FarmerJon

I assume you are running the factory fan and the radiator has been cleaned? While you are doing your tune up, it may pay to pull a selection of sparkplugs to assess your running mixture. If you are running too lean it can run hotter as well. I have always had good results running more aggressive timing advance than stock, in both performance and economy. Try 2*, but I wouldn't be scared to try 4*. Or even ignore the timing marks, and advance till best vacuum reading is reached (within reason). Often old timing marks will no longer be accurate.

Have you drained and inspected the oil from the transmission? If it is half rusty water, you may have a clue.

Lots of parallels to flathead Ford and Harley hotrod tech. The dome like Bryan illustrated would be of primary interest for increasing compression, but would serve as a wall to incoming fuel/air mixtures, and would likely inhibit flame travel. Sniper's ramp would likely increase flow, but possibly reduce compression, unless you balanced out the pop up/ ramp with a reduction in the heads transfer slot.

Bee can correct me, but I was under the impression he had the Pistons pop up above deck.

So by my Christmas morning napkin math, roughly accounting for difference in bore size, a 3.25" Piston of same design would be about 5% lighter than stock. With better rings, better squish, and likely higher compression.

Anyone know about how much the factory style cast Pistons weigh?

Rock Auto's shipping is Slow to manage, frustrating and confusing at best. I often take several hours to place an order. I still often find the best prices there. However, especially for large heavy stuff, like brake rotors or struts, I also check the online parts house. Advance Auto almost always has a 20-25% off code, ships for free if over $50-75 and you can often pick stuff up, same day, in a local store. I have found similar deals at Napa, O'Reilly's and Vato Zone.

Went and picked up the spare engine/trans that came with the car. Unfortunately, no overdrive other major goodies, but has a clean carb on it, all the oil filter tubing and bracket I was missing, and a very clean fuel pump. Cylinder head is cast in 1952, #1405849-10 but engine number is p15 798272, scratched into the pad. It doesn't look like the number stamping on the other engine. Engine is painted silver, but in the grime under the valve covers the block is blue, oil pan is black. Can anyone tell me where I can look to ID the casting# from the head? I would assume that a 230 would have a different casting than a 218 so that compression would stay the same?

I didn't get a chance to do any of the wiring today, due to that pesky thing called a job, but I did get a little work done. The package shelf behind the rear seat had been covered in black vinyl when the car was restored in the mid-late '90s. Rear window gasket looks to have been replaced at the same time, but had split at the bottom middle where it had been bonded together, and leaked. This ruined the cardboard under the vinyl. I took it to work and was able to whip up a fresh cardboard card for it, plush it up with some sheet packing foam, and get the vinyl wrapped back around it. It seems that one of the layers was possibly the original cover, it was a light colored, woven fabric with a soft fuzzy feel to one side. I left it out, due to how deteriorated it was. Got it installed when I got home, and filled the gap in the rear gasket filled with some black RTV.

Thank you all for the wiring diagrams. The ones for the turn signal are very helpful, I didn't have those. Looks like when I replace the brake light switch, it will be a good time to track the path of the wires, locate the one (most likely) unused wire from the turn signal, and T it in. The car did come with a factory manual, although it covers several of the later models as well, so there may be a better version out there. I tried to contact Technostalgia, their phone # is no good and no response from their info email. As of now I am set back up with a traditional bulb in the old Sedan housing/trim. My replacement Coupe one should be here today, fresh gasket due friday, and I will see how presentable it is. I gambled on one on eBay that was thickly painted white. Hopefully it isn't too pitted to use once stripped. I am thinking of taking a piece of plastic mirror and making a reflector inside of the assembly to help with visibility. Planning on buying a 5 or 10 pack of flat woven ground straps to install when I get the car up on the lift for initial maintenance. Are 1/2" wide adequate? Thinking two under the rear, body to frame and two under the front body to frame, and one engine to body? My friend is a watchmaker, he is nearly done with the factory clock, hopefully it will run like new.

Driver's side taillight. White wire I assume went to reverse light. Passenger side is similar, but no loose white wire. I couldn't get a good picture, but y'all get the idea.

Certainly have enough wires going into the turn signal assembly. Then they go into this... Found were horn relay wire goes- broken off bottom of steering box. May have enough to reconnect it... Also all the connections at the generator are in poor condition.

Those Buick lights sound sweet! The taillights already have two wires running to them- one for tail light and one for blinker. I haven't pulled one off to see if it has a dual filament bulb or not, I am under the impression it does. Assuming that it already has a dual filament bulb, what would it take to wire the lights up to be twilight, stop light and blinker? I know where the wire comes out of the body to go down the deck lid to the center stop light, I could 'T' off of it to get power to each side, just don't know what to do when I get there. I plan on driving this thing as much as possible, often with my kids inside, 3+ brake lights don't seem excessive.

Car is still 6V positive ground. While I could change my mind, I will most likely keep it that way. I have been reading a ton about clean grounds and extra wire to keep things bright and working.

I could be wrong but I was thinking '50 Pontiac. Either way, I actually like them a bit better than the stock ones, which I have a very nice pair of in my parts box. Only problem is that they are not wired as brake lights, just tail and blinker. I plan on figuring out how to correct that in the near future. Also with them lower it doesn't leave room for the stock style reverse light. I will have to see if car is wired for one, but I would like to have something to indicate to others I am moving backwards...maybe a beeper! As far as modification, the noted tail lights, Split exhaust manifold and matching dual exhaust, upholstery stock pattern but not style, a small chrome louvered air filter and the wire wheels with shorter radials are most of what has been changed. I have a set of original wheels with good radial white walls that I will put back on ASAP, but no stock caps. I will run the aftermarket 'Lancer' style caps that came with the car, since I don't mind the '1958 highschool custom car' look. My box of parts also included a piece of trim to shave the hood ornament with (bolt on replacement). I guess it is a 'JC Whitney' type piece. The Wife and I are arguing over if we should run it or the stock hood ornament. I like the lightly shaved look of early budget customs. She likes the stately-ness of the large, proud hood ornament.

Hello all, Thanksgiving morning I purchased a '48 Plymouth club coupe. It is an older restoration with some mild '50s custom touches. This site has already been very helpful in researching these cars pre purchase, and with the little bit of maintenance I have begun. I looked at 3 of these cars in my area before deciding this one was my best bet. I have had a fairly large variety of antique cars over the years, but mostly non running projects that haven't worked out. I have 2 young sons, the older (5) misses the last old truck I had, a fairly nice, low mileage '72 f-100 that I drove quite a bit the first 3 years of his life. I am hoping this Plymouth will fill that gap and provide many more years of good memories for my family. Car runs and drives fairly well, but needs some electrical work, and a thermostat. Horns are disconnected, and sounds when connected. Relay is dangling with one wire unhooked from wherever it belongs. Heater, radio and clock don't work. Brake light was replaced with an LED one, but never wired up. I believe it may be a 12V unit, it seems the company that makes them are out of business. I installed the sedan bezel and light that came in my box of parts to find that 1. It fits terribly 2. Brake light switch is bad. I have a "Hopefully OK" coupe bezel and new gasket on the way, and a new switch was in the box of parts, going to try to install it today. Need to flush out the muddy river water that is serving as brake fluid anyways.