DLK

Maybe the $2400-2500 I am paying for parts and machine work in 2013 isn't so bad. At least I have a guy who has rebuilt many Mopar flatheads and had many satisfied customers like Young Ed.

Thanks to Young Ed's Dad for finding me a distributor in his garage to fit my 50 Dodge engine.

It's scary thinking about the "good old days". I remember when I was about 19 (about 1968!) driving with my 4 year old brother STANDING on the front seat next to me. I hit the brakes on a city street and he ended up on the right floorboard - not really hurt but think how bad it could have been? Stupid as it was - it was not that uncommon then.

Seeing this will finally get me to put seat belts in my back seat so I can legally take my own 5 yo granddaughter and 3 year old grandson out in my Wayfarer. I bought them 2 years ago and they have been sitting on my workbench. Yes being "Grandpa" to these kids is one of the few rewards of getting old.

I go through a quart of oil about every 150 miles and it smokes badly when hot, even though the oil pressure is good. So I went through a lot of soul searching before deciding to go ahead and get it completely rebuilt so we can feel comfortable stretching out the length of the drives and tours we take. I may be keeping this car until they wheel me out on a gurney.

At the event we were discussing issues with ethanol blends. To be honest I haven't paid much attention to what I put in it. I agree with the statements that the rings, valves etc. are probably not the cause of my immediate problem but since I planned the overhaul anyhow I can address the hoses, distributor etc. while the engine is being rebuilt. I did send the fuel pump last year to Massachusetts for rebuild. One suggestion I have read here I intend to follow is to keep a spare distributor with points, condenser and rotor in my trunk. Just one funny note: When they were pulling my car onto the tow truck in a very nice neighborhood one of the neighbors came up and told me he thought my car backfiring was gunshots which would really be rare in that high income enclave.

We had beautiful weather for a local Plymouth Club event in Amery and Centuria, WI today. Unfortunately on the way home my 50 Wayfarer started to miss, at first noticeably then after about 5 miles to the point the car could barely climb moderate grades. I drove about 30 miles with it missing increasingly worse (probably should have pulled over sooner). Finally about 3 miles from home the car would barely keep running and started backfiring loudly so I pulled over and called a tow. I was already planning an engine overhaul but I guess that will now happen sooner rather than later.

Your comment has me worried. I was having grinding when shifting from 2nd to 3rd on my 50 Dodge with a standard three speed behind a fluid drive unit. I had a local repair shop replace the transmission lube a couple years ago. For about a year the grinding stopped but it's back. The car will shift from 2nd to 3rd ok it's just I have to pause and shift slowly if I don't want it to grind. Since I plan to pull the drive train and have the engine rebuilt I suppose I should address this issue. I guess my first step is to find out what the shop used.

It is nice to hear a fresh face that has something good to say about the 49-52 Chrysler products. Like you I like the fluid drive despite what it does to the acceleration off the line. The cars were well built mechanically and are comfortable to ride in. My Dad's 49 New Yorker (bought in 1953 - sold in 1959) is a large part of the reason for my attachment to these cars. I just wish I had the energy to do all the work you have done to your car.

I should have done more homework before my last post. Soon after I posted I researched here and on the H.A.M.B board and saw the flywheel and bolt issues. Guess if I decide to put out the big bucks (a big if) I will stick them into my engine. Thanks for all the suggestions.

I just had a stent put in my coronary artery two weeks ago but am doing ok. That is why I have been away for a while following my cardiologist's advise. I am still contemplating an engine rebuild. I see a 230 flathead on craigslist for $300 out of a 52 Dodge pickup. I found a friend who has a hoist and would pull my engine and am debating whether to have Adelman's rebuild mine or just buy a rebuildable 230 and do the swap after the job is done. Since my 50 Wayfarer has fluid drive I wonder if there would be issues with bell housing bolts or crankshaft length.doing a swap with a later 230 or from a vehicle without fluid drive?. Young Ed or anyone else - any thoughts?

I love that last paragraph. Watch Barrett Jackson people regularly take a loss on $200k cars so what am I worried about?

If you see one again yes please let me know. I am not worried about matching VIN's my car is a driver.

Probably true Ed but what about the bad rear main leak? It is unlikely I (we) could address that without pulling the engine. And it really is a bad leak anytime I visit a friend with a blacktop or concrete driveway I have to park in the street. I still haven't figured out if I have the rope seal. I had a injection in my back yesterday and it has relieved about 80-90% of my pain for now. The car will be in storage until about May 1st so I have some time to make a decision.

