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New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [50 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
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soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Been lurking on this site for years. Been a fan of Forward Look cars for more than 20 years but never owned one... untill now! My dad and I picked up this 1959 Dodge Mayfair with only 33 800 original miles on it today. It is a true survivor that was never restored, except for a paint refresh in the early 1990's. The interior is like new: no tears, no stains and all original. There is no rust or bondo anywhere. The car was garaged by the first owner who kept it untill the early 2000's. It's got the 313 engine and Powerflite transmission, both of which work great. The only issue is that the heater had a problem in the past and was bypassed. We'll have it restored back to working condition pretty soon. We're very happy about this car and it sure is a head turner, especially in these colours! ..Oh, and if someone know how to decode the Canadian VIN and codes, please let me know. Thanks! - David Pics: Edited by soiouz 2009-08-29 4:21 AM | ||
B/G 61 |
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Expert Posts: 2612 Location: Parts Unknown | Very nice - No rust, all steel, original panels can't beat that !!! And you are right; SUPER NICE COLOR !!! | ||
old mopar guy |
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Expert Posts: 1508 Location: new york | Nice Thats a sweet ride! The color really complements this car! Good Luck and HAPPY MOTORING! Victor... | ||
My58PlymouthFury |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 397 Location: McHenry Illinois | Great looking Dodge! | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | I like the rear bumper guards, too! By 1959 , Chrysler pretty much had got the 'hang' of hanging body panels togther. Bet that it rides real nice, as a sedan. There is a lot of era-type and OEM-optional equipment out there, that you can find, to personalize the car to your individual taste. Enjoy the hobby! Edited by d500neil 2009-08-29 2:27 PM | ||
callingdrlove01 |
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Regular Posts: 56 Location: Martinsville, IN | Wow! Great find. That's a real beauty! | ||
wizard |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+ Posts: 13062 Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Wow - that Plodge looks as good as new! Really a supernice find and a cool ride. Welcome to the gang. Edited by wizard 2009-08-29 3:09 PM | ||
Kenny J. |
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Inactive by user's request Location: Las Vegas, Nevada | What an awesome '59! Congratulations on your acquisition. And welcome aboard. This photo looks like a dealership postcard. K. Edited by Kenny J. 2009-08-29 3:26 PM (1959Dodge016.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 1959Dodge016.jpg (285KB - 194 downloads) | ||
Kenny J. |
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Inactive by user's request Location: Las Vegas, Nevada | I couldn't resist! : (1959Dodge016a.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 1959Dodge016a.jpg (98KB - 176 downloads) | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Kenny J. - 2009-08-29 3:23 PM I couldn't resist! : Haha! That is awesome! You are absolutely right that the pic does look like a period advertisement shot. Thanks for all the good words everybody. My dad and I are really psyched about the car, and I'm glad to be part of this community. It does ride like new! And we are amazed at how much people react to this car passing by.. we had a 1964 Chevelle convertible and a 1964 Ford Falcon convertible before, and never had this much reaction!.. It's a whole different thing! Edited by soiouz 2009-08-29 3:43 PM | ||
Bart_59_Dodge |
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Expert Posts: 1444 Location: Oconomowoc Wi | ...neither could I.
