Project: 1981 Chrysler Imperial

[ViPER1313]

Ever have one of those days where you ask yourself "what did I just get myself into?" Today is one of those days for me. Behold car #4 -





Car background:

This car was owned by the father? of one of Jeff's friend's (Phil), who then sold it to a family friend, who at some point (around 2 years ago) gave it back to Phil. After that, the car sat under a tree with a dead fuel system collecting 2 mouse nests, 2 wasps nests, a moldy interior (leaking door seals and windshield), non-functional everything and a protective layer of algae and moss.

The car has a 318 V8 with some sort of automatic transmission. The only thing that I have been able to verify so far is that the trunk and fuel cap open, that the car will stop if you slam it into park while it is moving, and that the electrical system most likely has a huge short somewhere in it (almost 0 resistance between chassis and + battery cable).....

Step #1 will be to get the electrical system under control, and to gut the entire interior. More to come...

[JustinG]

OK if no one else is gonna say it I will.....

:?:


Why? :dunno:

[WRXtranceformed]

I hope you didn't pay money for it!

That would be the perfect car to fix up and sell to a drug dealer though..

[CaptainHenreh]

DO you guys not keep up with the general forum?

Wasn't this car bought for a case of Stones? It's a BA/BE & LeMons car...

[JustinG]

Yes I do rex......but its so......Busted, even for an Adam car.

[Jeff]

Wow, I don't remember it being that much of a POS. Good luck and I hope you can make something of it. I will be around to help and provide any data and diagrams you need. These cars are really more basic then they look. We can get her going again.

[Jake]

Hot damn, that's ugly. Nice work, someone finally bought (obtained?) a car that makes the E30 look like modern luxury again :thumbup:

If you get it de-molded and running, it'll be a perfect BABE/Lemons car. Does it have the digital dash?

[Jeff]

Oh BTW. There is a plug at the PDC that disconnects the battery from the car. Sometimes it fails....thus no workie! Same thing with the bulkhead plug. The main power line that runs in sometimes fails. I would check these first....cut them out if needed and run your own.

[Jeff]

Take a look at #24

[ViPER1313]

To clarify - yes, the idea is to use this as a BA/BE car. Total cost was one case of Coors Light + trailer rental + gas to get it. The interior is way worse off than the engine compartment is. My first goal is to gut most (if not all) of the interior and re-install only what is necessary, eliminating a ton of wiring. I need to WD-40 the gas and brake assembly's under the dash as they have rusted solid. Surprisingly, the underside of the car is (relatively) rust free.

Edit: and yes, it has a digital dash, power seats, a garage door opener, and a tape deck. All of which I assume don't work.

[ViPER1313]

Hooked some jumper cables to the power leads off another car (my spare battery is dead, picking up my charger tomorrow.) The car passes the smoke test - nothing caught on fire. Digital dash and interior lights work. Car has 100700 miles on it. Head and tail lights also (kind of) work. Starter kicks but doesn't turn the motor - I'm assuming this is because of the weak power through the jumper cables.

[Jeff]

Put some oil down the sparkplug holes before you turn that bitch.

[ViPER1313]

Not a bad idea. I'm not too worried about the motor's internals, it was pretty well sealed up.

[CaptainHenreh]

I prefer ATF down the plug holes.

[HAULN-SS]

Is it bad I'm a little H&Bd by that second picture jeff posted?

[D_Eclipse9916]

I prefer ATF down the plug holes.

+1

[CaptainHenreh]

I prefer ATF down the plug holes.

+1

So does your mom, HEY-O

[Jeff]

Mystery oil or whatever is good to.

[TorinoCobra070]

Hellaflush.

[.RJ]

Dont drink the bong water, kids.