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1954 Plymouth Suburban Project


pflaming

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Well, the wife had made my bed by the time I got home so I think I am now between the dog house and dog heaven. The car still looks solid probably in better shape then the convertible, all things considered. Now for an engine and tranny and I may be looking t one tomorrow

 

Falconvan, thanks for the support. 

 

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On the trailer

 

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Congrats on getting it to the house...momma just does not realize how convenient this is going to be for running to the grocery store or Lowe's Home Improvement for flowers and the sort....

 

Makes me want to get my wagon on the road but I am not ready for that...all that is really slowing me down is the install of the headliner...but that is another day down the road.  I did however this morning test the audio system I had hoped to install in the coupe but had no available space for the install and now have slated it to go into either  the Suburban with the 10CD changer neatly hidden away in one of the rear seat side compartments..or the Dodge big butt coupe and hidden into the rear compartment behind the passenger seat....am very pleased with the setup, controls and the sound.....any one for a bit of Jon Anderson this evening..? go Olias..!!

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Paul when looking at the pics I noticed the fact that there were just roller tires on the vehicle driver's side....maybe the guy will let you swap these back out with a car in the yard for correct wheels with center cap clips intact...also I noticed the appearance of body work about the door corners and the forward rear quarter..common rust areas...especially the quarter as the sliding glass drains are here and are easily plugged over time and hold water and road dirt..another area very prone to rust is the tailgate and the lower body panel the gate hinges bolt onto.  The 53/54 wagons I have seen are usually in need of new metal here..but then I see only east coast cars..inspect this area closely..I can provide pictures of before, during and after repair of these areas if you so need them...also the metal below the rear seat seems to also take a hit due to the captured areas of the lower seat hinge support as it is welded tot he floor...

 

as for multiple projects...who can better make that call than yourself...I have a number of them as Don so well pointed out...I also renew 14 tags a year, while not many compared to some I guess but a lot more than most members here.....I will gladly put a few more cars on the road if those in reader land want to contribute to the insurance and registration....I live in a glass house and it bothers me not to cast a few stones...

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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Murfman: Using 54 headlight rims is cool. I've never seen an all chromed cross piece in this grille. THAT IS SPECTACULAR, it makes the car look wider. Looks like you've lowered it some. How and how much? 

 

Jeff, so what's so wrong about ADD, Attention!  Dodge Disorder!  I just double my Zoloft dosage and all's well and at times being hard of hearing is very convenient, and if you add short term memory loss, well then it's hard to keep enemies and every day is a new car!  

 

 

Those are actually 54 Mercury headlight rings, I welded them on after I welded studs to the fenders so I could mount the stock headlight buckets from the backside.  It will be a bit of a hassle but this way I can still replace the headlights and aim them as well.

 

My grille pieces were chromed by a local shop.  The wagon was a low line model so it didn't get the stainless trim on the lower bar, so there were no holes to deal with.  I am very happy with the result, and surprised I've never seen anyone ever do this to a 53.  It really does dress up the front end.  It is lowered 2" using Fatman spindles.  After its on the road I may take one coil off of the front springs to bring it down a little more.

 

I have since shaved the hood ornament from the hood but I am leaving the badge on the front.

 

This is what I did to the rear:

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They are VW type 3 taillights with the European lenses.

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Jersey Harold: I put a rear axle under and loaded the vert on a trailer and swapped locations so that the vert is now under cover in waiting the the suburban is in my shop. Tomorrow I pick up a running flathead engine and tranny so next week the focus will be on the engine. Will get it running tuned and ready to install. 

 

I removed all the parts inside, some surprises some good some not but considering the body is not too bad. The pictures look worse than it is. 

 

Headed to the shop. 

 

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Rust: front floors will need repair, the rockers etc are solid. Quarter panels and the rear lower gate will need attention as will. So ". . .here we go!"

 

I've got an extra set of fenders and an extra hood. So if anyone is looking let me know. 

Wish me luck and efficient use of my time. 

Edited by pflaming
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They are VW type 3 taillights with the European lenses.

They really do look good there. Look like they were made for the car while making it look modern at the same time.

 

Really clean look.

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Wifey and her sister left early this morning for a bridal shower in the Bay area so I went and pulled an engine for the suburban. What a job. Took a lot of focus and three hours with two working. Compared to this suburban, mine's a driver +. He thought it was a California car until I pointed out a AAA decal from MN. This is supposed to be a running engine. At $50 I can't go wrong, just hope the "little black jacket syndrome" doesn't bite me.

 

Dropped by one of his neighbors who had a very nice coupe.

 

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Things are the same yet not the same. This clutch and maybe tranny are different than the clutch and tranny in my truck. I noticed the difference when I saw how the starter was mounted. An explanation from some one who know wouid be most appreciated. 

 

I sure hope I'm not in over my head. In retrospect, the tranny in a pilot-house extends frame rail to frame rail and mounts to the frame rails. This tranny rests on a cross member and is held down by two 4" x 1/2" bolts. Very strong yet uncomplicated. 

 

So then to put a car tranny into a truck is not a simple swap. The truck engine was a simple pull compared to this pull. Well, ". . . the sooner to war the sooner to peace". 

 

Suburbanenginepull_zps2b6b77ed.jpg

Edited by pflaming
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Clutch is the same. One might be bigger to make it a little stronger but it all works the same. Starter works the same and really is mounted the same too. Instead of having mounts sideways to the frame they just point down and rest on a cross member.

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Put a battery to it and see if she'll start. I got my 230 to crank over that way before deep sixing the starter, generator, transmission, bell housing, flywheel and clutch parts. All I wanted was the core engine... the rest is truck stuff.

 

For $50, if she'll run, you did just fine. And I agree, the car stuff looks funny compared to the big bulky truck parts and the truck stomp starters.

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too large a rim. too skinny a tire...chassis too lowered, the wheel too high in the fender well..do not care for that look..the wheels will make it ride like a road wagon not a refined grocery getter it is supposed to be...and the nameplate look so out of place in its out of place position...

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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too large a rim. too skinny a tire...chassis too lowered, the wheel too high in the fender well..do not care for that look..the wheels will make it ride like a road wagon not a refined grocery getter it is supposed to be...and the nameplate look so out of place in its out of place position...

 

Totally agree, but I like the paint job!

 

Marty

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Steam cleaning. When I  pulled the freeze plugs on my truck engine, sludge came out the bottom holes. On this engine the bottom of the water jacket was empty and the nozzle of the high powered steam cleaner only gave me rusty water. I cleaned til all I got was clean water from every freeze hole. 

 

So, ". . . the beat goes on"

 

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Edited by pflaming
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