Polara Bear

Full size American cars with fastback roof lines sometimes look awkward. Steve examines this ’68 Polara for signs of awkwardness plus a look at a ’68 Polara Police Pursuit Sedan from the California Highway Patrol. Light ‘em up Smokey!

[@fhwolthuis]

Although they are reruns, keep watching and liking to support Steve!

[@hofthomecrap9534]

@fhwolthuis: Luv A-L-L Steve Magnante (he’s a living/walking automotive encyclopedia!) vids!

[@stephenh.bunkybyrd2024]

I enjoy the episodes every time.

[@MicroSoftner]

Learned alot from Steve, still learning! He makes it fun!

[@SA-bq1us]

Correct

[@steveib724]

I do I forgot fast so it's ok. just hope stevei ok 👍hopefully he's doing a show

[@xfactorautomotive1496]

All the best, Steve. Hurry back, we miss you!

[@bk14nyc]

I just bought a beautiful, 1966 Dodge Monaco 500 from the Original owner…. It’s still wearing the Original Paint! 💥

[@darrenwilliams-wy9gb]

Yes please keep supporting Steve , hope for his return soon everybody have agreat day!!

[@jeffclark2725]

Good early morning, that thing is a tank, cool car in its day, thumbs up 👍

[@daveywaite25]

CANCELLED ???? Whaddya mean we're cancelled? There ya go folks.

[@sporty196071]

A girl in high school (75) had a clean black polara, with buckets, 383 4spd, 4bbl. She drove it like a granny, then she started letting her boyfriend drive, and he drove it like he stole it.

[@johngranato2673]

Just like a "Polara Bear," it's frozen

[@googleusergp]

Another re-run.... No VIN can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: D for Dodge Polara, L for low price class (Polara), 23 for two door hard top, G for 383 V8 with two barrel, 8 for 1968 model year, B for Hamtramck, MI assembly or D for Belvidere, IL assembly, and the rest is the production sequence. The Hamtramck, MI plant operated from 1911 to 1980 and was known as Dodge Main or "Factory Zero" and was a city within a city. Today's GM Hamtramck, MI assembly plant operates on part of the old Chrysler site. The Belvidere, IL plant operated from July 1965 to February 2023 and has been idled indefinitely and will likely close for good. No tag, can't brag, but would be something like DL23 for Dodge (D) Polara (L, low price class) two door hardtop (23), 5 for three speed automatic transmission, possible L1T, L4T, L4X for tan interior trim, 61 for 383 V8 with two barrel, possible W for White or X for Beige exterior paint, among other codes. Yes, there are usually separate models for police and fleet use. I've driven a police spec Crown Victoria many times and it can surely haul. I've also driven the newer police spec Interceptor and it gets the job done. The LT1 spec "9C1" Caprice Classics were among my favorites. They were a better police car than the Crown Vic, but hand it to Ford for making the Crown Vic many years after GM gave them the market after the 1996 model year by dropping the rear wheel drive B and D body cars.

[@onemoremisfit]

No, the LH side of the firewall is not rusted thru due to brake fluid damaging the paint. For one thing, the whole body is rusted thru everywhere else, and this is because the paint coatings are just not robust enough for any climate harsher than southern California. If you want a theory for why the LH side of the firewall is more severely rusted than the RH side, I can give a more plausible one. It's because the LH side of the car sees more salt spray than the RH side because the LH side is the side nearest the oncoming traffic. I have noticed a pattern of the LH side being more severely rusted in other old rust belt cars.

[@davidcollver6155]

Oncoming traffic overspray, salt grime all the trash, on a midwinter's dream nightmare. Especially Upstate New York where they had all kinds of salt mines around the Finger Lakes so New York State use salt like it was free.

[@michaelnazaruk4100]

Your salted roads theory has some merit to it, but I have seen firewalls rusted out from overflowing brake fluid reservoirs. However, it really intrigues me to see the rest of the firewall all rusty. This car may have been near the Massachusetts coast susceptible to salt water spray?

