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The third year, 2006.

Like I said, I took a break from the car. In February I sent out my spare grille to be rechromed. In early April I got the call from the platers, Allied Chrome in South Windsor, CT that it was ready. Click for a high res picture. The grilles were media blasted and a flat black spray applied. A perfect match. I believe I used BBQ grille paint. Either way, it looks like a work of art.

May

	Finally in May, I got back to working on the car. Here you can see the loss of luster in the original grille. Glad I kept the grille from the parts 300.
	Here's a shot of the paint again. All that new chrome will nicely accentuate it.
	I finished up the first half of may with the car looking like this. Very proud (and no rear bumper) I was ready to take it home. You can also see the lack of shine in the front bumper. Amazing how all the nice parts make the bad parts look REALLY bad. BTW: there is no grilles in the lower bumper (never liked how they looked) and it was much easier to install it in place with the lightened bumper core.

Ok, time for the memorial day disaster.



	This is the carnage from Memorial Day, 2006. I brought it home from storage, and upon getting there, did a nasty burnout up the driveway, excited to finally get there. I put the lever into park, got out, and took my brother home (who helped me by following in my Neon). On the way back home, I got a phone call. The parking pawl wasn't fully engaged and the car rolled backwards down my driveway into my neighbor's retaining wall. This is the result. And I think I was rather lucky, considering what "could have	been" It would be a week before Craig could pick it up, and rework his magic to make things right, again.

June

Well, the car got towed to the body shop. Happening at the end of May, this is how June started off.

The rest of the month was spotty, as my body guy hurt his back again, and the car pretty much sat while I bought a new rear suspension for the car. Here's a couple shots of popping the stuck driveshaft out of the back of the trans and the old and new parts.

As you can see, a lot of work. The iso-clamp mount is unique for the 5 leaf setup (cop and towing package springs). I bought new ESPO springs (round front eye) and used poly bushings. Definitely not the reason why I wanted to upgrade, but I had been planning on it. I also got KYB GR2 shocks. Look at some of the twisted steel carnage. Those extra long leaf shackles (to make up for a worn spring) saved me...

July

Well, the car was gonna be fixed by Carlisle. Actually, fixed the day I leave for Carlisle. And I still needed parts, notably exhaust! Luckily, at Carlisle I found a pair of muffler to bumper pipes bent up! So the 300 wouldn't make any national shows this year, BUT I still had to get it ready for the local show in the latter half of July. So I had to get busy!

Up until the morning before the local car show, my 300 still didn't have it's bumper on! Also, the accident managed to break the speedo gear through the shock of the accident. Good thing I had decided to make sure that the tach still worked! I was working on the car til the very last minute before leaving my house. I took it to the show sans door panels, and got a good response! What a nice feeling.

August

     Not much news for August, except for this gem.

     Took it out for its first Friday drive to work. Right before shop shutdown. Got lots of compliments from my co-workers... good day. hard work, hot... time to go home, lock up the shop... go and get gas... get stuck... Starter is shot... Nippondiso unit bought NEW in July/Aug last year after I burnt out a Bendix one. Spins the gear, but doesn't engage the ring gear. So, run back to the shop (forgot cell phone) call up a buddy and then take the company box truck and flat tow it back to the shop (only a 1/4 mile away). Get back into the driveway, I get permission to park it inside! My boss loves me... And then it thunders... it lightnings, and the heavens above flood the earth... Just got the forklift out and flat towed it inside the shop.

     Turned out to be a fluke. Of course the starter works fine back at the store. But no troubles for the rest of the month, and had fun showing it off at cruises and shows.

September

Big news was NEW WHEELS!!! I always thought that it was ironic that the touring Cordoba (cop suspension) got saddled with 15x6 wheels. Cop cars got 7" wide wheels, and the Super Coupes a year ealier had 8" wheels! I've always been a fan of the 5 spoke rim, and I found a great deal on a set of Torque Thrust 2s.

Size's are: 16x8 4.25" BS with 245/45s up front. Rears are 18x10s 5" BS with 275/35s. Yes, the rears look like rubber bands. But for the price, I was in the door! Oh, and as for the ride, much nicer. A bigger rear tire is definitely in order though.

October

Early in the month I took it back to NJ to where I bought it. Along the way, the exhaust started rubbing against itself, and I lost the driver's cornering lens. Other than that, a pretty fun trip. Met up with my bud who I bought it from, and we put our two 79 Chryslers together.

Of course, as luck would have it, the next weekend I go to take the 300 out, its leaning to the left. Turns out, the K-member rotted out. I'm burned out again now, so I park it for the winter.

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