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Roadworthyness of 32 Chrysler 6?


Mark Wetherbee

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This coupe is on eBay and got me wondering about how roadworthy it would be. What is a comfortable speed for this car? How are the brakes and how dependable are they assuming that they’re set up right? I know it’s a very open question based on the condition of the car itself but would like to have an idea before making any kind of offer.

 

We live in a more congested place now and worry about the Model T being hit from behind by someone not paying attention to the road.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-Chrysler-Series-6-CI-Restored-by-White-Post/264095588780?hash=item3d7d52e1ac:g:16EAAOSwVCpcDabG

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24 minutes ago, 63RedBrier said:

Quite a lot of car for the money!  I'm sure the restoration costs were well above the asking price...

Must be an OLD restoration or not a good one by the look of the rusty undersides of the doors. Not to mention the paint flaking off under the cowl/dashboard areas.

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If you like the car then it's worth the airfare to take a look at the car and drive it.  If everything is OK, then you can make an offer and buy the car on the spot.

 

Buying via eBay can be risky. The $$ spent personally inspecting the car may be the best investment you made - whether you bought the car or not.   

 

Go for it. 

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2 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Must be an OLD restoration or not a good one by the look of the rusty undersides of the doors. Not to mention the paint flaking off under the cowl/dashboard areas.

 

First glance I thought, street rodder find. Then I looked at the completed items from the seller and confirmed it.

 

As for road worthiness, in a little hick town like mine and around the countryside it would be just bearable with the competitive nature of other drivers on the road. They see an old car and are scared they will have to go slow behind it. They will ride your bumper at 60 MPH until they get past and then cut you off. We drive my cars quite a bit but I stay on secondary or dirt roads and even then there is some one-handed driver glued to our bumper half the time.

 

And when they do end up pushing that little 1.5 liter engine past you as 6500 RPM they leave the smell on burning hair from their exhaust with you long after they are out of sight. Anything that smells that way can't be good.

 

There just ain't so much fun driving an old car any more.

Bernie

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If it is made "roadworthy/safe" you should have no problem driving it anywhere.  Since 1959 I have put 400,000+ miles on my Pontiac, been in every state west of the Mississippi and everywhere in Canada west of Thunder Bay.  I have no problem driving three, four or even 500 miles in a day and don't really look for back roads. On main highways I usually cruise at 50-55mph.  Never had any problem on a on ramp merging into highway traffic.  Have pushed it to 65 for short periods and over 70 once.  Usually drive in the truck lane and drop onto the shoulder if the road is busy and a truck wants to pass.

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7 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

 

There just ain't so much fun driving an old car any more.

Bernie

 

I have to agree, Bernie. Anything under 55 MPH is almost suicidal ,even on secondary roads. The right hand license plate (see attached) and the barrel of my (airsoft) tommy gun visible through the back window do help some.

At least the '32 Chrysler has hydraulic brakes.

Jim

1929McLaughlin Buick photo day 2016 006.JPG

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41 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

 

 

 

There just ain't so much fun driving an old car any more.

Bernie

Come on Bernie, don't get old and cranky on us.  This Chrysler would  be a great Glidden Tour car and you would have cars of similar age all around you.  Now if you are slowly driving and blocking the tour, some  of us will pass you and inquire at the next stop if you are having mechanical problems.  

 

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4 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Must be an OLD restoration or not a good one by the look of the rusty undersides of the doors. Not to mention the paint flaking off under the cowl/dashboard areas.

I'm afraid I have to agree with Keiser31 on the quality of this restoration. I find it VERY hard to believe the White Post that I read about years ago did this car. Take the photo of the door bottom and enlarge it and you will see that not only was this door full of rust cancer but the repair was so poorly done that it STILL has holes in it that were NOT covered in the repair. The peeling paint under the cowl exposing shiny bare metal makes me wonder if this car was acid dipped and then improperly neutralized and now the entire paint job is loosing it's adhesion because this is more than normal aging causing this deterioration of this finish. Whenever I see shortcomings  like this in a restoration I have to ask myself what other things were not correctly repaired or replaced.

