Big_John

There's a machine called a Tap Disintergrator which is a real basic form of an EDM machine. It basically burns the extractor (or tap, drill etc) by eroding it with an electrical arc. Not something most guys have in their home shop though. I used one many years ago to burn out small (4-40) taps.

Find a pin or dowel the size of the hole. Fill the hole with grease and place the pin into the hole. Strike the pin with a hammer and the grease will push the bushing out.

Great video! Of course, they didn't say anything about Lewis shooting his eye out.... Sorry, couldn't resist....

Well... the Torqueflite is one of the easier transmissions to rebuild. One of the best sources of info would be Chrysler's service manual. If you don't have one already, I suggest buying the CD from these guys. http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/1965-Plymouth-CD-Repair-Shop-Manual-Barracuda-Belvedere-Satellite-Fury-Valiant-P16349.aspx Tools? There are some specialty tools that make things easier. A lot of them can be improvised with some ingenuity. Snap ring pliers are a must along with basic hand tools. I use a slide hammer to get the front pump out. The clutch packs need to be compressed when they are assembled. I always used a small arbor press, but there are other ways. Some guys use a 55 gallon drum with a hole cut in it to hold the trans upright. While they are fairly simple, you have to pay attention as they need to be very clean as they are assembled, especially the valve body. Everything needs to be oiled with trans fluid as it assembled and clutches need to be soaked in fluid before they are assembled. That said... yea, you can do it. I did my first 30 years ago with an open service manual and not much else. The question is really "do you need to rebuild it?" These transmissions are pretty stout. New external seals, fluid and filter takes care of 99% of the problems. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Old thread, but as always still relevant. This is the method I'm thinking of using. I think it will have better results in the long run. http://www.allpar.com/old/headlights.html

Not sure what you mean by "torque thingy". Torque Convertor? Drain the old fluid from it, there should be a drain plug and otherwise leave alone. Just be 100% sure the convertor slides all the way into the trans before you bolt it to the engine. 100% sure!! The convertor will slide onto the splines, then it goes back about another 1/2" or so when the notches on the neck engage the oil pump in the front of the trans. Failure to do this is expensive! Clutch replace? Well... there's sets of clutch packs (two) with multiple clutch discs in each pack. That's really internal to the trans and involves complete tear down. Complete overhaul of the trans is in order (clutches, seals, bands etc) if there's a clutch problem.

I'm assuming this is a 904. Unless there's a delay in the trans engaging, the "clunk" is either a U-Joint or more likely slop in the ring and pinion. There are no "selectors". The trans shifts using combinations of clutches and bands. Torqueflites will wear out the clutches before anything else. They start to slip and then its downhill from there. Here's what to do: First, look at the dip stick. Is the oil brown or does it smell burnt? If its burnt, the trans has limited life left in it. Next, drop the pan. Look at the bottom of the pan. There will probably be some silvery looking residue from the clutches in the bottom. Don't get too worried, there will always be some, but a lot can be another sign. Adjust the bands, that's pretty easy and covered in the manual (different models require different adjustment). New filter (a must) and button it back up. They're notorious for leaking at the throttle valve where the valve body pokes through the case. Look at the side of the case, where the linkage connects. See the throttle linkage? Pull that off and look at the seal under that. Most older ones leak. Change that seal if you think it needs it. Not a bad idea to change the torque convertor seal in the front of the trans while its apart either. Other then that, they are pretty bulletproof. Myself, when I've had good transmissions that just leaked a little, I've taken the trans partially apart and replaced all the external seals so the car no longer marks it's territory.

To answer the OP, if you have room for the drums, keep them. Its a nice thing to hand a new owner all the original pieces and let them decide what they want to do. If you don't have the room, hand them off to someone who can use them. Those parts aren't that hard to come by should the next owner want to change back. Your car, your parts, your call.....

What he said. Chrysler used the "Wedge" designation for their Max Wedge 413 and 426 engines back in the early sixties and then I don't recall them using the term until the 71 340 Duster.

I have the same concerns with the Bullseye lamps. With my old eyes, I need every edge I can get at night and the light pattern from the Bosch might just trump the coolness of the Bullsyes. I found a relay at NAPA. HR 301 has two relays in it, one for the high beams and one for the lows. Its got that "old" look about it, with a metal case. While you're right, the relay shouldn't be used as a bandaid for bad switches and wiring, I just see it as another small improvement making everything just a little more reliable and in this case, maybe making the headlights just a little brighter.

