FMJ Bodies: Driving A Legend
- Thread starter Jack Meoff
- Start date
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
I was once again marveling at our fine line of cars.
My Fifth Ave.....my trusty steed.
This is a 28 year old car....and just like it always has.....it's doing this yet again.
$600 for the car and all I've done is full tune up, shocks, rad, fuel pump and tires. So let's say another $1600. So for $2200 I got myself a daily driver which I've driven 365 days a year. I've put just under 50,000 miles on it since I've had it. I take it to the trailer, say 300 miles every weekend from March to October.
This thing has NEVER left me stranded. We've had the coolest winter here in decades. -40° windchills. Has never failed me.
See for yourself.
http://youtu.be/9KXs7BaXg3Q
My Volare....full tune up, and rubber.....that's it.
Slant runs like a champ.
My Caravelle, don't even ask.....that's a book right there.
But I've done a tune up on the engine.....that's it.
Slant thinks it's a hot rod.
They all perform like they always did.
I highly doubt Chrysler or anyone else ever thought these cars would last this long. Not only last but continue as rock solid daily drivers. Just unbelievable.
Do the maintenance and have enough common sense to know you're going to have to replace things just from wear and tear. Do that, keep on top of the rust and these things just keep going.
What else can I say?
TRULY LEGENDARY!!
My Fifth Ave.....my trusty steed.
This is a 28 year old car....and just like it always has.....it's doing this yet again.
$600 for the car and all I've done is full tune up, shocks, rad, fuel pump and tires. So let's say another $1600. So for $2200 I got myself a daily driver which I've driven 365 days a year. I've put just under 50,000 miles on it since I've had it. I take it to the trailer, say 300 miles every weekend from March to October.
This thing has NEVER left me stranded. We've had the coolest winter here in decades. -40° windchills. Has never failed me.
See for yourself.
http://youtu.be/9KXs7BaXg3Q
My Volare....full tune up, and rubber.....that's it.
Slant runs like a champ.
My Caravelle, don't even ask.....that's a book right there.
But I've done a tune up on the engine.....that's it.
Slant thinks it's a hot rod.
They all perform like they always did.
I highly doubt Chrysler or anyone else ever thought these cars would last this long. Not only last but continue as rock solid daily drivers. Just unbelievable.
Do the maintenance and have enough common sense to know you're going to have to replace things just from wear and tear. Do that, keep on top of the rust and these things just keep going.
What else can I say?
TRULY LEGENDARY!!
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These cars represent the best value a used car could ever have. They can still be bought on the cheap and would outlast other cars for years to come. I showed mine to my snobby neighbor and he didn't know what brand it was, until he saw the crystal hood pentastar. After looking it over he marveled at the interior quality and the silent running 318. He was quite impressed. He thought it to be quite an expensive used car. He has since asked about it a few times. Quality like that never goes out of style !!
I'm in that same $600 boat for mine as well. When I first got it I was afraid to drive it 5 miles, thinking it was going to be a "point A to point A and a half" car. It's proven itself time and again.. It's responded well to simple enough maintanence items that the previous owner neglected. Fortunately he'd inherited it from his father who was a retired Chrysler tech and the longtime 2nd owner. It's solid gold under a thin layer of dried mud, this car!
I've put over 10,000 miles on her in the year I've had, without really trying, far exceeding any and all expectations. The seller had scrappers sniffing around offering him $200 for it, and I knew if it didn't work out I could push it the scrap heap and get around $400 for it myself. I had a feeling that was never going to be the case though! Hell she may just have a 3,000 mile road trip in her future yet
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
The mighty 318....just keeps going and going.
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
The temps have risen....the blackened sludge that was once snow is melting. I took my Fifth (sans one side of rocker trim) to the do it yourself car wash....mostly because I figured if I did the drive thru one the brushes would catch my already loose wheel well trim and fling it onto the hood of the beemer SUV directly behind me. Yes.....my Fifth took a beating yet again this winter.....and it was a brutal winter.
