matt167

I've had a '53 motors manual for a very long time.

My guess is the coil may be 12v or it's hooked up backwards. I cannot guarantee anything other than I know for a fact it did run The coil wire also only sort of kind of fit. The boot was too small for the coil. That distributor looks correct. The blue sleeve goes over a copper wire. The only thing I see different is, the condensor uses a standard wire with fork connector, so now I wonder exactly what is going on. I forgot to bring a flash light/ work light with me and relied on a flood light in a heat lamp housing that my mom happen to have. Worked but was a little inconvenient so I didn't get a good look ( nor a good picture ) of anything. The screw the wires attach to was left loose and falling apart

Well, it's not currently running. I could not get any life out of it this past weekend while I was there except pops and cracks here and there. But the spark checker I bought would not light up ( enclosed flashy one, not what I call a gap zapper ). I'm figuring I probably have multiple issues The real question is if the distributor being amiss cause it to miss on a single cylinder... The day I got the car I actually took it down the road and back and it did start to break up a little but remained running 'okay ish'... It at least let me know that the brakes stop the car straight although they growl a little, and the speedometer, and temp gauges work correctly. The same day I started it to move it 5-6 times as I actually had to remove a built in bench to fit it in my moms garage. The last time I tried to start it that day, it coughed but would not catch. I assumed it was flooded and simply pushed the car forward and shut the door.

I know the parts situation and the quality of current production points. I didn't get the number from the distributor but I'm fairly positive it's the IAT distributor that it should have.

I bought what was supposed to be a nice old car but after getting it delivered ( part of the price agreement ) it's becoming evident that it was a quick flip and has been driven enough to load a trailer. When I went to see it, it was running rough cold but cleared up and started to run nice. When it was delivered, it was down a cylinder and the previous owner commented it was cold ( it was a cold day ). Knowing the flathead 6 is somewhat known for sticking valves I wasn't that worried. The price I paid included the probability of some tinkering and still come out okay. I had to have him deliver it to my moms as my house was another 1.5 hours farther for him. So it's currently stuffed in my moms garage. I brought a U haul to come recover it last weekend and I could not get it to run. I thru new plugs and wires on it ( plugs fouled and ancient, wires crumbling and original ). I opened the distributor cap and the connections were loose and falling apart. I still have switching voltage at the coil so it should have life. I did not have the right wrench for the now damaged screw ( previous owner likely used pliers ). I stuck it together is all I could do there . I didn't run a compression test as I didn't want to waste the battery and the charger I have is a 4A automatic charger that kind of works ( Harbor freight special ). I'm not 100% positive the distributor internals are right. Can someone show me a picture of an IAT distributor assembled? My '52 motors manual shows the specs but does not have a picture. What should my check list be to get it running? The guy for sure put a new coil on it which I suspect could be bad. And he had for sure been in the distributor, but the coil is switching so the points should at least get it running. Is there a possibility he has the wrong cap on it? Would a different cap physically fit? I say engine rebuild as, depending on the compression it may come to that

I meant to bring a volt meter but forgot. I agree. It’s just a nice old car. It needs a little here and there but it’s 70 years old

I didn’t take pictures.. the paint is not as nice as I expected ( still nice enough for me ) and the rear seat is torn in 2 places that I don’t remember seeing… also the front and rear seat materials don’t match. Front is mint condition… I’ll buy fitted covers to match and that will be good enough for me. I also don’t think it is charging correctly but I can’t tell really. The ammeter doesn’t move while running but does show a slight discharge with lights on…. I’m thinking it might be time for a 6v pos ground alternator. But it fires up and runs great, and it really is pretty much untouched just maintained

Well I looked at the car. Not as nice as I thought but still nice and above my expectations. The owner wiggled on the price quite a bit so it looks like I’m going to get it… wife had to sleep on it but she actually wants it. itll need tires due to having ancient Goodyear radials ( great shape but I wouldn’t drive them )

Carnuba wax will bring back tired paint because it buffs the layers of worn paint off. But otherwise some more modern paint protections are better

Card board cans are worth $10-20 each as collectibles. At least worth more than oil in questionable condition.

I’m in talks with the owner about when I can come. Otherwise I probably would have already gone. Wife told me we should just get it. The guy offered to transport it for me as well but I could also get a U haul transport trailer if needed

The video was shown to me by the owner. That’s why I wasn’t sure what i was looking at. Normally I would have turned the headlights on to put a load on it and see what it did. I’m familiar with ammeters just it looked dead to me and I wasn’t sure. The car is 3.5 hours away from me

In the video can anyone tell me if the ammeter is working correctly? He said it doesn’t constantly charge but is charging when the gauge is working probably something simple if it isn’t right.

