'Ol Blue Goes to Pick up a Wheel Balancer - Interstates Denied (1977 Dodge D200 Content)

I bought A hunter Wheel Balancer at carlisle Over the weekend.  I was there with the 64 Dart which is an awesome car, but It's just not capable of Bringing home a Wheel Balancer unless I had a utility trailer of some sort.

So I decided to Take a Mountain Roadtrip With my Daughter and 'Ol Blue... My 1977 Dodge D200.  

We Started early to see the sunrise at the First Ridge on our eastward trip.

I figured that since we were in the forest still during the "Blue Hour" I would make use of the natural filter and get some good shots of the truck, Especially since this is the first Time I washed it in 3 or so years :-o

Okay, with the Glamour Shots Done, there were some twistys to tackle on the way.. We stopped at almost every neat place at every ridge tops for some photos.

Saw some wind turbines up close..

It was another great day for a drive.

Greg

I've done some of those, unfortunately in an express van and not something cool.  I love going by the wind farm up close

outstanding! love that generation Dodge.

Thanks guys.

Yep. Drove out U.S.30 from Irwin PA to Chambersburg PA and back.  The PA turnpike is cra$y.  If I am not towing and can spare an extra 1/2 hour then I take alternate routes.

Greg

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

The wind farms are close to the flight 93 memorial.... FYI.

Greg

Yep.  Moms family is from Cresson so occasionally i go that way just to see things and also when doing the Cleveland to Baltimore run I usually hop off at somerset if i have time and go down 219.  

I think those trucks are cooler as stepsides vs. fleetsides.  

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

Going near Cresson up a big hill on 22 can be fun when towing....

So you know the country around there.. Probably better than me.

In reply to Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) :

Long bed stepside MoPar trucks from 72-84 are probably not rare... but finding one now would be a feat.

I lucked into finding this one in my town 2 miles from the house.. have been caring for it since 2003. I repair or upgrade things as needed. It's not shiny or  flashy. It doesn't complain when towing the race rig through the mountains of West Virginia.

Prolly the best $600 I have ever spent. Properly tune the LA block two barrel and it works fine.

Greg

slantsix said:

Thanks guys.

 

Yep. Drove out U.S.30 from Irwin PA to Chambersburg PA and back.  The PA turnpike is cra$y.  If I am not towing and can spare an extra 1/2 hour then I take alternate routes.

 

Greg

I thought I recognized where you were at.  I'm in the Chambersburg region.  Depending on what path you take over the mountains there is a lot of fun to be had.  Or not if you're in a tractor trailer.

In reply to Nitroracer (Forum Supporter) :

Yep there is lots of fun out there if you stay off the turnpike...

Here's a blurb about my weekend trip over there.

Read down to the 7/12/20 post....

Greg

[ I am CANOE! ]

'Ol Blue is at again..

This time with some interstates and a Car Trailer...

Before 12-25... Getting a parts car for the Grüne Hölle 64 Dart:

Took me to Philadelphia - Not always easy with a truck and trailer with traffic but we managed fine.

Saw Some Cool Places on the return Route - Took US 1 From Philadelphia to Baltimore 695 Loop... Was Meeting up with a buddy whose family runs a British car restoration shop in Maryland.

Drove across a Dam on US1 - The dam is on the Susquehanna River and supplies the Conwingo Power plant.

Dam Flow Gate Gantrys..

Not a great shot.. Hard to get a good one on the camera while driving with a glare and winshield int he way..  but neat to see and drive across..

Stopped for Dinner and took a tour of the Shop in Union Bridge MD

Next Day Headed home on I68 - It can be a bit scenic if you slow down to enjoy it.. When Pulling a trailer up the big grades with a 45 year old truck you get  some time to appericiate life in the slow lane.

It's Hard to capture and portray with the fone camera while you are driving, but there are some nice Vistas at the top of those mountian ridges in western Maryland. ( Not to self.. I need to take the Car on old US 40 Some Day)

Some Quiet Valleys off the Side.. US 40 lies over there somewhere.

