65 Polara

I'm looking at picking up a 65 polara 4 door for $600. Very little rust, passengers fender has a little damage but it wont be much to fix. It as been sitting up for almost four years, owner says it ran when he parked it but he just got tired of the upkeep on a 40 year old car. It has the 383 (not magnum though). I'm not much of a mopar person and my ideas arnt really alone the lines of most muscle car people, infact I'm wanting to make this car into a convertable, airbag suspension, and 22" rims. But my question is how hard are parts to find for this motor and this car in general? If I decide to get it I'll pull the motor out and rebuild it, nothing really wild performance wise, just a rebuild, and a little chrome.

you can get parts for the engine almost anywhere. the sheet metal is a different though. i dont believe they make after market parts for the body. but with a good body man anything can be fixed. although most people wont agree with your ideas it doesnt matter what they think as long as you are happy. im getting alot of grief with my 71 coronet 4 door. people are giving me hell for wanting to big block it. they keep telling me to get a two door. but ill be happy so forget'um. and remember to have fun doing it. if you have any other questions let me know and ill see how i can help.

Thanks man, I figured most motor parts would be redily available but like I said I'm not really a mopar person so I didnt know if this may be an odd ball motor, as that happens some times. As for the good body man, I think I have that covered ;)

I personally like your plans for your car. you may have some trouble fitting 22's in the stock fenderwells but fabbing up some new ones wont be a problem for you.
I have always thought the best thing to do with a four door is suicide the rear doors like on a continental and shave the handles along with most of the trim. it saves money and time. as far as the drivetrain, just rebuild it and fab up a custom aircleaner housing get a few parts polished and painted, customize the interior maybe glass up some door panels dash and center console. Im starting to do a build up in my head so I better stop but you get the Idea.

Those are all pretty good ideas. The suicide door thing would be easy to do and it would be cool. I have a '66 four door but I don't know what I want to do with it yet.

Yeah I want to suicide one set of doors, thought about doing the front ones so they both open on the pillar, but in making it convertable its only going to be supported from bottom and those doors are pretty heavy. I'm wanting to keep the interior pretty stock, I like the "retro" feel to it, expecially the gauge cluster. I will redo it all in black/red color scheme to match the outside though.

will you be converting it to convertable using stock parts or fabbing up something original?

I'm just cutting the top off (reinforcing the frame of corse), welding in all the gaps and smooth it off. Its not going to have any top of any kind, just a fair weather cruiser.

This isn't a unibody car, why would you even think of having to reinforce the frame? I don't think you have any idea of how strong these cars are.

I'm just cutting the top off (reinforcing the frame of corse), welding in all the gaps and smooth it off. Its not going to have any top of any kind, just a fair weather cruiser.


thats exactly what I would have done.

what kiind of paint job are you going to go with?
Id recomend a two tone scheme done in kandies or metallics, it will keep the car from looking too long.

Just becuase its not a unibody doesnt mean the frame doesnt need supporting if you cut the top off, look on factory convertable, they will allways have a more reinforced frame. Besides if I body drop it I'll be doing alot of frame work so it just makes sence to go ahead and make it stronger.


It will probably black with lots of black ice pearl. Crimson red flames, may do tribal style just to throw it off a little.

sounds sweet.
have you decided on a wheel style?

A few years ago when I initialy started getting this idea together there were some rims that had just came out that were essentially a big maltieese cross that would have looked good, but with the popularity some west coast choppers and such here recently I dont think I will go that route. So I'm not real sure, I think some nice flat 7 spokes would look nice.

sounds like a pretty good idea. but be carefull the wheels can make or break a custom. if you have photoshop I would suggest photoshoping the wheels onto the car before purchasing them just to make sure they flow with the bodylines of the car.

Yeah. Heh I'm halfway tempted to leave the factory wheel and restore the factor hubcaps (It still has all four of them).

mooneyes carries some very nice aftermarket hubcaps if your interested in an old school wheel and tire combo.

I'll check out there stuff, its been a while sence I'v even heard anything about Mooneyes, I used to see advertiment for them everywhere. I'll probably end up with some 22" chrome though.

yeah id stick with 22's. how do you feel about taking an inch or two off the front windshield? it should give it a lower wider look.

Yeah that had crossed my mind, It needs a new windshild anyway so I'll have to see how hard one is to find

then open up them yellow pages and start calling a auto glass repair shop. it shouldn't be too hard to find one these guys can get just about any windshield you want.

Can the average glass shop cut the windshield if I wanted to chop a few inches off the top of it?

well it really all depends on the glass shop, just ask them and if they cant, call any shop in your area that has experience in chopping tops and ask them if the can do it or who does their glass. think of it like finding a chromer most body shops have someone who does chroming for them. and there are shops that specialize in glass.

I talked to the local glass shop (I live in a small town so theres only one), and he said he shouldnt have any problems getting one and that he could also do the cutting of the top and polish where he cut so that it would all look good.

I think This thread has covered about everything that needs to be covered, I'll probably have the funds after christmas to buy the car and get started on it, or atleast buy it and store it till I'm ready to start as I allready have one project going thats about halfway finished.

good luck

Thanks for showing an intrest man.

just remember to have to fun.