DutchEdwin

Hi John, I like the dice. Looks neat in a car. I will have this dog sitting on the dash of mine. P.S. All goods for 2008. Groeten uit het koude Nederland, hou je haaks. (thats dutch)

47heaven, I wonder, do u hate poodles?

Tim, I do not know if the mirrors are correct for 1955. This is what is on my 1955. It could be they aren't the correct ones also, in the brochures for 1955 the car is displayed without mirrors.

Fred, Perhaps a little focus on the electrical system...... A few year ago I drove an old car, like 20 years old, with a carb on the engine. When I bought it 7 years earlier it was hard to start, had low mileage to the gallon etc. For I did not know the state of all the electrical parts I first started to clean all the electrical connections with waterprove sandpaper. Did all the wires, tabs and terminals on the generator, coil etc. To prevent it from oxidizing again did put on a little anti-seize grease (which is copper based so it conducts the current and heat). Did the same with the spark plug wires and battery terminals. This was all the trick that was needed. After this I had no starting problems with it. It always took two starting attempts, summer or winter, no matter how long I didn't drive (1 hour or 1 week). Did the same trick when I was on holiday on a car from a young French coulpe that were stranded on the to of the mountain Mont Ventoux and refused to start. After I was finished it started right up and the French owner said this was the first time it did start that quick. My two cents.... Good luck.

To all, Merry Christmas and all the best for 2008. Oh yeh, be carefull with the fireworks. Here some warning videos what can happen........ Have fun. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWmK4mpImWw&feature=related www.laaf.info

I do not know where it is safe for a tornado any more. We are supposed to have no tornado's at all. Last year we saw one building and touching down only 20 miles form here. Last week one destroyed the roof tops of some houses in Germany. Guess tornado's will come to visit more areas, also to those who do not get them normally.

Pat, I hope you're right but it sounds like perpetuum mobile to me.

I have to make a littel correction. I saw in the US oil link from castrol the oil they have is 10W40. The type Castrol has in The Netherlands is 15W40. This is what they advised me. It sounds to me that 5W30 is to thin?

What do you think of 22 years and some more day's to go. Keeps me thinking, I'm still young ( or not rich enough ).

Nice rat rods. But I think they hate that name. Not possible to go onto the street with one in my country. Simply not allowed. I wonder how it drives with only 1 inch of play to the ground, could get hot under your seat with all those sparks flying around

I know, a topic that has been over and over again. Everyone has it's own opinion. I thought about it and phoned the oil companies. The companies I phoned: BP castrol; Shell; Exxon Mobil Only BP had a specialist phone me back on the issue. at the other companies I only got as far as the call center. I also got a good feeling about there advise. This is what they have to say. Be careful, it is important to know that the question I asked is about an engine that is cleaned, with new bearing, etc. The answer the oil companies gave ONLY applies to this new, cleaned state the engine is in. Not cleaned engines could result in a different advice. This question was not asked! I have an oil filter in the engine. For engines without an oil filter the type of oil to use is different. Here is the case I gave to them: The question: What kind of oil do I put in a 1955 V8 engine, totally clean inside, with new bearings. Main and rod bearing play set to 0.05mm to 0.055mm (0.0020 inch.) which is a bit larger then the original plymouth specification. the crank shaft is not hardened, new oil pump with higher oil volume then original. The answer. Do not put synthetic oil into this engine. The synthetic behaves different then normal oil. This type is specially developed for new type of engines with different behaviour in the gaps between the bearings etc. this means the optimal viscosity of the oil is not there in an old engine. For old engines normal oil is the best. On my engine the manual stated 20W40. Shell and Exxon state go for this type of oil, now available as 15W40. BP has a good feeling about 15W40 but would rather go for SAE50 for better lubrication at cold start, if the car is in an mild climate area (just about freezing in the winter and mild summers). Could give you some problems of starting the engine in winter though. All say do not go lower then SAE40. From BP I got to talk to an oil specialist for oldtimer car. He stated that more important then pressure is oil flow. This is for cooling the temperature inside the bearing. Too high temperature means too low viscosity of the oil and too much wear of the bearing. The pressure is always measured at a point where the flow from the pump is good, some end of the big oil channel. This does not mean that the pressure is present in the bearing. He confirmed that it was wise to go for a bit higher bearing play (advised by Egge) and have a higher volume oil pump to make sure the bearings have good flow. This can be without any doubt done when the compression in the engine is as low as 7.5:1. For our main concern, are there dopes removed from the oil (because of the environment) that can damage old engines? Answer from all companies: The dopes in the modern oil is better then in the 50th. So modern oils will give less wear then oil from the 50th. This also applies for the camshaft and tappets. The only point of concern is the diesel engine. In the past there was sulfur in the diesel. This material also lubricated the diesel pump. On old engines this can cause problems. For the gas engines there is no point of concern. Type of oil advised Because the iron materials used in the 50th are not as good as now used they all advise to go for a oil type with more dopes against wear. Just to be sure. BP advised to use a oil type used in engines with more then 75k miles : CASTROL GTX 15W-40 HIGH MILEAGE A3/B3 www.castrol.com/castrol/productdetail.do?categoryId=82915476&contentId=6030822 The US type only shows 10W40. In the Netherlands 15W40 is available. I'll take this oil because it is not expensive (28 euros for 5 liters). My 2 cents.

Think of it lioke this, everything made in china has to be transported to the US and EU, costing fuel. Everything made in China is produces with energy, has the same price it needs for it's energy as in the US and EU. So if the oil price rises, the goods price will have to rise. the difference to our prices will drop and it is less economical. So the higher the oil price, the more goods will not be "made in China". Why complain?

