Pics of my new 76

[Denise 20352]

  OK, its not a Cadillac, but this was what I wanted.

http://www.americansoapbox.org/pics/76ny/ TARGET=_blank>http://www.americansoapbox.org/pics/76ny/

-densie

[Dave Smith #17592]

WOW!    That is a sweet ride!    Im sooo jealous!  

David

[David #19063]

Hi Denise,

Beautiful ride, I hope you enjoy it!

And a 2 door too...are you sporty!

Those were certainly plush!  And I have always liked hideaway headlights.

Probably rides like a 747.

Give us all the details on the car.

David

[Denise]

   It does have a nice ride, its very comfortable, and you can steer it with your tongue (if youre so inclined).  The seats are the softest leather Ive ever felt.  There arent any cracks in the dash or anywhere else except at the top of the rear seat seams.  The sunlight is really harsh here in AZ.  The leather on the front seats is perfectly intact, but a little dirty.  Its time for some cleaning and conditioning.  It also has a stain on the carpet, which I can either replace or just put down floor mats.  I will eventually replace it.

   Everything works except for sticky windows, power seat and power antenna, the stuff that goes out when a car sits in storage.  I was surprised that even the cruise control and power sunroof works, and no leaks in the roof.  The drivers door needs to be adjusted.

   We picked it up in Sierra Vista.  When I had first looked at it, the alternator wasnt charging, so I checked for power at the output terminal and there wasnt anything.  There was some strange box on the fender with large (maybe 2-ga.) wires going to the alternator, and we tried just wiring the alternator directly to the battery terminal.  That got us a good connection, but then we put the jumper cables on it and it wouldnt turn over.  After a few minutes of that, we bought a new battery, and it still wouldnt turn over.  Then I hooked that box back up the way it was, it started right up, and the alternator worked.  Im not even going to try to figure that one out.

   When I got it home, the air conditioner was low on refrigerant, so we took it to an authorized service center and had the R12 taken out, and I evacuated the system and started an ester oil charge for R134.  Then the car wouldnt start, and this was where it got a little frustrating.  All of the wires ohmed out, coil was good, pickup coil had resistance, but I wasnt sure how much it was supposed to have.  It seemed a little high.  I decided to throw an ignition module at it, which didnt help.  The only thing left was the pickup coil, and I couldnt get the thing apart.  Then I found out that the whole distributor was $50, so I just replaced it.  The car started right up.  I got it charged up and it has plenty of cold air now.

   It needs valve seals and valve cover gaskets, and thats about it under the hood.  Ill get that done and then of course since its new to me, I have to do all of the scheduled maintenance and get it caught up.

   It is a very sweet ride.  I think I like it better than the 4-dr. that I used to have.  I plan on keeping it forever, unless some idiot runs into it and totals it.

-denise

[Porter 21919]

Beautiful car, one project at a time to get it sorted out.

Congratulations, you can clean and soften the leather without worrying about the color.

Porter

[Dick Heller]

Does it have a stainless steel top?

[randall McGrew CLC # 17963]

Congratulations on the New Yorker!!   You have scored a major hit there, Densie!!
I am delighted for you.  

[Denise]

  Unfortunately, no, its not stainless.  Just painted.

-denise

[Dick Heller]

Moonroof, no vinyl roof, no rust, what a great find!!

Congratulations

[Denise]

  Thanks.  I just came from the MVD, and they confirmed that the 57k miles was actual.  Of course there are those things that go wrong with a 30-year-old car, but wow.

-densie

[dale jackson]

 Your car is nice But why an mopar. I would have bought an 1976 cadillac fleetwood or One those 1971 thru 1976 cadillacs to drive becides an new yorker.

 Did you forget your an member of cadillac club ?? Cadillacs were so far beter than that junk mopar used sale back in those old days. That car you have is nice but its luckey it to have surrived those years for you drive.

 I rember my freinds mothers was complaining dodge products and problems when I growing up. My other freinds always bought gm products and good luck with them.

 Last good cars dodge ever made in those days were cars before 1971 and then the factory starting puting out junk.

 Peaple in the 1973 thru 1980 hated dodge and company almost bent bankrupt since there cars were junk.

 Then when  Lee I Iocca the new chairmen board took over and brought that company back to its formor glory with K car or whatever it was.

 Maybe your car was luckey to have been saved.

 I still would bought say 1976 cadillac, buick, olds, chevy becides anything from dodge.  Dale

[Mike #19861]

 Just got around to looking at the pics. That is a beautiful ride! A 2-door with a sunroof and no vinyl. A nice combo. This is the same colour combo of the one I almost bought, but it was a 4-door hardtop with a red vinyl roof. It too was beautiful.

 Those leather seats have to be amoung the most decadant ever put in a car. They are incredibly comfortable and soft. The oly others that come close are the ones put in the Fleetwood Brougham dElegances in the 80s.

 I assume it has the 440 under the hood. Great engine and far more desireable than the 400. It can be better on gas too if run right.

  Mike

[Mike #19861]

 Settle down, Dale. You seem to be taking this personally.

 I would think that anyone here can buy what they want, even a clapped out old K-Car if they desire. Membership of this club does not limit your purchases to Cadillacs only.

