Plymouthy Adams

Never traveled a train in the US...however I did a bit of rail travel in Germany..the run up the Alps was fantastic and it was winter skiing season...twas a fun ride indeed..we really need more rail service in this country...keeping to a schedule would be the hard part here..you can almost set your clocks by the trains over there..

I tell ya..the boy lives with a horse shoe up his butt...any of the rest of us and we be out major coin... The primer is on the roof and trunk of the 48 Plymmie...now I can rest a bit easier. She be going back into storage now...going to re-enforce the hood in the two spot prone to bending..weld it all in place and then shoot primer on it... The rocker trim for the old Studebaker came in last night..let me tell ya..that stuff be about twice as thick if not more than our Plymouth trim...really some heavy metal there..

I think you are going to find equal wear on the bearings. These old 318's would take abuse by the best of the procrasting owner. More than not you will find mininum wear on the lower end..the upper end will have a bit of wear in the cylinders...the heads will probably have a bit of slop in the valve guides..and the exhaust valves may be a bit used and cupped..a quick refresh of the heads, new stem seals and new exhasut alve..and you be back in business. Recommend another cam though..usually these babies take abit of abuse..especially when you mentioned the Penzoill..stuff is refined better these days but still parrifin base...leads to build up. The intake manifold will need the crossover cleaned..am sure it is 100% plugged..if not it will be closed up pretty much. Only real problem the 318's ever had. Not sure if the 85 got roller lifters..it is a plus if you do..I like them..less friction in the engine..Clean the strainer real good..changes are when you tear it down you will find the hardened rubber valve stem shells up in it..common as a house mouse. I have a 88 roller 318 here and also a early 70's 318 truck engine..the one with the forged steel crank...and then another 318 standard plain jane.. It is not necessary that you pump up the engine to move your big car down the road..however it will not be fast off the line but neither will it leave you sitting. Slight upgrade to the RV cam..go back to early pre-lean burn ignition..if you want to pump it a bit a later model 4 bbl intake..use stock cast iron..better manners and performance than an aluminum..aluminum is recommend by Mother Mopar ONLY for all out race. Has too flat spots for the street..if you get my drift. You can add a windage tray and double roller timing to add to lube protection at higher RPM and more accurate timing over a longer period of operation time. Leave the asymetrical heavy factory fan blade..dyno test proves it for an additional 20 HP over a replacement flex fan... A quick clean up of the block to .030 over..new cam bearing and pay close attention to the bronze bush for the intermediate shaft that the cam drives the oil pump and distributor off of..it is cheap insurance to install a new one. Get a good set of brass freeze plugs as they are worth the extra 4 dollar...also..look to putting truck center dump manifolds on your car if you original donor downpipes do not slip in..these will allow for the making of a sweet H-pipe.

Charlie is a great help to most everyone...he is quick to jump in and try to get a second avenue of parts in the mix to help lower cost to us all. HIs kits are well put together. I remember calling about a possible upgrade on my car for brakes and just ask to see if he had a kit available yet. As we had done business in the past he had my address...boy was I suprised to see them on my doorstep a few days later. Think you would get that with online retailers? Not a chance.

There are so many shop on the west coast that are geared around the VW..feel pretty certain that they would be available somewhere. Quick search on the net ought to get you some shops and online VW ctalogs.

Bob..keep it to yourself..literally..the fog is about burnt off this morning already with the temp supposedly in the low 70's...its 56 and sunny now. This is good and I spent past couple evening after work getting the 48 roof and window pinch welds ready to prime. Had to stop work on other things to attend to the night sweats this car was having due to the warn winds we have been getting..I had been applying acid to the roof off and on for a bit and thus have to protect my time and trouble.

did not like all the trim and the steering wheel on the chebbie but that grille is super slick..well executed...

Man..must have been rough being a only kid in school that was your age..feel for you there bubba...tell me this, as an older student, did you actually help teach younger kids reading and math etc..I did..lot of fun..also one of the earliest government jobs was the paycheck I recieved as the school janitor..would sweep the floor, clean the chalk board, empty the trash and burn it..then haul in water for the next day..yep ..no running water..and again, I would not have traded this experience for anything. We had to have a school bell and it was rung daily, especially for recess and lunch as we boys could be way back on the mountain goofing off.

