Andydodge

Also check the front/rear uni joints while your at it, the driveshaft has to come off anyway, check the rear gearbox seal and also the front gasket while you are tripping over the gearbox........if their fine, thats good but while you're in the neighbourhood all these things might be worth a look...........btw those little half round diecast clutch pivot ball bushes that Joe mentioned I found to be the same as Australian Valiants used, only the Oz Valo ones were a white nylon, otherwise identical to the Plymouth ones, certainly at least the diecast ones from my 1940 Dodge.......has anyone seen a comparision in the USA?......andyd

From 10,000 miles away I'm very sorry to hear this news.........my condolensces to his family........he'll be missed..........Andy Douglas

Tony, some interesting carby setups......thats a big SU blowing thru the turbo........also is that triple setup using bike carbs?..............or are they Stromberg CD's like what the Holden Torana XU1 used?........andyd.

This is what I intend to run on mine, admitedly I am in a fairly temperate area, East Coast of Oz, summers are over 35-40C and winters generally over 18-20C.........so I reckon I won't need the heat riser, if I do then I'll make up a plate to bolt onto the Offy intake manifold with a pair of water outlets to connect up to the heater outlets........only thing is I don't have or have a need of a heater..........yet.....lol.........andyd

Skinner Unions (SU's) are to a Pommy what Holleys are to you Yanks, if you need any bits for SU's try a UK based company..........don't forget that Jags are DOHC, and a much higher state of tune to our mopars so you might be better off getting some smaller SU's from MG's, Triumphs etc.......btw SU's are known by their throat size, ie, 1&1/2", 1&3/4", 2" etc..........andyd

LOL................and now i've wet meself again...........lol............thanks..........lol........andyd

And I always thought that Chevs were mouse engines.......andyd

Mike, congratulations.......now you just have to get that Dodge finished.......andyd

Wayne, its good to have a sense of humour, and better still not to take yourself too seriously...........lol..........your right tho......, this really is one of the best sites to pick up good info regarding mopars.......best wishes & regards for the New Year........its 20 minutes away now here in Oz........better go watch the Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks.......lol.....one night they'll blow the damn thing up by accident........lol.........regards, andyd

This is another reason I like this forum.....you LEARN something, I had always wondered why you yanks call these fittings a "zerk".......here in Oz I have only ever heard them called "grease nipples".............I had read in a few US hot rod magazines the term "zerk" used but always thought it must have been a brand name........so, it refers to the type of grease fitting?.......interesting.........thanks, andyd

Tommy, Robert is correct, so long as you have a filter that the lines willl connect up to, it doesn't matter whether its a sealed canister or one with an opening lid, so long as the lines will bolt onto the canister and they are correctly aligned, ie, the "in" & "out" from the sealed cannister will bolt onto the same places on the opening cannister then is fine........andyd

Joe........good to see the thread back in more pleasant surroundings........well, its back to my cave.......wanna come visit, Joe?...........we can compare throwing implements......lol......us neanderthals need to stick together........lol..........regards....andy(the knuckledragger)d

Joe....btw I suppose that new, improved method of sandblasting the car would at least keep the mice away.......lol.............andyd

Joe........just wet meself now.........lol..........thanks a lot.......we didn't use rocks tho as kids........we used to use a vegetable called a choko........its a green vegetable, grows on vine, similar to a passionfruit and is 99.9% water, tasteless and about the same size as a pear and a similar shape...........but even a ripe one is as hard as an unripe pear..........and travels very fast and far when your a kid.....lol........choko fights were great, we even up using plastic water buckets with a piece cut out as a helmet.........tho a choko in the guts was not a pleasant feeling.........still, even now I'd rather have a choko in the guts than the white cloud of dog crap...........lol.........who brought this subject up?..........lol..........andyd

Randy, its a funny thing but even after having my dodge since the early 70's I still get a buzz when I meet someone who has another mopar.........I've been in 3 rod clubs now, and 99% of fellow members are into Fords/Chevs, and I've never really met anyone else who had a 40's mopar and its just plain refreshing to be able to "talk" to you guys and in person no less with Mike yesterday about mopars and be able to relate to the same sort of issues, problems, achievements, whatever.........even with some of the not so good issues that have been aired recently, I still find it enjoyable and interesting getting on this site.......again many thanks and all the best for the New Year........regards, Andy Douglas

