Was it Worth $5,000?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- A final walk-around to add up clues about this 1962 Dodge Dart Police Pursuit’s past life as a police car and a look at how its dual-note horns differ from the iconic 1968-1980 Plymouth Road Runner beep-beep horn.
I could listen to this guy all day
Of course it’s worth it, especially if you can maintain something even close to the excitement level you’ve been showing during this series of videos! Since you know the location where this car was first in service, an online search of newspapers from the era or a library archive might very well produce photos of how the car originally looked. Looking forward to watching this project move along.
Thank you for sharing your new Car with us. I cant wait to see the transformation.
If it’s worth $5,000 to you, you didn’t pay too much!! I love it. Please tell me you're going to convert to dual circuit master cylinder brakes!
yeah probably a good suggestion. Im sure he will
I had a 1967 Dodge D200 with a 318 and it had single master if done correctly they brake really well. And I had a 1962 Chevy Corvair Rampside single master also braked great if done correctly.😎
Gonna be real interested in seeing the progress... and finished product... of this baby!
"... It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?..." Liked and subscribed! Following the build and having fun watching.
Capt. Blackheart Charlie
Key West, FL
BEEP BEEP Steve!! You should know the places to look for original paint!!
Under the dash-in the glove box-under the headliner-behind the door trim-under the hood- wheel wells. Hardly ever is these areas repainted. Sometimes even the engine bay shows original paint!!
Chrysler and Chevrolet tried their hand at police cars and were pushed out by Ford.
Crown Vic’s and VW bugs are still being made in Mexico and Canada. One catch-
No pollution controls!! Big bucks for parts and installation!! Keep the videos coming!!!
Steve, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. I believe you see beauty and that makes it worth it.
That's why the print menus....
I asked my neighbor about the police cars back in the day. He was a mechanic and body guy. He worked on lots of police cars and has an interesting collection of sirens and such. He said that it was common for smaller departments to buy an even number of cars, two, four, etc. Half of the cars were white, the other half black. It was then his job to mark the hood, deck lid, and doors and then swap them between the white cars and the black cars. The marks would tell him which car the parts came from. This was done to save the added costs of painting. When the cars were retired, he would be charged with swapping back the parts and the cars were then sold or traded in on new ones.
Wow! Dude! Thank you, for telling us that story! Super interesting. I can't get enough of the stories told by the old timers.
Up till I retired(Police Officer) the new black & white Crown Vics were, shockingly, CHEAPER than the straight white. This was one of many reasons our POA used to get the city to switch from white to black & white!
That's a really cool piece of information. Makes a lot of sense to me.
Wow that's cool
You the only reason I watch Barrett Jackson. The knowledge you share is priceless
For me what makes this car great is that it's in YOUR hands and your making a sleeper out of it. Now we'll see just how deep a sleep (tire and muffler choices etc) it falls into and how angry it is when it wakes up. Sleepers are always a compromise. I love the direction you're thinking. Just imagining the look on some old guy's face when this thing leaves a light does it for me!!!
I've never heard the term wig wag used for a spot light before. Back in the day it usually referred to the alternating flashing headlights or grill lights (in contrast to the spinning roof lights). Fast foward to 80s and up, and the light bars had corner lights (LED now) that would flash side to side in a more casual pattern than the spinning or strobing main bar. Just my 2 cents.
Yup, I used to wire up police cruisers when I was a school age teen. Wig wags were the headlight alternating flashers.
My old buddy "Jim Baldyga" is the first person I heard use the term "wig wag" to describe an "articulated A-pillar mounted spotlight". That was back around 1987. Here's to Jim!!! THANKS for watching -Steve
@@SteveMagnante You will always find different names for the same thing. Even regional areas will have its own names for all kinds of things. Thanks for your teaching, been a viewer of you on TV for years.
@@SteveMagnante Keep making videos, we are all thrilled to learn from you. We all miss JYG!
I think the term wig wag has to do with alternating, The term actually comes from railroad crossing lights. I think there were police cars into the late fifties and early sixties where the spotlights had red lenses that would alternate or a single light that would vary between high and low intensity. I'm no police expert but I think that these were later supplanted by the gumball lights and later light bars.
1:50 -That's called a Spotlight. Mr. Mag.
