Darren Aaserude and his girlfriend...
Darren Aaserude and his girlfriend Beth just happened to be discussing marriage plans when they ran across this '64 Dodge wagon, scoring a deal on the perfect family vehicle.
Growing up sharing the love of Mopars with his father Ron, Darren Aaserude from Redding, California, is always on the lookout for cool cars, no matter where he is. After attending church one Sunday, Darren and his girlfriend Beth decided to take a drive to nearby Weaverville to sightsee and grab some lunch. After lunch, they drove to a local park for a walk, and upon entering the parking lot Darren immediately noticed the unmistakable nose of a '64 Dodge in an adjacent driveway. Excited, since his first Mopar was a '64 Dodge Polara 500, Darren quickly forgot about the walk and told Beth he really wanted to go check on the car. Knowing it could be a good deal, she quickly agreed and they drove up the drive to check out the Dodge.
On a Sunday drive to the park...
On a Sunday drive to the park with his girlfriend Beth, Darren noticed the front end of a '64 Dodge in a driveway up a hill. Once closer, he discovered the car was a 330 model with what appeared to be a factory four-speed transmission.
Heading up the hill, Darren noticed that this B-Body wasn't a Polara, but a 330 model, and as he walked closer he quickly realized he'd stumbled upon a fairly rare '64 Dodge 330 station wagon. Even more unique, a glance in the window revealed a floor shifted manual transmission. Aside from the Hurricane wheels, the car looked to be original and complete and in good shape, so Darren knocked on the door and met the owner. After the preliminary introductions and questions, the owner told Darren that the car was in fact an original 383 four-barrel car, and the transmission was a dealer installed four-speed manual. Because the car had been sitting for some time and would require maintenance to repair, the owner said he'd sell it, quickly agreeing to the price of $2,500. With that price in mind, Darren and Beth headed for home, calling Darren's father on the way to tell him the news.
Coincidentally, Darren's dad remembered the car and had even posted ads in the local paper some ten years prior in an attempt to find the owner. Agreeing that the car was a good deal, Ron gave his approval and Darren and Beth decided the car would be a great "wedding getaway" project vehicle. Calling the owner back and telling him their plans, the owner agreed to take $500 off the price, selling the Dodge to Darren and Beth for an even $2,000 since they liked it so much. Because they were young and on a fixed budget, he even allowed them to make payments, further assisting the young couple with their purchase. Once paid for, Darren quickly hauled the Dodge home to evaluate his new station wagon.
After unloading the Dodge, Darren and his father quickly got busy performing the maintenance necessary to make it roadworthy. The 383 was given a tune-up and the fluids were changed, and with fresh gas, a new battery, and a little starting fluid, the 383 fired right up. After a thorough detailing, and replacing the hideous (in our opinion) Hurricane wheels with factory steel wheels and dog-dish hubcaps, the Dodge looks great for its age and runs and drives well. We think this is a great vehicle for a young couple possibly considering a family, and we congratulate Darren and Beth for unearthing this Hidden Treasure.
Finding a mid-'60s B-body...
Finding a mid-'60s B-body wagon is one thing, but Darren couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the four-speed shifter poking through the floor. Seeing that the car was clean, and complete, Darren spoke with the owner who agreed to sell him the Dodge.
Equipped with a factory 383...
Equipped with a factory 383 four-barrel, the engine is stock and complete other than the aftermarket air cleaner. With a tune-up, fresh gas, and a battery, the engine fired up and ran well enough to load onto the trailer.
Once getting the wagon home,...
Once getting the wagon home, Darren quickly began cleaning the car, repairing various items, and replacing the aftermarket wheels with stock steelies painted to match the body. Dog-dish hubcaps make for a cool factory appearance.
So far, Darren has made serious...
So far, Darren has made serious cosmetic improvements to the Dodge, as well as performing the mechanical work to make it roadworthy. Future upgrades will include a new paintjob, rebuilt engine, and some performance parts as well. We congratulate Darren and Beth on finding what could be their perfect family car!
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