Ah the joys of mowing dog turds.........I find the hard white turds are the most fun................especially when you don't see them till you hit something then find yourself going thru a large white cloud of "dust".........lol..........thanks for the laugh guys............lol...........andyd

Just would like to add my thanks regarding this Forum & Site.........I had a visit from Mike Dickson a fellow member who has a 1948 D25 Sedan. Mike and his girlfriend Vicki called into the shop and said hello, we talked mopar for a few minutes and Mike later called into home after i'd finished at the shop and had a good look at the 40 Dodge & 41 Plymouth.........without this Site Mike and I would not have met and I really appreciated his taking the time to call in whilst here on holidays. Again let me thank all the guys involved in this Website and Forum, who go towards making this a real pleasure to look at......thanks, Andy Douglas........

David.........I have about 8-10 Erle Stanley Gardiner and about the same number of A.A.Fair,his alto ego, however all are from about 1955-1962, British or Australian 1sts, no USA 1sts that I could see........andyd

Greg, nice to see these pics, especially the outside shot of the factory........where did you find these pics? as there is a guy doing a book on the history of Chrysler in Oz who maybe interested in these and other pics..........thanks, andyd

I have a 2nd hand book shop.......Big River Book Exchange and have a couple of dozen Erle Stanley Gardner titles in stock, all 1st's with nice jackets.......any takers?........lol...........andyd

Well thats the first time I've heard of that happening......thanks for posting the details.....andyd

Tank, I don't think there is an easy answer to your problem, as the dropped spindle has raised the stub axle and consequently the steering arms which as you indicate are fouling on the lower arm................you say you are going to run airbags......have you tried the front end with the standard spindle and airbags?........it won't be as low but I would think it would still be able to get reasonablely low.......also have you given any thought to lowering the actual spring mount/pocket thats riveted into the lower A arm, this would still not affect the steering arm/spindle relationship which is the problem at present yet would lower the car by at least 1-2" and still allow you to use the airbags to their fullest...........on my 40 Dodge I have cast steel upper arms(moog, I think?) with the 40 Spindle, 54 stub axle, Vented 11" discs& calipers, 1" sway bar with heim jointed adjustable ends, mid 50's Ford coils with 1 coil removed, 9" shortened BMC Austin 1800 Rack & Pinion with shortened steering arms(cut, welded and reforged by an Automotive Blacksmith)........I also run 14" rims on the front, its not groundscrapping but much lower than stock..........have also attached a pic of the 41 Plymouth that only has had 1 coil removed and is running 15x6 rims and Coker Radials, if anything it seems to sit lower than the Dodge(think its the larger diameter tyres on the Plymouth that give that illusion), anyway I'd be curious whether going back to the stock spindle with the airbags would alleviate some of your problem......regards, andyd

Rockwood, it looks real nice, I had a 1946-8 Chrysler Windsor 4dr sedan 30 yrs ago, a nice old car, unrestored and in need of a resto but original & drivable.......these were never sold in oz in any number, maybe a dozen or two if that, but it was a great old car to drive "around the block"........it was unregistered so I had to be careful with my "drives" but still remember it, btw I have one of those pieces of chrome trim that go around the front fender, think its the smallest piece, if you want it your welcome to it.........lol.........these pieces are probably everywhere in the States......anyway thats a nice restoration you've done, I always loved the dash in the 46-8 Chryslers, lots of chrome.........mine even had a lovely working clock.......and the Highlander trim on a black body...............regards, andyd

Michael, you need to be sure about exactly what size engine you have as it sounds like its been fiddled with over the years......get the rod measurements and if they have any cast in numbers to be sure of what you actually have......I've seen a few rod sets on ebay lately......I haven't heard of Mopar 6's having a tendency to crack heads so unless you are a stickler for a numbers matching head or are chasing concors awards then I'd get as late a head as I could find as the increase in compression will help the engine live with todays fuel......the most a stockhead ever saw was about 8:1 which is still way low and will work fine with todays fuel........regards, andyd

Everything about those Montana Dodge Boys makes me smile..........the car, the engine, the atitude, the speed, the damn everything!!!...........lol...................one of the best things I've seen in years...........and its MOPAR!!!!........still have the smile...........thanks Earl, Pedro & all the boys...........andyd