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  1. Hello Everyone! First before i get into the story, just want to say how amazing this community is for information and searching my endless amount of questions i have. You all are awesome for helping like you do and it is much different than most automotive forums i have been apart of. THE (LONG) STORY As all car men/women do, i was doing my daily car search hunting for something. My wife and I are expecting our first child come October and like my father did with me, i am on the hunt for something i can hopefully one day work on with the boy. Normally my searches skew a bit newer because most historic cars i can afford where i live are either out of my price range or made mostly of rust and speed holes to bring back around. I opened up my search and came across a 1951 Plymouth Concord business coupe that looked like it was dug out of the ground. The more i looked at pictures and read the description, the more i found myself saying "you know, there might be something here with this one." Luckily i was the first to see the listing and messaged immediately. The story is the gentlemen whom bought this car bought it from the original owner back in the 70's. He drove it around for a while but like most car guys of that day, he had a lot of other cars he had collected over the years and eventually parked it in an enclosed garage/barn. In the 90s, he brought it back out to make sure everything worked and to move it to a new garage/barn and there it would sit. Sadly, the gentlemen passed away in 2018 and the family decided to sell off a few cars as they had no real attachment to them. One was the 51 Plymouth. After talking with the family and seeing the few phots, i hopped into my car and drove out there the next day. From the photos, i was expecting this thing to be a flintstone model but after crawling all around and under it for a little over 2 hours, the only rust i found was a small 2"x4" hole right behind the door before the wheel well and the battery box/tray. The hole behind the door had not gone into the floor at all so it "seems" like an easy patch. All be it covered in a lot of surface rust and crud, there was not one trim or panel missing or out of place. Not one pinhole i could find in the trunk or wells. i was shocked. even the engine was all there along with a good amount of oil in it and what looked to be extremely cloth sparkplug wires. The family also told me at some point when he was still driving it around, someone saw the car and said they also had a Plymouth and had a complete flat 6 engine they were going to get rid of if he wanted to buy it. The daughter said it was just a stock engine but the mother thought she remembered the husband saying something about it having more power. Either or, he was not someone to pass up a deal and said if i wanted it, it was mine because it was just taking up space. At the moment, my plans are get it shipped to my garage and WASH/CLEAN IT! After those first 2 important steps, hopefully to get her up and running and slowly bring it back to life. With how original everything is I would love to keep it a survivor and hopefully one day teach my son about these cars and maybe pass it along. I plan on keeping everyone updated and will have tons of questions moving forward. To me, just being able to wash the 30+ years of crap off it might be worth it in my opinion. haha. THE NEW GUY QUESTION So my basic automotive history is my father and I worked on classic cars when i was growing up but nothing pre 65 and i have not touched one for 15 years i would say. I still keep up with learning as it is my passion. I know what i would consider the basics and enough to get me in trouble but would be considered a novice by probably most of you on the forum. Because this car has been sitting so long, my biggest fear is doing more damage when starting it. So my main question is....any advice on making sure its safe to try and start it? Im thinking first obviously throw some mystery oil down the plug holes and hand crank the engine to see if its even free. Next would be battery, oil change, check spark and wiring and the whole standard stuff. I will also check and clean the carb but have a rebuild kit on order and will obviously not be using fuel from the tank. I think my biggest concern is dry starting without priming the oil system. I have seen people prime the system by taking a spare oil pump and shaving the teeth off of it to prime the system but is that the only way? I do have a complete spare engine but would love not to do that if possible. I really look forward to being a member of this forum and hopefully one day i will get to end this thread with a video of it running and driving. -Logan
    2 points
