Readers' Rides: Ed Jorgensen's 1977 Chrysler LeBaron - Longview Daily News
Ed Jorgensen’s has been tooling around town in his blue 1977 Chrysler LeBaron for 36 years. And if Jorgensen has his way, the vehicle will be on the Longview streets for years to come. The 81-year-old Longview man bought the car in 1978 from a used car lot in downtown Longview. “When I left Coos Bay, I had a pickup truck and a Chrysler New Yorker wagon,” he said. The blue of the LeBaron caught Jorgensen’s eye. However, about 28 years ago, he pulled out the stock engine and put a higher-powered motor and a new transmission. “So I pulled it out and put the good stuff in. ”. At the time, Jorgensen owned Castle Rock Machine Shop, so he did the engine and transmission work at his shop. “That’s where all the equipment was, plus I had hired help,” he said, who sold the shop about six years ago. Jorgensen’s need for speed stemmed from his time spent as a stock car racer in Portland. He raced at Portland Speedway from 1955 to 1962. The Minnesota native started racing after he left the Air Force, where he had served as a surgical technician during the Korean War. When the car came up for sale, Jorgensen snagged it. He said he was in his fair share of accidents during his racing years, none involving serious injuries. Source: tdn.com