Ah Yes. Ther's US 40... I actually want to be driving on that Route... but not today.

The Salisbury Viaduct is an old 1300' Long Rail Trail Bridge - I have Biked it and Drove under it today on US 219.

Next Up For the New Year I resolve to fuel my peculiar MoPar MaDness by Not buying a Hemi, Big Block or even anyting remotely common.

Left at 04:30 for this one.. Empty trailer in Tow after a Fresh Snowfall last night across the entire state.

Sunrise is welcome on a clear winter's day on I76 Heading east in the morning...

I've Made it to Amish Contry and have found the prize..

Truck is salty, but the Car is clean for now..

Navigated back through Lancaster County and Amish Country for a while before a Bit of Interstate Driving again in some snow blanketed valleys..

A Nice Vista on I 99 North:

Over 500 Miles of towing.. Made it Home with the Prize before sundown.. Sheesh time to unload and spray off the salt.

Wish all of you well on your adventures!

That thing is gorgeous!   If I wanted one exactly like it what would I be looking for?? 

jfryjfry said:

That thing is gorgeous!   If I wanted one exactly like it what would I be looking for?? 

Do you mean year, Make, Model, or are you wanting buyer's guide advice such as what to look for such as  rust, wiring etc?

More the basics but notables would be good info as well

Well this body style is the Chrysler A Body Platform. Made from 1960-1976

1960-1962 is the first generation.. That's what we are dealing with here.  - In the United States(possibly Canada as well) Sold / marketed as the Dodge Lancer, Plymouth Valiant.

Also known as the R and S series, it is quite popular in Australia and Argentina. (many of the restoration parts come from down under) as there are not generally parts available in the US unless it's used, Parts car,  swap meet, interchanges with '63 to '66 Darts/ valiants or is NOS.

My Preference is the valiant, (I now have 2 of them)  I don't care for the exterior styling of the Dodge Lancer (Produced 1961 and 1962 only ) quite as much but they are on the Same Unibody structure.

This of course is the Wagon is what you see in this post. I don't have production numbers but they are quite difficult to find now in a quasi presentable Condition.

I go to MoPar shows - Lots of Mopar shows.. rarely do you ever see these in real life at least in the PA / Ohio areas.

The Valiants were made in 2 door Sedan, 2 door hardtop, 4 door sedan (The most common to find now) 2 door hardtops and sedans are next on the hard to find list... then at the top of the list is the Wagons.

Various trim levels exist.. V100, V200, and then Signet Which is the top of the line in the Valiants.

I perfer the v100 as they are more austere and plain ( i own 2 v200's)

Things to look out for:

RUST - Windows were badly sealed from the factory causing Floor rust under the carpets especially in the front. These are all unibody.

Frame Rail Rust - really anywhere. Trunk floor extensions and of course lower quarter panels, rockers too. typical things that you look for in a 60 year car.

Rust in the pinchwelds under the window gaskets.

Power steering and AC were option many do not have those options... Many have no reverse lights.

I prefer the '62 Models as they share the k frame/  Engine mounts / front suspension /steering box with the Other '63-'66 Mopar A bodies...  Reproduction parts in general  and parts availability is better.

'60-'61 Have oddball fuel tanks and trunk floors that are unique to those years - Tanks are impossible to find, but can be remade by a good tank restorer such as moyers' gastank renu in youngwood PA 

'62s can be retrofitted with the common '63-'66 Dart Vailant tanks easily.

These were never produced with 4 speeds; only the 3 speed (usually column shifted.. '60 and '61 were offered with a groovy floor shifter).... or the 904 pushbutton automatic.

My suggestion is find the best example you can find and afford if you choose to join me in the rabbit hole.

OMG that valiant wagon is magnificent!

That wagon makes me so happy.