  2. My 49 Business Coupe is a joy, but it is also the cheapest Mopar you could buy (outside of the pickups....pickups used to be the lowest priced vehicles but not anymore). I once had a Special Deluxe Two Door and it was a really nice car. You got a lot for your money with one of those. The Coupe has me looking for Optional Seat Springs that you could have the dealer install. Didn't seem to need them with the Special Deluxe. A Front Sway Bar. A radio to complete the Wood Grained Dash which I find so stunning. A clock to compliment the Radio. That clock has become an issue. On eBay I found three clocks from the same well known (not to be named) supplier. A used Dodge clock, a new-in-box Plymouth clock and a new-out-of-box Plymouth clock with some pieces missing. I put a "Buy it now" purchase on the last one thinking I could find the light socket and save nearly $100. Yes clocks go for that much. It was ten days before it shipped. When it finally arrived, it was the used Dodge clock not the new Plymouth clock! I dashed off an irate message to the supplier, which went unanswered. I went to my post office for a new box, "Sorry we don't have those regional boxes, they have a special rate." To which I asked "If I recycle this box will you give me the same rate?" Yes was the answer. I cleaned up the box and repacked the clock. eBay has a "Return this item" button so after 24 hours of no response I clicked it. There is a page that you print and take to the post office and they will print the return label. Easy right? Once the label was printed the postmistress informed me "You can't use that box. This label is for first class not Priority"!!! Back home for a plain brown wrapper box. Well I finally got it off in the mail. 3 trips to the Post Office and considerable frustration. Plus when you return something you lose the ability to give bad feedback. Now I went on a hunt for another clock. I found two. One without a photo...no dice I learned my lesson. One with a photo, further away and slightly more money. "Buy-it-now" button pushed on Thursday. Friday I got a cheery message thanking me for my purchase and saying they will get it in the mail Monday.... It occurred to me that these folks are playing a great joke on me....they think I have plenty of time on my hands.....and I would if I had a damn clock!
    2 points
  3. Here is a (minimal) step-by-step procedure to follow when trying to start a car that has not run in many years: #1- Drop the oil pan and clean it out - it will probably have an inch of sludge in it #2- Remove the spark plugs and squirt some WD-40/oil into each cylinder. Either clean or replace the spark plugs. #3- Turn the engine over BY HAND - this will assure that the lubricant will coat the cylinder walls. #4- Remove the valve covers and clean out the sludge that sits in the oil "wells" - And, get someone else to turn the engine over by hand, while you watch the valves/lifters. You may find that there are a couple of stuck valves #5- Remove the distributor cap & rotor and either clean the points or replace them and the condenser. Also, check the cap and rotor - they may need to be cleaned or replaced. When cars sit these parts develop oxidation and need to be "cleaned" - or filed to remove the oxidation. #6- As mentioned above - check coolant, hoses, belt, etc. You might want to lube the water pump, too. #7- Run a remote gas tank with fresh gas connected to the fuel pump. #8 - And most importantly - HAVE PATIENCE - DO NOT RUSH TO TRY AND START THE CAR WITHOUT TAKING, AT THE LEAST, THE ABOVE PRECAUTIONS. YOU CAN DO A LOT OF DAMAGE BY JUST DROPPING A BATTERY IN AND CRANKING THE ENGINE......
    2 points
  4. Logans51, Welcome to the Forum. I restored my most recent 1948 Chrysler Royal with my son in the last 14 years. It is a very rewarding process. Now for your most recent acquisition. Everybody knows nobody wants cars from the 50's or 40's anymore, so, restoring this one should be a work of Love only, - with the caveat of - you will never get out of it what you put into it. So be careful how much work you farm out. Do it yourself. Even then it will only be a project of Love. Young people only want 60's and up muscle cars today. They bring the money. Like any collection it is the three legged Bar Stool. Condition, Rarity, and Demand. Without all three of these components the Bar Stool falls over. Demand is just not there. Maybe some years hence, (and I might add I have been waiting with several old Mopars since 1973 and it still hasn't happened) these old buses will bring some money. Until then go slow, be frugal and raise your boy turning those wrenches. The time will fly by and you will wake up some day wondering where it went. Enjoy the process, I did, my wife and I had our 2 kids (both United States Marine Sergeants) when we were 40 and 42. Now at 65 we miss them that they are not around. They grow up so fast it will startle you. Good Luck buddy and stay on this forum with any questions you may have. Finer people you will never meet. Tom
    2 points
  5. Haha. I didn't mean to tease, I also didn't want to seem like I was bragging...
    2 points
  6. One of the first projects I had completed when I bought my sedan was a swap to headers and duals. Initially I used a set of 24” smithy’s but quickly grew to dislike the constant drone inside the cabin. Swapped them for a pair of thrush mufflers, still has the braap at take off but zero drone.
