gillettealvin

FYI: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150680020869&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:MOTORS:1123#ht_2438wt_1167

Mine, almost "finished," (are they EVER??); '33 PC r/s coupe, 40's era working stiff's daily.

Hey, I have a nice (rebuilt,) "later" 6 volt generator with matching (new,) v/reg you are welcome to? Let me know. GA

Hahaha! This must be THE Lou Earle, Mayor of Valdosta. My sweet wife said to me just the other day, “I wonder what ever happened to Lou Earle?” Truth be told, the last time I saw him was about ten years ago at breakfast in some out of the way GA burg. At that time he, too, was stuck on Furds, Model A’s as I recall. Yeah. He even bought some parts from me for one of his projects. Had one o' them Hill Billy haulers with all the junk hangin' offin it. Yee Haw! And, BTW, we WERE in FL at the time. . . honest! Then, I heard through the grapevine he was buying Plymouth stuff. I even called him a couple of times a few years back to confirm this vicious rumor. Turns out I left a couple of messages, one on his machine, one with some nice lady in his office. Never did hear back. . . figured he’d gone all high and mighty on me and Barbara. Sort of a snobby redneck thing, I’d guessed! To update you, Lou, I did actually “return” to the Mopar fold. Having owned a ’36 P2, a ’32 PB, a ’35 PJ over the years, not to mention several ’50 to ’51 sedans, (when you could buy them for under $100!) a ’58 Savoy, and a sweet little ’53 Cranbrook: I ain’t “new” to the brand, just been off on another tangent for thirty years, or so! I’ve settled on a driver ’33 PC coupe. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=548773 When I was a lad in the late 40’s and early 50’s, my father used to always say that Chrysler brand cars were “a thinking man’s car.” I love the Mopar engineering, and feel lucky to be “back!” Thanks for your kind (??) words!! Google says you're about 8 hours from Wilmington, NC. (On the ocean!) You could maybe make 1/2 the trip? I'll meet you in the middle, (unless of course you're still driving Furds,) in which case we'll drive all the way down to your place! GA

Greg, Thanks for your excellent suggestion. I will be talking to him after he gets my package next week, and will ask for the beveling edges on the shoes. Thanks very much! GA

Tod, Thanks for the rear wheel cylinder measurements. I am more or less at the mercy of suppliers like Bernbaum, et al, especially when I didn't have the O/G cylinders to compare. The “correct” rear wheel cylinders that he sent were marked “L” and “R.” It wasn’t until I ran into trouble with the brakes (when they were all “finished” and assembled,) that I began to realize they may not be "correct." After reading your post here, I measured the “rear” wheel cylinders he sent, and sure enough, they’re fronts, as the bore is 1 1/4”. I suspect that the extra 1/8” diameter may in fact have caused the whole system to malfunction? Also, the extra diameter would make them too large to "fit," thus the boots rubbing against the drum. As mentioned, I have rear wheel cylinders on order. If the guy that is doing the brake shoes can make the Plymouth’s work on the machine he uses exclusively for Model A’s, I’m sure he would be able arch a set of shoes for you. He doesn’t need the drums, so sending a set of shoes with the oversize measurements to VA probably would not be too bad, shipping wise. I’m sending him the shoes today, I should hear back by later next week, and let you know. Thanks again to you and the others here for your comments. GA

