rusty_apache

Thanks, I will check it out as well.

Thanks DJ, It’s good to know not to torture it any further! I’ll just shove some rags in the gap and scrape off the crud instead of pressure washing it.

Okay, I probably should have asked first but I was trying to accomplish something before posting a bunch of questions. So I separated the overdrive from the three speed, thinking it was like the Chevrolet setup and I could just grab it and leave the 3-speed in place. Now that I understand Mopar used a dedicated three speed I want to bolt the units back together to keep debris out of them as much as possible during cleanup. Unlike 33,000 mile “Ralph Cranbrook” the Belvedere has 116,000 along with the obligatory baked on grease/gravel/sand. I’ve tried shifting into all the gears and neutral and have spun both shafts as well as throwing the overdrive cable arm in both directions and paid close attention to the shift rail stubs that stick out of the overdrive. It originally separated about an inch or so and I was able to get it to mesh back together except for about 1/4”. I installed the bolts to hold it together but the input shaft begins to bind when I barely tighten the bolts. Could it be that I need to operate the O/D pawl to get the cases to close? It’s 100 degrees out right now so I’m not going to test the theory until dark:30. I did watch the 1952 training slideshows and they were a great help understand Mopar’s approach. I’m going to go through the 1953 starter because I believe Ralph has the unimproved starter bendix. I also have been doing some digging and found Mr. Douglas’ PDF of the parts list so my local bearing supplier will appreciate that! I also picked up on another comment about Studebaker using the same unit. I have an extra Deluxe Starlight coupe for parts so if need be I can possibly use it’s overdrive components.

I’ve picked up a few skills like mounting solid rubber tires to highwheel rims with heavy wire, and steaming hoops to take most of the the warpage out of them. Here’s the latest addition that I got at auction in San Marcos Tx. 1904 Pierce model 501 this one is original down to the spokes. The rims are laminated wooden coils whereas most manufacturers used solid hoops with finger joints. The tires and seat are period correct replacements.

It’s a wholly different skill set!!! I was dragged into the 21st century and am not particularly a willing participant!?

Thanks, I enjoy revitalizing old bikes too. Yes, I’ve been in the club for a few years although I haven’t been to a meet since 2018.

Thanks for the information guys! It’s a great help.

I was hoping the 1952 had an ample transmission hump and it wouldn’t need surgery! So the 1952 three speed can be used along with the overdrive or do I need to use the 1953?

I’m in the process of removing the relay, cable assembly, carburetor switch and overdrive unit from my 1953 parts car to install in my 1952 Cranbrook club coupe. It looks pretty straightforward other than the hole in the transmission hump for the Governor assembly. I believe that I can retain the 32,000 mile 1952 three speed and simply add the overdrive in place of the tailpiece, but wanted to check with you knowledgeable people to be certain that is possible. I’m also wondering if the 1953 carburetor kickdown switch mounts work on the 1952 carburetor? Any words of caution or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Here’s my regular rider. It’s a 1902 American cycle co. Wasp. It has hickory rims, glued on tubular tires, no brakes and I regularly take it camping and on trails. sorry I can’t rotate the images….

Here’s my bicycle. It’s currently on display at the Texas Transportation Museum. 1877 Coventry Machinists Co. Gentlemans roadster 52” wheel.

An errant mud dauber’s nest took out my generator brushes once. They could have been hanging in there for decades but one day they “ came a loose”. It also might be some other sort of insect pupa.

Just a quick thanks to the participants in this thread. I found the spark plug part numbers I was looking for and no longer live with the guilt of not having bought ever dry plug wires. ....now it’s time to put some sealant in the hood seam!

I put wide whitewalls on just about EVERYTHING! Ralph has gum dipped Deluxe Champion Firestones with the pie crust sidewalls. I have this urge to set aside the full wheel covers for some Concord dog dishes and ribbed beauty rims. It's nice to know what he would look like repainted, since that's a long way off.

If you do opt for 7.60-15 you will also find it's like adding powered steering because of their smaller surface contact. They are perfectly tuned for the fabulous boat like ride, body roll in cornering and the drum brakes. I just allow more space than with my "modern" '91 LeBaron with T/A radials.

