DC_Maidens

I have a 1938 Dodge Sedan with a seized motor and transmission that had been filled with water and cracked. I have a replacement motor that I am rebuilding. Everything else, brakes, shocks, wiring, etc. are all rusty and very old. I know a guy who has a 1938 Dodge truck and wants to swap the body onto a newer truck frame. I can pick-up the frame, engine (seized), transmission (shifts), and all components attached to the frame (frame is still black with a few rust spots) for $200 CAD. Will the sedan bolt to the truck frame? Is it worth the $200?

Great advice. Thanks

Great reply. It is a freebie. I was unaware that the Explorer diff was a perfect fit. I'm going to ditch the Camaro and go with that. Thank you. Also thanks to everyone else. All valid points. Much appreciated

Hello. Does anyone know how strong the factory rear differential is on a 1938 Dodge Sedan? I am looking at doing an engine swap and don't want to destroy it. I am currently looking at swapping it with a 1980 Camaro differential; how does the old one compare to this one? I know the length (width??) is a bit longer but I will work with that. Thanks.

Thanks everyone. I am going to see if I can source another one locally and go from there. The stories these old cars tell. I love it.?

I am thinking it filled up with water too. I can get the numbers this evening and post them. I am thinking it's scrap too ?

I removed my transmission and things didn't look great from the start. The lever didn't move, the transmission was caked in mud, and the top of the transmission was rusty. Everything on the outside came off really easy (bonus), then I got to the inside. Everything is rusty and a pile of dirt came out (yikes). I am having a heck of a time getting the thrust washers and counter shaft gear out. After all that I noticed something on the casing ?; a long crack. Is this something I can weld or is the casing trash? Is it even worth my time and money to restore it? Can I even sell it? Also, on the bellhousing there are three mesh screens, does anyone have a source for these?

I was going through my pistons yesterday and noticed a peculiarity. My pistons are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 - with the number 6 being a slightly different font. Is this typical or is something up with my engine? Does this matter at all?

I've never adjusted the brakes on an old Mopar sounds like I am in for fun. My plan thus far is just to get it on the road. Whatever is the cheapest and barebone minimum. Unfortunately my provincial regulations are a bit tight. So there are a few added things I'll need to take care of first. The price of the drums floored me, I wasn't expecting to have to drop major bucks just to keep stock. I was hoping to replace and/or rebuild the brakes for cheap, not drop nearly the same price as doing a full custom job, for a much better system... but I am getting ahead of myself as I don't know exactly what I am dealing with until I get the other drums off.

Great term... I feel that strongly. I think I'm going to write out what I want and stick to it... or I may end up with a 20 year $70K+ "project car". Great idea. I didn't know that RockAuto gave dimensions. This is what I was hoping to do. Find a modern affordable drum that fits. This is my plan exactly. I only have the one drum off so far and it's in need of an entire overhaul.

Sorry for the confusion. If I were to keep my drums... is there a inexpensive place to purchase new or nos drums? Or ones from a different car that fit? If I were to go with disc swap... is it better to do the swap or spend a little more and do a full Mustang II conversion (I can weld). I won't ask what disc swap is best as I have found a thread discussing this topic already. That's how I found out about ScareBird.

That is a very clever way of saying he's hit his head too many times. I take most of YouTubers (unless it's Keith from here) comments as opinions not facts. He's, as Sniper alluded too, 'fun in small doses'. I don't want to build a drag car (I don't have the funds or expertise for that), I just want a daily driver. Which is becoming even more desirable as my truck just suddenly dropped to 10 mpg ?

I believe he was referring to the fact that a swap meant that it's something engineered to make something do or be what it's not. In other words something is bound to be not quite right, work as well as the original, or will break. That's what I took from it, and what I've read in my very narrow scope of research. I am not defending it just putting it out there for discussion, and I am here to learn. Which is why I feel that perhaps waiting to do a full conversion is better. At least that system is designed to work with and have disc brakes which a far superior in my opinion (for what it's worth).

Thanks for your help. I was thinking the same way to measure as you've mentioned. I've been in contact with Mark at Scarebird. I believe they are selling off their stock but not making any more. I am on the fence about the swap though. From what I gather the swaps are never as good as the stock drums, even Uncle Tony on YouTube mentioned it. Which makes sense as the system wasn't designed for discs. In the distant future I am looking at doing a full Mustang II, or similar, front end conversion which was designed for discs. I might just wait to do that. The only reason I was considering the disc swap was new drums are $400 USD each, from oldmoparts.com. It wasn't too much more to do a disc swap.

Is this measurement from the face of the drum brake, while on the spindle, to the backside of the drum brake backer plate?