Today I tore into all my previous work and took off the two rear drums. I also have to replace the passenger side axle as the threads are stripped, but that is another story for another time. Before I removed the drums, I took out the floorboards and tried some adjusting of the m/c push rod. I seemed to gain a small improvement, but not enough to make a difference in the lowness of the pedal. Upon removal of the drums, I noticed some flaking rubber and some black dust. Having only driven the car a few miles, I was curious as to the source. It took me awhile to notice that both ends of both wheel cylinder boots were scuffed and torn in a couple of places. On the inside of both drums I found rubber residue. Apparently, both wheel cylinders are rubbing against the drum when rolling? I never had the O/G rear wheel cylinders for comparison, but ordered two new, a right and a left, from A. Bernbaum several months ago. Today, upon comparison to the front wheel cylinders, the new rears seem to be the same size? I'm beginning to think that the rear wheel cylinders may be the wrong ones. I called Andy, and he said that it is common for the boots to rub, and to just "file away some of the rubber." (Really!) Then, he said, (and I quote,) "If they fit, they're the right ones." I have been really put off by this guy's attitude before, but today my annoyance reached a new high. Heaven forbid he would say, "maybe my guy sent you the wrong ones," or some such admission of responsibility? (Sorry for the rant.) Although I have no way of confirming this, but I'm beginning to wonder, if the rear wheel cylinders ARE the incorrect size. If they are too large of a volume, is it possible that the master cylinder cannot "fill" the wheel cylinders enough to push the shoes out far enough to activate the brakes? Pardon my inexperience, I'm just trying to cover all the bases. An Internet search netted another set of NORS rear wheel cylinders, and hopefully these will be here in another couple of weeks so that I can see if another set may be more workable. Meanwhile, I've found a guy in VA that does Model A drums/shoes re-arching that has agreed to reline my shoes and re-arch them to match the overbore of the rear drums. It will be at least another couple weeks before the axle is here, so I've got plenty of time to go the the beach and fret about the whole mess. Isn't having an old car fun? Thanks for your support, ideas, suggestions and help. I'll report back when I'm a little closer to putting the whole thing together, (again!!) and hopefully get a few days of driving time before the fall. GA

Hey, Greg, I posted that I'd decided to ditch the Chrysler rear for the reasons you stated plus the 3:50 gear was too tall for the car, PLUS I saw the video of the guy's '38 Plymouth burned to the ground from a loose wheel adapter, two of which I'd used for the first time in the 50 years I've been fooling with these things and never trusted that much. The Chrysler rear just wasn't "right" for this particular car. I went back to the 4:37 O/G set up, and will perhaps some day go with an O/D trans, (provided my wife agrees to mortgage the house to pay for it! ) I've just finished rehabbing the rear end with new seals, etc. If I can get the brakes sorted I'm "done," (as if we ever really are!) Thanks for your note. GA

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I "stepped up" on ebay and bought the Ammco tool, and have followed the directions to the letter on here, as pointed out by greg g. I have suspected the m/c the push rod, but also am afraid to go too far in. When I got the car, it had to be adjusted out because the return hole was blocking, and the brakes would regularly lock up. My "old timey" mechanic says that the shoes may need to be arched to the drums? I thought that if I could find drums with less than .070" over I'd be better off, so I'm interested in Tod's experience with oversize drums not necessarily being the issue? I also bought the KD type brake bleeding system mentioned on the "work in progress" website, so I know that the fluid is pretty much free of air and the m/c is full of good fluid. Tod, if you could post the later push rod adjustments maybe we'll take a shot at that? I am encouraged by your response, (as usual.) Also, as suggested by jchalk, I think I may readjust and re-bleed the system in case I've missed something. Thank you so much for your input. GA

In trying to adjust the Lockheed brakes on our ’33 Plymouth, I find that with the appropriate “slight drag” on the brake shoes to drum adjustment, the pedal goes all the way to the floor giving essentially no braking action at all. If I adjust the shoes to a point of the drums having a lot of drag, (and causing the wheels to be hard to turn,) the resultant pedal travel is about 1 1/2” from the floor before brakes apply. I drove the car around the block in this condition, and the drums were all very hot to the touch when I got back. My Ammco drum micrometer shows the rear drums to be .070” oversize, and the fronts to be .050” oversize. Are these oversizes large enough to cause the brake pedal to go all the way to the floor? Can the shoe linings be successfully shimmed, or am I looking drums that are closer to the factory specs of 10.000? Thanks for any comments. GA

