55 Fargo

One more pic... The door on the passenger side needs adjust , on these you can adjust the door to come inward by moving the hinges....some pics have shadows too, but for the most part there pretty straight

Hi all, here are some pics of my bodywork progress. I know pics don't say much, but figured I would show you what I have done. Next step is to perfect all the panels, but first will remove all trim,lights, bumpers etc, I have done this many times.Then I will lay on 2 to 3 coats of 2 k urethane high buld primer/surfacer. This will be blocked, all imperfections corrected. The roof is not done yet, it is only sitting in base pre-kote primer, BTW, this is rusty metal primer, I have used everything under the sun over it with no bad reactions, it has fantastic adhesion, and is a great bare metal primer. I have gone as far as wiping a panels with a rag soaked with lacquer thinner, once the primer was fully cured, the primer was not phased. The roof is a night mare, I am predicting a lot of filler, and most likely some polyester high filling primer, good thing the roof is fairly high, that way most shorter folks won't see the highs and lows. There is also a pic of my under painting I just did in Gloss Black.....Fred

Rodney, saw a car last night at the car wash in my town, it had Maryland tags, looked for you, but musta been somone else's car. This person was a long way from home as it must be close to 2000 miles from Maryland to Selkirk Manitoba, or at least 1800 miles.......LOL

I'm with you on the quick-fixes Bob, they should be addressed in correct manner, for the best repair. But, I like you know there are times when some things can work ,or at least offer temporary relief. A guy I work with has a driver car he brings to work, a 2000 Cavalier, tons of miles.About 2.5 years ago it started leaking anti-freeze, his mechanic did the testing, and said it was a block leak, from where My non-mechanical Buddy did not know from exactly where. This goes on for months, he keeps adding coolant, I then give him 3 GM Delco Horse Pill stop-leak tabs, it immediately stops leaking anti-freeze, it is now about 2 years later, he still is driving the car, even when it's -45 here at times in winter...........Fred

All the Best Dennis, speedy recovery to you, take care.......Fred

Chance here are the calculations, L78 15 tires + P23575R 15= 28.9 inches 4.10 Differential @ 50 Mph =2383 RPM @ 60 MPH = 2860 RPM 3.73 Differential @ 50 MPH= 2168 RPM @60 MPH=2601 RPM Hope this helps you out...............Fred

Rodney, even with a stock 6, this engine and trans would be in the 800 lb range. The brakes and front end may have been 12 inch, but most likely is of the 11 inch variety, this front end should be able to support the 440 and trans, maybe you will need as mentioned beefier springs. The 25 inch flattie 6, and huge fluid drive and trans gets might heavy, a heck of a lot heavier than a SBC and Turbo 350....

I think for the most part the 3.9 was the diff of choice, in Mountain regions the 4.10 was an option. My 47 Chrysler club coupe had a 4.3 diff,supposed to be 3.54 or 3.90,these cars are old, lots of things can happen in 60 years, like someone swapping diffs etc....

Years ago I had a 64 Chvey Custom Cab short box, with a 292 6 cyl and a 3spd trans, unmodifed it went like crazy.....

http://www.4lo.com/4LoCalc.htm Here is a calculator to figure out what you may gain, not a lot by going to 3.73, going to 3.54 would make a difference. Going with taller tires would help too. With 205 75 15 tires, and a 3.9 diff, at 50 mph you would have 2400 rpms, with a 3.73 diff it would be 2300 rpm, not a whole lot of savings. Your engine and set-up should be able to cruise all day at 55 mph, maybe evn up to 60 if the engine and all are in fine form. If you want to cruise at 65 to 70 mph, your going to neeed an Overdrive...........PS the gears are easy to cahnge, as long as the pumpkin has the same spline size for the axles as what is in your car now. The splines are 10 on the axles, and sewitched to 16 in the 50s sometime. I have personally done this swap with 4.3 gears to a 3.73 gears. Are you sure you have 3.9 gears, it will be stamped on the hoghead on the diff itself......