 These mid 70s Chryslers were beautiful cars, and in case you havent heard, very trouble free and reliable.

  Mike

[Porter 21919]

Why they were so popular with law enforcement back in the 60s & 70s, probably more durable than the GM or Ford product, they could have bought either of the big three products.

Let Chrysler products have their day in the sun, their Mopar muscle cars layed Ford to waste in that era.

[Dale]

Hey Denise. Thats nice.
I also dont really care if its a GM, Mopar, Fing-Man-Shu or whatever. If its cool then its cool. Your New Yorker is ceratainly cool.
Isnt it great when a manufacturer (as they often did decades ago), just decided to go for it and produce all of these fine masterpieces.
As far as Im concerned, all these old things (including my 63 CDV abd 68 convertible) are just like time machines. When youre cruising in any of them, its the closest youll get to being there when it was new. And your New Yorker would certainly be a great time machine. I can picture it now... driving on the interstate... 100 degrees outside... climate control blowing cold... 1970s Las Vegas Elvis Presley music playing.... LOVE IT!

Nice one.

Dale.

[David #19063]

Hi Denise,

I think you made a good choice on your 75 NYR and bought a great car!  I think you will enjoy it and look good driving it too.

Personally, I like the big Buicks, Cadillacs, Chryslers, Imperials the best of all cars.  I like the big car ride, the big block power, the luxury, the prestige.  I have owned several of each.  And at one time I owned 3 Olds 98s, another time I owned a pair of Plymouth Furys, and another time a Buick GS350 and GS455.  Plus other cars.

Interesting to date, I have owned 30 cars yet not one Chevy or Ford.  Although I would like a 69 Lincoln Continental with suicide doors...since it is highly unlikely Ill ever be able to afford a 57/58 Eldorado Brougham.

There are several Cadillacs on my list of potential cars for me to own, however, there are several Buicks and Chryslers I like to own as well.  Whichever ends up being of the right years, condition, price, and distance from me will decide what is my next car.

Currently, we have 3 Cadillacs, 2 Buicks, and 1 Chrysler...and one of each is for sale ~ 60 Cadillac, 71 Electra, 56 Windsor.

Who knows what is next?

David

[Mike #19861]

 Mopar Police cars ruled the roost in the 60s and 70s, kike the Capriced did in the 90s. Ford defaulted into the market with their comparitively mediocre Crown Victoria.

 Those 440 powered Polaras could do an honest 140 mph, and in many cases even better. They were built as police cars from the ground up.

 In my opinion, Chrysler built some of the most beautiful full sized cars ever in the late 60s and early 70s.

  Mike

[Brian Daum, 18809]

I agree with Dale, I have owned a few Chrysler products in my life, and they are nicely designed cars, but when it comes to quality they just cannot compare to GM.

My everyday driver has been a newer Chrysler, and I am going to give it away, last year I had to put in a new cylinder head, power steering pump, two calipers. The last Dodge I had was nothing but repair jobs.

No more Mopar for me!!!

[Dave Smith #17592]

Back in 1958  (before I was born!) it was a terrible year in the auto business.    There is an old story about the frustrated Chevy owner who was so upset over his purchase, that he raced across town to the local Ford Dealer.  Meanwhile, a frustrated Ford owner passed him on the way to the local Chevy dealer to trade his car in!   Ha Ha Ha!

But seriously,  if you read any Auto Test magazines from the 60s and 70s they ALWAYS rate the Mopars as better engineered cars.    Not better selling, but better handling and quality.  

The only "issues" that Im aware of on the Mopars was that pesky "LeanBurn" fuel system.  Which can be replaced by a conventional carb set up.   Can all you HT4100 owners say the same?  

[dale jackson]

 I guess there are nice peaple in world who like diffrant cars than eveybody else.

  Example I love the 1959 cadillac but some peaple look at my dream  car like its the nasty  ungly old car peaple either love or hate it. I Guess peaple love each car they drive or want so bad. I love an lot cars peaple dont like or its  mainstream say an 1967 thur 1969 camaro, or 64 thru 1973 mustang thats mainstream american cars.

 The cars I love that are not mainstream are say an willys areo or old cadillac an lot peaple dont want since its not mussle car like an old chevy super sport camaro, mustang. 55 or 57 chevy.


  I guess its nice to find an nice old car no mater  what it is these days since  in south texas there are very few old still around since they crush or part out cars all day long.


 I guess at the rate pick a part destroys car there will not be any old cars left it seems in say 10 or 20 years from today. In places like whyoing, new mexio, corado there are still old cars to restore and enjoy and rebuild

 I guess with new smog laws etc the fading away with new cars.
 I been guitly of selling 10 or 20 cars and trucks to junk yard becides fixing them. I junked reason bad transmsions, would not pass smog, or needed more money I wanted spend to fix them.


  I guess I am thinking about sending an 1987 camaro that needs an engine, and some light bodywork to restore it. It will not pass smog and guess it time send it pick a part since no calls on peaple buying it. My camaro has almost perfect interior.

 Its sad in south texas there are very peaple peaple who wants buy an car and restore it. I seen lots nice cars in junk yards here recently.

 I guess if your luckey find an old car over 20 years old and still in nice shape. Its worth buying and saving it and enjoying it.  Dale