This is my 85 Chrysler Fifth Avenue. It has come along way since I got this "grandma" car.

I got the first Fifth Avenue, a blue 89 in late February 2004. I got the car from my wifes grandparents. It was just meant for a car to drive while I redid my S-10. I had driven the car before, but had never paid attention to the fact it was a V-8 rearwheel drive car. That was a happy surprise.

The 1989 Fifth Ave was a 2 BBL 318 CI with lean burn, not really a power house. The 7 1/4 inch rearend with 2:26 gears didn't help at all either. It had power everything though, Locks, windows, seats, mirrors, moonroof. It had a few problems. It didn't like to idle when it was cold, and it would die going around corners. The carb would whistle at cruise and the front brake hoses had to be replaced.

The first mod done to the car was manifold back dual exhaust with 2 inch pipe, Magnaflow mufflers and tips. It sounded awesome!

Fixing Running Problems with Performance Upgrades

I drove the 89 Fifth for awhile and got really bored and annoyed with the running problems and lack of power. I purchased an electronic distributer and 4 BBl intake from a friend of a friend and bought a orange ECU from Mopar. I built the wiring harness and installed the ignition conversion and the cast 4 BBl intake, and a quadrajet carb. While the mods toke care of most of the problems they also created some of their own. The quadrajunk bogged on take off and a few weeks later the dinky 7 1/4 decided to leave it's spider gears at a stop sign. I couldn't find another 7 1/4 or an 8 1/4 rearend in the area. I did some measurements on the shop truck at work, an 89 S-10 4x4. After some bargaining I had a 94 S-10 7.625 4x4 rearend dropped off at work by a local salvage yard. It had 3:42 gears and a posi. My friend and I went to work welding the leafspring perches off the 7 1/4 to the 7.625. I had Catco build me a new driveshaft and the Fifth was back on the road. The 3:42 gears were great, but the speedo was way off.

In early September 2004 I bought an 85 Grand Fury squad car. I found it at, of all places, a demolition derby. It died before it got hit to many times. So the $25.00 changed hands and I had my first donor car. Right away I put the 8 1/4 with 2:94 gears and the rear sway bar in my fifth. The engine, transmission, radiator, speedometer (125 mph) were removed and put into storage for later. Well it ended up that the right side axle shaft was bent. I couldn't get an axle shaft that was right. They were all either too short or had the wrong spline. So I ended up driving it like that for awhile.

One day my friend wanted me to follow him to a Ford dealership about 30 miles away. It didn't take long to get there. I pulled up to the front doors to the dealership and parked. The excessive engine speed on the interstate caused a pinhole leak in my radiator, and it pissed right on the front door of the Ford dealership. By the time I limped it home the engine was in need of replacement. I chose to rebuild the 318 hd out of the squad car. I used the stock pistons, new rings, bearings, ssi cam, Offenhauser Intake, 600 cfm Holley. The heads got a 3 angle valve job with new guides. I installed the engine and transmission with the police radiator. It was a nice combo. Mild but fun.

In the Fall of 2005 an 85 Grand Fury squad car came into work. The car was VERY rusty, the transmission crossmember was rusted off, and the ball joints were ready to pop out. So I bought it. It had the right axle shaft for my car. I took that, the front sway bar, and the 15x7 Rally wheels.

Shortly after that the transmission went out. I picked up an 85 Fifth Avenue. It didn't run. I switched everything over to the new car because the body was much better. I rebent the dual exhaust 2 1/4 pipe, X pipe, Thrush Turbo mufflers, and Magnaflow tips.

I've done a few mods since switching cars. I have installed bucket seat of of a Chevy Monza. The drivers seat is still power. I had to replace the heater core so I painted the dash black, put in black carpet, headliner, etc. I just have to finish the door panels. The center console is out of an 81 Firebird. I added a Sunpro tach, Oil PSI, Water temp, and Volt gauges. A new sunroof was in order, also I added a Firebird wing. The ignition has been changed to a MSD 6A box and a Blaster 2 coil. I added Flowtech headers and changed the rearend gears to 3:21.

Mods Coming Soon

I have a set of 302 swirlport heads at the machine shop with 1.88 intake and 1.60 exhaust valves, pocket ported. And a hood scoop to add. This is a list of things I would like to do:

Fix Rust
Paint
Floor Shifter
2500 RPM Stall converter
1.6 Roller Rockers
New Cam

All in all I am quite happy with the car. It handles much better, has alot more power. I don't think grandma would drive it now but maybe grandpa.

(more pix on page 2)