i have a 1993 dodge shadow base model, with what i belive is the base 2.2L 4cyl engine. i got the car because i found it abandoned by a tennent. it looks like it was beaten with a baseball bat pretty good, passanger window is gone, front winsheild is smashed, luckily not all the way through., body is dented. as for other problems, tires are flat in rear, hatch hydrolic struts are shot, i think the tranny might have a leak (i found 5 bottles of auto trannny oil) and i have no keys. i have 2 5 lug rims in my barn ill try putting on, as for keys im trying to hotwire it. if i hot wire it (what wire combination do i need) will the steering wheel stay locked, and can i shift it out of park? and is there any way i can move it as it is right now without keys? thankyou

 

A good locksmith can make you an ignition key for it. I lost my car keys once, the lock smith came put something in the ignition pulled it out put it in another tool and started to punch out a key. It cost me about $100 bucks, worth it compared to the hundreds of dollars worth ofproblems you might cause hot wiring it.

 

thats not a nad idea, but i have also noticed that i might be able to get a new set of locks and an ignition for 60 on ebay. i have also noticed that it will be very hard to title this car, being that the owners no longer rent apartments here i cannot got a hold of them easily, and the car can be classifyed as abandoned, which according to new york state means it can only be destroyed. i have insurance forms, registration forms and that stuff, but no title. is there anything i can do??

 

First I have to ask which Wallkill are you from the one near New Paltz or Middletown I'm originally from Cornwall, I moved to Ballston Spa 6 months ago.

If the laws haven't changed you can do one of two things: First you can get a salvage title, do all the necessary repairs to the car and then you would have to take it to I think either Kingston or Poughkeepsie for an inspection at a state facility, if it passes they will allow you to register it but the title will say rebuilt salvage on it for ever which makes reselling hard. or second you can get in touch with a title company they will do all the footwork for you and 9 times out of 10 succeed in getting you a clean title for it, years ago I had a friend do it on a 68 El Camino it cost then 12 years ago $250.

I just read your profile, we might have met already, I took Vehicle maint with Mr.Dolan, I graduated in '90 from his class, I had my Aries on display at Hot Rod Day this past June, I went with some friends from the Orange County Antique Auto Club.

 

wow, what a small world lol. i am from the hamlet of wallkill in shawungunk, but the car is in the town of wallkill/middletown border. thankyou for that information, im not too worried about reselling it, ill run it till it dies, its going to be my first car anyways so im not to worried about how it looks. i dont know if you have seen the pictures, but thats the car, today i filled the tires, found out the car has the wrong spare tire, and i got the wires out ready to hotwire (i wont do it often, but if damage does occur ill have learned my lesson) because i dont have the money for the locks yet. as far as everything else, its just cosmetic repiars that need to be made. i have to say even thought it is a dodge shadow, i love it already.

 

If you and your folks arent busy Friday night April 4 the Orange County Antique Auto Club is having their monthly meeting at the Wes Warren Community Center, RTE 17m behind Cosimos Pizza, past the Galleria, why not come over, the meeting starts about 7pm. We are always welcoming new members, we especially would like to see the younger generation get involved.

Before you do any hot wiring Id take a trip to the auto suppy store and pick up a HAYNES manual for the car, I found their books better than Chilton.

 

belive it or not there was already a Haynes manual in the car, and with that book, i have the car hot wired, my friendsa re coming over to jump it and then all i have to do is get new tires, a title, new locks and ignition,a nd check the tranny, and i will have a driavable car, tommorow im going to start it, and then i need to take out the ignition somehow( steering wheel wont move) a nd i need to figure out how to get it outa park.


and yea if my parents dont have anything planned id love to check that out, thank you

 

If its a floor shifter some times there is a release in the shift mechanism, you have to push it in with a screwdriver, but your manual should have a chapter on the tranny/shifter. I would suggest reading the chapters on steering and tranmission before doing anything this way when you goto do it you'll have a general idea what to do, and you'll just have to refer to it asyou go along.

I plan on coming down for the meeting, I should be in Orange County early afternoon, I plan on seeing some friends I havent seen since I moved in October, if you need a hand getting your ride running let me know I'd be happy to what help you out.