MY 1968 CHRYSLER NEWPORT CUSTOM
"Old Yeller"
PAGE INDEX:
Page 1 - Finding the car, getting it started, and the test drive.
Page 2 - The Restoration Process
Page 3 - Memorable Road Trips
Page 4 - The Interior
Page 5 - The Car Shows
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Here it is sitting up on the rack, waiting for repairs to the brake lines, rear wheel bearing, and a check of the gas tank & guage which stays on empty.
I checked it out several times and finally had a mechanic go with me on Labor Day to check it out. After about a half hour he got the rubber hoses on both ends of the fuel pump replaced, unclogged the needle valve, and once a steady flow of gas got to the carburetor, the stubborn 383 V8 sprang to life on the third try, with his 16 year old son at the wheel! The previous owner pulled the For Sale sign off of the windshield. He must have known the test drive would sell the car! After the engine warmed up and smoothed out, we took it for a test drive. The first thing we noticed was the brake pedal was spongy and went all the way to the floor and the red brake warning light came on. We backed it up, off of the lawn, where it had been sitting and shut off the engine. Upon opening the rusty brake fluid reservoir, we discovered the it was completely empty. I evenly distributed a vintage cone type can of brake fluid into the two sections, so they were each about half full. The engine started right up with no problem this time. Now for the test drive. We accellerated briskly. There was no hesitation from the engine or the automatic transmission. It shifted smoothly into 2nd at 20 mph and 3rd at 40 mph. Then we cruised at 45 for a while, before taking it up to 65. There was no shaking at all...smooth as glass...but we heard a roaring noise and smelled rubber. Were the tires rubbing on the fender skirts? We pulled into a driveway and the brake light came on upon applying the brakes. We went back for a pit stop and checked the tires to see if anything was rubbing on them. Plenty of room behind the skirts and under the fenders and the tires were still fairly cool. It had to be a bad wheel bearing. Next, I took the to driver's seat. We went a little further this time, not going over 45, and I down shifted into 2nd and then low to avoid using the brakes any more than necessary, where we turned around. Coming back, my friend said, "you're not gonna make it into the driveway, keep going", as he tooted the horn and said "Let's take off for Colorado". We got a kick out of that. Then we found another driveway to turn into. The right front tire skidded to a stop. "Well, at least the front brakes are holding". "Now let's burn Out". I said "If I do that, we'll miss the driveway again". As we pulled in the second time, they were opening a second beer to celebrate. By that time we had a pretty good idea what needed to be fixed, and were sure that the engine and transmission were in good shape. I got the previous owner to throw in the battery he had put in it, at no extra charge, since the old one was no good and I paid him the $1500 he had asked for. After seeing the last two registrations and the title, I was certain this was the car I had been admiring for years. The elderly lady that previously owned it had it from 1976 to 2002 when it was sold at an auction to the current owner. It was obvious that the odometer reading of 59,770 was the actual mileage. I put in some lead substitute and 5 gallons of 89 octane gas. We then began the 35 mile trip to the shop for a thorough check-up underneath. I followed behind my friend's van and only had to flash the lights once, when it seemed to buck a little, but it cleared up and ran fine after that. We figured it was just condensation or the remaining old dirty gas. We cruised through Plainfield at 20 mph, creating quite a back-up on Highway 73. No traffic was coming the other way as we got to old 51 south, so I downshifted into low and turned left without using the brakes at all, holding down the turn signal lever to keep it flashing. When we got going on old 51, two vehicles passed us on the yellow line, as they obviously had gotten very impatient.
We made the 35 mile trip from north of Bancroft to the shop southwest of Coloma without any major problems, taking all back county trunk roads with not much traffic on them.

The engine is in great shape mechanically, though a bit rusty on the outside. A great engine is only as good as the fuel pump that feeds it, and the fuel pump seems to be a little weak. The aging gas tank probably has some rust particles that have contaminated the gas, which clogged up the fuel filter. Once that was blown out, my mechanic reported it runs better now.
Update Sept. 23: It appears the brakes need a complete overhaul, including new shoes and lines. One of the bleeders is broken off, so that presented a problem. The condition of the cylinders remains to be seen. The gas guage is unstuck and now working. Eventually it will need a new gas tank, which is leaking near the top by the gas line, but the heavy straps supporting it are still okey. The search is on for the aluminum strip between the right rear fender skirt and the back bumper, since the right rear fender is rusted out. The left one is rusted out also, but the chrome strip is still intact. The left front fender has a bad spot behind the wheel. The right front fender is still fine. There are a few pimples on the doors and back fenders. Other than that, the body is in pretty good shape for its age. It will cost quite a bit to restore it, but the important things, like the brakes, will have to take priority.

This picture shows the right rear fender that is rusted out and needs a piece of chrome that unfortunately is missing. Luckily the fender skirt is still okey.

This is the data I found from my 1972 Consumer Reports Buyers Guide which shows both the 1968 Chrysler V8 and the 1968 Chrysler Imperial. The data is still pretty accurate, except for the suspension and shocks which are still in great shape. The brakes and fuel system are definitely problem areas.

This is a picture of the aging gas tank which will eventually need to be replaced. As you can see, the car is in rough condition underneath, due to years of exposure to road salt.

Here is a picture of the beautiful grill which is still in pristine condition.

Here is a close-up of the left rear, which shows the huge trunk.

This photo shows the right side. The greenish color isn't accurate. The actual color is gold like in the other pictures.

Here is a picture of the right front fender, which is the only one still in excellent condition. Both front and rear chrome bumpers are also in excellent condition.

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