Good work, Joe! Looks "factory!" GA

Thanks for posting these, and the link to your very nice album! I love the faces and the settings as much as the cars. Do you think "Plymouth people" had, perhaps, different personalities than Ford or Chevrolet people? My dad used to always say that Chrysler made cars were for "thinking people." GA

Hey, Todd, Those words from you mean a lot to me, thank you. The wood graining is a direct result of some I've done in the past, but your (excellent) site has been an immense help on topics like this! The engine is indeed a PC, as near as I can tell. It has responded well to the mods; I think the single most significant is the dynamic balance. We also ended up taking .060 off the head, and .010 from the deck. George Asche had told me that up to a total of .090 was okay to shave. The difference in driving seems minor, although she seems to pull better in third at slower speeds? I had left the choice of cam specs to my grinder, a guy who's been doing Letireo L-100 Ford flathead stuff for me for years. The resultant cam isn't that much different, but he'd warned me that there just isn't that much "meat" left on a stock Mopar cam to play with regarding overlap, (separation,) and lift. The thing is by no means a rocket ship, but seems, so far, to be a well mannered, 50 to 55 MPH (?) cruiser. (Which your stock sedan probably already is! ) On that subject, the "jury is still out" on the rear and the 3:55 gears in the '69 8 3/4 Chrysler rear. I haven't been over 35 MPH, yet, but the clutch chatters a tad when starting from a dead stop. Maybe some adjustments will help, and I have toyed all along with sticking a 4:11 back in the stock 4:37 rear and putting that back in. I don't particularly like the necessary 1" spacers required to run the wire wheels on the Chrysler rear. Time and driving will tell. Lastly, your "Repair Section" article on your Website has saved my bacon while trying, (this very morning,) to dial in the front (still "stock" '33) brakes. Obviously there is a disparagement between the late model Chrysler rears, (3" wide!!) and the puny little '33 fronts, let alone the stock master cylinder. I am going to try to adjust everything I have and get through the summer with it as is. Charlie at Rusty Hope says the later (D-300??) pickup backing plates and drums may fit the '33 spindles. I am opposed to putting discs on this particular car at this point, as I love the "feel" of it as is, including the wire wheels. Thanks again to you, (and the other contributors here,) for your kind words. Will keep you all posted as I sort out the little glitches. GA

Here is a link to a video from this morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy-ZpD_NVtk More information about the car at: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=548773 and: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=547699 Cheers! GA

Hi, Greg, After much discussion with the guys at the muffler shop, we ended up with knock off magna-flow mufflers. All they had in stock were 2 1/4" inlet/outlet and I have been pretty adamant about 1 3/4" pipes. They put the 1 3/4" pipes and expanded them to 2 1/4" to match the mufflers. This may give a little back pressure, which in my experience can help these old flatheads a tad. GA

Rather than take up gobs of bandwidth for a car that not everyone is interested in, here is a link to some updated exhaust pictures/info. GA http://hagillette.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-pipes-for-plymouth.html

There's a guy in the Midwest that advertises in the POC Bulletin that does them for (starting at,) $400, plus the shipping out and back. I paid $375 for the one you see here. Hope this helps. BTW, I am starting to gather up some various and sundry '33 OG parts that may be of use to someone else. A lot of it is pure pig iron, but there may be some trinkets in the mix. Some I'll eventually put on the Bay, but would love to see someone here get some use out of them? PM me if interested. GA

Last week I plumbed in the PCV system I got, (and altered a bit,) from Vintage Power Wagons. Here is a picture as I completed the installation on my old ’33 motor. When I got in the house, I found the article I’d read on the internet, (here??) and reviewed. Duh. Another couple hours wasted! Notice anything missing from the picture? Next morning I tore it all out, and then re-did it, actually putting the PCV valve in the line. Also sanded off the bilious green from the brake 5/16 tubing. I’m probably the only one that does stuff like this? Hahaha! Or, maybe the only one to tell on myself when I do! Got the drive shaft today from the local Fleet Pride. Wow. This guy does awesome work. It looks so good I think I’m just going to clear coat it! Alongside the OG, really looks like something from a rocket ship. Hope to have it in by the weekend. Made an appointment for the muffler shop, today, for next week. “Vroom-vroom” should be by the end of next week. . . . maybe. GA

