This 1962 Dodge Lancer 2-door sedan is offered for sale here on eBay. Located in Linden, New Jersey, it doesn’t have a title but the seller will provide a Bill of Sale. It is advertised with a BIN of $1,000, but there is the option to make an offer.
Let’s be honest here. There is going to be a lot of work involved if this old Lancer is ever going to see the road again. For a 56 year old car that has reportedly sat unused for in excess of 30 years the body itself appears to be in remarkably straight and clean condition. Personally I’d be quite interested to know why it was parked all those years ago. There is precious little serious corrosion in evidence externally, and common rust areas such as the rockers and the lower rear quarters do look strong and clean. There is going to be more than a little work involved in locating exterior trim and chrome in decent condition, but it is out there. This is the rust that is of concern. It looks like it might have effected the front floor pans on both sides. If so then it’s not an uncommon problem. Unfortunately we get no shots or indication of the rear floor or the trunk which is a shame. It would also be a good idea to inspect the front frame fairly carefully because the corrosion that we can see in the front floor may only be the tip of the iceberg as there could possibly be issues with the front frame of the car. Parts are available to repair these potential problems, but it won’t be a cheap or easy repair.
Under the hood is the mighty slant-6 engine. There is no word on which engine it is, but the base was the 170ci with the 225ci version as optional. The photos provided don’t quite give the right angle to provide an answer as to which it is unless one of our Barn Finds readers can enlighten us all. The seller states that they have made no attempt to start the engine. They also don’t indicate whether it does turn by hand, but given the fact that the car has been sitting for three decades it is probably a case of hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. The engine is backed by the A904 3-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission. Judging by the state of components such as the master cylinder, I think that it is a safe assumption that our little Lancer probably is lacking somewhat in the braking department as well.
Looking inside the car and the list of work required just keeps getting longer. The door trims have some damage to them, but they may be able to be repaired by a competent auto trimmer. The front seat will definitely need new covers although the rear seat and trim look like they might be able to be revived with a good clean. The dash is largely complete although the grille for the radio speaker is missing along with the horn ring off the steering wheel. The instrument panel is complete and intact, although it does look like it is quite discolored. However, given the fact that it seems to be intact it may well be able to be restored.
In my heart I really want this Lancer to be saved because I have always liked the look of them. While this one looks reasonable on the surface, it’s what is hiding below the surface that is the great unknown. So Barn Finders, is this a possible project car or is it a parts car?
I like how the rubber heel pad in the carpet matches the brake pedal.
Nice styling touch
Sadly, I think this one’s a parts car…
I look at these and all I can think is that Virgil Exner was trying to get fired. They are eye catching on the road, though…but I can’t see any justification for fixing this one.
Ma and Pa bought a new 1960 Valiant a month before I was born. One of my favorite pictures is Ma VERY pregnant with me smiling next to the brand new car after they had just brought it home. With all of that said, I have to agree, they really are homely. Wonderful car to drive, advanced for the time, but ugly as a toad.
With YOU smiling, Billy?
Ma smiling, me obviously quietly content knowing I would soon be able to see a fine Chrysler product in person.
Don’t let your feet get on the seats you dont wanna get your feet dirty… Don’t put your feet on the floor.. You don’t want to go through
beautiful hi school friend had 1 (this wuz 1968) in ’61Valiant dress. As an artist’n free spirit she painted the dash (hippyish) w/a “Prince Valiant” pic & theme. The 3 button auto wuz not the only buttons I stared at (sorry, I wuz 16 y/o).
Amazing woman ( lookin, talent, spirit) cool car (frnt & rear fenders, rear roof line, that model motor).
Adam:
Good on ya, mate, done it again!
Thanks for that chad. My grandfather had a 4-door one of these. I loved the look of it. Unfortunately he lived on the coast and the rust just got into it everywhere.
This year Valiant always reminded me of The Jetsons. Having done many aircraft inspired car designs, I wonder if Exner was expanding into the space age with this design. It kinda has a retro-futurist spaceship look to it, like a drawing you might see in Collier’s a few years earlier. Maybe that’s why I like them so much-they represent a future that we were all sold on which never happened..
I got a ’61 Lancer, I’m 2nd owner. The original owner’s family and friends called it the “Jetsons Car”
I had a 4 dr 60 valiant. I got the car from a buddy for next to nothing. I drove it to work a few times, but had it give mone of my boys for his first car. he hated it, so I sold it for 200 bucks. I regretted it in no time. it was ugly, but it grows on you
Did they say make an offer ? With that six and torque flight freshened up you be spaking all the Falcons – Corvairs and the same year competitors. Look up the test results….lot of car for the money.
No argument that the styling of this era Valiant/Lancer is uhhh .. strong … but I guess that’s what attracts me to them. I love the quirky/odd/unusual of the automotive world. The 1962 Dodge Dart was widely shunned, but I love it
I’ve seen a lot of vehicles parked on paved lots for what seems like decades. This one shows signs of happily witnessing all the ins and outs of the business it sits next to. I have a big question, though. How does a corner of the front bumper get cut from the front of the car, along with that chicken wire grille being mutilated? Vandals could have done a lot better with their night on the lot! :) Respectfully, $1000 is too much. For that, I would like to drive it onto the trailer.
Design was “unique”, and I guess that’s what I liked about them. A kid up my street had a white with red interior. He took great care of it. Traded it for a 69 mg midget and then a Porsche 914.
I love the funkiness of that model, but I want the wagon version.
Our neighbor had one of these…when I was 5 yrs old, I was playing around inside it and (accidentally) took it out of park when it began rolling down their steep driveway…frightening and thrilling, no harm was done, and seeing this car brings it all back!
I owned one of these. Mine had an ALUMINUM block slant six 225 engine. It was impossible to find head gaskets for. Good luck finding a speaker grill and a front grill. both hard parts to find because they only made that style of both one year. They drive nice, but don’t stop well and can even run on 5 cylinders decently. Fortunately the cars are easy to work on. I’d say this one can be restored, but not worth the cost as the demand for this committee designed car is pretty low.
Eons back, I pulled an aluminum slant six from a car like this. It was in a junk yard. I installed it into my CJ-2A. Made a real screamer out of it. Looking at pictures on eBay, this one looks to be iron and therefore most likely the 170.
225s were also available in cast iron, the bulk of them, actually.
I grew up in N.J. to me that’s the salt state in the winter. I would never buy a car from that state. Bruce.
My ’61 Lancer was featured by Charles Phoenix. He does some great short videos.
https://www.facebook.com/charlesphoenix.usa/videos/10155090257224426/
I love this car. My dad just got one like this but with a red interior. We are fixing it up and it’s looking good so far. We cleaned up the interior but the outside needs a lot more work. Not too much rust, it wouldnt turn on even with the jumper. Must be a loose connection somewhere. We’re hoping that we can fix it up, paint it and have it on the road again.
Hey Kendellyn, it’s great to hear that another one of these might find its way back onto our roads. My grandfather’s four-door succumbed to rust because he lived on the coast. Salt air did it no favors! We’d love to see some before and after shots to see its journey. Good luck with your restoration.