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52 Cambridge help


palmersparts

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Im new to the forum and need some help. I have been given a 52 cambridge 4dr. My dads dad bought it new in 52 from a local dealer for $495.00  (have the original title)   dad drove it to college in 69-70 after wrecking his 62 biscayne. All i ever got told when as a kid i wanted to work on it was the engine had over 100K miles and was bad... fast forward 30-35 years and i have a daughter that wants that car..  i sent her to grandpa (my dad) and low and behold he went thru the estate papers and found us the original title from 52. (amazing what a granddaughters smile and  puppy dog eyes can do).  Any info anyone can tell me will help.   I have wrenched for over 30 years, my dad has wrenched for over 50 years, I guess its time to bring another generation in to the fold..

 

oh  its the 218  currently stuck with 3 on the tree....  ever heard of a 10yr old girl  "WANTING 3 on the tree???"

This vintage mopar is new to me....

 

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Wow, sounds like a really cool scenario.  Sounds like the 3 of you need to get busy on that car and involve your daughter in the project.  I would pull the plugs and fill the cylinder's with aerokroil , pull the valve covers on the side and soak the valves. Drain the old, add some fresh.  I would be patient and let the Aerokroil soak before trying to turn it. Don't force it, just  try working the engine back and forth, If it doesn't move  add more Kroil and come back the next day. You can try rotating the engine back and forth after soaking by the crank bolt. This whole process may take a few days or a week or more. The last Plymouth engine I unstuck was the one in a parts car I had bought,  it was stuck pretty good. Took about 2 weeks of  soaking, working it back and forth. It took a bit more than some I've fooled with.  It ended up having a stuck piston,  eventually had to pull the head.  I took a block of hardwood and a hammer and pecked on each piston a bit.  Then tried to move it, kept soaking, it's a process. Eventually I got to move a little, then more soaking, never forcing just slowly back and forth until  it finally turned a full rotation.  It turned out to be a good engine, I think it was rebuilt before being parked.  The cylinders still had crosshatch in them and the Felpro head gasket didn't appear to be too old.  Patients is the key, you don't want to break a ring or do any damage.  I don't know your plan whether your wanting to try and get it running or go ahead and go through it,  regardless it will be easier to take apart if it rotates freely.  Good luck with your project,  post some pics!

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These are very easy cars to work on and maintain.  I had a Cambridge  4 door but upgraded to a Cranbrook Convertible .

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I got a lil more info out of dad on what happened to the engine.  apparently he was late getting back on the road to come home from college one winter day. He got in a hurry and put his foot in it. After about an hour of pushing it, it starter knocking/hammering.  (100K plus miles, 10w oil for the winter and pushing it hmm...). He did say she floats along at 80 mph pretty good.  He said he backed out of it and got home and when everything cooled down they changed oil in it and it ran without much noise but was never driven far from the farm after that. With this light shed on the subject  i'm saying   ill try and get it turning over  then its going to the machine shop...  

 

Is there anyone  that has a catalog for these old girls, like scott drake has for mustangs or classic parts does for my 57 pickup?? 

 

I have to say thanks in advance..

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Neil Riddle in Seattle.   advertises in the Plymouth Bulletin   (  Excellent publication put out by the Plymouth Owners Club )

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If you don't have one already, a factory shop manual, as well as a Motor's Manual,  is a very wise investment.  The Motor's  Manual has repair advice that isn't found in the factory manual.  These books are available on eBay and from other sources.  The factory issued shop manuals covering several years at a time (1946-51, 1946-52, etc)  The '46-54 book has been reprinted and is available from several vendors.  I'd try to find an original '46-'52 shop manual if I were you, because the body section of the manual covers the newest year that the manual covers (in addition, the clutch linkage changed from '51-'52).  I've also heard that the reprints have fuzzy pictures but haven't seen one to verify.

 

Don't forget to check  'everyday' parts suppliers like NAPA and rockauto.com because there is still a huge amount of mechanical parts available from them at better prices than the 'collector' vendors.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Harold

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Back when i was in high school there was a stack of old books on the ag shop table... they where remnants of the long gone auto program..   i picked up a chilton and a motors manual from the early 50's era...  i remember loaning one to a local parts man (he was working on a 53 plymouth) and i dont know if we ever got it back..   Ill have to go to dads and start looking..  Its amazing   what comes to mind  when some one else triggers it.   thanks harold  for reminding me..

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