Re: [FWDLK] 58 Mopar rust problem? Fact, Fiction, or just way overstated?

["Jim Pennington" <pennington@xxxxxxxx>]

I would agree with you Bill.  My father worked at a Plymouth-Desoto
dealership from '55-'58 and he tells the same tales.  He also remembers
several '57 Plymouths suffering from upper front fender rust-through BEFORE
the '58 Plymouths had hit the market! (Including his aunt's car whose '57
Savoy actually "dropped" a headlight assembly in late '57).  The dealership
primarily attributed the poor sales in '58 to customer dissatisfaction with
the '57 models. Personally, I think the fact that rust has claimed so many
of the FL cars only increases the collectibility of the ones that survived.
I mean, if everywhere you looked you saw a FL car (i.e. a '57 Chevy), how
"special" would they be?  Viva La Difference!

Jim Pennington

-----Original Message-----
From: TheCarNutz@xxxxxxx <TheCarNutz@xxxxxxx>
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sunday, January 30, 2000 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] 58 Mopar rust problem? Fact, Fiction, or just way
overstated?


>Although most of the current owners on the list are infactuated with their
57
>to 59 fin cars and may find it hard to accept, these cars had a much
deserved
>bad reputation for being rust buckets.  I was a teen ager when these cars
>were new, and even worked one summer at a Dodge dealership as a parts
chaser.
> As others have pointed out, design changes and very sloppy workmanship
were
>contributing factors.  Not only did they rust out prematurely, the fit and
>finish on the cheap interiors was a common complaint, as was the leaks and
>rattles.  The 57's were the worst, and due to so many complaints the
factory
>did improve on the 58's and more on the 59's.  And although other cars of
>that era had inherent rust problems expecially around the head lights,
rocker
>panels and lower quarter panels, none seemed to suffer the consequenses of
>the "salt & cinders" as much as the Mopars.  It was often said by Mopar
>diehards of the time, " if Chrysler Corp would just build the chassis,
>suspension and drive train, and send it out and let someone else build the
>body and put in the interior", it would be the perfect car!
>                                    Bill B.
>