austinsailor

Slight change on the basic subject - I do have a set of NOS 3:54 gears and I've been trying to figure out what I need to do to put them into my 40 Dodge sedan, or possibly my 48 B1B. As I understand it, going to the taller gears, some were there is a cross over point of the carrier for lower and higher gears. We talked about it a year or two ago and I don't think I got it down. I think, but am not sure, that 4:11 and up take a different carrier than say 3:54 gears. I think the thickness or offset was different. What would be good to know is where the two choices are, if I am even at all understanding it. For example, will all 3:73 and taller gears interchange, then all 4:11 and lower gears, pickup or car? (or some other division point) If I find a carrier out of any Chrysler with a certain gear set, or after a certain year, can I put in my 3:54 gears? Sort of frustrating. I've got the gears, but don't know what I need to watch out for, and certainly don't want to start disassembling all sorts of axles to sort it out. I think when I get that 251 CI motor I bought recently, I'd be better off to stick in that set of gears in the 40 Dodge sedan. Or, when I get this motor picked up that I bought the other day, maybe I should put it and them in the B1B.

Well, at this rate I should have everything I need soon! A member of this group sold me a good battery mount, a good inner fender and a good radiator mount. I got my fender skirts already, and all of the light housings and lenses, along with a good hood badge with good plastic insert. Everything is rechromed. Now I just found a visor to fit the one piece windshield. A 53 Chevy was going to the scrap yard with a good one, I got it for $150. Now, if that elusive Continental Kit would just show up........ Gene

Rich, I feel like a youngster at 67 (can't figure out how the hell that happened, I was in high school a couple years ago!) but you're right on the money. I was after the depression, like you, but we were raised as though it was still in the depths. I think I'm better for it, although I wouldn't have minded someone buying me a new car as a teenager like was done for some of my class mates. The thing on this subject that's relevant to this board, though, is the change in vehicles. Today's vehicles may not have problems as often, but with a minor problem, you're done. Just call a tow truck. And not go the corner garage, you'd best go to a place with the latest computers and tools. Pliers and screwdriver won't do you any good. A little wire broke in my wife's corvette key circuit recently. A wrecker, 2 days and $500 to the dealer and it would start again.

I barely recall getting electric in the late 40's. never had a phone till we moved to town. Driving was on the high parts of the road when it was dry, down in the ruts when wet. You just kept moving and hoped the center didn't drag. We never heard of 4 wheel drive. If you just didn't make it you found a neighbor to bring his team (horses or mules) and pull you out. Far more power than a wrecker. Water came from a cistern, I pumped the water for the day's cooking and washing before catching the school bus. Which was a 40 something Chevy panel truck with a board bench down each side of the back. We went and spent the day with some cousins once in St. Louis. They wanted to play house, told me what my house # was, I had no clue what a house # was. We changed a number of motors using a tree and a chain hoist. When it was beyond repair, you just parked it out back and bought another $50 vehicle. Later, living in town, an overhaul included only what was absolutely necessary. If the piston wasn't broken it was knearled to fit. I've put bearings in a motor beside the road before. It was a different time. Gene

After 30 years (more likely 60!) it's probably a good thing to replace the seals anyway. Do it all in one operation. My guess is the seals will nearly crumble as you pull them out. This could be all one afternoon's work if you had the parts on hand, but it's a good chance you'll have to have the old ones to identify the new ones. Gene

Here's a 602, working and for sale, $175: http://www.southtexasantiqueelectronics.com/inventory.html Is this what you're looking for? Gene

Is anything cataloged or have part numbers? Sounds like they don't. This will be tough to figure out what anything is, even by someone who knows old cars well.

I think he has one side of the grill. I gave him an accurate description, but when I get back in about 3 weeks I'll send him pictures. If he's still interested I'll load up the Chrysler, drive the 150 miles to his house and see what happens.

Sorry, clicked on the wrong ones. You guys are quick - didn't even give me time to check it!

I'm considering trading my 49 Chrysler 4 door for this 38 Desoto 4 door. Neither car is rusted, the Chrysler is complete, Interior is usable nothing to brag about. It's all together and ran 10 years go. It'll need brakes, tires and a fuel system cleaned to be on the road. Desoto has the drive train, but is missing some pieces. Am I nuts?

I've got the idea I'd like to put fuel injection on one of our flatheads. I realize that to have multiport injection you'd need 6 ports, and I might use one of my 30" big truck sixes with 12 ports to get there. I've been searching the web to understand what it takes and most of what I see involves sensors on the exhaust, crankshaft position sensors, pressure sensors in the manifold and more, engine control computers and a lot of programming. They had fuel injection long before they had engine control computers, and I don't think it is reasonable to expect to develop all the new programs for this motor. I haven't located any info on simpler systems that might be practical for something like this, but I know it's done on other motors, and in another post, Earl Edgerton's fuel injected 6 is mentioned. So, my questions would be: 1. Does anyone know of info on the web that I could get a beginning knowledge of what it takes? 2. Better yet, a simple outline of what it takes so I even know what to look for? 3. Are there setups sold aftermarket that would work on our motors? Basically, it needs something to open and close the injector. Somewhere it has to get the timing information to know when, and width information to know how long. How did they do this before all the complicated electronics, or did they even have anything comparable back then? Gene

That was a highly modified project. He cut new ports into the side of the block. Pretty radical! I've got the idea I'll take a 30" block that started with 12 ports and do the same. Problem is, besides no time, I haven't figured out enough about multi port fuel injection to know how to do it. The more I read, the more I realize how much I don't know.

