There are cars with no deep connections to a family and there are cars with massive connections to a family.
This 1966 Chrysler Windsor four-door sedan is and example of the latter because cars with extra doors usually tell a story about history and family.
Jerry Sutherland
Tom McKee walked into a Drumheller, Alberta Chrysler dealer sixty years ago and bought this brand-new C-body Mopar. Doug Lowen is his grandson, and he is now the current caretaker of the big Chrysler because his uncle handed him the keys.
Doug explained how the car was taken off the road, but it was in good storage for forty years. Doug’s uncle was the go-between on the car, so Doug took it over and brought it back to life. He’s a Chevy guy by default, but this big Mopar was a more-than-welcome addition to his fleet.
There isn’t a car guy around who doesn’t understand how much a long hibernation affects old cars and this Chrysler was no exception. The biggest issue was the fuel system, so Doug dumped the factory gas tank and bought a new one. He said the original one was “a disaster”, so the new tank was non-optional.
Doug did a few other minor things to get the Windsor running, but he was happy to report the 383 big-block fired right up. Doug’s a farmer, so he knew the procedure after long storage, and he was happy with the results.
He admitted his grandfather’s attention to regular maintenance was likely a big factor in the ease of getting this ‘66 Chrysler back on the road. There are many signs under the hood this car had regular tuneups and oil changes. The interior is mint because of the favorable storage conditions, so the Windsor never went through a mouse attack. That’s rare in farm storage, but everyone knew how important this car
Doug said this car is a time capsule because there are so many things his grandfather left in the car, like old gum and sunglasses. In fact, it was like he turned the car off, yanked the keys and left it like he was going to drive it the next day. Doug’s grandfather passed away two years later, but he left the car in as-driven condition.
There’s a responsibility when you drive a car with a deep family connection. Doug remembers how his grandfather, “Made us take off our shoes when we were kids”, before they got in the car because he was the kind of guy who treated everything he owned with respect.
At this point, the Chrysler is getting short runs after its long hibernation, but it still runs like it just left the dealership. Doug knows the 84,000 miles on the clock are real miles so he’s careful about how he drives it. The short runs are a careful reintroduction to the world, and he doesn’t want to rush it.
That’s how a grandson treats his grandfather’s family heirloom.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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