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More importantly,has ANYONE ever made a swap and came in under budget? I have a hard time rebuilding stock stuff and staying on budget. Every damn thing I try to do costs me more money than I was planning on spending.

We are good, storm broke up a bit as it passed over so we never got to a critical point. Two more storms this week but looks like they won't reach an evacuation level intensity.

Took "The '53" all the way down the big hill today. To the valley bottom. Put on my new seat belt and put the tranny in low range. I went 15-20 Mph to the bottom. Low range holds 4,000 lbs back pretty good! Not unlike a master cylinder, I need to pump up my confidence in my recent brake overhaul job. Time for a visit to the exhaust Doctor. Tail pipe is rusted through in the low spots where water sits I guess. Tail pipe broke off at muffler too. All rusted up. Its all going. New exhaust pipe and muffler from header back. The mechanic is in his 50’s I estimate. I offered to show him how to do the Fluid Torque Drive boogie. He had never seen a F.T.D. Before. He was intrigued. Asked how long it was around for. I could not rightly answer. How long was it around? The ‘53 will spend the night the shop. I’ll pick it up tomorrow evening. One last fearful look as I walk away. Nobody else has turned a wrench on my car since I took possession.

ready for installation... mission accomplished...

Inspired by @Worden18 and his Meadowbrook thread , I decided that I will host a thread of my 1953 Chrysler Windsor Deluxe this season. I was thinking about why I wanted to do this. Why share my year of travels and interactions in my old Mopar on the internet? I think there are several good reasons. None really more important than any other. Arguably it could summed up as just plain cool. It feels good to know that here at P15-D24, there are many others who share my passion for the old Mopars. We have a lot in common. We have lots to share. The good folks here care about keeping these old cars running and out on the roads. And if like me, enjoy reading other's adventures. Seeing the sites in another part of the world is fun. Every photo tells a thousand words. I hope there will be lots to show and tell this coming season. I also want to give back a little to this forum. The help I found here is much appreciated. Maybe I can repay you folks a little by giving you a little entertainment. Here we go.... My car season is anxiously beginning as temps are forecasted to hit 17C (62F) over the next few days. That'll kick start the big snow melt. My Chrysler is ready to cruise now after a busy winter. We sold our home and moved in the middle of my planned winter car repair schedule. Then we went on a 10 day trip to a much warmer climate. Since I got back home and settled, I've been busting my knuckles getting everything I wanted done to the car before the April 1 deadline. That's when Vintage Car Club Parade is. I'm not sure who's more excited. My 19 yr old son or I, for the cruising season. He's almost found daily out in the garage, sitting in the car making vroom- vroom noises. "Feeling the new brakes and clutch pedal adjustments", he says. Tonight my car is jockey'd up in the garage ready to get out. Hopefully the snow on the sides of the roads get knocked back enough this weekend to keep water off the pavement. Then it's go time. Cruising 2018 is but just around the bend here.

https://www.chonday.com/25830/busterstunts5/ Buster Keaton did all of his own stunts in his silent movies. Between the scenes with old cars there are instances of great stunt work.

Don't get me wrong, I have no issues with people modifying their cars, after all it's their car to do what they like. But @Pushrod Scott mentioned that his budget was limited (probably not as limited as mine), and he didn't want his car to sit around accumulating rust. So my comments were about doing it at a budget and a reasonable time frame. IMHO, best option would be a good running flat head for that car. Finding one might take upto 12 months, but once you find one, its a weekend swap over. What would a good running flathead cost, $1k? What would it cost to do the SBC & TH350 swap? $2k? $4k? And if you are doing it yourself with limited experience, how long would it take?

@Wiggo Maybe you could list all the required work that has been done to yours to make the SBC&th350 work on your car. This will give Scott some idea of what is required for the swap.

Well, look, I'm another heretic because by the time I bought my Bodge D20, someone had already dropped a 350 SBC/TH350 in there. It works. Man, is it ugly in places, though, and given the time and money I'd prefer to drop a hemi in, but I'll run what I've got for now. And it's been properly butchered...

A good option, but easier said than done in many cases.