    2 points
  7. Loren...........not sure if you were around when I had the 41 Plymouth but with a name like Andrew Douglas I can't help to be desendent from some Scotish tightwads....so....I wanted a 1941 Plymouth clock...the only one that kept coming up on epay was around $800 US which made it about $1400 Australian at the time...I wanted the clock, not the rest of the car.....anyway I thought........I'll take a few screen dumps of the nice clock pictures and resize them, eventually got one the same size as the dash hole and glued it to a piece of clear plastic then inserted that into the reversed clock delete dash piece and installed my "new clock" in the dash.......looked great, kept perfect time.....well twice daily it did and only cost me a few minutes, time that my new clock kept .....sometimes...........lol...........don't have a pic and as I sold the car I've always wondered whether the new owner got the clock working properly....nah..I didn't tell him..........lol................andyd
    2 points
  8. For some time I've considered how to get really big brakes on my Plymouth. It wasn't so much that I felt a need as I realized that you could. My Plymouth P17 has 10 inch brakes, a similar year DeSoto has 11 inch and Chrysler Windsors have 12 inch. Let me tell you a 12 inch Chrysler drum fills a 15 inch wheel! I've read about other people's adventures putting disc brakes on Plymouths and it just seemed to me to be more work and engineering than it was worth. Chrysler across its line of cars had a continuity of design. As cars got bigger and heavier they placed bigger brakes on them of exactly the same design. Thus a Plymouth uses the very same hydraulics as a Chrysler. Which for the company meant lower costs of stocking parts. For service it meant there were no surprises or re-training for technicians. For manufacturing it meant associated parts could be the same thus again lowering costs. Because high volume cars like Plymouth and Dodge paid the engineering costs, the company could afford to make better DeSotos and Chryslers. That is the real beauty of Mopar cars. Since Chrysler Brakes CAN be put on a Plymouth, you knew somebody WOULD. And I am certainly not the only one who has done this. I studied the shop manuals and parts supplier's sites and found that the king pins in the front were the same but the Chrysler spindles had Torrington Needle Bearings in the top (thus a different P/N for the King Pin Set). Torrington discontinued the bearing Chrysler used decades ago. I found an NOS King Pin Set for my project at a reasonable price with the needle bearings. In retrospect I think one of the reasons the bearings were discontinued is that they tend to get stuck and they skid more than roll. One supplier sells a kit with a thick bushing in place of the needle bearing (at a good price too) and this may be a better choice. Speaking of bearings, even the wheel bearings and seals are the same. If you are on a treasure hunt you will need the spindles, backing plates, drums and the tubes from wheel cylinder to wheel cylinder. Being kind of picky I bought a left handed 1/2 x 20 tap & die to clean up the threads on the left side for the lug bolts (most tap & die sets have right handed 1/2 x 20 in them). I sand blasted everything and put some paint on them just to keep the rust at bay. Tomorrow I begin to install the front brakes. 6BB2C2CC-563E-4F8F-8FA6-F7DB6613C9A9_1_201_a.heic
    1 point
  9. Knowing your luck, you probably got a two-pack and the other one is going on your "achievement wall"....
    1 point
  10. your on the right track. MMO down the holes. Turn it over by hand a few times a day. Drain the tank. Put an in line fuel filter. Fresh battery Now try to bump it gently. Have someone look for fuel leaks. Youve come to the right place. The Disciples of Chrysler. Take us for a spin
    1 point
  11. Have a big fire extinguisher on hand and maybe install a battery quick disconnect just in case. I have a 51 Cambridge, so mechanically we have pretty much the same car. Be happy to help where I can. That is a truism. I have four of them and they all grew up so fast I can't believe it.
    1 point
  12. Thanks Tom for the welcome and your 48 is beautiful. This is by no way a quick flip or cash grab and a plan out it being here for quite some time. Only thing i am looking to get out of it is learning as much as i can and hopefully pass something along to the next generation. There is no timeline and having dealt with classic cars before, i am aware any timeline i make, i might as well times it by 10. The only thing i would farm out would be the rust repair because i would want that done correctly by a professional. Rolling and properly patching is something i am not ashamed to say i know very little about. This will truly be a labor of love and hopefully a family project.