The other car which is a ‘52 Cambridge isn’t as nice and the owner takes about a day to respond to me. I wouldn’t feel bad about putting my touches on that one. Paints tired. Interior is okay but not great. He wants $4,900 and I don’t see the savings as a plus. It’s simply the $6,400 car is twice the condition for nowhere near twice the price. I’m not sure if the engine number matches. Does that severely impact the value? My ‘50 had a 1970s rebuild with receipt. The ‘51 also has dealer paperwork with it. Guy said it was painted in the 80s

https://youtu.be/3YeZk4w-n_s this is the ‘51 that I’m seriously considering

I’m fully capable of repairing myself. My last one, I put scarebird discs on it and tweaked the carb and points just a bit to get it to run really nice… but now I work in a nice shop and have access to my tools and lift on weekends. I work 25 mins from home, and Thursdays there is a cruise in near my work. Realistically that’s my expectation.

It’s looking like the Gyromatic car is 5th or 6th in line of 4 options ( in other words not happening ) I just found a 1951 P23 in near perfect condition but is original unrestored with one repaint. Owners asking $6,400 but I think it’s worth every penny

My wife ‘can’ drive manual but she’s a little rough at it. I showed her how on my little beater daily driver. as for the gyromatic car. It sounds like he does “ restoration work “ and that would be him billing me, for work on a car he owns. I’ve pretty much written that car off because he’s not going to go below $5k and I’m not sure the car is worth it.. I can do my own work. I even still have the manual I got for the ‘50

I actually know where my old ‘50 is, but it hasn’t run since 2019 and I think the current owner stuck on $10k. It’s been in his building since then. He’s married to one of my moms friends and in that time I traded him my car for the MGB when his dealership was open

I agree. I found it odd myself. Complete turn off. He dropped his price to $5k from $9k and it sounds like he really wants to charge $9k for it Really. He said it starts hard which I know is either compression, spark or carb related. Thats why im more into the Cambridge as well because the owner seems down to Earth.. I just dont know even a ballpark with these cars anymore. I remember paying like $5k for my ‘50 and it was a nice original needing interior which was ratty but fully usable but that was 2018 or 19. I’d only consider the Gyromatic car still because my wife could drive it.

I’ll bring this old thread back to life. My other one was shut down as a mod considered it a classified WTB ( it wasn’t) since this thread, I had a ‘50 Plymouth which was great except it was the wrong time to have it and I traded it for an MGB that was more drivable and my the daily driver blew up. Now I’m looking into a ‘52 Coronet with gyromatic that I’m less interested in vs a 1952 Cambridge with a 3spd. Both are stock. Now I have a spare vehicle and a nice garage. My wife could drive the gyromatic but owner says it’s hard starting and wants me to pay his shop to get it running right. He wants $5k and it’s nice but not fully restored nice. The Cambridge is the same price, just as nice and owner said it’s get in and drive condition. I have zero clue the value on these cars now.

Some may remember me, probably not though. I had a 1950 Plymouth for a short time a few years ago. I ended up trading for an MGB which was great and all but it got old and it doesn’t have any charm. I was starting to collect parts to build a Model A hotrod but I keep going back to the old Mopars. I’m on the hunt. I found a ‘51 Coronet with a Gyromatic that I know my wife could drive but I don’t know if the price he’s asking is high or low. Need to get back in the swing with these cars. I want a car that I can drive to work every nice day.

I didn't go this year. First time in many years I had not attended. Went to a friends wedding instead.. Took my MGB last year but it wasn't any different than being a spectator and kind of a pain in itself. The show needs a venue change to one with a track or it will eventually die. It hasn't been the same since the pre track demolition and events held on the track.

I bought a '50 Plymouth that the flipper owner had just put all new parts in the brakes and a new master cylinder. It would sometimes grab the left really hard. I found the right side front brake was not put together correctly, both new wheel cylinders were leaking and the linings while brand new were no good. I ripped all of that out and put in a Scarebird conversion. Some Mazda parts, some Chevy parts and a few hours time, and it stopped better than it needed to. The kit wasn't cheap, but I bought OEM NOS Ford/ Mazda rotors for cheap and the S10 brake calipers and pads were really inexpensive

I had basically the same car ( '50 Ply s/dlx coupe ) but unrestored, and the handle was broken.