" . . . My point is this magazine only exists today to sell advertisement space. " I totally agree with Don C. on this. I would venture that most magazines these days are hanging by a thread, thanks to the Internet, mostly. But, Hot Rod Magazine has become a really bad joke over the years. To be sure, Mr. Robert Petersen would roll over in his grave if he could see the pap that is being pushed by these bottom line motivated idiots. I, too, stopped a subscription some time in the early 70's, and for awhile, picked it up on the stands. Not for long, though. It was then, and I suspect is now, as Don points out, a catalog for advertiser's parts. The "car views" expressed are so far removed from my own that it may as well be from another world. My two cents. GA

I bought the complete heat riser kit from Bernbaum before I'd "talked" to Charlie at Rusty Hope. When I got ready to send the manifold, he told me that he usually just brazes up the holes and skips it. This because I live in NC, and my plans don't include any driving in Northern Maine or Minnesota during the winter months. I decided to defer to someone who's had more direct experience than myself, and left off the heat riser assembly. BTW, the kit is for sale/trade, (cheap:D) in case anyone can use it? I only used the square gasket, and may even have another of those left from my engine gasket set left overs. PM if interested. GA

Thanks, guys, for all the positive feedback! While I love all flathead Plymouths, sometimes I’ve hesitated posting here as this car is a generation (plus) from your P-15’s, i.e. the grandmother of your late forties cars. No one here has ever said anything but encouraging words, I just don’t want me or the ’33 to wear out our welcome! Here are the links to the H.A.M.B. threads about the car, in case you’re interested. Thanks again for the helpful comments! GA http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=548773 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=547699 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6217765#post6217765

Hey, Greg, Yes, I am going to run a stock carburetor. I like the looks of a two carb manifold, but I really think they belong more on an "all out" set up and should only be "allowed" to be used with a finned H/C head. This PC stamped '33 block is running 3 1/4" pistons, (I think it is the stock 3 1/8" bored out .125, because the stock PC 189" motor was a 3 1/8" bore and this one took standard 3 1/4" rings on the existing pistons after a clean up hone.) The rebuilder said it has a 201" crank and rods, so I'm guessing it is probably a 218" motor at this point in its life. The only mods are .010 off the block and .060 off the head, very slight clean up on the ports, a mild cam, dynamic balance, and the dual exhaust. I'll run the stock points distributor. GA

I recently sent my ’33 Plymouth exhaust manifold down to FL to Charlie at Rusty Hope to have some surgery performed. Here is what I sent. Charlie emailed me about a crack, which is quite obvious in the picture, but I’d missed it. Rats! Then he offered to substitute a matching manifold from his stash and use the outlet from mine instead of the other way around. The extra charge was more than fair to me. A couple weeks later, the manifold returned. Meanwhile I’d blasted the intake, and here are the pair. I also had the exhaust blasted, but didn’t get a picture of it. I got some of that new POR-15 Black Velvet manifold paint from Vintage Power Wagons. It is rated at 1400 degrees and goes on with a brush, dries nice and smooth. Here is the complete set assembled on the fresh motor. I’m very happy with Charlie’s work and his prices are excellent. ‘Course, the thought of duals on my coupe gives an extra shot of energy to “git-er-dun,” and get on the road!

Yes, I plan to replace the cam bearings. I don't have the stick out yet, but expect the bearings to be weaker than perhaps the main/rods? While it is out I'm sending it down to my guy in FL for some "warm up" work. (Stay tuned.) Thanks for your comments. GA