    1 point
  13. Cool car, congrats. You're on the right track, clean it up, little mmo down the holes and see if she cranks. Get it running then tackle the brakes. You'll be driving it in no time. Good luck and have fun.
    1 point
  14. what you need now is a train horn......lol
    1 point
  15. I see you are in PA. George Asche the flat head guru lives in western PA. Look him up on this site. You should call him - he probably has an engine in which you might be interested.
    1 point
  16. Thanks for your comments. I have had this car since I was 15. I'm 44 now. This was a once-in-a-lifetime operation addressing some rust issues in the body and a total repaint, which eliminated the weird sparkly baby blue color that this poor car had been wearing since the 70s. The car did have all the trim, lettering, and badging in decent condition - but I always thought it made the car look too frumpy for my taste. I like that big blunt nose without the hood ornament. Mine was kind of beat anyway. I like that there's no script anywhere I am keeping everything, though, in case I or a future owner want to restore it to stock condition. I want to get some wider smoothies for it. It needs a new interior. I'd like to add some headers - and then I think it really will be done. : )
    1 point
  17. enforcement is the primary cause and effect.....no inspections....folks will push the envelope. Too many standards out there for X bikes of X year manufacture. Some of the factory pipes for large bikes exceed 100 but below the 115db old rating....new bikes are being built to muffler ratings of about 80db where many states have 82-84db rulings this 80db muffler rating pretty much is a cover for all level of bike makers.....as laws and law enforcement varies from place to place you will always find those that exceed the limits....loud pipes does not NECESSARY save lives...they endanger more than they think. Approaching from the rear on a major highway at speed...you never know they are there till they just beside you...some of these riders think it funny to blast the accelerator aside a driver's window....scaring the crap out of many drivers who swerve due to alarm and greatly incur risks of accidents. I have seen this a number of times....it takes responsibility to safely drive a bike...not noise....to many myths out there.
    1 point
  18. I am sorry for the confusion, my training did not come from the Mopar parts book. For clarity what my Plymouth manual calls a “Knuckle” would be called a “Steering Knuckle” or a spindle elsewhere. Which seems more descriptive to me. The part I called an “Up-right” is indeed called a “Support” in the Plymouth manual. Again being the only vertical suspension member, “Up-right” seems more descriptive than “Support”. If you said “Support” to me without knowing you were referring to a Plymouth front suspension part I would think you were talking about some kind of bracket. Since they made the car they can call them whatever they wish. I will be more careful to use the Plymouth nomenclature in the future rather than generic terms.
    1 point
  19. So everyone wants that thrahy sound and headers and the tuned exhaust system. So I ask how many Harly davidson MC to you hear in a neigbor hood with the full coutout pipes early inthe morning or late at night when a MC rider comes into your neighborhood. He is running loud pipes and you have a young child and he wants everyone to notice him and he wakes up your baby or young child. I guess that makes you angry becasue now you have a hard time getting your child back to sleep. But the guy with th eloud pipes has his rights to have a loud bike. So the same bikes passess you on a 4 lane highway and is sitting inthe left lane right at your drive side window with openpipes. You sut the windows becsue of the noise level is so loud you cant even hear your radio. You shut the window and still loud. You get mad and wish he would speedup turn off and the next exit. But he has his rights but does not care about yours. So lets all think about the loud pipes on our cars, the noise level in our cars, the noise level around our car and how it affects others. But the world currently is setup horray for me and the Hxll to the others around us. Just gie it some thought. You all will be at some point in time to agree about the extra loud nosie is not appreciated. Rich Hartung
    1 point
  20. In addition to all the above... That cam shaped bushing can be "threaded" forward and back on that little threaded shaft. If you move it toward the front or the read you get a change in the CASTOR. Once it is at that point on that little shaft ONE revolution changes the CAMBER. So you CAN adjust both Castor as you adjust camber. It is a PITA as any movement of that "eccentric" or cam shaped bushing changes BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. The other issue is the lower and upper control arm bushing. If they are not properly centered, like someone at some point changed them with the proper tool in the manual, it will toss off the Castor and no amount of turning the eccentric will make it correct. I have this issue with my 1949. The other issue is king pin binding. That can cause wander as well. Many of the cars after 1948 model year had one busing and one BEARING in the king pins. Often they get replaced with all bushings and this causes a problem. In the case of my 1949, I need more Castor than I can get. I plan on "cheating" and I am going to screw my lower inner control arm pivot forward one rotation. That will move the bottom of the king pin forward and give me more CASTER. One has to remove one bushing from the control arm to do that as well as unload the spring. I suggest that the poster goes over to the Imperial Site and reads all the MOPAR service booklets related to suspension from 1946 to 1954. It does a very good job of explaining it all. James
    1 point
  21. The raw carpet is from Bill Hirsh. My local San Francisco Bay Area upholsterer custom cut it, bound it and installed it along with rebuilding the seats, the door panels and the like. James
    1 point
  22. Your comments really ring true with me. I beat a similar drum around here. I have been for years. My sons, mechanics they aren't but if they want to own a car and drive it? A mechanic you will become. Or at least a home hack, as I label myself. I will be over their shoulder guiding. They will do it. I won't unless special circumstances. Kids working on brakes...Driving and rolling to stop later, they get it. It all sinks in and comes together. How important is it now to the driver to repair the brakes right? Have the brakes performing as best they can. Take the time to educate them so they understand the workings of the brake system. The steering, the suspension, ect..
