YEAR: 1985
MAKE: Plymouth
MODEL: Caravelle SE
BODY TYPE: Sedan
MILEAGE: 83,586
DATE OF OWNERSHIP: December 1, 1993 - Present
NICKNAME: Blue Lightning

Update December 14, 2009: 16 years of Caravelle ownership since Dec 1st.  Again, the car is stored for the winter.  I haven't taken it out this year, except once, for inspection.  I probably could have saved the $30 though had i known I wasn't going to drive it.  Still needs some paint work.  I am hoping to get that done next year.

Update December 31, 2008: 15 years of Caravelle ownership since Dec 1st.  The car is currently stored for this winter.  In the spring I am hoping to get at the rust spots and finally get the car show worthy.  I'd like to at least get one trophy for this car in 2009.  I also got a notification from Cardomain that my Caravelle is voted number 1 in its category.  Pretty cool.

Update October 29, 2007: New classic plate on car.
Update October 23, 2007: Classic plate issued.

This is my 1985 Plymouth Caravelle. I have had it since December of 1993. It has undergone MANY, and I do mean many modifications. It is on it's third repaint. When ever you paint a car, never skimp. This time I did not. It's had new doors, fenders, floor pans, interior. The only thing still original to the car is the wheels. I put in an entire brake system including the brake lines. Everything brake in the car has been replaced in the summer of 2006; the master cylinder, shoes, pads, rotors, drums, calipers, wheel cylinders... you get the idea. It's not much, but it's my first car. It has yet again some rust spots which I will get fixed next summer. I originally used this as a daily driver, but in the past two years I think I put less than 100 miles on it. I plan on getting a classic plate for it next due inspection in November.

The car as it looks today. Pics taken last year in 2006.

Pics of the car in 1995. Note the rusted out fender and peeling paint.

Pics of the car after the door was replaced from a Gray Caravelle. Since the car was mostly primer gray at this point, I found a door that mostly matched.

After the second paint job back in 2003.

Many modifications have been done to this car over the years. Most of it stems from bodywork, i.e. floor boards, putty, both fenders replaced, the right passenger door replaced, and headlights replaced. The exhaust from the catylatic convertor back was replaced by me.

As you can see, the befores are the first few, and the afters are the crisp digital camera shots. Notice my old house in the two shots, along with a brand spanking new GMC (at the time) in the one(taken in winter January 2001). The old pictures were around 1995 judging by the UPJ parking tag in the window. The newer ones were taken in August 2003, I think. Look at the open doors pictures for a quick comparison of before and after paint job. Yes, the car has been painted, after a 10 year history of ownership, due December 1. The tires are approaching 7 years and need replaced since 2 are going flat on a daily basis. I only wish the new pictures turned out a little bigger so the details can be noticed such as the pinstriping, grill color change and headlight bucket color change (grey chrome verses chrome outer, black inner). Moldings and other parts still need to be put on. Pinstriping was easy. Note the pretty crystal Chrysler star that replaced the Dodge skeleton star. Looks cool. I paid way too much for it though.

NOTE: Tires were replaced after 7 years on the car. the new tires are now 2 years old with 90% tread life left.