I just wanted to thank you for saving the car, rather see it on the road with a sbc then in the scrap yard. Seems to me that a early 283 with the horseshoe mount would be dead simple, but any year sbc the mounts would not be difficult to fabricate. I think your big issue may be clearance with the steering box. That is where you need to research and see what others have done with the exhaust or even moving the box. Once you start getting into custom exhaust headers and or moving the steering box, A inline six could look like a good alternative. Either way, I like the idea of the sbc if I wanted to make a highway cruiser, I personally prefer a flathead to haul my arse to the lumber store and back. All about choices. ... I hope you make a build thread and keep us updated, always good to have some excitement around here Forgot to add, check clearances with the brake, clutch pedals mounted under the cab, just keep it in mind.

If your main concern with the rebuild of the flat head is 'money' then that concern should still be there with an engine swap. Because you have the sbc and box doesn't mean it will be a cheap or an easy install. The best budget option would be to find a good running flat head. This would also be the fastest way of getting your Plymouth/Dodge on the road.

I personally would prefer the 318 over the 350,but screw me and everybody else. YOUR opinion is the only one that matters because it is your car,your money,and your time that is going to get spent on the car.

I don't think you offended anyone personally ........us true blue mopar guys have sensitivity issues over transplanting the heartbeat of America into our beloved Chrysler products.....lol. Good luck with your decision, whatever it is.

Listen its your car, your cash, your choice as your the boss. Dont expect the masses on here to warm up too much on your SBC swap. Myself quite frankly dont care its not my car. Some happy with your decision?, how about that someone be you, cuz thats what counts. Yes a rebuild of a flathead 6 aint cheap but swapping in a V8 has its hidden and unexpected expenses too. The best source of support on this project is this, those who have successfully done the swap, have or still drive the car or truck. There are all kinds of armchair advisors on here, some have done these swaps and some start or never finish them. Some are still doing V8 or V6 swaps and have been doing them for years and the cars are never on the road, there never finished. Just remember its a Mopar Site dedicated to the Great Flathead engines and most on here support that idea only. I have no trouble with your ideas just follow through to completion, dont be a great starter and become a poor finisher. Don't be that type of guy! All the best and good luck.

now would be the most opportune time to upgrade by doing a frame clip verse all the work involved in replacing the cross section or maybe finding a complete frame altogether...being the 49, it is the most narrow of the frames of the era.

Wiring diagram as promised...

There was a guy on here with a 265 twin carb motor 2-1/2 tonner with that same big diameter damper. I have a NOS one that I am going to have to see what if any part #'s are on it.

I was told this engine was out of a firetruck. It has dual carb and dual exhaust and is a 25" engine. I can't find anything stamped into the pad on the engine block and someone has added throttle governors under the carbs (and then removed the butterflies!). Beyond that I don't know much about it.

The small damper is the typical one I've always seen on the 265's in cars. That big damper I've seen on the big 3-4 ton Moly block sixes and truck 3-4 ton Hemi heavy duty engines.

Thanks for the offer but I've got plenty!

Useful comments seem to have stopped...

I did a quick survey in the shop last night. My 25" motor with factory carbs and dual exhaust has a huge damper, a different 25" motor has a small damper on the front, my industrial 265 has none, and a 25" motor that I believe came out of a truck had none. I didn't get a chance to take a look at the engine in my 1-1/2T to see its damper status. Small Damper Large Damper

fabbed up the "cowl" last night. Tonight I'll weld in the bracing and be ready for blast and paint.

I don’t remember the exact spec, but 5 psi is the upper end of it. If the pressure were too high it would hold the float down, not up. The gas in the bowl holds the float up to close the needle valve. The fact that pressure holds in the line when the engine is off confirms that the needle valve is staying closed, as it should. However, when the gas evaporates out of the bowl, as it will since it’s a vented container, the float should drop with the fluid level. If it isn’t doing that than you need to investigate what’s causing it to stick. As for the backfire when letting off the gas... That usually indicates a too lean condition.

Bluefox if Db4ya doesn't want them I'd be happy to take them off your hands. Let me know.

I save all the old Mopar connectors....

New term in the local vocabulary, "evacuation fatigue".

Yes, please by all means simplify what you meant. Oh in case you forgot I’ll repost it below so you can break it down for all of us..... I didn’t see any restrictions on what GTK allows as modified.

FWIW, in New Jersey the only thing that's checked for a state inspection is the check-engine light. If it's off, you pass!

