Taylormade

One thing you have to deal with on the earlier cars is the original Floating Power setup. Makes things a bit more difficult than the later cars. Not impossible, but takes a major rework of mounts, pedals and frame.

I'm in somewhat the same boat. I just watched my 48 P15 four-door and my 50 Dodge Wayfarer Convertible roll off down the driveway and into the sunset over the last three weeks. I hated to sell them, but my priority is my "new" 1932 Dodge Sedan - the first car I ever owned, found again after 45 years. She needs - and is getting - a total restoration to be ready for the Dodge 100th anniversary in Alburn Hills Michigan in 2014. I hope the fact that it's Mopar, even if it's a little early for this forum, will allow me to still ask questions and occasionally offer advice.

I have one from a 1950 Dodge. I don't know if it's exactly the same, but it has to be close. You can have it if you pay the shipping. RT

Also note that the inner rockers are a separate structure. On my 50 Wayfarer they were heavy guage steel boxes that ran along the side of the frame from the cowl to the rear wheel well. Any repairs that simply welded metal over rusted out sections is a recipe for disaster. All the rusted out sections must be removed and replaced to prevent further deterioration. This is especially critical with a convertible.

I would check the condition of your inner rockers. If new floorpanels were simply laid over the old rusted floor, I suspect you have some major structural problems deeper within the body of your car. This is causing the center of the body to sag and causing the door alignment problem. Convertibles have no solid top to support the body and depend on reinforced frames and larger, thicker inner rocker panels to stiffen the body. If those inner rockers are shot, you get the exact situation you are describing. I had the same problem with a 50 dodge Wayfarer I used to own.

Thanks Bob, that really helps.

Thanks guys, now I do remember that the heads were smaller than normal. I guess I could turn down a regular screw on my lathe if worse came to worse.

Does anyone know what size screws hold on the inner windshiled frame on a P15? Seems to me I remember they were some sort of special screw and now, naturally, I can't find mine as I get ready to install the frame. What else is new?

As far as I can determine, they are no longer in business. The owner passed away and his wife tried to keep it going, but I think they went under. You might try mailto:butch@butchscoolstuff.com or his website at http://www.butchscoolstuff.com/ as he has many similar items.

Just like the old AMT 3-in-One kits, make your Dodge Wayfarer business coupe into a convertible with this simple kit! Well, not so simple, really, but a decent metal man could do it this winter and have it ready for the Spring. Seriously, I have all the parts from a 49 Wayfarer convertible to turn a business coupe into a ragtop. Check the classifieds for pictures. Everything is there including all the hard to find hardware parts, the X-frame and the top mechanisim. I figured this would sell fast, and, as usual, I was wrong. I'd really like to see these parts go to a forum member and don't want to list them on Ebay, but I may be forced into that dreaded solution if the total lack of interest continues. No threats implied, just resigned to reality. Contact me if you need more information or have questions. The front cowl and the doors are basically bolt on. The rear convertible section would have to be grafted onto the coupe body and this is the only area where some metal working skills would come in handy. All parts fit into the back of a pickup. Buy yourself a Business coupe - there are several online for under 2 grand at the moment - and have yourself the cheapest convertible in town. Threatening to put them on Ebay is as low as I'll go - they won't be going to the crusher.

Gene, Since I sold you the motor, I'm glad the original heads are going to work for you. Keep us updated on the rebuild, I'd love to see how it turns out.

Looks great. Since I visited you, my Wayfarer project got sidetracked. I found the first car I ever owned, a 1932 Dodge still owned by the guy I sold it to and I bought it back. The Wayfarer is on its way to a new owner in North Carolina. Thanks for all the tips and information - even though I won't be able to use them now. Looks like it will be a fun summer driving your Plymouth. RT

Gene, I wish I'd had the chance to put that little Hemi in my Wayfarer convert, but now both are gone and I'm working on my 32 Dodge. I'm glad the Red Ram went to a good home.

Is there a search function somewhere?

My dad worked as an executive for General Motors most of his life. He got a new Buick every year as his company car from 1954 to 1959, then he switched to Cadillacs with a promotion. Every car we got, Dad would have the dealer paint the rims red. They were happy to do it. It was quite popular to have it done at the time. I would bet that the owner had the dealership paint them. But again, this is Chrysler, not GM, and I might be wrong.

Does anyone know if the 1932 Dodge DL six had babbit or insert bearings? All I can find listed for inserts is 1933 and up. Thanks.

how did you get in touch with them? I can't seem to find an address or email.

I'm very pleased to see my Wayfarer going to a good home with Moparob50. He's got a long trip ahead of him to come and pickup the car and bring it home. 'looking for inner rockers or prints to build new ones and who knows where to find new rag tops' We've been going over details for the last few days and he may have forgotten, but I'm including a complete inner rocker to use as a pattern. Where else do you get service like this?