My rocker trim got yanked off on two wheels. My rocker trim got peeled off like a beer top. I've had to crank this thing in -40° mornings......and this 28 year old Fifth I bought off a guy who hated it for $600 is the most godamn reliable car I've ever owned. Bone stock....lean burn and all....this car has NEVER failed me.
An absolute champion in winter. Never been stuck in normal driving even in our snowmageddon storms.....all in all....quite unbelievable. This is why when I'm at a car show and some guy shows up in an 85 Dip......I'm going to look at the Dip over the eat of the engine Cuda......that's just me.
As for my Fifth......all I can say is....... LEGENDARY!
My rocker trim got yanked off on two wheels. My rocker trim got peeled off like a beer top. I've had to crank this thing in -40° mornings......and this 28 year old Fifth I bought off a guy who hated it for $600 is the most godamn reliable car I've ever owned. Bone stock....lean burn and all....this car has NEVER failed me.
An absolute champion in winter. Never been stuck in normal driving even in our snowmageddon storms.....all in all....quite unbelievable. This is why when I'm at a car show and some guy shows up in an 85 Dip......I'm going to look at the Dip over the eat of the engine Cuda......that's just me.
As for my Fifth......all I can say is....... LEGENDARY!
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
This thing is a freakin road warrior.
I love that they look like a heavy@ss lincoln or caddilac of the same vintage, but where those wallow, and sway, the fifth, cuts, and carves, but is still smooth as silk on a babies bottom. ultimate sleeper
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
I'm hoping/planning on eventually making this thing an ultimate sleeper. Nothing insane but I'd love to go 4 bbl, cam and 2.94 rear. That'd wake her up a bit. :icon_thumright:
Bruceynz
Well-Known Member
I am trying to wake my doba up in performance and handling, I looked at buying a mag 360 (that 2000mile one on here but the freight out of Texas is to much) so I am going back to plan "A" now - some XXX302 casting heads if I can get some, a 8.25" 2.92/3.23 if I can find one where the shipping doesn't cost twice as much as the 8.25" (location in the USA for me makes a difference) I have some addco anti sway bars in the USA at a friends house, I have at my friends house in SC some FF upper control arms with the extra caster in them, alloy sub frame/body mounts and some nolathane lower control arm bushes. I have at home in NZ a power steer gear that was rebuilt with ford bearings fitted into the sector shaft (as you know Chrysler put no bearings in them so they wear quickly and the sector shaft ends up moving before it turns) and the reaction springs are doubled up to increase the weight of the steering. I have a RV type grind so it will run idle to 4400 rpm, lift 420/443 and at 50 thou 204/214 with a 112 degree lobe separation which gives a nice flat torque curve but reduces a bit of HP and since my driving is done bellow max HP 99.9% of the time I would rather have the take off down low, people see big HP numbers but they are at 6000rpm, who takes off at 6000rpm (I choose that cam so I could run stock converter have smooth idle and lots or TQ to make the wheels chirp) I felt 4400 rpm is high enough for a stock bottom end 318. I have new nolathane torsion bar bushes, edelbrock performer intake, Holley 600cfm carb, new orange box ignition and dizzy,(get rid of that lean burn stuff), then all that is left to do is do an iso delete on the rear and I think that is as far as I can go, it should then handle well with sway bars, with more caster track much better with no wonder with the alloy body mounts and with the engine mods perform like a 318 of old not a smogged up weezer. Rear end alone would make the 318 liven up a bit. This is all taking time to get together, living in NZ takes me ages to find stuff and get it here! Anyone know where there are any 8.25" to suit F/J/M body near Carolina? (that's where my friend lives who can sort shipping for me) anyone got any XXX302 casting heads??
