Major crapola...my 440 Yorker seems to be going bye bye

[ChargerBill]

I just cannot believe this at all. About 2 years ago I bought a New Yorker from my brother-in-laws father for $400...gave him $300 and he said it was mine..still owe him $100 and he said when I come to haul it away just pay him then. He pretty much said whenever I could get the car out of there it would be fine (he has 9 acres) and so I have left it there for the last 2 years. Every once in a while I go start it up to keep it running then disconnect the battery until next time. It has a 440, 727, 83/4...the interior is in great shape, dash is excellent, bumpers are really nice, body is rust free and 99% straight, BUT the tranny is shot and the rearend makes a grinding noise, however the 440 pulls really hard. I figured I'd pull the engine, tranny & rear end and sell the rest for parts....or just off the body to the local wrecker if no one wanted it.

So flash forward to yesterday, I get second hand info from my sister. She saw her father-in-law at the grocery store and he tells her that he has someone who is buying the New Yorker for $500 and is going to give me back my money. At this point I'm kind of shell-shocked and don't know what to think. He never said to come and get it out of there, never complained and every time I'm at his house he points to it and says, "See, I'm taking good care of your car"...it's sitting under a tarp by his woodpile. So I call him and he says he would rather the car didn't get parted out as he thinks it's restorable. I told him it would take thousands JUST to make it roadworthy (did I mention the wiring is shot too?) and he says this guy wants to restore it. Great, so now he tugs at my Mopar heartstrings with the "save a Mopar" speech. So, what should I do? I was really counting on having this 440 as my backup, and they are getting harder to find. So, should I let it go, or should I get over there and haul it away? BTW: I have NO place to put it right now...I'd have to put a friend out (cash in a fravor) to have a place to put it before I could start tearing it apart...  

[Charger_Fan]

I bet this new guy is gonna part it out too...he just isn't saying it in so many words.

I guess if you don't have any place to keep it right now & you're actually gonna get your money back, let the other guy have it. There's other 440's in big boats still out there for cheap.

[Old Moparz]

I've watched 2 friends in a similar position do this, & all I could do is listen to both sides of the story & not let the other know I had heard it. Someone had a car stored, & someone was allowing the car to be stored. (With no money involved.) When it was time to get it out after several years, the one doing the storing was annoyed it was there for so long. The one who owned the car was annoyed he was asked to remove it & didn't have a place to put it. I knew I was going to be asked to let it stay at my place, but I knew better & made sure I had "no room at the inn" for it.

I'd have to say you should just tell him you'll honor the deal & you'll get it out right away for him. If he insists it be saved, then lie. Tell him you had second thoughts & want to restore it to a show car. What difference does it make at this point since he didn't honor the deal anyway? Drag it home, part the motor & scrap it. It's just a car that doesn't work & won't be restored. Chances are someone else who wants a 440 knew about it & said they'd give him more than you. If you can't drag it home, then tell him to sell it & get your money back & remember how he makes deals for the next time.

One thing I learned over the years is that when someone says take it, take it right away. These offers for certain prices or conditions conveniently change into something else later on.

[ChargerBill]

I really wish I knew someone who needed NY parts...would make my life easier. I have to call the wrecker first thing tomorrow and find out if he's going to charge me to take the heap off my hands once I'm done with it. NOW I need to see how fast I can tear into it and remove the parts I want...really kills my week, and I already had no time.

[Silver R/T]

well if that guy is really gonna fix it up I think he should have it

[ChargerBill]

Like OLd said, how do I know he's not just wanting the 440? Besides, how often do you see or hear of a fully restored '67 New Yorker? Ther's NO WAY you could get a return on your money, and they aren't THAT great looking that I could see someone choosing THAT car over , say a Belvedere, a Fury, Dart or Satellite.... I mean, you could buy a wrecked up non running Dart for $500 easy.

