Gwellman

Where do you live in Germany? I lived in Muenster as a student in 1969. (die sprache ist vorbei gegangen) I also have a P-15 coupe, looks very much like yours. Next time you are in the USA, look for an overdrive transmission. There were made in 6 volts until 1955 and are a direct replacement for the transmission in your coupe. It will reduce rpm by 20% George in Michigan Gwellman@mac.com

The 251 engine series is a couple inches longer than the 218/230 engines. I am not aware that any parts are interchangeable. However, it is a common engine, used in cars and trucks for many years so it should not be difficult to find parts. The 251 engine series came in many different displacements, I think even a 218...but this is not the same as the short block 218.

Everytime I hear about a Corvair, I can't help but relive my teen years in Detroit. I had a very clapped-out 1950 Plymouth I drag raced at Detroit Dragway in the 60s. I raced in N stock, the lowest class, as did some Corvairs. I used to routinely beat them (Falcons too) which they must have hated...it always made my day!

A very good idea.

In the 60s, I bought ($35) a neighbor's 1950 Plymouth sedan in Detroit. It was a real rust bucket, holes in the floor etc. I liked drag racing and went to the local drag strips often, but only to watch. When I got the Plymouth, I rigged a way to disconnect the exhaust pipe, milled the 60 thou (Dad,a Chrysler engineer helped me) and I went racing. I was in N Stock, the lowest class at that time. I raced Corvairs, Falcons etc, and could beat them all. My nemesis was a guy in a 50 Plymouth business coupe who could always just nip me at the end. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than beating the Corvairs..."sports cars" losing to a junker...ha ha Anyway, as for times, I could get about 19.5-19.8 seconds at 67-70 mph. I got a good start by reving the engine popping the clutch, got a short burn out. I had a Sun 270 degree 0-5000 tach and I ran the engine up to 5000 before shifting which I did a full throttle. The car never broke...and I would have been really stuck if it did because I drove the car to the strip. And I still have the tach, now in a pristine 48 business coupe. Interestingly, I tried different size jets in the carb but never found much difference. I tried shifting at different rpm points also but found the 5000 rpm shift point the best. Now I am a retired scientist and I would have to tell you that the error in your method of measurement is probaby too large to make any meanful conclusions. The advantage of the drag strip was that the timing was very accurate, and even then there would be a few tenths of a second difference between runs.

I will try to avoid the gear ratio question, but offer some advice on correction your speedometer. If you use original differential with OD, no correction is needed. If you just change the read diff ratio, you may find it easier to just get a speedometer ratio adapter from a speedometer shop. There are also many places listed on-line. Basically, these mount on the transmissioin between the trans and the speedometer cable...usually this is pretty easy to do but check access first. Cost usually around $75.

I bought a 1950 Plymouth sedan from my neighbor when I was 16 years old. I milled the head 60 thou and put a cutout on it. Then I would drive to Detroit Dragway and race in Stock N class, the lowest class. I purchsed a Sun tach with a 6 volt post gnd sending unit. (I still have this, working perfectly on my P-15 Bus Coupe). I note this to let you know I had a quality instrument, and as a scientist, that matters to me. Anway, the rpm question. I ran this to 5000 rpm over and over...it never broke. I found I did get better times running up to 5000 than anything in the 4000 range. I used to beat the Corvairs in my class (sports cars huh?), falcons, jeeps etc. I usually lost to another 50 Ply Bus Coupe, his weighed a bit less. I could lay rubber off the line and pull ahead, he'd nip me at the end. Now days, with a car that cost more than my first ($35), I don't don't do this anymore. I would not even go over 3500-4000 now....and I wonder why you would wnat to unless you need to whup a Corvair.

If you want to incorporate the tach in the dash, I don't have a good recommendation. You might check with Westach (see their website). They have small tachs, about 3 inches in diameter. While they do not list a 6 volt postive ground, they will make one for you on request. And in some cases, the 12 v tachs will also work making allowances for the wiring hookups. However, I have Sun Super Tach, 0-5000 rpm with 6 volt positve ground sending unit. I bought this new, about 40 years ago, when I used to drag race a stock 1950 Plymouth. It is now mounted on my low milage 48 business couple and still works well. The sending units originally had a mercury battery which is no longer available, but a standard AA 1.5 volt works fine. This is really a beautiful instrument, but it is mounted on the steering wheel column which may not be what you are looking for. These come up every now and then on ebay and sell at reasonable prices. George

Try Vintage Power Wagons or one of the many military parts suppliers. Post your request at DodgePowerWagon.com, someone will surely know where to get what you need. I think you should go with the 4 speed. The granny low is nice in certain condidtions and the value of the vehicle will be better with the original style transmission.

I have a very original 48 business coupe with 25K miles and overdrive. It has always run very well until just recently. It is fitted with a Sun tachometer (6V positive ground from my days of drag racing a 50 Plymouth in the 60s) so I can follow the engine speed exactly. Accelerating through the gears running the engine speed up to about 2000 rpm is fine. When it gets to high gear, it stumbles between about 1200 and 1800 rpm. It is not an all out miss, just does not run right and then suddenly runs strong after passing 1800 or so. This is not noticable in 1st or 2nd, only high gear. I tried cleaning the points but without affect. I suspect an electrical problem but don't understand why accelerating in the lower gears (even very slowly or running at a constant rpm) is ok but high gear is not. Any suggestions? George in N. Michigan

thanks, I do appreciate this. George

I am trying to find the web address for a photograher I think is named Robert, in California. He took pictures of some 46-48 Plymouths. The people were dressed in 40-50 clothes, looked like gangsters or detectives. I have had no luck with Google. Please post your website or email me at GWellman@mac.com Many thanks, those were really cool photos.

Thanks, this is an interesting way to make new pictures look old. But what I am looking for is the place where there are recently taken pictures of guys in and around P-15s. They are sharp photos, available for sale I think, shot in B/W. They are sort of a modern artistic take on pictures that might have been shot in the 50s.

Some while back, there was a post of a picture(s) of a guy with a P-15. These were recent pictures by a photographer who wanted the pictures to look vintage with a gangster, or shady cop, B/W etc. They were really wonderful creative pictures but I have misplaced the website address. Anyone have it?

I had a 5X8 inch first aid box in my Dodge Power Wagon. The decal was in poor shape so I fixed it up in Photoshop and had a few made up. The look great now, says Detroit First Aid Co. and a separate First Aid decal. You can see them at GeorgeWellman.com I will send you a set for $5 pp, see GeorgeWellman.com for mailing address, picture of the decals etc. I will try and attach a picture here, if it does not work, check the website above.