1964 Dodge Polara | Jay Leno's Garage

My favorite type of episode, like this, with Jay by himself describing all the details of one of his own cars. It's relaxing, as if you're just hanging out with Jay and going for a drive.

When I was 16 my dad bought a 1965 Belvedere I from a guy who was on a baseball team he coached and got drafted. It had a 426 wedge with a push button Torque Flight transmission, he instantly became the coolest dad and I was the luckiest kid on the block. It was the car I learned to drive in and take my driver's license test in. Yes I passed and the guy who gave me the test had a big smile on his face, boy did I love the 60's, 73 now and still smiling 😃

Jay, we are about the same age, thanks for the trip back in time to when we were kids. My mother's family was in the car business, my grandfather had a Dodge dealership in one small town in upstate NY (Lyon's NY) and in Newark, NY he had a Chrysler dealership. My grandfather came to the USA from Italy with 17 dollars in his pocket in 1908. He had 3 years of school in Italy and worked as a laborer on the Erie Canal. A dynamite accident motivated him to find another job. He took his lunch bucket and walked to the nearest town (Lyon's) and got a room in an Italian American rooming house, and found a job as a blacksmith apprentice. He married the daughter of his landlord and when the old blacksmith retired bought his business. Cars and tractors were replacing horses and Chyrsler was needing a dealership network of people skilled in metal working. Chrysler had a mutually beneficial program of helping those they were putting out of business by letting them sell cars on the side. By 1950 he had two dealerships, 7 kids and a string of Shell and Mobile Gas Stations. The American dream, a poor boy from Italy made his fortune in America. My grandmother was first generation Italian American and her contribution was teaching him to read and write in English and helped him keep the books with a pot of spaghetti on the stove and a baby in her arms. I remember as a kid when the turbo Chryster made the tour of dealership to promote business. Pretty cool car, very hot exhaust.

Had a red 64. Pulled the 383 and added the 413 from a wreck. Every cop in LA new me. Used to go out in the desert and run. Bias ply tires, drum brakes, and lap belts and we are STILL ALIVE!

THIS is the main reason Jay's segments are great. The knowledge he has and depth I really appreciate. The fancy stuff is ok but THIS is where he shines.

My older sister's husband had the 1964 Plymouth "Belvedere" - their version of this car ... it had the 426-cu in "Street Wedge" V-8 ... and was absolutely unbeatable! Miss him and the excitement of cars from that era. Thank you for the memory.

I was 17 in 1973 and paid $550 for a 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury with the 383 Commando V8. Maroon with maroon interior. This video really brought me back.

To speak of these Chrysler mopar cars. Back in 1965 my dad bought a brand new 1965 Chrysler New Yorker 2 dr HT being that very nice dark metallic green with black leather interior. 413 engine automatic transmission. This was in Finland so anyway, us living in Vasa we flew own to Helsinki and went to the Chrysler dealer there called BERNERS and wow, i was 8 years young then and I still remember how big and powerful that car was. That car is stll in the family. My brothers son has it now but it's just being parked at a barn and who knows what will happen to the car in he future. So anyway, great memories and those good old days are gone forever just like anthing else. Many times, I wish I could go back and re live my childhood it went by just to fast. I'm so thankful for my childhood and that I had a good lufe with the best ever greatest parents. Rest in peace my beautiful Dad and Mom ❤

Right wheels, right tires and right stance. The lines of this car is so beautiful.

I love when Jay does his own cars. This one brings back memories, because my first car was a 1964 Dodge Polara, it looked a lot like this one but was a normal family car, 318 with Torqueflite (push-button selection!). My dad got it for (I think) less than $100 because it only ran in reverse. We rebuilt the transmission for $30, gave the engine a tune-up, and it was good to go.

In 1964 my father sold Dodge and they gave him a D500 Polara as a demonstrator. 383 4-speed gold with matching interior. They called it the Golden Goose. It was the first 4 speed I ever saw. I was only 13 at the time and we were a family of 6. Not much room for 6 but it was fun to ride in. From that same dealer I got a ride in a 63 Polara max wedge with the service manager. I remember his saying holy crap 100 mph. i was hooked on cars beginning with that Golden Goose and when I saw your Dodge it brought back good memories. Thanks

Sometimes Jay tries to be so professional and serious when he's doing these episodes, but when he gets behind the wheel of a car like this Dodge you can tell how it really takes him back to his youth.

There are wealthy collectors and there are gear-heads. Jay is both with an encyclopedic knowledge of all makes & models.

Always prefer the videos jay does by himself. Been watching since it was on Jay's website only in 2007.

I just added a 1964 330 to my garage. Bench seat, push the drive button and unleash 650HP! What Jay says about these being a brute is so true.

I had a 1962 Dodge Polara - a Dart body with a 361 Wedge, 4 bbl, Torqueflite, 413 head, cams, and headers. Predated the GTO by TWO FULL YEARS.

We started a new Dodge dealership in our upstate NY town in the summer of 1963 and our first new models were the 1964 Dodges. My dad had a 1964 Polara two door hardtop as his first demo and it was a burgundy color with a black vinyl roof and black interior...such a striking car and he was so proud to have been made a new car franchise dealer by Dodge in our small town. I grew up in that dealership and eventually came home from college in 1971 and went to work there selling cars and eventually became the dealer principal after my dad's untimely demise in 1983. So many wonderful memories were evoked by this video. Thanks for the memories Jay!

it was 1972-73 that a high school friend had this or coronet . What I do remember is this was one of his Dad"s beaters. It was a convertible. His Dad loved convertibles . ( He also had a beautiful Cutlass 442,4 speed, convertible.) Anyway, the top had some taped holes, the steering wheel was so loose you thought it would pull off. It was indeed a 426 wedge, 4 speed. It felt insanely fast. The stick shift was very tall and had a beer tap for a handle he made. When he shifted, his knuckles would just about hit the dash in third gear. He used to take a couple friends out for hell rides on route 95. He would scare the bejeepers out of us. At over 100mph the front end was light and wandering all over the road. I remember enough wind coming through the top to catch a cold. Thanks for the memories , Jay

This was my grandpas car! My grandpa just passed on the 30th of April he would have loved to know someone was appreciating it as much as he did. He was the 1st owner and my uncle was the second owner.

We had a brand new '64 Polara 440 wagon with 3 bench seats, tons of glass, a 383 4bl, and dual exhausts. A modern "blended family" with 4 kids, moving from Air Force base to base. At least once a month, we would get on the highway to "Clean out the carbon" with a high speed run, never a ticket. Those Airmen can be sneaky, or stealthy as they would say now. A fun family Saturday outing was to wash and wax the blue beast then go to the beach or park for a picnic. Good times. Thanks, Jay.