    1 point
  23. not sure of the warranty....I assure you it was not as today.....but you can rest easy, NTSB lists no recalls for a 1948 D24
    1 point
  24. I've had the hoods off our D24 several times. If you don't have help, the one-at-a-time method works best. If you do have help, I think the one-at-a-time still works best. The missus and I tried the all-at-once method - once. Too much movement in hoods for my liking. I, too, used a block of wood to hold the front of the trim up. Don't tighten the back of the trim down until your done. You'll need some flexibility there, and will need them loose-ish to make final adjustments anyway.
    1 point
  25. The whole ebay experience has certainly evolved. Like all the “good old days” stories, e-bay was so great 15 years ago. Easy peasy and freight was cheap and fast. Ahh the good old days. I have learned to get my car out and network. When you are passionate about your old car, it’s contagious. Used parts offerings begin to appear. Your Mopar contacts list grows. I have had very good success finding old flathead mopar folks who like to help me out. Passing along parts, or leads to parts my way. Just today at a car show. A guy sees my Chrysler. He informs me of a 1936 Desoto coupe that was parked in 1985. In a local person’s home garage. Never moved since. I have an address to go check it out. Indeed I will. Last week at a local car meet & greet in a mall parking lot I met a guy who just gutted a 1937 Dodge 4 dr sedan. He’s hot rodding it. Engine, clutch, tranny, driveshaft, suspension, steering, brakes and complete rear axle assy were offered to me. Yowzers! Indeed I will sniff out that opportunity. Great spare parts! I am firmly convinced the old Mopar cars and good used parts are still out there, in decent numbers. You just gotta lure them out. Attract folks who have them. It takes time. It takes effort. It’s worth it. Ebay costs me money, dearly. Local finds, are where its at!
    1 point
  26. Came out from under the shift lever arm. It's a anti-rattle spring clip.
    1 point
  27. Yes! The highs have been in the lower 70’s all summer. Health issues are slowly being resolved. Will take some time, then take it much easier from now on!
    1 point
  28. c'mon, brent. that's a great deal. DO IT!
    1 point
  29. Mike's Carburetor video, https://www.carburetor-parts.com/
    1 point
  30. Updating the thread for this truck. I was seriously thinking about giving this truck back to the PO now that “Jimbob” is mobile.... but, I think I might hold onto him a while longer... got to thinking about last years wildfires and ice storm in my area and thought, why not have a back up plan. procured me a 550 gallon storage tank (shown here full of water) my plan is to get a “roller pump” to hook up to the PTO and tee off a hose bib for neighbors to get water (should the power go out again next winter) I don’t expect to fight wildfires by any means, but if I can extinguish hot falling embers... i figure it’s better than just watching them ignite ? Still need to strap it down or block it. But the weight of this JUST started to touch the overloads. wish me luck
    1 point
  31. Truck, will ship it to Maine. That is my first classic, our daughter gets it when I’m gone. May put in an overdrive, then would be a nice driver on these hilly roads in Maine!
