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Location: McComb, Mississippi | While working in Alaska, I have lots of time to think about my Polara and possible plans for it when I return to Mississippi. I'm definitely going to repaint it, redo the interior, and add air conditioning, But....I'm thinking of adding a couple more options to the car. That's where you guys come in . I'd like some suggestions on the two options I should add. Here's some options the car already has. It has power steering, astrophonic radio with dual speakers, outside remote mirror, bumper guards, tinted glass, windshield washer with variable speed wipers, stone shields, padded dash , and map glovebox and trunk lights . I'm wanting to add a clock, but I'd like input from others. Thanks
Edited by plymouth 2014-09-14 10:38 PM
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Location: Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada | Add power windows! It's the hardest one to do! :p |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | An electric trunk release would be a very easy addition to your car. The 61 Polara deck lid is the same as the 62 Chrysler deck lid, and I added an electric trunk latch from a mid seventies Chrysler on my ex-1962 300 years ago and it bolted right in, as it is the exact same bolt pattern. The electric latch was used on many seventies and eighties Mopars and should be relatively easy to find. They're a neat option to have, not factory for a 61 Dodge but a simple install nonetheless.
I recently added one to my 1960 Chrysler, using the 70s-80s unit but had to weld on an adapter plate to fit the bolt pattern. You would not have to do this with the 61 Dodge. This thread talks about several trunk release installations http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=54494&... |
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | This should give you some inspiration!
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Location: Valley Forge, Pa. | Although I heard some ask why you should even have one if you are paying attention, I wished mine had the parking brake warning light. I try to be carefull but sometimes when I am setting on no grade, I don't put the brake on too hard and I have driven off with it still on. I know I am not the only person to do this otherwise, they wouldn't make a warning light. When I bought my car, it came with a block of wood for a wheel chock because people in the past drove with the brake on, melted the tranny seal and then oiled the brake to make it even worse.
I have an NOS brake lite kit but with the power rear window and remote mirror, I really don't have anywhere on the dash where they are normally mounted. |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | I don't know how I forgot that. The car does have the brake warning light. It would be cool to add power windows and a trunk release. Only thing with power windows is that they seem to not last as long as the manually regulated windows. I just thought about this ,I think it'd be neat to have a set of the spinner hubcaps. |
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Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH | udoittwo - 2014-09-15 9:16 AM Although I heard some ask why you should even have one if you are paying attention, I wished mine had the parking brake warning light. I try to be carefull but sometimes when I am setting on no grade, I don't put the brake on too hard and I have driven off with it still on. I know I am not the only person to do this otherwise, they wouldn't make a warning light. When I bought my car, it came with a block of wood for a wheel chock because people in the past drove with the brake on, melted the tranny seal and then oiled the brake to make it even worse. I have an NOS brake lite kit but with the power rear window and remote mirror, I really don't have anywhere on the dash where they are normally mounted. Really? The car you are driving didn't come with a brake warning light? Is it the 1960 Plymouth station wagon you use for an avatar that you're talking about? If so, then I am surprised as I thought all FLs came with a brake warning light. In fact, I can't remember any FL that I've owned that didn't have one. (1957 Chrysler Windsor; 1957 Dodge Coronet; 1958 De Soto Firesweep; 1959 Dodge Coronet; 1959 Plymouth Suburban; 1960 Dodge Dart Phoenix; 1961 Dodge Polara; 1963 Dodge Dart) It was pretty common though for people to give you a block of wood to use as a chock under your wheel when they sold you a FL car as the transmission [standard or automatic] didn't hold the car from rolling and the emergency brake on the driveshaft [external contracting for standard transmissions and internal expanding for automatic transmissions] that was meant to do the job was often not up to snuff. Nevertheless, if you are adding a light, good for you. You need to know if your parking brake is on before driving your car. By the time you smell the burning brake shoes it's usually too late.  
Edited by 58 DESOTOS RULE 2014-09-15 2:14 PM
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | plymouth - 2014-09-15 10:32 AM
I don't know how I forgot that. The car does have the brake warning light. It would be cool to add power windows and a trunk release. Only thing with power windows is that they seem to not last as long as the manually regulated windows. I just thought about this ,I think it'd be neat to have a set of the spinner hubcaps.