Wig-Wags are a reference to the alternating high-beam lamps blinking side to side. They used a #537 flasher to alternate the flashing bulbs.
Just a quick correction kiddo.
Love the car and love your content.
Carry on!
I’m going to be honest I’ve never seen that Late Model Dodge Dart in person You Scored. I really like the Grill. It’s Unique and Different.👍😎
Steve, sure is worth it, and it’s something that through your infectious enthusiasm we can all enjoy! I LOVE this series and look forward to every new post!
People have to settle for what their budget can afford. BUT
Steve, you deserve a restored 71 Hemi Cuda, for your passion of mopar and your unmatched knowledge.
You make junkyard wrecks fascinating and I’ve watched your stuff for years especially Barrett and you can make watching model building interesting.
The effort to restore that 4 door will be immense and I admire you.
If I could afford it, I would gift you a cuda to enjoy, so maybe there is a philanthropist out there can make it happen.
Should be a fun build, looking forward to seeing how all you go about it. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Steve, dig the Dodge project, I’ve got an ex-US embassy ‘( Canberra) 71 Ford Custom. It’s a black on black car with radio delete. I’ll leave it stock apart from sticking a 429 driveline in it. It’s a rare car in Australia as we only imported LTD pillared hard tops.
And your Down Under 1962 Dodge Phoenix was the RHD version of this same year sedan
I owned a 71 Ford Custom back in 1976-77. 302 V8, power steering, plain Jane with an AM radio. This was a wonderful highway car and I drove it from Edmonton, Alberta all the way down to Los Angeles and back during a 10 vacation when I was 22 years old. You'll never find one now. They were all driven into the ground.
If that car is your thing, it’s totally worth the money. Good luck, look forward to more videos.
I'll never forget my Dad bought a 61 Plymouth Fury 4 door Hardtop . The Salesman was trying to show my Dad a 2door Hardtop 62 like yours with Bucket Seats . I opened my 14 year old mouth and told the Salesman my Mom don't like Bucket Seats . I know now that children should be seen and not heard .
I’m still laughing about the naked kids in the woods light comment, lol!! Really enjoy this new adventures, Keep up the great work Steve!!!
I really enjoy your videos, in just a few minutes I end up learning something every time.
for sure!
It's good to see you back decoding all things automotive Steve. DF sent me here. Subscribed!
I love this even though it's not considered vintage it's really good times, I miss this type of videos I think you should go back and do that every once in a while also because this is cool and fun
Steve please don't stop now showing video on this car.
I would never had given this car a 2nd look until now after watching your great videos and giving the history. Funny, now I like the car. Very solid and I like the rear quarter panels. Looking forward to following the progress.
I thought you might put her back as a police cruiser but bringing her back in any form is a great thing.
Steve, you are the man!!!!! You have so much knowledge. Love you on Barret-Jackson and this series is killer. I will be following every step of the way. And REMCHARGER? you nailed it
Wig-wag is when the headlights flash alternately in emergency mode. What you had was a spotlight
As a native Minnesotan who moved to the Lone Star State in the mid-90’s, I am STILL amazed at how clean and rust free old cars can be when they’ve spent their entire life in Texas! Much to my wife’s chagrin, even after 25 years of being down here I can hardly stroll through a parking lot without walking up to certain vehicles and to my amazement feel nothing but solid metal when I run my fingers behind the wheel openings and rocker panels of the car!
As far as whether this old Mopar was worth five grand? I currently own five collector vehicles that, because of my hectic work schedule, rarely get driven - I would hardly be considered a reliable source of logic or wisdom when it comes to automotive investments……😂
One thing I will say - it would not take very long at all to burn up $5000 in bodywork trying to replace rusty fenders and quarter panels on a car that wasn’t as clean and solid as this appears to be!
"walking up to certain vehicles and to my amazement feel nothing but solid metal when I run my fingers behind the wheel openings and rocker panels of the car!" In texas that's a good way to get shot.
@@lefttea - That’s exactly what my wife told me……😂
Just that wonderful Exner front end is worth every penny. I have Three 59 Sport Fury’s, One 58 Fury, and a 63 Polara in my past.
I agree i kinda obsessed with Virgil Exner styling right down to his concepts like the Chrysler D'elegance ,Plymouth XNR ,Dodge Firearrow etc he is also unofficially designed the karmann ghia among others . His out there styling from 60 years ago looks amazing today.