Edited by Bart_59_Dodge 2009-08-29 3:43 PM (plodge.jpg) Attachments ---------------- plodge.jpg (102KB - 313 downloads) | ||
Chrycoman |
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Expert Posts: 1819 Location: Vancouver, BC | To decode the serial number : M123 555555 M - Model Year : 1959 1 - Car Line : 7 - Dodge 6 / 8 - Dodge V8 2 - Series : 3 - Regent / 5 - Mayfair / 6 - Viscount / 7 - Suburban & Sport Suburban 3 - Assembly plant : 9 - Windsor 555555 - Sequential production that started at 100001 for each Car Line / Series combination. Model numbers were : ME1-L : Dodge Regent & Suburban - 6 ME2-L : Dodge Regent & Suburban - V8 ME1-M : Dodge Mayfair - 6 ME2-M : Dodge Mayfair - V8 ME2-H : Dodge Viscount & Sport Suburban - V8 Two models were imported - Dodge Custom Suburban 3-seat wagon and Dodge Mayfair convertible. They were built at the Lynch Road plant in Detroit and were identical to the models offered in the U.S., engines, colours, serial numbers, everything. On the firewall of your car there should be a plate with the following : Model No Body No Trim Code Paint Code The model numbers should be : ME2-L - 4dr sedan The trim code will be three letters, the first M (1959), the second for the colour (B - blue, J or L - grey, K - brown) and the third for the style/material. The paint code will have three letters, first one for the roof, second for the body and the third for the insert colour. The colour seems to be Jasper Green Metallic (F) with the roof Winter White (X) so the Paint Code would be XFX. Chrysler of Canada exported the Mayfair sedan as the Kingsway Deluxe (ME1-M) and the Plymouth version as the Belvedere (MP1-M) and DeSoto Diplomat Deluxe (MF1-M). No other models were exported. On your car, the rear arm rests, insert side trim, wheel covers, exterior mirrors, radio, cigar lighter, Powerflite transmission and heater are all options. White wall tires were also optional. And for the Canadian Dodge postcard - | ||
Chrycoman |
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Expert Posts: 1819 Location: Vancouver, BC | Try this again - (1959Dodge016ca.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 1959Dodge016ca.jpg (128KB - 166 downloads) | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | Nice job, but the logo-type styling is 'off'--needs to be blockier, more 50's style. Keep working on it! | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Thanks a lot, Chrycoman! That's great info right there! So our car has more options than I thought! That's very interesting! The only thing that doesn't seem right is the Paint code... The data tag says "XFF", but the former owner swears the insert had always been white..? Hmmm... Here's a pic of that plate: | ||
Chrycoman |
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Expert Posts: 1819 Location: Vancouver, BC | It is possible the car was shipped from the factory without the extra trim and insert colour. The rather simple exterior trim on the cheapest series was always a problem in attracting buyers. In 1963 Chrysler of Canada offered a trim package for the Savoy and 220 and the Canadian-built 1964 Savoy and 330 models had more trim than in the U.S. Thus the dealer may have added the trim and extra colour to get the car off the lot. Your car was the 1,790th Regent V8 sedan built. Do not have production figures for the Canadian 1959 Plymouth-based Dodge models. | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Chrycoman - 2009-08-29 6:48 PM It is possible the car was shipped from the factory without the extra trim and insert colour. The rather simple exterior trim on the cheapest series was always a problem in attracting buyers. In 1963 Chrysler of Canada offered a trim package for the Savoy and 220 and the Canadian-built 1964 Savoy and 330 models had more trim than in the U.S. Thus the dealer may have added the trim and extra colour to get the car off the lot. Your car was the 1,790th Regent V8 sedan built. Do not have production figures for the Canadian 1959 Plymouth-based Dodge models. Thanks a lot Bill! Yes, this may very well be the case: came out of the factory all green with white top, but the dealer painted the side trim. The car is a Mayfair model, though, not a Regent. But that's all very interesting! Edited by soiouz 2009-08-29 10:48 PM | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Short update on our car. We got everything checked over and the only problem we discovered that we didn't know at first was a very small leak at the junction between the filler tube and the gas tank. It's fixed now. The car is in really amazing shape. There's no rust in the original floors at all. The original owner really treated this car well, having had a treatment put under it from the time he acquired it in late 1958. A couple of pics of the underside: And the near perfect original interior (note the red spring for the seat adjustment and the original rubber mats in excellent condition): | ||
