Well after doing some checking, which I seem to be doing a lot now, mainly because I learn something new just about everyday about the parts for my car and what is correct and what it should and shouldn't have and find myself wondering if I should be pissed off or just happy to be a mopar owner.
Some examples, and I show these because I am looking for advice and opinions since changing the things that are wrong cost $$$
1st. The wiper motor - was excited to get it cleaned up and refreshed and it works basically single speed and no park that I can tell still looking into that, but after researching the part number find that it's a 73 motor from a A or B or E body(thanks
passion4mopars.com) and then looking at the pictures I took when it was tore apart find that it only has two brushes one for ground and one for single speed(
http://vintage.mitchell1.com/PClubData/chassis/del77/V2D775132.pdf). So should I be mad that the PO's did it wrong and should I spend the money to find a year correct one or just live with it? Don't drive in the rain anyway so ???
2nd. A/C car, came with it but it's long gone and the internals minus the air box are gone too. I mean why rip out the vents and brackets and hoses inside under the dash just because the a/c stopped working? So I have tubes sticking out on my fire wall that go to nothing now and look like crap.
3rd. A01 light group. says I should have the "lights on buzzer" looking at the wiring harness I don't see where it was prepped for it. or if the harness was modified to delete it, not that I want it but at least would like to know if it was there. Even though the harness has been brutalized by the PO's and I am still two years later trying to fix and clean it up.
4th. Seats. car came with totally wrong front buckets, ok lived with it for awhile then started pricing correct replacements and almost fell out of my chair for what they wanted plus re do costs, so looked at the rears, they seemed correct. pattern definitely Plymouth they fit not bad shape ok cool maybe I can find some that look like that, blam one day searching ebag found a set that look close, see other thread about guess the seats. Anyway, start looking into the seats and find production tags for the rears of 9/67 top and 10/67 bottom... well ok made then but installed in a 69?? would that be right or should I be pissed? (Back story - car was originally a saddle tan interior now is all black so obviously one of the PO'S changed it so the rears cannot possibly be original just maybe period correct - more like for a 68 maybe not 69) New front buckets I got off ebag says 12/66 lol and the tracks did not line up with the holes in the floor, so had to make two new holes each side fortunately in the reinforced spots in the pan...should I be pissed? Or just love what I've done and be happy?
5th. lower dash switch bezel, found out there is a difference between a 68 and a 69...a little dot in the middle of the wiper motor switch tells you it's a 69, well mine was cracked and not a 69 so looked for a replacement just to find out the one I just bought was a 68 because I didn't find out about the difference until after i made the purchase! again mad at myself but should I live with it or find the correct one? and spend 2-3 times as much? who will really cares other than myself? If I show the car most people won't know or care but some will notice the minor detail not that I care but it's still frustrating.
Don't get me wrong I never intended to restore my car to original just trying to get close as possible and it seems I know not very much about the little things and am frustrated with myself for not using my head and looking at the part numbers before making a decision. but a lot of it is $$$ based I mean if it works then why spend the money to get an original that may or may not need a complete overhaul in it's self? On the other hand when you do spend the money on a part thinking you are making progress just to find out you f'ed up on the part do you sell it to try to get the right one?
Things are adding up now and I wonder how much more I can take, I feel like I am taking 30 steps back for every one forward.
I guess what I am saying here is you try so hard to get things right and learn as you go, and when it goes south you have a choice to make, do it right or live with it and explain to everyone that your car is a mish mash of parts from various years but it runs and is fun as hell to play with.
What would you do?
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One thing I wanted to add about my car is that it is an early year car, it was born on Jan 12th 1969 so in the back of my mind have always wondered if the factory would have used 1968 parts in it since it was so early in the year, but on the same thought know it was 136,923 off the line so just how much 68 stuff would they have used?? if any.