The power windows are still going strong on my 60 after 54 years!! Only issue I had was a broken motor mount which JC Auto repaired for me. Spinner hubcaps would be cool. Power windows would be a big job but two FL members here have added them - Wizard to his 1960 Chrysler and 300B to his 61 New Yorker. Wizard documented the whole job on this site. |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Hmmm that is tempting, but I'll just have to wait and see on that one. |
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | My ex-60 Polara has power windows, as does my ex-62 Chrysler 300. I can't live without them now! |
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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 would like 'my' car to have power windows....especially if it is a 4-door or convertible model; but I would NOT want to try to
retrofit a P/W system onto a non-P/W car; way too many hassles, all the way along that project.
Speaking of verts, my parents had 62 & 65 F-word verts (he insured a dealership, and had to patronize it, of course), but
neither had P/W in them and I, (as the window operator) never felt any particular imposition in operating them.
Of course, the windows easily and fully went up/down, as opposed to the 50's FWDLK types, which didn't/don't.
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Location: The Great Northwest | I would have to go along with Ian on the value and convenience of power windows. It took some planning and effort to put them into the 61 NYer but the end result is very worthwhile and extremely gratifying. If you are going to redo the interior, power swivel seats are something that is hard to beat for a FL period look and statement. I've gone nuts by also adding a signal seeking radio (with foot control), child proof rear door locks, auto pilot, A/C, and a very unusual Mopar NOS gold anodized aluminum front license plate frame that is listed in the 61 Accessories catalog. The Accessories catalog is fairly common to find on ebay if you want to purchase the official Mopar option menu that you can pick and choose from. No matter what you decide, it's your car so do whatever you want to make it the way you want.
Arland
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Location: Ocala, Florida | Why not swivels if you are decking it out? |
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Location: jersey | SONORAM. |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Sonorams would be cool but I don't think I'd like the price of the parts or gas. Power swivel seats, I'm not sure, think I prefer the bench seat better. How about just a power bench seat? Are the actual seats different between the power and manual versions? |
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | You can attach a power seat track to the bench seat but it will sit a couple of inches too high. The power seat uses a slightly different seat frame than the bench seat from 1960 through 1964.
Edited by imopar380 2014-09-15 9:59 PM
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Location: little rock, AR | 56300B - 2014-09-15 6:52 PM
I would have to go along with Ian on the value and convenience of power windows. It took some planning and effort to put them into the 61 NYer but the end result is very worthwhile and extremely gratifying. If you are going to redo the interior, power swivel seats are something that is hard to beat for a FL period look and statement. I've gone nuts by also adding a signal seeking radio (with foot control), child proof rear door locks, auto pilot, A/C, and a very unusual Mopar NOS gold anodized aluminum front license plate frame that is listed in the 61 Accessories catalog. The Accessories catalog is fairly common to find on ebay if you want to purchase the official Mopar option menu that you can pick and choose from. No matter what you decide, it's your car so do whatever you want to make it the way you want.
Arland
Sam(61forfun) did the power window option also |
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Location: little rock, AR | The seat holes are the same on both the swivel and manual seats. I have a power swivel seat and an electric seat for sale. Both are from Imperials. |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | I've kinda gotten interested in the swivel seats with no electric assist . Any clue where to find set ? What's the current prices for them?? |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Just about every option my DeSoto didn't come with I have added. Something I probably would not
do today, but it was the times and finding parts cars was a lot easier than today. Power windows aren't
that tough to swap in, so long as you have the entire system on hand. Power seat is a straight bolt-in
after 1958 ... super easy.
61 Dodge is a weird-ass car and quite the attention getter simply by being there. Some options will
enhance its bizarre street presence, others not so much. I love the dual rear antennas on the 56-58
cars, but think they add nothing to cars after that and would prefer a single fender mount job. The
swivel seats are a hoot and amuse those enchanted with the Jetson era stuff. Goes nicely with the 61
Dodge dash and door panels too.
I love power windows. Truly my singlemost favorite option. I suspect the 61 Polara sedan application
would interchange with a number of other cars up through 64, making it a helluva lot easier to find than
for a 58 DeSoto or something.
I am glad you are taking such an interest in this often neglected type of Forward Look car. They really
are cool and much more impressive in person than photos might suggest. 