[Old Moparz]

There's been 5 or 6 times where I can recall the timing on a really good deal, just plain sucked. That was whether I went through with it or not, & some I managed, & some I just passed on. You have to know what your limits & capabilities will be at that particular time. I agree with CF, there will always be another 440 car later on, the trick is just not to "want it right away at all costs." That applies to ebay too.

[472 R/T SE]

Tell him with the market being the way it is, you need more money.

[Silver R/T]

Like OLd said, how do I know he's not just wanting the 440? Besides, how often do you see or hear of a fully restored '67 New Yorker? Ther's NO WAY you could get a return on your money, and they aren't THAT great looking that I could see someone choosing THAT car over , say a Belvedere, a Fury, Dart or Satellite.... I mean, you could buy a wrecked up non running Dart for $500 easy.

well theres guy on here with lebaron that's making a 'sleeper' out of it...

[ChargerBill]

I think a 5,000 lb "sleeper" would STILL be a sleeper...unless the guy was shooting nitrous. Those New Yorkers are frigging BOATS!

[Lowprofile]

Yea, I think that other guy just wants the drivetrain. Thats your car, bro. I would go and get it ASAP, pull the drivetrain & all the other parts you need/want, and send it to the crusher.  Just my 

[472 R/T SE]

There's a reason New Yorkers were banned at demolition derbies in the midwest.

[bull]

My experience has been that there's often an unspoken undercurrent of talk that goes on in situations like this. In other words, many people aren't straight-shooters when it comes to what they say vs. what they mean. I try to always say what I mean and mean what I say. If I say "I'm buying" at a restaurant it means I'm buying. If someone else tells me they're buying then I take the statement at its face value. I don't play the games and I don't usually associate with people who do. If your bro-in-law told you the car could be stored indefinitely then I would assume that's what he really meant. As far as what to do now you need to decide if you really want the car. If you do want it then take the remaining $100 and go get it. And while you're there I'd tell him you don't appreciate his dishonesty about the situation. If he wanted it gone he should have had the guts to tell you a long time ago. Tell him next time (if there is a next time) say what you mean and don't BS me. If you don't want the car take your money back and forget it. Now you know what kind of people you're dealing with and you can adjust your actions accordingly.

FWIW, I don't think a used 440 is worth quite that much money, unless you think you can make up the difference by selling the car parts.

[derailed]

IMO I would let it go and collect your money and use it for other charger necessities unless you really feel the dire urge you have to get it. Ive been in a similar predicament myself and after making the decisiion to let it fly i didnt really miss the car one bit and theres always 440s out there if you need a motor. Maybe being family he felt bad pressuring you to get it out of there and never said anything or maybe he really wanted the car restored who knows but i would let it go. Thats just my opinion, besides these things seem to happen for a reason

[6pkrunner]

I've gone through the same scene often enough to know that when you pay for something, or partially pay for it - get it out right away. I know you said it was storage and didn't seem to affect his life in any way, but this is exactly what happens. and its all the time. sorry to hear of the hassles you're into. Find another storage locale and get it there ASAP. I'm sure this exact thing has happened to almost everyone at one time or another.

[Blown70]

There's a reason New Yorkers were banned at demolition derbies in the midwest.

Never heard of a new yorker,  Imperials yes  they have that nice Beam in the front I have never seen a New Yorker with one.  A lot will swap a front but that is all I have seen.

[PocketThunder]

There's a reason New Yorkers were banned at demolition derbies in the midwest.

Never heard of a new yorker,   Imperials yes   they have that nice Beam in the front I have never seen a New Yorker with one.   A lot will swap a front but that is all I have seen.

I didnt know that.  There were a group of guys in the local derby that won all the time with Imperials.  I guess the officials finanly figured out the secret. 

---------------------------------------------------------- (where's mike d?)

Bill, i just pulled the 440 out of my NY this summer, and stripped some other parts, and it took me all day!  So if your short on time already with no place to store the car then maybe just let it go to the other guy and find another engine later on.  Do you have a 440 already?  I think you said you wanted this one for a spare..

