Every car guy has faced the same temptation-it’s called that “just gotta have it car”.
There are checks and balances in life in the world of old iron.
Sometimes these checks and balances are simply hardcore financial realities but most of the time they’re called wives.
Murray Phillips found his “gotta have it car” in this ’62 Dodge Polara 500.
Murray is a huge fan of the unloved ’62 Mopar era. He is particularly fond of the ’62 Plymouths and Dodges because he likes to live off the beaten path.
The Dodge Polara 500 two-door hardtop is one of those unique cars that inspire a strong reaction. People either love or hate these B-body Mopars that came at the end of the legendary Virgil Exner era amid controversy.
Despite the controversy, these cars were never doubted for their solid engineering in a bulletproof package. They were tough and reliable and favored by a large number of police forces because they had the power perform in rugged situations.
Murray found this ‘62 Dodge Polara last year and it was love at first sight for the oldest reason as he recalled,“I had one just like it”.
Old cars have a strong connection to the human experience and it’s not always a happy ending. This Polara is a classic example as Murray explained, “The guy who owned it went to his favorite parts yard and died there after a heart attack. He was a good guy and I kind of knew the car”.
That set the wheels in motion, “His wife ended up wanting to sell the car and I knew it was a low-mileage, original car. It was all in pieces when I got it because the guy was doing some work on it “.
Murray was the right guy as he recalled, “This car was so weird I knew I had to have it but I had to promise my wife that I’d sell some other stuff to pull off the deal”.
Negotiation with a spouse is the key to success in the world of car guys so Murray became the proud new owner of the ’62 Polara last year. He’d owned it for three months when he began to map out a game plan for this classic B-body Mopar.
This is a stock 361 car with the push-button transmission so Murray was pretty happy with the power under the Polara’s hood. He’s a self-confessed “more power” guy so Murray hasn’t ruled out some upgrades but his wife’s checks and balances and balances are a huge factor as he explained , “It could easily be a Max Wedge clone but I’m not allowed to think that way”.
Obviously this ’62 Dodge is going to remain stock for the foreseeable future but Murray pushed the Max Wedge look a little with this car, “It’s got dog dish wheels now just for looks but I’m going to switch to mags when I wear these tires out”.
This is a very unique car because it is still a stock 361 Polara two-door hardtop at a time when these Dodges and Plymouths are spiking in price as Max Wedge clones.
This one is likely to remain stock because of one big check and balance in Murray’s world-his wife.
Jerry Sutherland