Only those who feel threatened put down another Man's pride and joy. Flatheads are great engines, these guys know it too. The 340 is great engine, but the Mopar Flathead 6 s are legends in their own time.................Fred

Now how did you do that, can you put my car into a paint color Dennis...Fred

Hi Brendan, sure I would like the Nason # for your paint. I is also a nice blue. I have not made my mind up completely, I will decide, once my body waork is completed, about 80% there now, but I am an amateur..........Fred

Hi all, I had been telling Don how his paint and color look great on his P15, he is somewhat modest about this, and mentioned it was painted by it's previous owner, in a garage one weekend. I tell Don it looks great in pics, really nice shade of blue, looks real shiny, body looks nice and straight too. Now the only guy I can think of that has seen Don's car and has even had a ride and a tour around the Boro is Normscoupe, I know there have been others, but could only remember seeing Norms pictre in Don's car. Norm, do you recall what Don's paint job and body condition were, it looks great in pics, any idea what type of paint or blue he has on the car. What did you think of the condition of the body, it looks great in the pics. Just thought I would as Norm and the others, about what the UnderCoatney's car is like in the flesh.......Fred

Bob, clean that up, and use an acid metal prep, then use just Rusty metal primer, or epoxy primer. That is nasty corrosion, would hate to see that go right through the roof. Heck you could use some Rusty metal paint efter the primer just on the roof,then drive car and enjo for a while....looks good though Fred

Lots of work hey Joe, the bodies on these old beasts are a big challenge, but once there done there done. Have you done much filler and body work in the past Joe, seems you have knack for it. My skills are pretty Junior, but the price is right....

These cars could be declared Heritage Vehicles by the Federal Government. Then you can't just do what you want to them......

Don, any idea what type of blue you have on your car. If so, what type paint,brand,color name/code?. I always though you have one of the nicer blues I have seen, any Furry Dice inside....LOL

Bob this car looks pretty straight as it is. This could be your full race flattie, with that OD trans you got laying on the garage floor, disc brake conversion, dual exhaust, webber 2 bbl carb, HEI igntion. mag wheels.

Ed, it is a very nice car, you have what appears as a nice paint job, whitewall tires, looks good.....

I like the car Ralph, is the color Dove or Fortress Gray

Robert, I will 2nd this, I have a 218, 25 inch engine, dry clutch, spd trans from a 51 Canadian Dodge. I also own a 228 from a 1955 Fargo 1/2 ton in good running form but with miles, and a seized 251. I also can get near by a 265 combine engine. When the day comes I need to replace my engine will go back to a bigger 251 or 265, they all have 8 bolt cranks too, so it should bolt right up to my clutch and trans no issues. I love these engines....Fred ps there built like brick sht houses

Okay Boys, don't make me give you a time out, Frank you would get 80 minutes, based on your age 80 X 1 minute....LOL:D My goal was not to start a debate over show cars(concourse trailer types) or driver types. My goal was to make a statement, no matter how hard I personally try, I am not gonna be able to make my car a stunning show car, for a number of reasons, lack of skills, lack of money, and lack of time. My car should have or maybe was bested suited for the scrap pile, I have seen these types get ressurected to fine automobiles again, but a lot of show cars, start out in very decent shape to begin with, and they still take an incredible amount of time and money to perfect. Because I am doing most of my own work, I have to keep things in perspective, I am not a bodyman, or professional car restorer, this is my 1st kick at the can, things are not bad, but far from great. I admire those with the skills and no-how, but I am not in this category. I am not into pulling my car completely apart, and going at it like that, too much to absorb for me. My roof is so bad, it should be cut-off, but I will do the best I can with it. I figure my car will be a 20 footer, but thats okay. I am not hiring out for bodywork, it's not in the cards right now, but I still want to fix up my car, as I am doing, I don't seem to be able to get any help either, the few guys I know who have bodyshop skills, are always too busy to help, and/or give some guidance. I have learned a lot from guys like Tim Adams,Steveplym, and Dezeldoc. Sure am glad this forum is here, as it has helped me a lot. I know a couple of old Chrysler guys right here in my area, they also are too busy most of the time, seems not to many folks have enough time to get there things done,let alone help anyone else out......................Fred

Robert during a huge flood in Manitoba in the 1870s or 1880s, a big portion of the Winnipeg region was flooded, but there was dry land up high at present day Stony Mountain prison,(it has been a prison since 1873), where I work, so thats where the car would go to high ground....LOL