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Bruceynz
Well-Known Member
To add, as you guys know we never got USA cars here because of the left hand drive, so we are allowed them but they are quite rare, mustangs, corvettes, Camaro's are popular but a J body Cordoba is odd ball, even in the states its an uncommon sight, I drive mine to work and the looks I get, I would say 90% of the people so far things it is one good looking car! There is something about them eh! They are just cool looking cars, I like my j body because of its angular looks, I really like the look with the HUGE tail lights, they look awesome! Also in the 80s they were finishing the cars nice inside! Such comfy seats! To give you an idea of how rare my car is here I think there is only one other J body in NZ!
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
I'm actually surprised there's more than just yours over there.
Bruceynz
Well-Known Member
yeah there is 2 now counting mine! We are lucky 
http://www.nzmoparregistry.co.nz/default.aspx?page=1313
http://www.nzmoparregistry.co.nz/default.aspx?page=1313
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
That's gotta be a head turner seeing one of those cruise by where you are.
8v-of-fury
Well-Known Member
I have been driving the M daily this week and it hasn't really been getting that bad of mileage to be honest!
What does a healthy 88 5th return for mileage with 80% highway Cap'n?
What does a healthy 88 5th return for mileage with 80% highway Cap'n?
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
I did actually work it out a couple of times and the variances were pretty interesting mostly because of the aerodynamics of the "flying brick". My calculations were highway only going to my trailer. One time with the wind giving me a boost i got an unbelievable 32mpg!!!! However the next time with the wind against me it was a more realistic 20mpg. Still not bad at all.
Keep in mind I'm a stickler for keeping it tuned and i run premium only which makes a fairly large difference as far as mileage goes. As an average I'd say if you're around 20mpg you're doing very good on a 27 year old almost two ton car that's shaped like a brick.
I'd think a realistic number would fall between 18-20mpg depending how much lead is in your foot.
Also keep in mind that I'm still running the lean burn.
That may make a difference.
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Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
Road Warrior Edition
Haven't touched this thread in a while.....
But about every couple of days I'm driving my daily beater....the Fifth and I'm constantly reminded of what a great and very cool car this is. I had to drive the Scamry on Saturday to get new tires for my wife and I tell you....there's no way I could drive something like that. Gutless. No road feel. It's like driving plastic. I absolutely love driving these old beauties as daily drivers.
On top of that....this Fifth which I paid a mindblowing put you in the poor house $600 for has been the most reliable tank I've ever owned. Still stock. Still running the original lean burn.
All in with what I've done to it for general upkeep and maintenance I'd say I'm at $2200. Rad. Shocks. Consumables really. I'm just about to clock 100,000 kilometers since I've owned it and the closest it's ever come to leaving me stranded was the diaphragm started to leak on the original fuel pump so rather than risk anything I got CAA to tow me home.
I beat on this car. As Slant6billy would say I treat her like a hooker that's missing a tooth. And still. Never an issue. As long as I stay on top of the maintenance it never gives me a problem.
This car is a road warrior.
Truly Legendary.
Haven't touched this thread in a while.....
But about every couple of days I'm driving my daily beater....the Fifth and I'm constantly reminded of what a great and very cool car this is. I had to drive the Scamry on Saturday to get new tires for my wife and I tell you....there's no way I could drive something like that. Gutless. No road feel. It's like driving plastic. I absolutely love driving these old beauties as daily drivers.
On top of that....this Fifth which I paid a mindblowing put you in the poor house $600 for has been the most reliable tank I've ever owned. Still stock. Still running the original lean burn.
All in with what I've done to it for general upkeep and maintenance I'd say I'm at $2200. Rad. Shocks. Consumables really. I'm just about to clock 100,000 kilometers since I've owned it and the closest it's ever come to leaving me stranded was the diaphragm started to leak on the original fuel pump so rather than risk anything I got CAA to tow me home.
I beat on this car. As Slant6billy would say I treat her like a hooker that's missing a tooth. And still. Never an issue. As long as I stay on top of the maintenance it never gives me a problem.
This car is a road warrior.
Truly Legendary.
What has happened to the nose on old gray, Captain. The bumper is depressed, and the plastic clip is broken away from the front sheet metal header. Have you been using that car to push polar bears off the road again?:icon_profileright:
