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New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair
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soiouz
Posted 2009-08-29 4:19 AM (#186722)
Subject: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 3480
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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
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B/G 61
Posted 2009-08-29 8:43 AM (#186735 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 2612
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Location: Parts Unknown		Very nice - No rust, all steel, original panels can't beat that !!! And you are right; SUPER NICE COLOR !!!
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old mopar guy
Posted 2009-08-29 12:25 PM (#186749 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 1508
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Location: new york		Nice Thats a sweet ride! The color really complements this car! Good Luck and HAPPY MOTORING! Victor...
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My58PlymouthFury
Posted 2009-08-29 12:41 PM (#186750 - in reply to #186749)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Extreme Veteran

Posts: 397
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Location: McHenry Illinois		Great looking Dodge!
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d500neil
Posted 2009-08-29 2:23 PM (#186767 - in reply to #186750)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
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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
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callingdrlove01
Posted 2009-08-29 2:27 PM (#186768 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Regular

Posts: 56
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Location: Martinsville, IN		Wow! Great find. That's a real beauty!
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wizard
Posted 2009-08-29 3:08 PM (#186774 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+

Posts: 13045
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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
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Kenny J.
Posted 2009-08-29 3:15 PM (#186776 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Inactive by user's request

50001000
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)



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Attachments 1959Dodge016.jpg (285KB - 186 downloads)
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Kenny J.
Posted 2009-08-29 3:23 PM (#186777 - in reply to #186776)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Inactive by user's request

50001000
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada		I couldn't resist! :



(1959Dodge016a.jpg)



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Attachments 1959Dodge016a.jpg (98KB - 170 downloads)
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soiouz
Posted 2009-08-29 3:40 PM (#186778 - in reply to #186777)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 3480
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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
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Bart_59_Dodge
Posted 2009-08-29 3:40 PM (#186779 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 1443
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Location: Oconomowoc Wi

...neither could I.

 



Edited by Bart_59_Dodge 2009-08-29 3:43 PM




(plodge.jpg)



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Attachments plodge.jpg (102KB - 306 downloads)
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Chrycoman
Posted 2009-08-29 5:53 PM (#186798 - in reply to #186779)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 1819
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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 -

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Chrycoman
Posted 2009-08-29 6:00 PM (#186800 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 1819
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Location: Vancouver, BC		Try this again -




(1959Dodge016ca.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments 1959Dodge016ca.jpg (128KB - 158 downloads)
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d500neil
Posted 2009-08-29 6:03 PM (#186803 - in reply to #186800)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
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Location: bishop, ca		Nice job, but the logo-type styling is 'off'--needs to be blockier, more 50's style.

Keep working on it!




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soiouz
Posted 2009-08-29 6:33 PM (#186807 - in reply to #186798)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 3480
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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:

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Chrycoman
Posted 2009-08-29 6:48 PM (#186809 - in reply to #186807)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 1819
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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.
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soiouz
Posted 2009-08-29 7:09 PM (#186810 - in reply to #186809)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 3480
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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
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soiouz
Posted 2009-09-10 3:33 PM (#188339 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 3480
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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):

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wizard
Posted 2009-09-10 3:57 PM (#188341 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+

Posts: 13045
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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
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soiouz
Posted 2009-09-10 4:25 PM (#188343 - in reply to #188341)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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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
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d500neil
Posted 2009-09-10 6:09 PM (#188357 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
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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
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59CRL
Posted 2009-09-10 6:33 PM (#188363 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 2679
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Wow... very nice 59 Dodge, she looks great! I like the white stripe down the side. Very nice ride for sure!!
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58 DESOTOS RULE
Posted 2009-09-11 1:16 PM (#188491 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 2308
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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. 
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soiouz
Posted 2009-09-19 11:25 AM (#189463 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 3480
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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:





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soiouz
Posted 2009-09-19 12:38 PM (#189468 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 3480
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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...
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wizard
Posted 2009-09-19 1:53 PM (#189471 - in reply to #189468)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+

Posts: 13045
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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
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d500neil
Posted 2009-09-19 2:23 PM (#189472 - in reply to #189471)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
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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.










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soiouz
Posted 2009-09-19 4:08 PM (#189477 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



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Posts: 3480
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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
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soiouz
Posted 2009-10-13 11:43 AM (#192286 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 3480
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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.




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57burb
Posted 2009-10-13 12:02 PM (#192289 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: RE: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Expert

Posts: 3967
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Location: DFW, TX		What an excellent example! Beautiful colors and dramatic style, I love it!!
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d500neil
Posted 2009-10-13 2:52 PM (#192303 - in reply to #186722)
Subject: Re: New FL car owner!! 1959 Dodge Mayfair



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
5000500050002000200010025
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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