Plymouthy Adams

Being able to visualize in your mind the finished product is indeed a plus..maiking it driveable for now should not be that involved if the engine is at least equal in compression across all cylinders. Fluid change and tune up, brakes is a definite area of attention..be sure these are RIGHT..this is your only real safety feature on this car. Swapping in a later engine and tranny is not hard..rear gears are also a quick change..Plenty of choices from Mother Mopar on late model rear gears..do not overlook the Dakota...Ford would be another possible change as the rear bolt patterns is also 5 on 4.5...Brake upgrades are available and reasonably priced..steering upgrade to R&P is also a quick job that will not kill the frame or alter the stock suspension unless you decide to lower the car's upright, however a slight change in the column will be required if you intend to use the same steering wheel and keep the overall looks of the car..it also is not that hard a job. If you do not have the space to tear this car apart and protect it while working these mods..suggest you do it in stages..

I have an old MP catalog here..cough cough..billet aluminum 160.00...lot of jingle for a filler..

I Know A Secret....!!!!!!!!!!!

I would use two side tape to protect that area not to be painted..why..it is heavier rubber tape and the media bounces off it more so than eat through. The stainless will get a good foot etched into the material for paint to adhere.

If you are talking about the spring steel..that may be a bit rough to make..that stuff be brittle..I have not seen any out there availble either...

Few weeks back, some may remember, I mentioned the new person with the very "catchy" name to say the least..I noticed a lot of new members that may be very well on the up and up but.."just have not built up any points yet" Some others...very suspicious...........IMHO We exist to share and help others..however I remember before I made my first post, I read pages upon pages of topic question and replies to get a feel for the forum members and the attitude of the forum in general..it is time well spent..and I highly recommend it to any new member..there is gold in these veins..one has but to dig a bit..

I think you need to park that taxi at my house..it looked right at home when you were last at the house with it. With our highways here in the south..go for it....you be ok.....and if you get caught in a hilly area..stay in third gear.

I have never been one to just take an engine to the max just because it can be done..I believe in longevity..any refresh/rebuild that requires cylinder attention should only be addressed as what needs to be done to correct the problem with mininum effect to long life. Same with shaving heads and blocks..this is reserved for the eventful need to correct for slight warpage...unless you building an all-out racing machine, the results in going max versus the inprovement you will see on the street is just not cost effective. Better iginiton, better breathing (intake/exhaust manifolds) higher lift cam with longer duration and improved carburation..will net you some pep without sacrafice to the metal in your motor. Mind you you will lose headroom for lift with milling of head and block. Of course..if you just got to do it..then hey..go for it..it just an old engine..rodders throwing them out daily...thats the beauty of the industry..one does this, another does that and everyone wins in one way or another. The little 4 and 6 cylinder engines out there today..screamers in the pure sense of the word...some are so-so engines and the so-so will be here long after the screamers are gone..the screamers are 90% plus designed interferrence fit..not a good combo when the rubber band breaks...there are a few that are plenty powerful and non-interferrence fit..this is the trade off. RMA Reliability, maintaibilty and availability...that is the true test of a machine.

John..dropped you a PM..the dash will tone down in appearance after all the stuff get bolted back on..you will like it in the end.

nla

nla

If you wish to drive your car..and maybe so at night..wiring is a upgrade that will be of first vlaue for you..prior to any interior work..I recommend the repair of the flooring..if heavy body work is needed I also recommend that prior to interior..you may paint before or after interior work..however keep in mind that threshholds and jambs may take a lick during iinterior work and..removal of panels and such prior to paint gives the car a smoothness in the overall looks that cannot be accomplished with interior in place. Driveshaft..how much vibration and can you live with it. Vibration is a bit rough on things. Split manifold...if that is a high mark on your particualar list..also prior to paint to eliminate any possible "slips" when removal and installation time comes around.

Lou..I thought I had answered this earlier in the morning but guess I hit the wrong button. I have read that the 3.54 was available in the 54 Plymouth BUT only with the automatic transmission and the larger 230 engine setup. The standard shift was still standard 218 and 3 on tree, in other words just a carry forward. I cannot state this as 100%..only what I have read...this is according to my service manual...if you luck into a Hy-drive unit..this is supposed to be stock with 3.73 ratio.

Satellite convert..man I am sure you miss that ride..they are a very nice size car..great looking body also...last of that styling era... My son has not warmed up to the old cars yet...not sure if he ever will. There is always hope though...

Chet..sounds like you son-in-law is one of them.."Why earn respect when you can buy it" type..he surely misses the point all together..its not an old car..it your pride and workmanship in form of an old car.

I just go look in the barn and shop..two Sunbeam Tigers, 4 Spitfires, 1 GT6 and though they are still at the barn at my bud's house, 3 Triumph TR6's. One of them is the 386th car made..really pretty early production number..too much junk I have..but fun and am able to always get my money plus out of them should I have/decide to sell. Two of the Spits are bodies only..but real solid bodies. Typical floor rot only..quick fix as panels are very cheap for these rides. The English have made some remarkable looking small cars over the years...despite LUCAS electrical...they have survived and get great following.

The back will drop when you floor it...

nla

nla

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.