 

Howard Dennis

Edited by hddennis (see edit history)
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19 minutes ago, Paul Dobbin said:

This Chrysler would  be a great Glidden Tour car and you would have cars of similar age all around you.

 

That's the key. Venturing out alone is where the problem starts. Mainstream daily traffic is a whole different thing.

 

There are some whom have driven antique cars without incident or frustration. Sometimes they will be sitting at a club banquet and start a conversation saying "You should have seen the horrible accident I saw in my rear view mirror. I was so lucky not to be involved in it."

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Thanks for all your replies! The car is close enough for a drive up to inspect it even though the holidays might make it tougher.

 

Now I’m looking closely it seems that the more I look the less I like... the doors aren’t the only issue that can be seen in the pictures so I guess it is time to keep looking. 

 

We we have plenty of back roads but also a lot of cars that don’t like 50mph let alone 35 and getting my T outside the immediate community is challenging enough, something quicker with decent braking is the ticket. And it has to fit in my garage which is killing the idea of a large sedan.

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If you are considering the car in the first post, I would look seriously at the door sill areas. Those are not right. They should not be exposed to the outside. Here is how they should look....they should lay flat and not hang down.

1932 Chrysler- door sill.JPG

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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Having a '29 75, that car should be comfortable at 45-55 range.  Can it do more? sure but it just wont feel 'good'.

The passenger door does not look good. 

The detail photo of the front fender looks odd as in corrosion?

 

You may be able to negotiate a lower price on inspection. 

Probably needs a new set of tires alone.

The more you look, the more you will learn and the better your eye moving forward.

 

Good Luck.

 

Tom

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15 minutes ago, mike6024 said:

s-l1600.jpg

 

Need to give the seller credit for including this picture.

s-l1600.jpg

 

This looks like paint put over bare metal without any primer, sealer.

I can't find it in my heart to give any credit when the car is touted to be a restoration by a top firm and the add states NO rust. Clearly this is NOT the work of a top firm and it has serious rust issues in the doors and sills and I'd bet elsewhere as well.

Howard Dennis

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It’s hard to tell from the photos, but I’m pretty sure that’s a later engine in this car.  There are no exposed cylinder jackets on the lower part of the motor as there should be on a 32.  I also don’t see a handbrake lever next to the gearshift lever which probably means the transmission has also been changed.  In that shot under the dash there appears to be a later handbrake lever like the one on my 48 Plymouth cobbled onto the side panel.  Add in the previously mentioned rust, improper door sills, poor paint and shabby appearance and I’d stay away from this one unless you’re planning an extensive restoration.  Way overpriced.

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37 minutes ago, Taylormade said:

It’s hard to tell from the photos, but I’m pretty sure that’s a later engine in this car.  There are no exposed cylinder jackets on the lower part of the motor as there should be on a 32.  I also don’t see a handbrake lever next to the gearshift lever which probably means the transmission has also been changed.  In that shot under the dash there appears to be a later handbrake lever like the one on my 48 Plymouth cobbled onto the side panel.  Add in the previously mentioned rust, improper door sills, poor paint and shabby appearance and I’d stay away from this one unless you’re planning an extensive restoration.  Way overpriced.

Yep....I missed that handbrake thing completely as I was so turned off by the door and sill plates, I looked no further.

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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Mark,

When looking at this car keep in mind you don't get a #1 National First Place car of that description for that price,  Also remember what you want the car for, driving not showing for national Awards.

Add up the costs to fix it to your expectations for use as a driver, which you would add to the purchase cost and then decide if its worth doing.

Remember the 2019 Glidden Tour is just south of Charlotte NC, in Rock Hill SC in September.  You may find the Chrysler the perfect Tour car with a few repairs,  Good Luck!

Edited by Paul Dobbin
Spill Check (see edit history)
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