austinsailor

Be careful - years ago I put spindles from a 54 dodge sedan on a 35 Plymouth coupe to gain the big brakes and ball bearings in the kingpin. they fit, but the angle was all wrong.

Arlington, Tx. Sounds like he might have anything we need. Antique Auto Supply, Arlington, TX. (817) 275-2381

That gold pos is oozing more bondo than I've ever used! But then. ..... notice his house. What else can you say? But the Dodge is a surprise. It's right in my backyard, surprised I never saw it. I would have thought it would have shown up in a cruise in or something. Believe me, if it was close I would have noticed it! But - why would you take a perfectly good coupe and cut the top off????

His ad says 39 Ford.

My machinist Knurled the guides, then reamed to spec. Kept the lifters, no new guides needed. The engine would have to be cleaned after this as well, though. As others hinted, you'll probably have to disassemble the motor and clean well regardless.

Mine was rusted so bad I couldn't get the transmission out. Not only was the clutch stuck to the flywheel, the splines of the clutch were stuck on the pilot shaft. Took a torch to cut away the entire pressure plate and the clutch, except the very nub of the clutch so that it would fit through the throwout bearing. Then, I had to use a die grinder to cut that nub 3 ways to get it off the pilot shaft. Heating it red hot with a torch didn't help. My machinist said that when he started cutting on the flywheel to surface it, it filled the whole shop with rust dust! I doubt many are that bad but it happens. I salvaged everything except the pressure plate and clutch disk.

"I am very leary with linking up my everyday checking account with anything that can access it without my consent." If someone has your account number (it's on every check you write) they can access your account electronically. There is nothing you can do to stop it. You can only protest it. It's a new age. The thing that is a bigger worry is debit cards. Do you know that they can reserve a big block of money each time you use it? For example, stick it in the gas pump, they can, and often do, reserve $125. Then they charge what you actually bought. That $125 will go away in about a week. But, in the meantime, you account is short $125. Take a trip, buy gas 4 times, you've got $500 missing. Will you bounce a check (or many checks) if $500 is missing from your checking account? Many of us would much of the time. Too bad. Same at a restaurant, motel or other places. I think debit cards are one of the biggest scams around. Be warned.

Make sure you have the correct shoes. If the shoes are for too small a drum you'd have this problem. Also, tell us where you are. You might have another owner just down the street who could take a look.

Gutleut Kaserne near the Bahnhof (train station) in downtown Frankfurt, '66-'67, Augsburg '72 - '75. Traveled from Rome to just south of the Arctic circle in old worn out VW's, visited more than 15 countries. Some, like Andorra, I didn't even know existed until we ran across them. All on $100 a month.

An old man in a junk yard in Augsburg, Germany showed me how back in the 70's. Loosen the nut.Take 2 two lb hammers, hold on on one side of the arm as backing, smack it on the other side. A couple wacks will pop it right out. Doesn't damage the seal, it's quicker than pullers and no special tool needed. I've removed maybe 50 or 60 that way, never had one that wouldn't come off. Never damages a seal.

When it comes down 3 or 4 inches an hour, it's not soaking in! I moved to Austin the end of May 1981. A week later they got 11 inches in about 4 hours. About washed away. A month later it did it again. Then we'd go months with nothing. I believe the record is still 36" overnight a little northeast of Austin.

Don, I'm puzzled about your comment about junk pistons. What makes them junk? Would the new set I bought in 1963 from Sears, installed in my 55 Plymouth and ran 75,000 miles be junk?

I should have looked up my list, I do not have any std ones left. I do have the ones on the attached list. http://austinsailor.net/parts/PISTONLIST.html Those in that ebay listing were a very good price. They didn't sell, you should get hold of him and make him an offer.

There are a number of companies who made pistons for these, some still do. Designs would not all be exactly the same, they are all replacements, not sure what would be "stock" and what wouldn't. How would you define that?

I seem to recall that the Cherokee has drums, the Grand Cherokee is fitted with disks after a certain year.

there is a diff conversion thread with a chart which shows the 42 and the fury at less than an inch difference in track width. I guess there is the question of where this is measured. As to wheels, I've got a set of aftermarket wire wheels for it that came off a 71 fury3, so I think some time with a tape is the only way to sort it all out. But, you guys have given me plenty to think about. There is also that 55 Desoto I plan to look at. might be a choice to consider, after all, it started with a std overdrive, so the ratios should be appropriate.

I think the fit most Plymouth from 42 on, but as said, std has few applications. I already have a couple sets.

there are several editions of fresh air heaters for the pilothouses - were there options like that for the cars? Would one from a truck work on the cars? It would seem so.

I sent the bumper above by us mail, if it'll go, it's surprisingly cheap.

Come visit and we'll slip it in your suitcase. Bring a big one.

Tim, I was thinking about your comments about the tall gears of the era. I bought a new Baracudda in 1965. 235 hp 273, 4 speed and 2.25 or so gears. It would do about 45 in first, 80 in second, way past 120 in third. Who would know in 4th? My 251 will be barely half the hp, might not push that tall of gears so well. It's become obvious I should chech the ratios before getting too serious about it. However, it's pretty simple to stick a rear end in and find out how it works. Probably have to invest in a driveshaft unless I could get the existing one to match some way. I have swapped rear ends in Chebbys, just torch off the coil spring junk, cut the mounts off the old rear, weld them on the new former coil axle, bleed the brakes and drive away. U joints matched on those, probably not here.

I mailed a front bumper from a 53 pilothouse across the country for $23, so it might not be a far fetched idea. I don't recall what shape the bumper is on on both of them, but when I get home next week I should look.

251, 9 to 1, dual 2 bbl, hot cam, ported, tube headers by Langdon and a '50's od 3 speed. 4.11 is to low, 2.94 is too steep, 3.55 would be good, maybe 3.73.

that would result in about 1800 RPM at 70, probably not ideal.

My old barn find has about 30 lbs on each with a fair amount of oil in each cylinder. I was shocked when it started and ran well. It still does. You should do well with your readings!