[@onemoremisfit]

@@michaelnazaruk4100 Car bodies will also rust away faster when left in a stripped condition exposed to the elements in any climate wetter than a desert. The paint on the interior areas of the body is very thin and even less durable than the exterior. I once had a clean van nose cab that I needed for a cab/chassis cube truck project. The van nose was clean when I brought it home, but it sat out in the yard for a decade when life happened and the project never materialized. In that time the thing rusted away on me so I ended up scrapping it. Those stripped out cars in that boneyard arrived rusty and continue to be ravaged by the elements just sitting there stripped.

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Awesome Steve this brings back memories of my 65 Polara with a 383 that my dad bought me while I was in the army. Unfortunately I was too young and stupid to realize what a nice this was, dependable and smooth running. I had my heart set on a 68 442 that I eventually got. However that car always suffered from vapor lock that the dealer was never able to resolve.

[@davidp2888]

I didn't like these when I was younger but now I think they're really elegantly designed.

[@paullarimore8598]

I had a 68 Dodge Polara 500 as my first car in 1975. Loved it! Wish I would have held on to it. BUT! To your point. Took a girl out in 1979 and she said and I quote "This is a piece of S#it" It looked good and ran great but not to her liking. :)

[@deankidd1743]

My very First car I bought and owned. 66 Polara 440 model 2 dr. Red w black roof. Red interior. Was a 318. Being an 18 yr old I did put a 1978 Police Interceptor 440 into it. Added air shocks out back w L60s Only paid $20 for the car. No rust at all. Mid 1980s

[@toddbob55]

Chrysler still builds the worst qualiy vehicles mopar build quality was JUNK

[@jamesthompson8008]

Just read in another vids comments of your health issues, hope everything is OK Stevev, & take all the time you need to get better.

[@brianbloom1799]

Why are there so many reruns, He's not making new ones.

[@googleusergp]

I think he's away on other assignments.

[@tomwesley7884]

@@googleusergp I'm guessing he's dealing with health issues, but I just don't know.

[@googleusergp]

@@tomwesley7884I hope not.

[@kybruce1]

My Dad had a 1968 Polara 4dr. I had just gotten my license. When I got to drive it was always impressed at how smooth it rode and fast it seemed. We hit a deer driving back from Chicago and it was almost totaled.

[@customindustries3951]

We are streaming his stuff in the shop today from the beginning 😀

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! ☕️🍩☕️🍩👀👀. Morning Mags ! Have a good Monday !

[@tomwesley7884]

Morning

[@RonnN-gf8tm]

Morning Mr.B

[@debbiebermudez5890]

@@RonnN-gf8tm 👍👀☕️🍩

[@debbiebermudez5890]

@@tomwesley7884 👍👀☕️☕️🍩 !

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Another great vid!!! 👍👍

[@sombra6153]

Hoe you’re doing well Steve, your reference to the El Monte police chief wishing for special riot cars reminds me of the Border Patrol in San Diego looking for ways to protect against rock barrages west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Their answer was to “up armor” some of the clapped out 4x4s in the fleet. Though there was at least one late 70s Bronco that receives the treatment, and a particular same-vintage Chevy Blazer that stories of it being possessed were still being told years later, by the early 90s just the Ram Chargers were left. They had mesh coverings over the rear window glass, gull wing style screens for the driver and passenger door windows that could be propped open when everything was calm, and a big screen on hinges for the front windshield. It normally laid flat on the hood like a keep windshield until needed, and was the raised by a cotton tether ball rope that came through the center of the roof with a handcrafted T-handle. The “war wagons” as they were called, were pretty,clapped out, AC and AM radios no longer worked, 4x4 wouldn’t engage. Ironically they were low mileage - each in the. 40k range (all were 1985 models). Though they seemed like it, I doubt any of the odometers had been rolled over just due to the beating the 4x4s received on a daily basis.

[@richardbertovich6134]

I thought the pronunciation was “Po ler a” Great videos, Steve!

[@jerrys9226]

I remember back then cars would start rusting out after just a few years, unless you lived in the desert. And you were lucky if an engine lasted 100k.