    1 point
  32. I have this original MoPar model, period correct for my car. Mounted on carb.
    1 point
  33. Okay, plenty of updates: I've been busy! I received my hub puller, purchased from a vendor that lists on walmart.com. I knew it was the right one when I read the feedback; I think every single one mentioned owning a late 40's Chrysler product! It comes with 3 legs but you can order extra. It was tempting to order the extras but not needed. https://www.walmart.com/ip/TruePower-20-2029-Universal-Hub-Puller/648512550?comm-msg-vehicle=EMAIL&comm-msg-id=c7414232-f248-499f-b872-e6006ad6ebc1 I'd read all the old threads but misunderstood where I was supposed to be using the hammer, thinking I should be whacking the drum...that couldn't be right! The light bulb finally went off and I started hitting the "dogbone" handle. I knew my old heavy duty ballpeen wasn't quite enough but the steam & gas show was running last weekend and their flea market was the perfect place to buy a cheap old 4 pound hammer. After about 28 whacks (enough to drive my wife inside) I heard a crackle similar to a dry leaf being crunched. 2 more hits and there was a sound like a small firecracker; it actually made my ears ring for a second. Once in there the shoes looked healthy so I just cleaned everything up and swapped cylinders. The other side went a bit smoother, taking only 11 whacks. I moved on to the brake lines, something else I'd never dared tackle myself. I decided to spring for the nickle-copper and was very, very impressed. That stuff will put the makers of tubing benders out of business. At times it seemed to read my mind as far as which way I wanted it to bend. Tonight I bled the brakes and that went well. The feeling of that pedal when I was finished was yet another milestone for this car, and gave me a good smile. I had tried moving the car earlier in the week but found it really struggled. It could manage to creep a bit in reverse or low but in high it just seemed to load the engine down and even stall it at high throttle. I decided to check the fluid drive and couldn't see any fluid (not that you can see much in through that opening.) I decided for now to go with AW 32 fluid to top it off, and maybe later order some of the Light Circulating Oil. I contacted a distributor that covers this area, that I knew carried Mobil. The salesman called me back to tell me they've switched to Chevron who had an equivalent product. The price didn't sound too bad, maybe $85/5-gal pail, assuming it really is the same. He seemed pretty familiar with the product and said he has several customers that use it. I thought you might get a kick out of my method of filling: I didn't have a really good funnel for this job but, I have a spare electric fuel pump and plenty of pre-ethanol fuel hose that I'll never use for anything else. I rigged it up with an old power supply and have to say it worked pretty well. Before trying this I played with a funnel and may have spilled some down the outside of the unit. Hopefully it doesn't mess anything up. It took about a gallon to fill it. My hope is it just has a slow leak. Considering this car may not have been driven since the late 90s, it had plenty of time to sneak out a bit at a time. After the fill I tried it again and this made a huge difference. It still seemed a bit "off" in high range but I've been reading about carb adjustments, etc., and think it may be related to that kind of thing. I noticed that the vacuum line for the brake booster is still connected though the unit is out of service. I need to plug that off. I haven't rebuilt the carb but have a kit at the ready. Over the next couple days I'll be bolting back the grille and shrouds and reinstalling the front bumper. I believe the first shakedown run will take place Saturday or Sunday. Lots of little gremlins to go after to keep me busy for a while, which is what I wanted all along!
    1 point
  34. So the weekend found some time to putz with the latches and linkages more. I measured for some bushings to solidify things up at the joints and make things more reliable and am waiting for my buddy to get those back to me, but yah...I might be putting a few access holes in strategically to get these installed. Luckily the interior will be covered in a big removable panel. ALSO I got....an NOS hood ornament in perfect condition! I see zero pits and plan on just dropping it on with no repairs.
