The 1960 Dodge Seneca station wagon was a low-end investment into transportation for the large families that were very popular in post-war North America.
Big wagons may have been the order of the day, but they barely caused a ripple in the car hobby.
Most long roofs served their time as family chariots before they were dispatched to crushers and demolition derbies, consequently few of them survived the test of time.
Jim Sutherland
One 1960 Dodge Seneca wagon did indeed manage to beat the odds and was transformed into an ultimate road warrior by owner Mark Gregory. Mark told MyStarCollectorCar the 66-year-old long roof left the dealership with a then-new Slant Six engine coupled to a three-on-the-tree manual transmission. In other words, the Dodge was a barebones wagon sold to a frugal buyer in 1960.
The Dodge’s factory six-banger was swapped out for a 440 big block coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission, but Mark had a more- power game and decided to throw a modern 392 Hemi into the wagon.
The new power came from a 2016 Challenger crate engine and would provide an enormous horsepower boost over the original six and even its big block 440 replacement.
The transplant process required major modifications to the wagon so it could handle the large herd of extra horses under its hood. Custom-built engine mounts were needed to fit the new Hemi under the hood, along with a 2-year search for the right engine tuner to bring out the beast in the modern engine.
The old manual transmission was yanked and replaced by a four-speed automatic transmission that could handle the new Hemi engine.
The huge power boost meant Mark had to make major upgrades to the wagon’s handling and braking abilities. He put a coil-over suspension on all four corners of the Dodge, along with four large disc brakes to slow it down when the situation warrants it.
Mark also included a major upgrade to the factory steering when he installed a rack-and-pinion system that required plenty of finesse to fit it into the old Dodge wagon.
The only issue left for Mark is he “can’t get traction” in his words, a nod to the brute force power of the new Hemi transplant engine.
Mark also upgraded the cosmetic features of his ’60 Dodge Seneca and chose to make a subtle change to its exterior color when he switched from a baby blue and white two-tone paint scheme to a lighter 1968 B-7 Mopar blue metallic with a white top combination.
Interior upgrades include modern seats and a long console from a 1966 Charger. The unique console extends to the back seat and was only offered for one year in the Charger. Mark also included an aftermarket AC system to beat the heat during the summer months.
Mark’s extensive resto mods have been a long process, so he was at only his second car show event when we caught up to him this spring in Great Falls MT.
We at MyStarCollectorCar commend Mark for saving a humble 1960 Dodge wagon and giving it a beastly new lease on life.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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