[@martyanthony4116]

I actually have a 67 Monaco 500. It’s complete with a 383 and as mentioned, the factory 4speed console manual shift. Family owned since 76.

[@reggiepotts3437]

always love your work, please keep it up

[@seniorktm962c8]

Hi

[@79USA1]

Seeing reruns, Hope you are healthy and well Steve.

[@NLJosh83]

Thanks for sharing. My late father's first 'legal' car in which he did his road test in and got his license was a 68 Polara 500 just like this one, down to the 383. Main difference was it was red with a black vinyl top/interior and the front clip was switched for one from a 67. It must have been a real pile of junk, since it was the only Mopar he ever owned and flat out refused to even consider trying another one, but certainly looked good in back in the day.

[@67marlins]

I love it!!!!! I had a '68 Chrysler Newport Coupe, basically like this Dodge. I plan to bring it home one day.....

[@obryan240]

Mine was blue with a white top. Also a 68. 383 auto. Paid $1200 in 1993. Sold it for almost double in 99.

[@67marlins]

I'll bet ( yours ) was beautiful, I myself had a Newport 383, 2 barrel. I miss that car dearly......

[@67marlins]

I really hated the 1969. Thanks to Steve, I just learned my Chrysler Newport had 2 inches more wb than the identical-appearing Dodge here or elegant Plymouth.....? Thanks Steve for the extra knowledge!!

[@Dan-ge7cy]

I used to have a mercury balancer that they would install in the trunk to aid in cornering )

[@demetridar506]

By 1968, Chrysler police cars was outselling all other makes combined. No full size GM or Ford could keep up with a 440 Polara or Fury.

[@Flussig1]

In 1967 the CHP used Oldsmobile, went right back to Mopar for 68'.

[@zach_diecast_mansur]

Speaking of model cars... Have you seen the prices theyre asking for them these days?!?!?!?

[@RonnN-gf8tm]

$12-$15 bucks back in 90s...Thier way overpriced now

[@cookieman0916]

😊

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

Finally a MOPAR 👍🏻🇦🇺💯⛽️nothing wrong with a 383 2 barrel MOPAR . She been a nice car new . 👍🏻

[@jamesjustin-n6m]

Steve! I had a rusty 69 Polara in 79 with a 318. It got 18 mpg on the freeway! Fun car!

[@captainsouth4460]

We had the 68 Newport Custom in gold. 383 4bbl. I inherited it in HS in 77 when the parents bought a brand new Cordoba. Loved that Newp. Living NE it rusted out from under me in 84. Sold it to a guy that wanted the engine.

[@larryfromwisconsin9970]

My first car was a 1967 Plymouth Fury iII four door 318 engine. It was a good, comfortable cross country car.

[@williambennett5557]

This was my first car. Bought it in good running condition in 1993 with a 383 2bbl for $1k in La Porte, TX. Drove as smooth as a Caddy

[@tbd-1]

That wraparound dash pad must've been a thing for Mopar in '68-the Barracuda had it too. The '67 and '69 did not, oddly enough.

[@misters2837]

My father had a 68 Polara 4-Door Sedan, Seafoam Green... He installed lights on the rear deck, in the back window, that were hooked to the brake lights, as these cars had a Chrome Finned tail light arrangement, and when the sun was reflecting off the chrome, you could not see the tail lights at all, and he didn't want to get rear-ended! - Pretty Smart Guy! - He also took a wagon roof rack and cut it down in length to put on the sedan, so we could put coolers and bags up there on our Camping and Oshkosh Airshow trips.

[@TomPutzler-nu9pz]

We had a 68,383 car.Great tailight treatment on these,would love to see one done up with the 70 scat pac stripe and scoop package in a B5 blue or black paint,white interior and tail stripe.Get well soon Steve!!

[@thebrain7065]

She has some life left in her...most of that will clean up with soap and water. 😉 I use to certify the police vehicles every year for the city I was employed by...20 years ago. Put them on the roller...bring it up to speed as the machine instructed. Fill out the certificate with unit number and my signature.

