Hi SlantSixDan!

I´ve checked the link in your post, and the link in the link. It´s really a good job. I wonder if this manufacturer is able to reproduce our tail lights, a little more difficult, as they are like boxes open by one side but not totally square (they have a kind of roof in top, as you can see in the photos), a design tipically european. Our club is making some investigations about who could make these lights at not so expensive cost (we could order about 100 units). it´s amazing how everything you can ever need can be ordered in U.S.A. , even all kind of trims as the website of the manufacturer promises. We´ll consider to contact him to see feasibility and costs. Thanks for the info!

Your questions will be welcome! Our club is trying to gather all information available about the Spanish Dodge cars (95% of them with slantsix engines. For the rest Barreiros Diesel engines were adapted). We are in touch with Foundation Eduardo Barreiros (the man who created the factory which manufactured these cars and many other vehicles) and other Spanish Dodge lovers who have been collecting all information scattered about Spain. In the last concentration we arranged last 20 october, Juan Gaya, former Engine Development manager of Barreiros - Chrysler España was invited and shared with us a lot of data and stories about these cars and the factory and workers who made them.

Thanks for you effort of writing in Spanish! It´s not a bad translation.

My estimation is that David Azzopardi can successfully reproduce those lenses without a problem. Be patient with him -- he sometimes takes a long time to respond to questions via e-mail. But, he does excellent work. If you like, tell him Daniel Stern sent you.
Wow...that must have been fascinating! Did anyone write down these stories? Can they be shared?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Hi Dan!

I think you´re right. I´ve seen the works showed by Azzopardi in his website. He has made very difficult lights with good results. I will talk with the Club members and probably we contact him. Thanks again


Juan Gayá is like an open book! Maybe someone with enough time could write an encyclopedia, talking with him. In fact, he said that the only thing he missed after his retirement is talking about engines and mechanics.

For example, when I told him I was rechroming mi crankshaft (it wore out in the joint with one camshaft, so it needed to increase its diameter by adding an alloy -I´m not sure that the term is right in English.) he told me that it was a current process until mid sixties in truck engines after hundreds of thousands of miles done but they stopped doing this because this alloy added to the crankshaft core provoked an additional tightness that could result under prolonged extreme conditions in break of this engine part. I hope it never happens to mine ; I will have to be a little bit careful.

He also told me that the slantsix engine, that in Spain had a black legend of being extremely thirsty, consumed just 13 liters every 100 km. in tests they made (4,75 miles per liter = 21,6 miles per gallon if my conversions are not wrong) if you drive at 100 - 110 km/h (62 - 70 miles/h). In city driving this rate increased of course. I checked this in my Dodge 3700GT and it´s totally right! Of course, if you make the most of the engine possibilities gas consumption can go up to 20 liters / 100 kms = 14 miles per gallon.

He told me also about the Barreiros Diesel Engine, a legend in Spain of high output, low consumption and endurance, made until the late 80s, at first was very shaky, like most of these engines until the 70s. They made several tests and found where was the origin of this shaking: The movement of the connecting rod at a particular moment of its way. Consequently, they moved junction with piston until the correct angle with minimum shaking was found.

Another story was the IHI turbo-compressor that some repair-shops were mounting in the diesel engines equipping Chrysler cars in Spain. They made tests in the factory with this turbo-supercharger equipping the engine and what they found after hundreds of hours working at ordinary test conditions, is that the piston upper surface began to melt down. It was evident that the engine was not designed to bear the added power so they decided to deny factory guarantee to engines equipping this turbo. They afterwards made several tests to find a method to increase power by turbo-supercharging the engine without ruining the pistons. They found the way: Directing a very strong oil jet to the cylinders, what reduced friction and temperature protecting pistons adequately to work. But at this point, Peugeot had just bought the factory from Chrysler and this turbo-diesel Barreiros engine hardly saw the light. The French wanted Peugeot turbo-diesel engines in the cars made in the factory.

Another funny story was about the bankrupt caused by Dodge Dart manufacturing to the company. When Chrysler Corp. had taken control of the Company, and the 69 line was presented to get out the last Dart bodies stored in the factory these units carried a sticker in the rear window which said: "Linea 69 ¡Dodge poder!" (69 line Dodge power!) but workers said parodying this slogan "¡Dodge joder!" (Dodge &#@%!) The website has censored automatically the word. You can imagine or find the translation of the Spanish word. They meant that Dodge Dart had ruined the company created by Barreiros. Only in recent times people have begun to recognize the giant jump that the making of the Spanish Dodges supposed for the Spanish automotive industry, which up to that moment was thinking small, still anchored in the post-war mind.

He told me also some stories about Eduardo Barreiros, a true genius of automotive industry. I´m particularly sure that if Barreiros was born in the USA he would have built an industrial empire but the 60s narrow minded Spain was not yet prepared to support such an outstanding industry figure.

Juan Gaya is living in Madrid, close to my home. Maybe some day call him to have a coffee and listen to more stories he loves to tell.

I will try to include some photos of the restoring process we are doing with my slantsix engine, once we have had to strip it down. We have restored crankshaft, changed one connecting rod, rectified head, valves, changed piston rings, thermostat, thermostat housing, oil pump, water pump, side block caps, new gasket set of course, painting some parts in black like crankcase, fan, brake power pump, power steering tank, battery base... we are even painting one side of the engine compartment with rust points due to battery acid splash. I hope we finish this process soon. And also hope that the photos can be seen properly! It´s the engine in the blue car showed above for the fortunate people who can see it (before breakdown happened). A big part of my Xmas extra salary will go off paying for it but It´s worth preserving and restoring such a unique piece of the Spanish automotive industry !