Well it's another year and still no decision. With health issues 2012 was pretty much a bust. I have the money for a complete rebuild but then I think why would I spend that much when I drive the car 500 miles a year max and would never get the money back in resale value? I guess like many others I need to decide if this hobby is important enough to me to sink that much more money into it. It would be nice to have a car I could cruise in at 60 in without leaving a cloud of smoke behind or worrying about throwing a rod through the block. It is embarrassing to slow down after cruising for any length of time to see the huge cloud of blue smoke. But then I think with my bad back by the time I pay to get the engine and clutch rebuilt and other needed mechanical work I will be out 4 grand at least. I guess this is the year I either go for it or sell it. I realize now there is no point in rebuilding the engine without rebuilding the clutch and a new throwout bearing which probably has never been replaced in 60 years so the engine will need to be pulled for any rebuild.

I had a driveline contractor fabricate the newer style unit with grease fittings to replace the ball and trunion that came in my 50 Dodge. I asked around at the local car show to get recommendations where to go and have been happy with the decision. I think I paid $450 for the replacement which included a new driveshaft and new front and rear joints.

I'm with you I don't have the tools or the expertise. So how did you pick the rebuilder? I assume I am looking at around $2,500 with parts and labor to have my 230 engine rebuilt. Does that sound about right?

Let's face it there aren't enough of us with the un-sexy 49-54 MOPAR'S to support our own website, or at least one that generates any traffic. We are the Rodney Dangerfield's of MOPAR ownership. You find the same thing on the car clubs - there just aren't that many of us. Finding this website and all the help here has been great.

My 50 Wayfarer is young by comparison my build card says 7/30/1950 so less than 61 1/2 now.

In 1964 in my sophomore year in H.S. my Dad let me buy a 31 Model A Tudor that was for sale a couple blocks away from us for $135. We lived in a suburb but you could safely drive in the neighborhood without risk of being pulled over. He let me drive that car around the neighborhood within about a 4 block radius. The car had two major issues - it had an extremely grabby clutch and it had a bad pitman arm so the steering was really loose. We sold the car before I got my license in January 1966.

With the interchangeability I have given some thought to a newer (late 50's) Plymouth or Dodge engine to get a little more pep. If the price was right I could even buy a rebuildable one and have it rebuilt then dropped in my car. I want a fairly stock car but matching numbers aren't that important to me on a driver and noncollectable car like my Wayfarer. Buying a "rebuilt" motor carries no warranty which does cause me some concern if I don't know the seller. The other advantage of a replacement motor of course is I could drive the car this summer with the mosquito control intact while getting a second engine rebuilt. I know I can look back in the archives but as I recall my fluid drive bell housing will bolt onto any later model shorter block flathead even if it had a 3-speed stick or Powerflite. Isn't the only difference with fluid drive cars the length of the transmission input shaft?

In October before putting my 50 Dodge away I posted that I was thinking of a rebuild. My engine is tired and blows a lot of blue smoke but generally runs good. It only has about 65K original miles. 1. Since I don't drive that much what about just having a valve and piston job done without pulling the engine? Will the ring job cut the smoke and oil consumption? Do I really need bearing work with an engine that runs good and will not get driven that much? I assume if the pan is pulled new pistons could be put in without pulling the engine. 2. Is there a way short of pulling the pan to see if I have a rope or neoprene rear seal? If using busycoupe's "replace the lower half of a neoprene seal only" would cut 80-90% of my bad leak I would be happy. I herniated a lumbar disk in December. I do not have the tools, garage or back to allow me to pull and rebuild my engine. I am hoping for a solution that makes my car more drive-able and is relatively affordable (under $2k) without me doing all the work.

The story of my life.

My father's first cars I can remember from the early 50's were a 41 Chrysler and a 49 New Yorker which led to my lifetime attachment to MOPARS even though most of my friends and family like Fords. My first introduction to driving was when I was about 10 and Dad was a little inebriated. He put me behind the wheel of the big black New Yorker 4 door in front of the garage to teach me to drive. He shifted the fluid drive into 2nd gear (he thought) and told me to step on the gas. I did - the car was in reverse and whacked the corner of the garage. As you might expect that big tank which was near the end of it's life had barely a scratch and I ran to my room sobbing.

It doesn't help if you buy a California car (no heater) and live in Minnesota like me. One more reason it went into storage in Goodhue, MN last weekend until April 2012. Besides I need the garage for my 2008 Dodge in the winter.