[@garyforsythpastoratlarge7684]

Reminded me of my 67 Fastback 2dr Newport. It had the 4bbl 383 and was bright red. Not a rocket ship, but it also wasn't a slug. That was back in 1980 to 83 and my Newport was concidered an old car at 15 years. Today I have two Toyotas that are 18 years old and we don't think twice about driving them across the country. Times change.

[@michaelruys5021]

Get well steve

[@tombaumeister5207]

Had a 66 and 68 Newport. Yes rust in the trunk the 66 had cardboard filler on the sides and floor nothing but a wet trunk all the time.

[@patrickclark1803]

Still have special tires,I have a set of Firestone pursuits on my 05 P71

[@philjimenez4874]

Love your videos brother But you really have to use your imagination to understand what you're descripting on this one

[@ericpenny5937]

I hope Steve is doing well . Tell him to hurry up & come back I want to see him make new vodeos

[@nelsonrodriguez2263]

I watch every day his videos plus I had a 66 4 door in black what a cruiser 👍🇺🇸

[@67L-88]

Steve, hoping you are okay. Ts&Ps my friend...

[@keithgodwin-ez7yo]

Praying for your complete recovery and blessings on you and your family Steve. Enjoy your youtube presentations and earlier articles.

[@monteglover4133]

Dad had a 68 4 door Monaco with a 383 magnum it was relatively quick it would outrun most of the other cars at our high school and handle well. I really liked that car.

[@timo2829]

Many a polara cop car was destroyed in making a lot of my favorite movies

[@waynetaylor8082]

A likely reason that 4-speed manual gearboxes were "prohibited" is that municipalities knew cops would beat the hell out of these vehicles!!! Maintenance costs also figured into that decision, i've no doubt.

[@tomkrisel4493]

I'd think it would be kinda hard to be driving high speed in pursuit, calling ahead on the radio and shifting all at the same time.

[@oldblueshhrchannel1847]

I have wanted to retro mod one of these. Thanks Steve, get better, real soon!!

[@TigerDominic-uh1dv]

I ❤the 4 Door Hardtop When I was a kid We had a 68 Polara.

[@craigbenz4835]

That was my first car. I loved it.

[@Sebastian_Dinwiddie]

Why create new tooling for the sake of 2 inches?

[@miamimo70]

Where are you sleeping at night?

[@randyauer7303]

Everybody loves Steve even though they are reruns I don't care Steve you the man professor

[@Buzz-vz2js]

Makes me miss my grandparents 65 880

[@brianleclerc1593]

I love that Jo-Han kit, I built it twice.

[@samuelgoodman2825]

Back in school in the early 80s a friend of mine had this exact car,Had about that much rust lol.The interior was perfect and gorgeous in red.He thought he had the fastest car around lol.

[@UnfinishedProjectDartSport]

~

[@howitusedtobe]

Mr Mags must be on vaca or hanging out at High Octane Classics

[@detroitmouth]

Always enjoy Steve's videos, but i still have no idea how to pronounce his last name. He always slurs it so quick no one can hear it!!

[@tomkrisel4493]

He's from Mass. They have their own vocabulary there. They drive caaas.

[@davidszakacs6888]

The choice of the Blues Brothers.

[@captaindew3106]

I use to tag race one of these 68 Polara with my 89 Dakota a few years ago from one stop light to the next but he was in the lead we was side by side and the next stop light at the city was just a full 1/4 mile the speed limit was 50 MPH on the street call Cox Creek Parkway in Florence Al. and he beat me I thought the car had a 440 in it but a few weeks later he put the car on FB marketplace and the engine was a 318 small block in his car so I lost to a small block fully factory untune engine. It was a fully white 2 door 1968 Dodge Poloara hardtop and it beat the redlight in a 1/4 mile tag on the street doing 0-60 in 6.8 sec and my Dakota did 7.3 sec on 0-60

[@kenttalsma7906]

😮 how embarrassing 🤪

[@stevehenderson2571]

Get well Steve. We miss you.

[@billykirby6795]

Back when cars had style

[@mikealba1814]

More pristine paperwork!