Hope all's well there, I will not complain bout the weather here anymore. PS: Usually when I hear the Sheriff just left it means it's a rockin' party is going on.

I used their kit in my 49 Wayfarer and I’m very pleased with it.

I did the front brakes 2 years ago Keith. I just haven't gotten around to the rear ones yet. They work good yet, but the master cylinder is getting spongy. I have a new replacement ready for install. Just need to get off my lazy butt and start on this stuff. . I'm not going to do a disc brake conversion at this time. This old Dodge has better brakes than most of the cars I have owned from the 60s; there's been 25+ of those in my life...

Jim,why not try to paint them with the new chrome paints you can get in rattle cans? To the best of my knowledge I have never seen bumpers painted with the chrome paint,but I have seen smaller pieces of chrome trim painted with it,and it looked pretty good even up close.

Volts times amps equals watts and watts are consumption. So do the math. 6 volt wire gauge is twice that of 12 volt wire gauge. Do the math.

I always believe one should build their cars however they want and to hell with what anyone else says. That being said, a Chevy and been done, redone and overdone. Everybody and their brother drops a 350/350 combo into all makes and then thinks they have something special. I modify every car I own so I'm not giving you the "purist" point of view either, and it doesn't have to have a Chevy in it to be a daily driver. For a few bucks more you could drop the 270 in it Plymouthy was talking about and be just as reliable but the cool factor goes to a new high. I really enjoyed dropping a 440 in a pre-war Chevy coupe and sticking it to the SBC crowd though. You are in the right place and just because you're dropping a V8 in your car doesn't make you unwelcome here. I completely disagree with anyone who tells you to go to the HAMB, like your modified car is not welcome here. Read the P15-D24 banner, I think some people have never read the description to the right. Adam

'40Club, I picked up my 'Canadian passenger car dampener/pulley' from a Canadian Mopar Flathead enthusiast. Specify it this way, because you want one from a 25" flathead engine. First off, I would put an ad in the "wanted" classified section of this site. Another possibility, would be to inquire with Canadian eBay Mopar vendors. Also, remember to specify the fan belt size you're using! Walt

Over my dead body............

Build it

I have yet to see a tank top on a female this year. I think that is a better indicator of spring than robins coming around.

The sun was out all day today. I took the opportunity to pull the car out of the garage into the light. First wash of the year. I also installed new seat belts today. 2 point lap belts. Nice dark green colour to match too. I am quite happy with the product from seatbeltsplus.com Of course we had to cruise my neighbourhood to test the seat belts. All my new neighbours seemed quite happy to see my old car out. Lots of melting today. The car sits about 2" lower overall now with the proper stock sized tires installed. I think I want to try and lower the rear end a little to have it either sit flat or a little lower than the front. Mine is about 1.5" taller at the rear compared to the front. I am thinking I will order a 2" block kit. In all the original '53 ads I have seen, the rear ends appear a little lower than the front.

Drove my car to work this morning; it was awesome

Its Tim’s Gift. You may have to be nice so he shares. I could’nt walk out of the store today without a pound of 10 year cheddar.

who in their right mind puts fake cheese on their heads....

measure the stroke....

PP, this is not the first time you have quoted me out of context. Your comment to the use of the phosphoric acid is not what I actually talked with you about on your many calls here or the PM's sent back and forth in my trying to help you with your project....use of the phosphoric requires some common sense and knowledge of the chemical involved or at least take note when explained to you...and for those who read his word please note......the use of phosphoric on non ferrous metal is strictly at your own risk..zinc and aluminum, pot metal etc...is a no-no. Please read all instructions associated with a product that may or may not be recommend by to be used on the car/parts by yourself. This goes right to the very end products like final coating/paints etc. Don't get me wrong, I do not mind helping where I can but I must insist that if you quote me on this forum please do it correctly...we have folks that follow a thread and will assume incorrectly that they can do X things without consequences.

I just went through the absolute pain of removing the rear brake drums and assemblies this weekend. The previous owner opted for welding one of the rims to the hub and drum. Thank God I'm a machinist and have access to a lathe to knock the excess weld off the original hub. Are there any rear axle parts from these (brakes, drums, hub) that are the same as other years and models? How long was a tapered/keyed axle used?