Charlie..you now must go to your corner and sit...you have a 30 minute time out for that statement...

nla

Ed..I think I over shot the "pickup" word...however Charlie would be the man to inquire for sure. However..rim for rim the same offset would be needed...the assembly of the wheel is such that they have a very close/smooth profile on the inner surface.

I would not think you to be screwed..the donor rotors from a Volare are for 14inch rims..the main difference is the offset for clearing the calipers..you will only have to use the correct modern wheel for disc application. Earlier A-bodies used a 4" pattern so be careful there if you go to far back as the spindles are the same I understand.

I grew up in a very rural setting. School was just as short walk from the house..grades 1-5 same room..same teacher. In winter we skated on the frozen creeks and ponds that was by the school. We pulled our sleds to school with us and rode them off the mountain at recess and lunch. Spring time we would fish during this time. Ride our wagons off the same hill we sledded on in winter. Wrestling was a way of life and as such what we called fun, would get expelled or the cops called on you today. 5th grade..seven of us..4 boys and three girls. I had it good growing up and am evermore thankful for it..we had good times. Never a dull moment and we did not have video games or mom and dad chaffuering us to Chucky Cheese or Mickey D's etc...these places did not exist..we had bon fires and weenie roasts..our house was the collection place for the kids..we were out and about all the time with games well into the night. Kids today don't have the imagination to entertain themselves. And on a sadder note..neither do they have the safe enviroment we had growning up. It is a sad time these days my friends..

Live coverage...just step outside..you don't need anyone to tell you if its cold out...

lot of truth in that statement ..but no fun...

I too have had some of them late little prowlers in the house..I live in a farming community..out in der sticks..when the weather turns cold they pack their bags and move in with me..every year without fail. I see the first sign of them and out comes the traps...if I had a cat about the place I would just have to buy a trap large enough to catch it...

What did you do that has you sleeping in the doghouse?

might be just a little side business of his..

here are a few showing Larry's panels back on to test fit sheetmetal to new suspension, front and rear. This guy has been busy...

you may wish to print this chart and keep in the cubby.. Plymouth - 1948 - DIRECTION-SIGNAL-FRONT - Automobile - 1158/6.3V/7V/2.63A/0.75A USA Plymouth - 1948 - DIRECTION-SIGNAL-REAR - Automobile - 1158/6.3V/7V/2.63A/0.75A USA Plymouth - 1948 - DOME-LAMP - Automobile - 87/6.8V/1.91A USA Plymouth - 1948 - HEADLAMP - Automobile - 5040/6V/50W/40W USA Plymouth - 1948 - INDICATOR-LAMP - Automobile - 51/7.5V/0.22A USA Plymouth - 1948 - INSTRUMENT-PANEL-LAMP - Automobile - 81/6.5V/1.02A USA Plymouth - 1948 - LICENSE-PLATE-LAMP - Automobile - 63/7V/0.63A USA Plymouth - 1948 - PARKING-LAMP - Automobile - 63/7V/0.63A USA Plymouth - 1948 - REAR-LAMP - Automobile - 63/7V/0.63A USA Plymouth - 1948 - STOP-LAMP - Automobile - 1129/6.4V/2.63A USA

I don't think most people realized just how old she was when she was Lilly Munster...

Here it is Larry...

agreed..laying down the glass is needed to work the hump out of the roof at the rear...another alternative is finding a smaller rear glass to put back there..common again with this type of work.

There are a few remedies out there..Irish Spring bath soap..original scent bar cut into chunks, dryer sheets, Moth Balls (don't use entire moth or you have upholestry problems of another manner) get a cat, get couple of cats..don't feed cats so they will work properly, and then the L. Earle special of running it in a enclosed shed (less owner and cats) and let the monoxide do the job for you.

I used to love to watch the demo derbies..and another favorite was the figure 8...man that was a wreck that was just waiting to happend and more than not it DID..now I just have to go to Walmarts and watch the parking lot...