He's been saying aside from that a lot 🤣🤣😂😁! I love this dude, soooooo much fun to lighten my day!
Maybe if you were lucky you would have got it in the auction for $2500. So paying an extra $2500 to avoid saying "I wish I would have", totally worth it. I love this project! I think your plans are perfect.
I had this car as a little model since I was a kid, awesome you can bring it back to life!!
It'd look good dressed up as Captain Culpepper's black '62 from 'It's a MMMM World.' (Showing my age.) I paid $7,500 for my Dart coupe 12 years ago, so you're on the money.
Never, ever look back on a business deal. I never realized that stuff about the RR, meep meep, horn. Cool! Back in the mid 70s, at 15, I got my first job. It was at a gas station. A push button shift Mopar came in for repairs. I only got to look and marvel at such a thing. Never seen one since. I'm looking forward to you and yours. Good luck, buddy 👍
R. E. M. Sleeper is a great name. I can't wait to see it fully functional. I really appreciate your car knowledge. Thank you for sharing things with us , that are always cool
My father had a 62 Dart 440. 440 being the model, not mill. Push button tranny, radio delete. Living in central CT, I believe heat/defrost was an option he purchased. Awesome find.
Thank you thank you thank you for having your own UA-cam channel for us who are no longer allowed MT.
This series of videos is starting to remind me of the work you did on Classic Car Restoration back when. Thanks for these, it’s great following along.
Im really happy to see you on UA-cam! Hope to see more Steve!
Definitely worth it Steve. I think I am more excited about this project than you are. Can't wait to see it with that big block.
A friend of mine in High School, early '70s, had one of these cars.it was a Washington State Patrol car. But he had painted it "Plug Crazy" and it had cool Torque Trust Wheels!
Definitely worth the 5K and shipping. I paid that for a 62 Belvedere, no motor and trans, and missing alot of parts. You have a rare car, can't wait to see more videos on it. 👍
Let's Face It......you just dont get that kind of style anymore... Great job Steve. I'm really enjoying all of these Walkarounds!!🇺🇸🎩🇺🇸
Glad to find this channel! Saw Freiberger's post on FB.
Steve, I've never heard the spot light called a wig-wag, though I've never been in law enforcement, and I'm even a few years younger than you. But I have heard the old mechanical pre-electric turn signals, on big trucks, called wig-wags. The driver deployed them when anticipating making a turn, and a stick a little bigger than a paint stirrer would stick out on that side of the truck, indicating to other motorists that a turn was imminent.
Steve, can we have an update on the Dart police car? I love when you dissected the car right after it was delivered.
Some people would probably say no, personally I think they should have given you a bit of a better deal on that car considering all the work you did for them but I can see how much you like this car, so for you its definitely worth it and in the end its your money 🤗
If you were planning to turn around and flip it for a profit, probably not. If you’re going to restore or resto mod it and preserve a piece of history, it’s priceless.
REM-Charger -- I like it!
In 75, Texas started using multi-year plates. They came embossed (in negative, IOW indented rather than raised like the main plate number) “75” in the upper right corner, and each year after that, you put a new year sticker over the “75.” A funny thing is that the metal plates kept on being embossed with the “75” for a number of years after, but were issued with the correct year sticker already applied at the DMV. I don’t remember what year they did away with that embossing… probably well into the 80s. I do remember the 1975-issued plate number my 73 Satellite had for many, many years: ABW-50. Can’t even fathom a 5-digit plate in Texas anymore! Very cool car. Makes me think of Chief Culpepper’s car in in ‘It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World.’
Love it nice project hardly wait to see it finished ....thanks
I’m really looking forward to this build, Mr. Magnante. I’ll be following along. Subscribed and got the bell on.
REM-charger is a great name!
Yes. All worth it. That is a really cool car. From Hemi Hill and the Totally Auto Back Room. You have the seal of approval!!!
Steve I would LOVE to walk around one of those old junkyards down in AZ or TX with you some day, just to hear you tell me in person about the cars we look at, something about the way you tell it just satisfies the ear
Thanks for posting this. One suggestion................. please ditch the super wide angle lens on the cam. It's SUPER annoying how its distorting the image.
will defiantly be following this build
Another tell-tale on a police package car is the speedometer. They have a "CERTIFIED SPEEDOMETER" label on them. They were factory calibrated to ensure accuracy so that they could be used to issue speeding tickets against before the days of radar enforcement on speeders.