If anyone has a 49 Dodge Wayfarer business coupe and wants to get ambitious, I have the perfect solution. I have the complete convertible cowl, both doors and the body section in front of the trunk from a 49 Dodge Wayfarer, along with the top mechanisim. Worried about bracing? No problem. I also have the X brace for the frame. You would need to make some reinforced inner rockers and you'd have a factory correct convertible. This would work with any Wayfarer business coupe 49 -52, but the 50-52s have a slightly different convertible recess in the body so you wouldn't be totally factory correct. I was going to do this myself, but as I posted earlier, I just found my first car after 45 years and I need to clear out the shop.

I thought about it, but I really want to concentrate on the Dodge at this point and I need the space. I don't like keeping my cars away from the property. I enjoy driving my cars, but I actually have more fun working on them. The Dodge will probably be my last project - I don't think I have more than one restoration left in me. The convertible was going to be the last as I never figured I'd ever see my old Dodge again. Life's funny that way.

Dead on - in front of what used to be the Delta Tau Delta house. Now it's a parking lot!

I'd like Six grand. The car has a completely rebuilt front suspension and a new master cylinder, clutch, throwout bearing and clutch plate. New freeze plugs in the engine after I completely flushed out the engine cooling passages. The radiator was also flushed by a pro shop. New hoses, correct period clamps, new battery cables. The rear engine seal was replaced. No leaks from the engine or tranny. New battery. It has a nice redone interior and most of the original paint - a few of the usual nicks, no dents or body damage. I repaired two small rust spots on the front floor. The rest of the car is really solid - it spent most of its life in South Carolina. No rust in the rockers - inner and outer. It also has both perfect lower stainless trim pieces - a really hard part to find, especially on the passenger side. I rewired the car with an authentic cloth loom. The engine compartment has been completely detailed and the engine cleaned and painted the correct silver with POR engine paint. The engine has a new old stock exhaust manifold installed less less than two years ago. All the gauges work, although the gas gauge is a bit hinky at times. I also have a Fulton sunvisor that goes with the car, plus a nice set of dash knobs and many extra parts. New wide whites with less than 600 miles on them. The upper stainess has a few small dents, but everything is easily repairable. The chrome on the bumpers is showing its age buts it's presentable for a driver. The usual light pitting on the pot metal, but I have a better set of taillights and a NOS brakelight housing. All door hardware is there and the windows roll up smoothly. This is a solid driver that needs nothing to be a fun car. It does fine up to sixty, but I'd install an overdrive if you want to do a lot of extended highway driving. I'd keep it, but I want to work on my old Dodge and need the shop space.

I live two miles from Country Classics. I can take a look at any car for you (or anyone else) if you want me to. They are always overpriced in my opinion. I'm getting ready to list my 50 Dodge Wayfarer convertible if someone is looking for a convertible project.

It's with a heavy heart that I've decided to sell my great old 48 P15 four door sedan. I never would have considered letting it go under normal circumstances, but an extrordinary thing happened over the weekend. First, a bit of history. It was 1965 and I was attending Syracuse University. One day while walking to class, I spotted a large black sedan in the faculty parking lot. I'd loved "old cars" since I was a little kid and this was an old one - a long black four door with suicide doors and sidemounts. I crunched through the snow to the ancient beauty and discovered a For Sale sign in the window. I jotted down the number and that afternoon called the owner. He told me the car was a 1932 Dodge DL Six and he wanted $400. After spending some hours on the phone with my dad trying to weedle a loan out of him, I finally talked him into forking over the cash and the next day I was the proud owner of the Dodge. I drove it rain, snow or shine for the next three years. It never failed to start, always ran great and was the best car I've ever owned. Sadly, my brother started college in my senior year and money got very tight - my Dad couldn't afford the insurance anymore and I wasn't making enough to afford tuition, room, board and car insurance. I was forced to sell the 32 to a fellow Frat member and I moved on with my life. But I bet I thought about my old Dodge at least once a week for the next 45 years. He she is on the day I bought her, back when I was skinny and had hair. A month or so ago my wife suggested I join Facebook and find my old college friends - whom I had lost touch with years ago. Facebook isn't really my thing, but I did end up reconnecting with a bunch of old classmates and frat brothers. In one of the posts I put up the photo of the old Dodge. Someone mentioned he thought Phil, the guy I sold it to still had it. It turns out he did! And when I finally got in touch with him it turned out he had bought another 32 and had my old beast in his garage where it had been sitting on blocks for over 40 years! He said, by coincidence, he figured two 32s was one too many and was thinking of selling my old car. And the first person he'd thought of was - me. Long story short, my 32 is coming back home after 45 years. She has a few nicks and bumps more than when I sold her, but she's still got shiny black paint and doesn't look much different now than she did then. Sadly, I only have one restoration left in me and need space in the workshop, so the 48 and my 50 Dodge Wayfarer convertible are going to find new homes. I'm posting them in the classifieds if anyone is interested.