Guess I don't know what to look for, I don't see the crack. But, in addition to the welding you'll probably have to have the surface cut flat again. It'll probably warp when it's welded. Adding the expense of that, I'd guess you could find another manifold cheaper. It's not so rare as to be worth putting a lot of money into, is it?

Last I heard Edgerton made 3 of the hemi heads for the 6 and that was all there'd ever be. Has that changed? Even if he's making more I'd expect it to be well over $5k. Gene

Moberly to Monroe City to Hannibal to Springfield. Gene

Around the first week of Feb. I have to go pick up a backhoe in Ridgefarm, Illinois. I'll be going East throuh Springfield, Il with an empty trailer. If anyone needs a car, truck or motor hauled and it's not too far out of my way it can ride for free. I have a winch, and a choice of trailers, so it could be a bigger truck.

Pulled in to get diesel, this was in the lot. But, under the hood? 392 Chrysler hemi!

Someone was asking about Missouri and how many plates. I have a pair of plates for my '42 Plymouth, setting one benchmark. In the early '60's when I started driving they issued only 1. For many years they've issued 2 again, couldn't tell you when it started again. Seems like I got 2 when I got back from Germany in '75, but I'm not certain. I can tell you that there are a number of legislators right now who want to go back to 1 plate.They haven't been successful yet, and I don't recall any of them giving me a rational reason why they want to when we talked about it. Strangely, if a truck in Mo. Is licensed 18,000 lbs or more, you only get one plate and it goes on the front. Causes me a lot of grief in other states, so much that I put mine on the back, and, although not legal, I get stopped less in Missouri with it wrong than I did in other states when I had it on the front, where it was correct.

I'll have to say, I'm not a fan of all this reality stuff. I'd rather watch a story of two real guys doing their best to get an old car running than all this high dollar, fake stuff on the shows mentioned in a lot of these threads. Taking an old car, working their way through the various problem of getting the brakes braking, an old motor restarted and going after sitting for years and getting it driveable is far more real and entertaining. With real life interfering and trying to keep some businesses afloat and keeping Mama happy, I don't have enough time to work on one very much. But - I hope to fit this in somewhere. If I get lucky, maybe I can get the basics done after pulling the old wiring out of my 53 Plymouth hardtop while waiting for the new set to appear. Sometime this spring I should have it at least with a running motor. With a lot of luck, and if I can spare a few more hundred $, maybe have the brakes working. The difference in the "Reality" shows is they aren't real, they aren't financially sustainable, and you know the deal is funded by advertisers, not someones commitment and discretionary spending like we have to live with. Ours are real, done as we find bits of time away from the other "real" things we have to deal with, and a few extra dollars. Not to mention, after waiting sometimes a long time to locate the parts we need. There is no way we could pull an old car out of the scrap yard, spend a week and get it running reliably, stopping safely, the wiring up to snuff and looking nice in a week no matter how much money we had. And, as I mentioned above, when you got done, you'd have a car worth half what you had in it. How many times would a "real" person do that? Once, if you liked the car. A second or third, not likely.

Huh??

We got about 3", barely enough to warrant plowing. But since it was slushy and going to freeze later today, I figured I should clean the lots while I could. Wasn't watching close enough, probably thinking about old MOPARs instead of plowing.

Not sure everyone agrees I'm such a good guy, but it is what it is! It is a great deal, but it points out the poor financial situation of fixing up our old cars. Even with a solid car and a new motor, it still needs tires ($300 - $400?), brakes ($200 to $400), upholstery ($300 to over $1000? Depending on who does it) paint ( at least $200, probably $500). What will I have? A $1000 car! You gotta love them, they won't make you rich.

Well, my carma must be good. Our local old time machine shop is nearby and I usually go by and clean his lot with my snowplow as a favor. After all, he always drops whatever he's doing and takes care of my problems right on the spot. Never charges much. Even lets me use his equipment to reline e brakes. I went in and told him about this car and he told me he'd overhauled a 49 Plymouth motor about 4 years ago. Guy left a deposit to do it and never came back. If I wanted it, I could have it. No charge! Well, hell yes! Looks like the old girl will travel again.

I bought one of the spray type parts washers. I don't think this is what you are talking about, but it just uses water and a powder type soap. Gets hot, about like a monster dishwasher. 160 degrees, cleans blocks, heads and the best - all the sheet metal motor parts. I think all I have to do is occasionally clean the solids from the tank. Gene

Got a small frig last year with cc points I was about to lose. But it's a good idea.