I believe it probably did had black and white roof and doors! Great stuff keep it coming! Looking forward for more updates!👌😎👍
I believe police radio at that time was using the 50 MHz low VHF band and required a long whip antenna, the clip for it on the rain gutter is a nice touch.
First name that came to mind for your Dart was "False Charges" ...... puts your Ramcharger and police theme together and adds the sleeper equation.
I'm in N.E. Ohio and that car is 5k all day long here.....hell if you could start it that would jump to 8k ! Well bought !
Just found your channel Steve and I am hooked! Love it
This is a great series! Can't wait to see it come together
that 1975 license plate was the first of the "multi year" plates where you put a registration sticker on it instead of changing plates every year, and it's the only year they put a star between the letters and numbers. In '76, they issued plates that had a Texas emblem between the letters and numbers, so that's a rare license plate worth keeping!
No question it was a cop car! Changing the subject on you Steve. I enjoy your mopar knowledge, one thing what about super rare 1 off mopars. Some 5 offs? I serviced several different ones for customer delivery in the dealership. I have owned one. It was titled 1970 duster with a 71 front clip and 71 dash. Yes it was from the factory that way. Build date was 12/70. Title weight 1940 lbs. 340 4spd 391 sure grip asid dipped. Lots of spot welds, minimal bolts. 1970 marker lites all corners. You would be surprised how many cars DID NOT MATCH THE VIN!! The vin can tell you the wrong color a lot of times.. I don't know why or what the problem was I just know it did happen and more often than acknowledged!!!
Barrett Jackson would say it's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Good luck with the project. I know I'll be following.
I worked at Isky racing cams in the late 70's. One day an odd Mopar cam came in for regrind. I was told that Isky had ground the cams for their high speed "Freeway Flyers" It was a special grind and you could not order it, but if you owned a former CHP car they would regrind to the same spec. Those cars would do at least 140.
Been collecting police cars for 40 years. I have never heard a Unity Spot Light called a "Wig Wag"? I have heard of "Wig Wag" train signals. Great car. Enjoy, I am restoring a 61 Dodge Polara CHP squad car. Clearly work 5K.
Looks like a fun project. Any car shows you like to attend around Mass? Recently got my '73 Olds 442 back on the road and can't wait for car show season to gear back up. Great vid, love the automotive archelogy
Hi Steve..Another great video..Funny you mention the police catching us kids ( for me was 1980 ) necking in cars..I got caught at the little fishing spot just above Carroll Chevrolet with a gal i dated from West Brookfield then, more embarrassed than scared but didnt get in trouble lol. Im sure that little spot is all grown up with trees and such since 1980. Im looking fwd to seeing you start the project and more videos !
Was it George Burnham, Fred McGreevy or John Zabek that snuck up on you? I had plenty of my own run-ins with those fine men back in the 1978 - 1988 time frame. Or maybe it was Buren Leslie? Or Chipper???
It was officer Zabek
I wonder if you knew who was driving the burgundy 66 or 67 Chevy Nova back then..I'd see it cruising around often as well as Stanley in his light blue Opel Manta...God I miss home..
Yeah Steve, Car guys that GET IT think alike. What you said you're going to do with the car is just about the same as what we would do with it. Especially the part with the skinny tires and laying dual black strips right up the street!
First time I ever heard a spotlight called wig wag but you are very knowledgeable
Looking forward to seeing this sleeper build Steve.
Cost is important, only if you can’t afford it.
I’ve followed you for years in print and video.
My favorite article is the 440 max wedge build where you dyno measured hp delta between the stock “ram horn” exhaust manifolds and a set of headers. That said I’m drooling to see the 440 stroked to 513”.
Ive got a 1969 440 sitting in a NYer.
Want to transplant it into a 1964 Chrysler 300 Sport Series Convertible (383/2)
Steve-any thought to doing a 2 door conversion on it?People are doing them so nicely,you can't tell it didn't leave the factory as a 2 dr.-car would probably double in value.Even as a 4 dr it will be cool!!