wizard |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+ Posts: 13062 Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | David, your ball and trunnion is puking grease - check if the rubber boot is broken - this may cause a breakdown | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | wizard - 2009-09-10 3:57 PM David, your ball and trunnion is puking grease - check if the rubber boot is broken - this may cause a breakdown Oh, yes thanks. Yeah, we checked that too... I forgot to mention it. It's ok now, though. We also had the engine cleaned and a small gasket changed. Edited by soiouz 2009-09-10 4:26 PM | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | David, looking at your car's floor pan, it appears as if your car might have been built without factory undercoating on it(!). The undercoating that is there is applied (thinly) all over the undercarriage, and got put onto the frame rails, too. In the factory, the floor pans were undercoated before the body got mated ('dropped') onto the frame/chassis, so that there should be no OEM undercoating appearing on the frame rails. That company apparently didn't spray the fuel tank, but, looking at your car, it looks like such work was never needed. Be thankful that your car still has its OEM rubber floor coverings; nobody re-pops them. You might consider installing a full width rubber floor mat OVER the OEM rubber floor coverings, to protect them. A green colored mat would contrast nicely with the black covering. Your car deserves to be preserved in a museum. Edited by d500neil 2009-09-10 6:11 PM | ||
59CRL |
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Expert Posts: 2679 | Wow... very nice 59 Dodge, she looks great! I like the white stripe down the side. Very nice ride for sure!! | ||
58 DESOTOS RULE |
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Expert Posts: 2308 Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH | It looks like the previous owner(s) took very good car of this car. I'm not accustomed to seeing 50 year old MoPars with solid floor pans and rocker panels.You were very lucky to land this one. | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Trying to fix the heater in our 1959 Dodge Mayfair (it's a Plymouth Belvedere for Americans!), we found out that the sort of diaphragm just behind the heater controls in the dash is the part that was leaking. Anybody got that part in good condition? Pics: | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Foundthis one on ePay, do you guys think it would fit? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=31013... | ||
wizard |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+ Posts: 13062 Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Forget that - Napa has a repair kit; NAPA BALKAMP 6601000 Replacement Seal "Fits most early models" - probalbly the cheapest way to do it. Here's a link that Thord 55 CRL posted about his renovation http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=24509&... kit&highlightmode=1#M167009 | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | What is that thing you are holding, David, an NOS piece????? FIX it! A lot of our cars' parts are electro-mechanical (or, purely mechanical) in nature, so that they can be disassembled and be overhauled. Your heater control valve is no exception. | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Wizard, thanks a lot for that link, that's exactly what we will do! You know, the car is 500km away from me, and my dad's working on it. He's more a "change it" than a "repair it" kind of guy... I'll let him know about this kit and make sure that this is what he does. I'm more a "repair it" guy myself! Edited by soiouz 2009-09-19 4:31 PM | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | Short update on this heater problem we had: the small gasket in the control valve was indeed the faulty part. It is now changed, the original valve back in place, the heater hooked back up and everything works perfectly! Thanks for the tips guys! Here's the latest pictures. The car is now in storage for winter, even though weather has not been so bad in the last couple of days. | ||
57burb |
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Expert Posts: 3967 Location: DFW, TX | What an excellent example! Beautiful colors and dramatic style, I love it!! | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | David, here's a good wintertime mini-project: Drain the radiator's antifreeze to a level below that of the thermostat housing. Remove the upper hose from the T-stat housing and inspect the housing. Chances are that the housing, beneath the area of the hose is (badly-) corroded--or not. If it is corroded, you can remove it and have it be repaired by a competent local shop. Check the thermostat, too; it will probably look fine, but it is 50 years old, now--it IS date-coded. When my car's OEM thermostat failed, a couple years ago, it did so in the fully opened position(thank you very much!). As ain't no-one gonna know or care that your car's T-stat isn't OEM, go get another one and install it, along with a new gasket--regardless of the condition of the thermostat housing. Use a torque wrench to tighten down the re-installed thermostat housing; dunno its rating, but any Service Manual will give that requirement to you. | ||
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