompoc). After we left, we noticed a vibration that hadn't been there before. When we stopped to investigate, it occured to us that we never even had the hubcaps off before we left. Fools. But, nothing was wrong, we figured it was just the road, so I guess ignorance really is bliss.

 

I'm super happy (now) with what I bought, and eternally grateful to Jimmy. But, good point on the differing analysis. I'm keepin' the plates for now.

 

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{Cool story and nice looking wagon. Can't wait to hear the rest of the story.
Is this taken from the Lookout?}

I guess so, there was a turnout sort of thing overlooking the town. Stunning view.

 

Nice Dart! Glad people are fixing up the old abody wagons. I've had my 65 since 93. It's been a fun toy.

 

Brad, You're living my dream! I have had I plot similar to yours in the back of my mind to locate a 1970/1971 Plymouth Duster or Dodge Demon a few states away...fly out with my best friend and drive it home. Someday.....

 

Do it! We had so much fun that we're tryin' to figure a way to do it again next year. BTW, the story is to be continued, I should try and get some actual work done since I'm at work.

 

I just have to sell my wife on the idea. Like I said...Someday......

 

pretty sure my exact words were "you'd be a madman to drive this thing to canada"

for the price it was a nice car and if Brad had passed on it I would have bought it myself as it really won't take much to make it a nice car. But then I would have had to only drive it about a mile to my house. Glad it worked out

 

...continued. The rest of Sunday seemed to consist of steering, braking, and accelerating. A LOT of steering, looking out the passenger window, then the drivers, around and around, up, then down. The PCH offers not only beautiful scenery, but plenty of opportunity to play Stirling Moss at 20 mph. We made a stop at the Hearst Castle visitors center, but we were too late to take a tour of the castle itself. Next time. The photos kind of illustrate how wind-ey the road is. 7:00 or so, we arrive in Big Sur, kind of 'the top' or so. Didn't Jack Kerouac have some kind of a thing in Big Sur? Anyway, we stopped at the first motel, but they had no vacancy. So, we wandered across the street to another. She had a room available, but it was way over our budget. She insisted we look at the room, we did, and determined that if we were trying to nail each-other, it'd be perfect. No need for that romantic of a setting when my accomplice was a 230 lb hairy man. The nice lady at the desk tried to negotiate a lower price, I felt kinda bad, but declined. We did eat the most delicious chorizo tacos I've ever had, served to us by the most relaxed dude I've ever met, and pressed on. Darkness was falling fast as we approached Carmel, and we both realized that we should have cleaned the windshield like we had intended to for the last day and a half. Finally, nearly unable to see, we pulled off the road to wipe down the glass with our drinking water. Aaah, that's better. Fools. We found a motel, went and had a couple beers, and called it another great day. Our room consisted of a single king-size bed. This was where PJ told me of a male travel rule, hole-to-hole, pole-to-pole, but never pole-to-hole. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The first pic is PJ at the wheel, 2nd is me ridin' shotgun, some to show the amount of turns and switchbacks, the last two are a view in Big Sur, and the motel/restaurant in Big Sur, scene of the chorizo tacos. Mmmmm.

 

cool trip

 

Monday morning, July 11. First project, install the temp gauge. No dice, it wouldn't thread in, and we were spilling coolant all over the fricken place. I then called the U.S. border service to make sure they had received the necessary paperwork I had faxed them the previous morning from the motel in Sunset Beach. The border needs it all 72 hours prior to crossing. Yup, they received it, nope, we couldn't cross. the title I received was in the previous to the seller's name, signed over to him, but not to me. Oops. I'm from a non-title jurisdiction, so I had no idea. So, on the phone to Adam, the seller, and off to the nearest Staples in Monterey. When was the last time we re-fueled, we wondered on the drive to Staples. I dunno, Lompoc? Jesus, how far has that been? And this is how the fuel question went for the remainder of the trip. Fools. I get a hold of Adam, fax him the title, and we wait. And wait. Then, go for lunch. Call him again. Turns out, we had our wires crossed on the fax number, so he faxes us the signed title, we fax the border, and away we go. Our first destination is Gambino's Kustoms in San Jose. When we arrived, Alex and his crew were busy cleaning up from the 'Sit Down' he had held on Saturday. He let us wander around the shop and take pics, and even plopped us in front of his 'puter to see his pics from the Sit Down. Alex and his guys do amazing metal work, and their attention to detail stand out everywhere, from the fairing on the casters of the english wheel, to the detail around the headlights of Alex' personal '54 Chev. After hanging around there for 45 minutes or so, we decided we should get out of their way, so we each bought a T-shirt and set out.

 

The kick-ass Lincoln going together at Gambino's. Getting a two-door conversion, and a sunken backlite with the chop. STUNNING metalwork. Nearly enough to go home and sell all my tools. We were in awe.

 

More from Gambino's

 

The biggest friggen bench-grinder I've ever seen, and a fond farewell to Alex and staff. Thanks again guys. Then, a call to U.S. border services. Not good. Alex directs us to a Kinko's, for more title faxing fun.