[@eddiebowens1919]

Min. body lean! lmao

[@RonnN-gf8tm]

Love the model kits!!!

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Steve

[@eugenepolan1750]

In a past life, I spent a summer at GM's Milford Proving Ground, working for Engineering Staff in the Tire and Wheel Engineering Group. An engineer called us up to ask about what high speed tires he could mount on an Opel (Senator? Monza? He never said) to run a plethora of high speed laps with a Turbohydramatic trans - something about fluid temperatures, up-chucking trans fluid out the dipstick tube, and whatever else might happen during simulated autobahn cruising. We set him up with some "Cop-Car tires" which were the size he needed and rated for the speeds he would be driving.

[@jamesblair9614]

I’ve seen a 440 4 speed fastback in the wrecking yard. The quarter glass sure has the same profile as the Barracuda glass. The high quality police spec tires were sure miles ahead of what everyone else got, and I’ve been told that they were only available to Police Departments, pity

[@bazilwreckerloughead]

My father used to have a white '68 Polara & at the same time, my older brother had a black '68 Monaco 500. From then on my favorite car has been a 1968 Monaco!

[@MrMongo107]

I adored the 68 Chrysler c bodies. I have a 68 Monaco 500 and I built that 68 Chrysler 300 model I really would like to have the trunk lid and front bumper off of that polara

[@hughmarloweverest1684]

Thanks

[@rawbsworld6604]

Haha like to see that police ‘special’ try to catch that guy cutting up the dunes in that Manx 😊 😝 be the makings of a knew Bandit movie 🙄 🤷‍♂️ ✌️🤙

[@RonnN-gf8tm]

Wild-eyed reindeer driving a Polara this morning

[@Wildstar40]

I laughed when you showed the picture of the car hunched over in the corner like Quasimodo and you said minimal body lean ! 🤣

[@madmike2624]

3 weeks of re-uploads? Sure hope everything is OK!!!!!

[@edmonk4912]

My buddies mom had one she'd chauffer us around in. It was always fun cruising in the white whale

[@fraserobrien3828]

thanks

[@timkis64]

i hope steve is just taking a vacation, & he is ok.i havent seen this many reruns before.but realize everybody needs to get away every now & then.

[@DanKirchner5150]

you can say that again !

[@DonJ.]

Wow he's posting videos fast trying to keep up-to-date!! 💯

[@captainsergeant]

The speedo may say certified... but if you ever get a non radar speeding ticket the first thing you or your lawyer should do is ask to see the yearly certification of the speedometer for that patrol car.

[@RDEnduro]

They didnt send him to the old folks home already did they? Steve take care of yourself, i hope your back soon! Still, another awesome video

[@Jupitermustangmike]

Gas hogs

[@phillippearce9680]

👍

[@tomwesley7884]

Junkyard Crawl

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! Junkyard Rerun Crawl ! 👍👀☕️🍩🍩 LOL !

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

These are great looking cars

[@terrencegiordan2775]

Awesome Steve.

[@marioncobaretti2280]

Another rehash

[@kc0lif]

another great new episode.

[@GoldenGun-Florida]

And yes, folks, yet another rerun strategically uploaded at 6 am to appear to be fresh content.

[@xfactorautomotive1496]

I thought you were leaving....

[@fishgeralding9224]

If he's not going to leave, let's nickname him. How about...Stewart Pedisol? We can call him Stu for short. Good morning Stu Pedisol....😎

[@throckmorton8477]

@@fishgeralding9224 I like the nickname idea! When my daughters were young they watched a cartoon show that had two satirized "super heros" named 'Mermaid Man' and "Barnacle Boy'. anthony would be 'Barnacle Boy' since he is stuck on this one issue and can't be dislodged. The other troll on here, marion, (obsessed with sex changes) would, of course, be 'Mermaid Man'.

[@fishgeralding9224]

@@throckmorton8477 perfect!

[@burthenry7740]

@@throckmorton8477 Spongebob Squarepants was the cartoon I believe. And yes, 'Mermaid Man' and 'Barnacle Boy' suit them on so many levels!

[@robadcox5405]

Could be a 361