    1 point
  35. I've been spending 2-3 hours a night on the car; more progress. I tried the electric fuel pump (a 12v Facet) again on 6v but found it didn't have enough oomph to get the flow going. I also found trouble with my rebuild of the mechanical pump as it wasn't working. I tried swapping out the valve that came apart, putting one of the old ones back into place, and it seemed to be okay though I noticed the next day when I tried firing it up it had leaked down and took a lot of cranking to get going. Tonight I noticed a drip at the bottom so I tightened up the bolt that holds the lower bowl in place (it did seem too loose.) I'll keep an eye on it. My new water pump arrived quicker than expected so I swapped it. Yes, it would have been a fair amount easier with the radiator out of the way but it was okay and really didn't take that long. The little bypass "doohickey" doesn't come with the pump so I swapped it over but wasn't sure if it needed a gasket. There were no signs of one on the old pump so I just used a thick coat of Permatex #2. Well, it leaked. So, I made a gasket from some paperboard. As I was tightening up the bolts I decided it needed just a bit more and I felt, oh shoot! A crack. At first I thought it was the new pump but it was the bypass. Guess that's why new production ones are readily available! I notice the new one comes with a gasket so hopefully no leaks. Now, I admit, I couldn't help myself. Even with that gaping hole in the cooling system I just had to hear it run for a few second with that new water pump, as confirmation that all that terrible noise I was hearing really emanated from the pump. Yep, sure was! Much better now. It was funny watching the water come out of the bypass hose-if the flow was a tiny bit less it would have perfectly flowed right into the hole in the top of the pump While I had the pump out I checked out the damper to see if I could find those timing marks again. What I found is that someone long ago had taken something very sharp and made a ragged gouge at what appears to be TDC. They also made a mess of some of the other hash marks. At least I have some idea now. (I can at least read +10.) Tonight I pulled the old master cylinder. Yes, I did this on my back in the driveway. It should go back on a lot easier, now that I've cleaned up the bolts. I have the pedal swapped over and the assembly ready to install. I removed it through the access panel in the floor and that was easy. This all brought me to the next chapter in the book, "things Bryan has never dared tackle before." As some of you may know, on these cars with the power booster, there is only one brake line leaving the master...and while it doesn't look too bad, I couldn't get it to come loose without cutting it. While some of the other lines were changed in "modern times" some are looking pretty crusty. I need to change some lines. I spent some time tonight researching the matter and I feel fairly confident I can handle it. Lastly, while I was crawling under the rear the other day I noticed that there are drain holes in the spare tire pocket and through them I could see an old receipt. I pulled the spare and came up with a repair bill from 1994...and now I knew who owned it back then! I googled him and we talked today. He bought it from his former supervisor, then sold it after a few years. He said it was a great running & driving car during the time he had it. The buyer was someone who intended it for his teenager. I suspect that's where things went awry for the car as I had an old Packard with the same story: teenager decided they didn't want the car so it just sat and sat, going downhill. The good news is, it will drive again...and at this point it should be weeks, not months. (Oh...over the weekend I let it run for about 15 minutes or so, no drama aside from the noisy pump...I firmly set the parking brake and shifted into the gears. Not much of a test since I couldn't move the car but it seems raring to go.)
    1 point
  36. You have done really well here. When I look back at the pictures you posted of the engine when it was opened up and read what you have done largely with a few simple tools and elbow grease, to get to the stage of firing it up......and it responding so well.....must be very satisfying. It is such a grand looking car. I look forward to seeing more of your progress on this fine automobile. ??
    1 point
  37. This is exactly how I justify the money I spend on old cars! It's not a waste if I'm learning and get enjoyment from what I'm doing! Great job on the engine! Always a smile you can't hide when one fires for the first time after you've "brought it back from the dead"
    1 point
  38. Made me laugh. I’m in the same situation with my ‘38 Plymouth. Who cares is right? It does not matter. Quite honestly its been some of the best money I’ve ever spent on my own education and personal enjoyment.
    1 point
  39. Awesome progress! Don't sweat the money. My Meadowbrook is worth about $800 and I have about 5 grand into it. Matters not. Just keep going!?
    1 point
  40. Putting money into an honest hobby that you enjoy? Everyone here is guilty. Congrats on getting the engine running! Great work. Have you ever had that much fun and satisfaction by putting the cash you spent on the car, into the bank account? You mentioned about chasing small things. Gremlins to track down. Yes there will likely be lots of those. I find that part of car ownership very fun and challenging. Troubleshooting and finding all the little things that need addressing. It's stimulating and rewarding. The more you do it, the better a mechanic you'll become. I've been picking up a lot of little things to address in my recently acquired '38 Chrysler. Way more than I expected. Yet I am enjoying the challenge very much. I figure, I've owned 3 flathead Mopars now. All in various stages of repair. Every one of them has challenged me further in different ways. I'm slowly becoming more of a specialist for these old cars. Like many folks here on this site. I have no desire to change to a different manufacturer at this point. I plan on honing my Mopar skills further. This thread is really heating up. Great progress. Keep going! More pics and updates are certainly welcome here. We're standing by...
