Project Bulldog. (1988 Diplomat AHB)

[SonOfaTomP]

this is "Bulldog" an 88 Diplomat AHB that formerly served the Baltimore County Police. this was my fathers car during my childhood. the last of his collection of 4. the car has been sitting still in the parking lot out front my house since 2011. around 2015 we tried to get her started, she crank over and tried to run but no dice. she is a 4bbl car and was an unmarked. no idea what her use was when in the BCPD. was sold at auction civilianized around 2002 (?). I'd always wanted a real Dip cop car and it hurts to see the car sit here so long but life kinda got in the way. goal is to get her back on the road. going to have a shop in PG take a look at here. if the frame is rotted, nothing i can do. we'll see how this goes. what i know she needs:
new tires
new brakes
new brake booster
new gas tank, maybe whole fuel system wouldn't hurt
carb rebuilt (?)
major rust repair
new drivers side rear bumper strut (got one, just needs to be put on)
new speedometer cable (should have one coming)
a good bath
new paintjob
new radiator? (the thing on the front of it, oil cooler? is falling apart)
and that is just what is obvious. mice got into the engine bay. wires don't look chewed but you never know. I'm probably the youngest guy on this site and i'm still learning as i go. pretty much the worst mechanic this side of the Mason Dixon but i'm trying.

 

[Duke5A]

Do you have to pass emissions testing where you're at?

 

[SonOfaTomP]

Do you have to pass emissions testing where you're at?

nope. the state of Maryland doesn't Emission test cars with "Historic" tags. cars over 25 years old

 

[Duke5A]

nope. the state of Maryland doesn't Emission test cars with "Historic" tags. cars over 25 years old

If it were me I'd convert it all over to electronic ignition rather than try and diagnose rodent wiring issues. All of the emissions crap would go right into the dumpster.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

we'll see. i did just find an old lean burn delete kit in the shed. looks like some stuff might be missing tho

 

[Mikes5thAve]

It shouldn't be too hard to replace the missing parts. Distributor, ecm, ballast resistor and wiring harness. Not much to it.
I'd see what wires are messed up before thinking about the next step.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

off to a trusted mechanic to be looked at. hope to hear good news

 

[GregG48213]

I'd be curious of how a Dodge got a Plymouth grille. Although my dad once bought an Aries that had a Reliant grille.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

I'd be curious of how a Dodge got a Plymouth grille. Although my dad once bought an Aries that had a Reliant grille.

original header panel was cracked and had to be replaced. i can look for an original photo of it. i can't recall if Dad saved its original grille but i do have a dodge one in the shed. not gonna mess with cosmetics until its set mechanically

 

[Mikes5thAve]

It was probably replaced before and they found a nicer plymouth one then dodge.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

now that i say something. this is the replacement front end that went on it. he might have replaced this grille because it was too flaked or to match the new grey paint it got

 

[Reggie]

now that i say something. this is the replacement front end that went on it. he might have replaced this grille because it was too flaked or to match the new grey paint it got

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now that i say something. this is the replacement front end that went on it. he might have replaced this grille because it was too flaked or to match the new grey paint it got

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That might be the one that I pulled from a yard back in the day and later gave to your dad. I grabbed it because they were getting hard to find.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

That might be the one that I pulled from a yard back in the day and later gave to your dad. I grabbed it because they were getting hard to find.

Hi Reggie! first off thanks for the hood ornament and showing me how to put em back together. got quite the collection now put together with springs and paper clips lol. second here is a pic i found of your car. seems i have lost the other one. second photo shows Bulldog when dad first got it. it was civilianized.

 

[Shorty Thompson]

Hadn't been following the thread, but am curious. What did you find out? Anything yet?

 

[Reggie]

Hi Reggie! first off thanks for the hood ornament and showing me how to put em back together. got quite the collection now put together with springs and paper clips lol. second here is a pic i found of your car. seems i have lost the other one. second photo shows Bulldog when dad first got it. it was civilianized.

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Thanks for the photo Xavier! Your dad sent some years ago but I don't remember this one being so clear.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

Hadn't been following the thread, but am curious. What did you find out? Anything yet?

unfortunately the guy hasn't gotten back to me. should be straight forward hopefully. i just didn't wanna start it with the funky old gas in the tank. with where i live there is nowhere for me to work on it so i'm having a shop do it. i sent the mechanic down a new brake booster so that should be a good step forward. wheels rolled when it was put on the tow truck so that is a good thing. i'll update when i get word from the guy.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Here's hoping for good news. One of mine has been sitting outside for a few years and it's starting to show issues underneath.

 

[RobDiplomat]

we'll see. i did just find an old lean burn delete kit in the shed. looks like some stuff might be missing tho

I have owned a number of Diplomat/Gran Fury. When the lean burn begins to fail I leave most of it in place and reroute the ignition control with an MSD 6 box. I am always successful with that set up. Place the MSD box on the left side of the car and wire it in.

 

[SonOfaTomP]

I have owned a number of Diplomat/Gran Fury. When the lean burn begins to fail I leave most of it in place and reroute the ignition control with an MSD 6 box. I am always successful with that set up. Place the MSD box on the left side of the car and wire it in.

i remember hearing the one on police cars tends to live longer since its not hovering over the valve covers and exhause manifold. heres to hoping the mouse didn't try to eat it. there was a sizable nest under the air cleaner. looks like they didn't make it inside the air cleaner thankfully.

 

[LSM360]

Cool car, worth saving! I agree with Mark, just replace ignition with the kit bypassing the feedback computer that is up under the dash on the driver's side. Then a new or rebuilt non feedback carb. Try and find a "canadian" y pipe and dump the pre-cats and main cat. You'll have to plug some holes where the air pump/tube to cat were. These alone made mine run really nice! Eventually you could do dual exhaust. I got the A body kit from Jegs. 2.5" mandrel bent. Shifted my tank over (pretty easy) and extended the filler tube and the exhaust tucks under there real nice with some minor mods.

My guess is that your frame is good. Might have some floor or trunk rot from water flowing top down.