[cudaken]

 One detail Bill left out, the 440 only has 67,000 miles on it.

Bill, if they turly want to restore the New Yorker, well let them have it for $200.00 with out the 440. Heck, it would not stop any of us from buying a Mopar we wanted.

Heck, tell them they can have it for $100.00 if they help pull the 440 for you.

                                      Ken

[4402tuff4u]

I say let it go especially since you dont have the time to take it apart or store it. 440 are out there. Just keep your antennas tuned. As a matter fact I saw a couple here.
Plus he's not immediate family but he's close enough - father in-law, correct?. Let it go and just keep it in your memory banks. It's not worth putting a strain in your marriage over an engine and spare parts. 

[694spdRT]

Wish I lived closer Bill. With our skid loader and torch we could have that 440 out in no time and drop the New Yorker off at the junkyard on the way to your house. 

I know of a real low mileage(around 20K) 1967 4 door C body with a 383 and the owner can't sell it without giving it away. I doubt anyone plans to restore that one.

I have pulled the big block drivetrains out of a 1969 Chrylser 300 4 door, '71 Imperial, '73 Newport, and a '68 Chrysler. I also finished off a few factory big block trucks too. They were just to far gone to ever consider saving.

[firefighter3931]

One detail Bill left out, the 440 only has 67,000 miles on it.

Bill, if they turly want to restore the New Yorker, well let them have it for $200.00 with out the 440. Heck, it would not stop any of us from buying a Mopar we wanted.

Heck, tell them they can have it for $100.00 if they help pull the 440 for you.

                                                        Ken

I like that idea....if they really want to restore the car sell it to them for $100.00 and we'll see how serious they really are about restoring it    It's your car Bill....go get it if you really want it. A running steel crank closed chamber 440 with a 727 is worth keeping around, inmo. Having been in a c-body it won't have been abused and likely never saw the high dise of 4000 rpm. It could easily be freshened up with rings and bearings and be put back into service for many years....

Scrap steel is worth at least $75.00 a ton so you've got close to $150.00 in scrap metal alone with that beast. Good luck...i hope this doesn't create hard feelings with extended family members. The relative should have at least called and informed you about the other "offer". The right thing to do would have been for him to tell the prospective buyer to contact you....because it's YOUR car to sell, not his. I don't like "weasels"   

Ron

[Blown70]

You talking about the Frech lake auto guys?

We usually ran with them..... well against them and was often a toss up.... Depends on how good we did setting up the car.

We had one Imperial with 14 demos on it and never got worse than a second.....

[PocketThunder]

You talking about the Frech lake auto guys?

We usually ran with them..... well against them and was often a toss up.... Depends on how good we did setting up the car.

We had one Imperial with 14 demos on it and never got worse than a second.....

No, some guys i went to HS with in Mid-west Wisconsin......

[472 R/T SE]

There's a reason New Yorkers were banned at demolition derbies in the midwest.

Never heard of a new yorker,  Imperials yes  they have that nice Beam in the front I have never seen a New Yorker with one.  A lot will swap a front but that is all I have seen.

Ooops, maybe it was the Imperials.  My Dad used to build the cars and my uncle ran them.  They never used Chryslers, just bitched about them.  The GM's they used would only last one derby alot.  The Chryslers would go and go and go, and look the same at the end of the day as when they started.

My buddy used to work at the Ice Store so we would bring in the chilled company truck carrying kegs.

[RD]

440 running = $400-500 (forged crank from that pupply will go for $200 alone (does it have the 915 heads?)
727 core = $50-75
8 3/4 = $100 (that has 11" rear brakes)
Radiator will be date coded for 67 model year, goes across all b bodies too i believe


get it and part it out as quick as you can and send the rest to the crusher (minus trim pieces and easy to take off stuff, put that on ebay )