1. rolls canardly

    rolls canardly Road Train Member

    1,446
    2,702
    Feb 7, 2009
    mt. pocono. pa.
    0
    Saw an ad Saturday - posted 17 minutes ago, for a 1966 Dodge Charger.
    1st to call, and then I had to ask, Where TF is "North Tonawanda?"
    So I drive 5 hrs one way to rescue this car. 11 hours with load and BS session
    with the good ol boys I met to buy this car from.
    I pulled the trigger on this before I did any research.
    I'm glad I did.
    The Charger was a mid-year release in premiere year, 1966 July-December.
    17,000 made.
    The '66 had a center console running between the rear seats.
    That was redesigned out in '67 so you could access from either side.
    Unmolested motor and body, no bodywork, sitting since 1979.
    This is a true barn find rescue, as the building WAS collapsing around it.
    The 4 wheels in 1 of 3 pix has '66 date code stamped in them.
    and the chrome that snaps in around the wheel was hanging there, too.

    Motors stuck for now, it's a good excuse to try my "fitting" I made
    from a spark plug body drilled out, tapped to fit grease fitting.
    Theory goes, you get the air grease gun and fill up one cylinder.
    Creating enough hydraulic pressure to push it around.
    Once it moves some; I got this.


    https://buffalo.craigslist.org/cto/d/north-tonawanda-1966-dodge-charger/7583297140.html


    So its a 57 year old car.
    17,000 made in that 6 month model year.
    So what do you think? Did I do good or what?
     
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  3. Jubal Early Times

    Jubal Early Times Road Train Member

    3,069
    20,576
    Oct 17, 2022
    0
    The add is gone, but sounds like you did alright. Just fill the cylinders full of marvel mystery. (I don’t know what’s in it…. It’s a mystery) and diesel. Pull the valve covers and tap all the valves with a rubber mallet. Could be a valve stuck and not the piston.
     
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  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    67,867
    141,726
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    I've been to North Tonawanda many times pulling hazmat tankers.
    Don't remember much about it though, it's been a long time.
     
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  5. Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

    16,456
    53,779
    Aug 8, 2015
    0
    I had a 66, and a 67. Nice cars. Elvis drives one in his racing movie. Lol. That’s a poly 318, commonly referred to as a wide block. It’s has polyspherical combustion chambers. Sort of almost a hemi. They can be built to run. They were made until 67, when the small block 318 LA engine debuted. The new small block was a wedge head design, basically a bored and stroked 273, (that had been made since 64.) Later It was a bored more to a 340 same stroke. In 67, both engines the old poly, and the new LA were available. Other available engines were the big blocks, 361, 383, 413. 426 wedge, and 426 hemi. Most common being the 383. I believe 66 was the last year for the 361, except for Trucks. The 426 street Hemi also debuted in 66. Most were put in Belvederes, Satellites, Coronets and Chargers. The old 318 poly was desirable in any early 60’s Plymouth or Dodge because the K Frame was the same as a Big block car. No need to change it. If it had a 273, or 6 cyl. the K Frame would have to be changed. Now there’s aftermarket motor mounts to swap anything into anything. Regardless, you can drop any 383,413,426 wedge, or 440 right into that car. Only need new original type motor mounts, trans mount, and driveshaft. I love those cars. Especially the interior. The dash is very cool. Doors and fenders are the same as the 66 & 67 Coronets. Only difference between 66 & 67 is the console, and fender turn signals. 67 has signal on top of fenders. I suggest YouTube channel Uncle Tony’s Garage. Also known as UTG. That Guys a Mopar Expert. He has a 66 right now that he’s working on. Good stuff, He has a lot of info on budget building. I think I’d pull the spark plugs, spray WD40, in each. Let it sit a long time, eventually it will probably break loose, and even run again. You’ll be surprised. Nice find. How much?? I need to know. I missed out on a couple of them about 10 yrs ago. I once hauled the original dies for the big rear taillight. A local shop bought it to make repops. They were always impossible to find. Thankfully there’s a lot of parts available now. The whole interior, sheet metal, almost everything. You’re going to really fall in love with that car. It’s very unique. The headlights are a pita. They’re vacuum operated. They can be made to work if stuck open. You’ll need to do all the research. Sure to be an adventure. Very nice find you won’t regret.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2023
  6. Tropsnart

    Tropsnart Road Train Member

    1,087
    2,284
    Jun 8, 2015
    Pavilion New York
    0
    Watch Vice Grip Garage on YouTube to see how to get the motor to turn.
     
  7. Jubal Early Times

    Jubal Early Times Road Train Member

    3,069
    20,576
    Oct 17, 2022
    0
    I love that channel. Uncle Tony is also another good channel if you are into mopar
     
  8. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

    6,908
    23,744
    Aug 18, 2007
    ~8600+' and loving it!
    0
    I grew up in a 67 with a 383. We only kept it 4 years because they missed a weld or something on the right front cowl, so it leaked water. Affected quite a few of them, IIRC.

    Fun tidbit: Mom worked for Maremont at the time, and Dad had lots of fun parts in that 383. Our car ended up as part of the development process for the Cherry Bomb muffler. Dad took great pleasure in blowing the packing out of them until they came up with a design that would hold up.
     
  9. The Railsplitter

    The Railsplitter Medium Load Member

    321
    915
    Jan 23, 2023
    "BFE... and lovin' it!"
    0
    Nice find! I'm a Challenger fan myself, I always liked the sweet 1970 Dodge Challenger in 'VANISHING POINT'---that ride was nice! Maybe I can find a short video clip for those younger hands who never saw the film... :rolleyes:



    Might as well toss in this Charger video, lol... :cool:



    Now, don't go drivin' that way unless you actually WANT a driving award, lol... or worse. ;)
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2023
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