Every car fan knows the feeling of spotting an old cruiser for cheap online and buying it before thinking it through. A builder who posts as @TOMSREFURB did exactly that with a big-block Chrysler 300 he found on Facebook Marketplace.
He paid about $3,000, and he admits the price told the story. “That’s why it was like $3,000,” he says while listing the problems on the drive home.
Under the hood sits a 383 big-block V8 with a four-barrel carburetor. He rates it at 325 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque. However, it breathes through a single exhaust and a three-speed automatic.
Driving The Chrysler 300 Home
He drove the car to his shop, and the list grew with every mile. It needed a battery, a radiator and motor mounts, and the brakes felt weak. On top of that, the fuel gauge read empty, the belt was loose and the transmission shifted oddly.
Then he smelled oil and fuel. Even so, he says it seemed to run better the longer he drove it, and it made the trip.
The trunk also held a few surprises: an old carburetor, seat belts, a distributor cap, wheel cylinders and a water pump. In addition, he found that the power steering had been removed at some point.
A Cracked Radiator And A Chain Fix
“Cracked radiator. First thing to come out,” he says after pulling it.
Because an exact replacement was hard to find, he measured the stock radiator and bought the closest aluminum unit. To his surprise, it bolted right in.
The motor mounts were another story. The mounts he ordered were sold as a fit for this car, but they weren’t. So he used an old hot-rod trick and chained the engine down to stop it from twisting. Still, he’s clear that this is only for a cheap car you just want to enjoy.
“I love it when hackery works,” he says.
After that came new heater hoses, a new belt and tidier plug wires.
New Fuel Lines, New Exhaust And A Lower Stance
Underneath, he found that someone had replaced most of the fuel line with rubber hose. So he trimmed it and swapped that section for proper metal line.
Next, he built a stainless dual exhaust in place of the broken single pipe, which had been dragging on the ground in places.
Finally, he lowered the car. Out back, he removed the helper springs and added 3-inch drop blocks. Up front, he simply adjusted the torsion bars. He also replaced the old, brown fuel with fresh premium, and the idle cleaned up right away.
Tips Before You Buy A Cheap Classic Online
His project is a useful reminder for anyone browsing listings for an old car:
- Expect the basics to need work: battery, cooling system, hoses, belts and brakes.
- Check the fuel system closely, because old gas and rubber lines can cause real trouble.
- Look for missing parts like power steering, and ask what the last owner changed.
- Plan the drive home carefully, with water, tools and a full tank.
- Keep quick fixes for cars you don’t mind modifying, and do proper repairs on anything valuable.
Where The Chrysler 300 Stands
After a wash and a polish, the car looks far better than the one he bought. On the road, he says, the brakes still pull and need more attention. Even so, the car feels steady at highway speed.
“She’s born to cruise,” he says.
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