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Location: The Great Northwest | Replacing a manual bench seat with a power swivel seat required drilling four more holes in the floor pan. Four of the power seat bolts do fit exactly through the holes for the manual version but four additional 'tandem' bolt holes are used on the power set up. Not a big deal but just a little different. |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Good intel.
For 57-58, the floor pans have the track areas punched out and special wedge-shaped panels
welded in that lower the seat track below the floor pan plane. Naturally, with the way those cars
were both rustproof and watertight, that lowered track area never rusted out or destroyed the
seat tracks/gears/motors and many survive in as-new condition making for an abundance of them
available today for restorers to buy inexpensively and easily do the conversion. 
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | To me, the most interesting option would be the power windows. Does anyone know if the window switches mount in the same location as the window handles ? I'd hate to have to replace these door panels as they are in wonderful condition . |
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Location: Ocala, Florida | Were power door locks available in the 61 Dodge? I have seen them in a Chrysler wagon. That would be neat also. |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | I believe vacuum locks were. |
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | 56300B - 2014-09-15 8:51 PM
Replacing a manual bench seat with a power swivel seat required drilling four more holes in the floor pan. Four of the power seat bolts do fit exactly through the holes for the manual version but four additional 'tandem' bolt holes are used on the power set up. Not a big deal but just a little different.
When I installed the power seat in my 60 Polara, I am sure there were "knockouts" that I simply removed for the extra 4 bolts. However it was over 35 years ago soo..... my memory is not what it used to me |
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | plymouth - 2014-09-16 11:12 AM
To me, the most interesting option would be the power windows. Does anyone know if the window switches mount in the same location as the window handles ? I'd hate to have to replace these door panels as they are in wonderful condition .
The front window switches go in the same place where the cranks are, but the rear switches are factory mounted further ahead of the crank handles. However, when Wizard installed his power windows in his 60 Chrysler 4 door HT, he installed the rear switches where the rear crank handles were, but I believe had to cut some sheet metal in the door to do it.
I found Wizard's thread on the installation, here http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=19497&...
Edited by imopar380 2014-09-16 4:02 PM
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Location: Ontario, Canada | Ian, thanks for posting Wizards thread. I hadn't seen it before.
Wizard, remarkable work. You are a patient and talented man! Thanks for taking the time to photograph and post it all!
Greg |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Could you get auto pilot on a polara? If it would physically fit on my dash and parts wouldn't cost too much, I'd love it. |
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Location: Ontario, Canada | plymouth - 2014-10-03 12:21 AM
Could you get auto pilot on a polara? If it would physically fit on my dash and parts wouldn't cost too much, I'd love it.
I think so. I think the only problem of fit was with ram cars.
Greg |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Well luckily I don't have cross rams. |
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Location: Ontario, Canada | While I don't know anything about 61, I did install my 58 auto pilot stuff. You will certainly need doner car parts. The dash /elec stuff is easy. The gas pedal linkage stuff is difficult to find.
Greg |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Thanks Greg. I'm very interested in installing one |
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Location: Ontario, Canada | Christian, if you find a doner car, be sure to get the dash stuff, the clamp-on gas pedal linkage rods (which go to the auto pilot motor assembly), the brake pedal (inside the car) cancelling switch, the two speedo cables (one goes from trans to auto pilot unit and the other from the auto pilot unit to the speedo) . This is just off the top of my head!!!
The actual under hood auto pilot unit sometimes requires modification of other under hood items. So --- be sure to get photos! This underhood unit has an integral motor. It is not an ordinary motor. It is called a "synchronous motor". I'm not quite sure what that really means but be aware that it means a bunch more money for a rebuild!!
Hey, it is a FABULOUS post 57 option. It truly is like having hand controls!!
Good luck with your search!
Greg |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Anybody have a few photos of this set up? |
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | Christian I have a complete Auto-Pilot set up that came from a 62 Chrysler. I have 2 styles of servo mounting brackets for 1960 and 1962 type. I bought it with the intention of installing it in the Saratoga, but I don't think I'll get it installed. I bought one new trans to servo cable from Gary Goers, bought a 1960 underhood mounting bracket.... PM me if interested. |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Pm sent |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | So you folks with the auto pilot feature, is there a noticeable difference in fuel economy? I was getting around 19mpg going 80ish mph with three passengers plus luggage. I think this is excellent, but wanted to ask if the auto pilot will improve this? |
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Location: McComb, Mississippi | Bump |
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Let's talk options