    1 point
  41. You have done a lot of serious work! Glad you have it running. You will love your first drive!…………..and the ones that follow. Don't feel bad about the money pit. All old cars are that. You gotta pay to play.
    1 point
  42. I keep meaning to come on here and write an update. I've been busy: A friend dug out an old Black & Decker valve seat kit (older than this car) so I gave it a whirl. The worst one (previously pictured) turned out just sort of fair; it will seal, I can say that. Most cleaned up nicely. My friend is experienced mostly with Model A's and old tractors and has reassured me it will be just fine...which is good enough for me I bought a set of NOS Mopar Power Punch Oil Saver rings from Deception Pass and performed my first ring job. In 5 or 6 of the cylinders the top one or two rings were stuck tight despite months of soaking. A light hone cleaned the cylinders up pretty well. I cleaned the oil pan up; really didn't take much as it only had a thin layer of sludge. I was concerned with what I saw on the crank but found it was easy to clean up with WD-40, a toothbrush and rags. Overall everything looks clean. One minor shock: when I pulled the oil filter canister open I found it empty! The last guy simply left it out. Never again. Slowly I bolted it together with new gaskets. I then turned to the starter which didn't seem to be acting right. After some head scratching I found 2 issues: 1) the 2 wires for the relay were reversed. 2) Someone had drilled a hole in the top of the relay cover, then filled it with silicone caulk. There was a gob of the stuff on the inside which I believe was enough to activate the relay all the time, or at least intermittently. I was getting some odd reactions but it seems sorted out now. Earlier this week I realized that I could, if I wanted, try a test fire. No cooling at this point (waiting for water pump gaskets, just got the radiator back tonight from the radiator shop where it tested fine.) The fuel pump needs rebuilding so I rigged up an electric unit and gave it a try. After a few cranks it coughed...and then for the first time in likely decades, sprang to life! If that wasn't enough, it then sat there and idled as well as anything! The oil pressure came up very strong. Of course I only let it run for a minute, if that. The next night my wife wanted a demo so I flipped on the fuel pump and twisted the key and it fired right up. A good start, in more than one way. I'm hoping to have the cooling back together within a week, then on to the gas tank and the brakes. My stimulus check is at least stimulating the economy of Bernbaum and Deception Pass and Kanter and Rock Auto and NAPA and more and more! But, there will be an end to the spending soon. I'm really loving this, though. Lots of little stuff to do which is what I was hoping for, gremlins to track down, etc. I'm hoping to be able to drive this, at least on a test run, by the first week in August, but realize this will be an ongoing project for a while. Trying to ignore my wife when she calls it my money pit!
    1 point
  43. Hey Friend Paul, Just because neither of us has finished his Phd yet doesn't mean we can't both think rationally. You will need a new tube fer shuur, so get one now. Now look it over and see how it's made. This may help you think of creative ways by which it can be removed. I have been told by others that the tube can be accessed/seen/touched through head bolt stud holes, for it sits just beneath the deck - that part of the block that seals to the head gasket. Were it mine, I would make a strong hook, using the new tube for a pattern to help you learn what is in there to hook onto. Now grab the hook with a ViseGrip, and snag whatever you can of the remaining tube part, then GENTLY tap the ViseGrip with a small hammer. Be gentle. Each time you break a piece off of the old tube you have less to get hold onto next shot. Also, with the head bolts out, liberally flush some PB blaster or other panther pizz down those rear right side head bolt holes - anything you can do to disabuse that tube from wanting to stick in there should help. You may need to think outa' the box, here. Just anything that will- induce that old distribution tube into realizing that you are smarter than it is should be a true blow for freedom, what?:D:D:D:D
    1 point
  44. CuNi is GREAT! Just don't use it with diesel!
    0 points
  45. Tomorrow I will post old pics when I'm in front of my computer, hear is the aftermath.
    0 points
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