Rubber always starts to go brittle, it takes a while but then you need a new one. Keeping them in stock wouldn't help you. Mine was not avail. So I went to a break parts store, one that produces parts for cars form 1912 to 2007. They made me a line from a teflon tube, used in the aviation industries. Cost me about $18. Will last a lifetime.

Fred, I think the British will top that....... Let me say, I hope so, gives me a more good feeling we do not pay the Jackpot! A few years ago I could drive over the border to Germany to get a lower price, now it is almost equal (EC policy?). So for daily driving DIESEL. $4.96 per us gallon.

Hi, Finally got the last engine parts from the states. It took them 4 weeks to get here. three weeks longer then normal (customs ). So, assembly can get started now. I looked closer at the connecting rods. New bearings for the piston pins were installed. These bearings have a hole at the top to let oil in. The rod has a blind sink hole at the top. The funny thing is.....there is no hole that runs through to let the oil in to the bearing:confused: . Question, should there be a hole, and if so how big should it be. I think I should drill one of 1.5mm = 0.059in. to let the oil in (see the pictures). The progress..... I measured the oil pump for wear. I discovered the rotors had maximum allowed play. So no more wear allowed. As the pump is the hard of the engine I decided to buy a replacement, 340 dodge oil pump (new after market) to get more volume out of it. For the check valve to prevent the oil from leaking back into the engine is now working well on these engines, I converted to an adapter to put on modern type oil filter. To get the original look I will figure out later on how to put the original cover over it. The crank is regrinded. To check I measured the play, with micrometers and plastigauge. I used dental material. A two compound material that hardens in two minutes and doesn't shrink or expand afterwards. Measured the thickness with a micrometer Every thing OK. One can only be sure Next is the balance on the crank and flywheel and the piston ring gap in the cylinder, new bearing and guide bushing for the intermediate shaft. Funny it always takes twice the time you think you need .

nice looking, always glad to see one more in Europe. Did you have trouble on getting it over the pond, Tell the story how you did find it and how to bring it to your home. When I get more room to store a second car I will buy one myself as a second car. Edwin.

I have an early V8 engine, poly head. When I remove the head, the push rods will be gone. So the camshaft will NOT operate the valves. I can spin the oil pump with a rod then. The only thing is, I cannot pressurise the system in this way. I can ony see oil running from the holes in the block. I didn't use this trick yet, I've read this on a hotrodders site from a guy who did this a coulpe of times, because he did not have an engine oiler like: http://www.atk-engines.com/tools.html. It looked possible to me, the guy had 2xxx posts on the forum. I'm going to try this. I could operat it by hand when the pump, intermediate shaft and camshaft were still in the block. I didn't know that on a flat 6 when you take the head off the valves are still engaged. Sorry for the confusion. Can any one tell about the grease getting into the filter, will it clugg it or will the grease disolve in the oil? p.s. To get less confusion, I edited my signature, adding my engine type.

I hope it to be different, but I think all they will find is a heap of rust and the interior down to its springs and left overs, because of water seeping into the vault thru this tiny little crack in the concrete.

Tod, there a point, you cannot do this when the head is installed. But when the head is still off you can. This way the pump fills with oil. Be shure the cam doesn't pop out when you trun the intermediate shaft. So the cam retaining plate must be bolted on. I'm not shure wether Pete has the the head mounted or not. But I should have mentioned it . My question, The grease methode should work. But what type should you use, does the gease go through the small pipes and oil filter of the oil system?

An other way to install: you can install the oilpump, after it sat a night in oil. If oil leeks out because of installation, you can always spin the pump with a pin and a drill after the engine is filled with oil, before you put on the distributor. This way the pump will fill with oil, without damaging the bearings because the engine is not running. I'm not sure which way to spin the pump, but that shouldn't be hard to find out.

Sounds like it's cold at your places, the only ice we could think of today looks like this. We almost skipped winter, only had 2 weeks of spring, and now SUMMER is here, 28C (82F) :p

Wow, sounds like a new $$$$ project to me. I'll look into yours and see what you did. Your right about getting an overdrive when you will have to do the tranny. But for now I would like to get my car up and running. The rebuilding of my engine did and does cost $$$$$$ So if I can just replace the synchronizer ring assy I think I'll just do that. The gears all look good. I did drive the car, and it did shift with no problem at that moment. I wonder if all could go right if I just clean it all out the get rid of the remaining metal chips inside, place a magnet inside to trap the loose chips I didn't find and just drive 1000-2000 miles and than do the tranny overdrive thing. I wouldn't want to harm the clutch and crank. The tranny may be hurt. It will be yunk after all when I swap. Sending it to the US for exchange (return core? you call it in english?) is simply to expensive from europe.

Pete, Thanks for the info. I'll contact them. Did find them at http://www.westerntransmission.com/exp.htm. When I'm at it, I wonder, would it be expensive to go over to an overdrive transmission? In the manual I can see the rear end is different. Any idea what all has to be changed, and to what cost? Can I stick to the steeringwheel shift? Last but not least, where do you find an overdrive trans for a 1955 plymouth.

that's why I make my picture with a printscreen, using a free tool from http://www.gadwin.com/printscreen/ (at the right bottom in the site). I simply hit the printscreen button and draw a rectangular on the screen of what I want to post. Sometimes it is only 4k. You can adjust it how large you want it to be. In this way I think even the dail up has no problem, although the quality is still good. Try my post on the gearbox from today. It has 5 pics in them, made that way. Norm, let me know if it is still "quick" enough for you.

Yep, that's what my manual say's, plym 1955. Only use the holes to remove it from the crank. I have the same problem. I want to install a damper. Two problems occur, There are no holes that match the pattern of the damper and if you install a damper, the pulley is misaligned, as you can see in the pictures. I'm in talks with hemihotheads, who will sell a damper with a pulley that will align again.