And then he's going to put about 50k in it if he does what he says! What do you have? A 10 15k car! Can't wait to watch!😍😊
New subscriber here, great channel!
Can you do some videos on AMC?
Perhaps a junk yard crawl and a talk about AMC perhaps give your perspective as to why they failed maybe even talk about the Renault deal being a bad idea for AMC! Perhaps a couple of live shows on AMC!
Please!
The only 'Wig Wag" I have ever seen is for flashing the headlights back and forth. I love old cop cars too. I have a 2006 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. I also had a 1981 Chevy Impala police car back in the day.
If you ever want a non-sleeper you could call it "Moving Violation".... Love the 62 Dodge because it's so bold!
Man Steve you know Mopars and you know how to get it done!.....
Love your work, stay safe, cheers Jackie
Hey Steve.. love the herman Munster hair brother ! 👏
Damn you're smart. Thank you for sharing the knowledge, and, Don't Change Anything, You're Golden !
I didn’t know there had been a full size Dart like that until a few years ago when a guy with his own private little wrecking yard showed me one.A 2:door.It seemed like it was in good condition.The dash was really cool.
Steve I really enjoy listening to you and your wide spread knowledge of all kinds of cars. Where do you keep all that enfo. Great channel.
Steve it's a 102 inch stainless steel whip antenna the best mobile antenna made.. I've read your writings since you raced your slant 6 . I remember a article on the weight difference between a dana 60 and I believe a 8 3/4 and time slip. 👍😎 the old hippie
I'd love to see it back to spec or running just the way it is beautiful car
Starting in 1975, Texas kept the same physical license plate, and went to adding a small decal in the upper right corner of the plate instead....
I grew up in S. Texas and my Dad was the mechanic at the local CPD dealer with all the factory Pursuit Car training. He'd always tell us when a unit with some tasty bits was getting junked or when there was going to be a cop 440 takeout motor at the shop that could slip through the cracks. I don't know when the Texas DPS (department of public safety) started painting cars like the scheme on yours but it sure looks like everything from the late 60s Fury's all the way up to the paint on the SUVs they roll around in now. The local Sheriff's and town cops never painted their cars in a way that could be confused with DPS Troopers or Border Patrol so I think you might have a former Texas State Trooper car. The weird part is I can't imagine them checking the box for anything less than the biggest mill on the list. Alot of those cars, especially local Sheriffs but even some Border Patrol and Trooper cars, were modified with big single plane intakes, better cams and big straight pipes. I remember my dad pointing out an early 70s Monaco the Jim Wells Co Sheriff's deptartment had that had been modded specifically to be faster than any State car(I always wondered how often bored cops lined 'em up and ran 'em off after midnight on those flat, arrow straght rural highways). That thing was the business and louder than anything us punks dared to drive through town. We may not have had much good to say about the cops back then but we totally revered those 440 cars. That car of yours would be a bargain at twice the price(and let me know when I can come pick up that Poly, lol)
Steve, totally worth it. Looking forward to seeing more of this project.
Looking forward to seeing the build.
You have a nice car there. If it’s just the lower floor pans that are gone, that’s a doable repair. I like this car.
Not a fan of those ‘fleet’ round hubcaps though. Can’t warm up to those. But the white car with black roof and doors is an interesting take on the cop paint job.
When are you going to get back at this one? I'm very interested in seeing it all come together!
My grandpa had one of these back in the 70s. Says it sat for 5 years with a dead transmission and some dirt track racer bought it, threw a transmission in it, and won every race he put it in before he blew the motor up.
the car's totally worth it. btw i grew up in massachusetts and we always called the alternating blue and red lights wig wags. had seen them many times too in the rear view of my buddy's gran fury ex-cop car and my various mopars that embarrassed local pd crown vics and mustangs of the 1980s.
Great car. Definitely work the 5k. Will be watching for updates.
I like the 62 Dart my grandma had one
My buddys brother had one , he made
A race car out of it it was really kool.
Max wedge with a 3-speed, two door
I wonder if you would make a video on the history of "Corv8s" (Crown Conversions and others) and "ToroVairs" (Toronado powered Corvairs)?
I know it's an obscure hot rodding niche, but I think people would be amazed at the engineering of such vehicles and for myself and others I'd like to know the details?