I'm gonna try... There's two things in my way, first I have to finish my car. That's going to depend mostly on my work schedule. Second, I was thinking about going to Chryslers at Carlisle the weekend before.

There used to be a lock that went on the battery hold down. It was kind of like a wheel lock, the key cylinder was in the center and you inserted the key so you could unscrew the lock. I think it was a Cal Custom or Mr Gasket piece. I might even have one kicking around here. Not very good, it looked pretty easy to get around. Best bet would be to lock down the hood.

The trim on mine is at least all there. I bought a bunch of trim from a parts car off ebay that has some bits and pieces that are better then mine. I have seen some headlight trim on NOS headlight trim on Ebay, but IIRC, you had to open your wallet pretty wide. VIN decoders.... well... if you're used to being able to decode your VIN or fender tag, then you may be a little suprised to hear that there isn't a lot of info like there is for sixties and later Mopars. I guess there's no Galen Govier out there for 50's cars. The good news (there always is good news) is that as Greg said, you can get a lot of info from Chrysler about your particular car. While someone at Chrysler made the decision to throw out the records from the sixties cars, they kept a lot of the earlier stuff. The other good news is no one seems as concerned about date codes and paint stamps.

Looks kinda familar LOL Here's mine

Having a functioning extinguisher in reach does put a different spin on the subject. I'd just hate to see the decorative extinguisher only and no functioning extinguisher anywhere to be found. My fire was from a lose gas line fitting. It sprayed gas over the engine and before I realized what was going on, it went up. The extinguisher made a huge mess, but the alternative wasn't any better.

Would use the same connector configuration as a sealed beam. Adding a headlight relay would be a real good idea though.

I'll probably get flamed for having this opinion... but is a fire extinguisher for decoration only... non-functioning... a good idea? Granted this is obviously an old style extinguisher and most would understand it's just a decoration. But...I'm of the opinion that safety stuff should work and work correctly. You never know what can happen. Having had a car fire myself that I used a mounted extinguisher to save my car (and probably my garage) I'm a little more cautious then some are.

$10 each for 6volt H4 bulbs This is the same guy that is selling the Bosch lamps on Ebay. http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=665543 I bought the Bosch lamps for my 53 Chysler, with the idea of putting the Bullseye lenses from a couple of blown lamps I have on the Bosch reflectors. After getting them, I'm not so sure I'm going to do that or not. The Bosch lamps look different enough and I'm sure they have a better beam pattern then my bullseye lense.

This was a quick search, I'll bet you can find them cheaper somewhere else. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6-Volt-Halogen-H4-Headlight-Bulbs-Made-Germany-2pcs-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem43a4f3d0a7QQitemZ290530250919QQptZVintageQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

A little more money, but much nicer headlight. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120626959028&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT Get that and then find some 6 volt H4 bulbs.

Actually, Chrysler refered to their 340 engine as a "wedge". In fact they had a graphics package on the 71 Duster that had "340 Wedge" emblazzened on the hood. But to the chopped top, some cars look really good with a chopped top and some don't. Then it has has to be done right and it has to flow with the lines of the car. I don't like this one, the front is lower then the back. A inch or two less in the front and it might have worked.

I was at a college hockey tournement with my son about ten years ago. I was off to the side near the announcer when the first game was ready to start. The annoucer asked everyone to stand and motioned for the recorded anthem to start... It didn't and the annoucer... without missing a beat said "Don't bother with it... I'll do it" and proceeded to sing the anthem a capella. He did a fantastic job! Then he launched into O' Canada for the Canadian players. A group of Canadians in the bleachers near enough to see what was going on started singing with him. It was one of those unforgettable moments. After he finished and the game started, he walked by me and I stopped him and told him what a great job he did.

LOL! I was almost 32 when my first son was born 25 years ago!

Aside from Harley Davidson, what car makers spec Dot 5? I could understand Dot 5.1 (glycol based) in some high end sports cars, but not Dot 5.

Here's a Chrysler training video that will tell you all you need to know about Chrysler 604 Transmissions.