Until your timing light arrives, you can find out really quick with a redneck method my Dad showed me. Just advance the distributor until the starter labors and then back off only enough for it to not strain the starter. That is close enough to give you decent power, and you can back off even more if you have pinging upon load when it's up to temp. If that makes no difference you can see if it helps to run the your old condenser. Sometimes brand new ones are defective or can go bad quick. Best of luck.

I'm having no trouble deciding what to run, but rather explaining my particular warped logic for not messing with a good thing. I drove a '59 Belvedere to high school, and kept the flathead then too. With giant fins and leopard print seat covers, that car was epitome of "doing your own thing" no matter what was powering it. The "cool" kids at the time had jacked up mud trucks, Trans Ams, and Camaros. Daddy didn't buy me a shiny new car but instead taught me how to earn my ride, and how to keep it on the road.

Read up on electrolytic rust removal. It also removes paint, and stops eating when it gets to bare metal. Sodium Carbonate is cheap, and most gearheads already have battery chargers. I have pics of the process up here in my album.

My motivation for a conservative build is just flat-out laziness. It's already a lot of work just fixing the broken stuff, then there's the bodywork, paint and upholstery that I never bother with. Bolt on mods are no big deal since they can be reversed. To each his/or her own, but for me the genuine article is what will stand the test of time. I've known guys who tried to make daily drivers out of fully modified air cooled Volkswagens but have no clue as to why they overheat and seize with normal use. The more you over engineer something to make it faster, the shorter it's usable life span becomes. It also makes them suck more gas. Chop top, slice and dice all you want guys. The work can be admirable, imaginative and ingenious, but please save the junkyard refugees from the crusher. They make rust repair panels for most old cars now so you no longer have to gut clean, well cared for low mileage cream puffs like they did in the old days. My $20.02 adjusted for inflation.

WOW... It's already all been said. I agree with all of it. Two things messed me up for life. Dad's '35 Ford Business Coupe, and Mom's '64-1/2 Mustang. He and his brother bought the coupe around '58 for $25.oo. It had the truck bed adapter, but dad found another trunk lid and reversed the conversion. I can still remember everyone gawking at the beautiful old car, and watching the pavement pass through the battery box hole when I was FOUR. Dad sold the coupe for $900 in '69 so mom wouldn't get it in the divorce. I loved it's anachronistic looks compared to the boxy slabs of the late '60's. These experiences made me who I am. My brother flipped the Mustang in '76 while Mom wasn't closely watching the car keys. After nearly 40 years I still never let him live that one down! I wanted that Mustang to be my first car because we were the same age, and it was one of the first ones shipped to TX. Mom didn't agree, because needed the money to keep up the payments on her '73 Cutlass, and it didn't matter once the Mustang was totaled. You would think that I would have gone out and bought another one when I got old enough, but I didn't. That would have been too simple. My first car was a '59 Belvedere 4-door sedan. I picked it up when I was 17 for $750. Dad said "if you're going to drive around in old cars, you had better own two". That was so I would a parts runner when one broke down. Well it just snowballed from there, and I've lost track of how many projects I own now. Owning land helps, and my plan was to grab good deals when they come around, and fix some and sell some when I retired. Dad teases me that I'll never fix them all if I live to be 100, but their values have gone way up and barring any more global economic collapses they will keep going up. I can't believe how much baseline 4 door sedans go for these days! I loved the fact that back in '80 my 21 year old car cast such a beautiful shadow with those giant fins! It literally stood out in the crowd and was always so easy to find in big parking lots. I still love catching the reflection (my car, not ME) in the windows of downtown buildings. I love owning a time machine that only needs to be driven somewhere timeless to take me back to the old days. A simple desolate country road would do just fine. Or even a small town square with the obligatory Victorian courthouse, or an abandoned service station. I love secretly watching old(er) guys admire the graceful lines made even more beautiful by a patina that took decades to erode. Mopars just aren't hugely popular in south TX. maybe because ol' Virgil Exner's designs were just so much more flamboyant than Harley Earl's! Everybody here seems to have a tri-5 Chevy or a 60's Camaro and who wants to follow the crowd? I've never restored any car, and really only enjoy the accomplishment of "having" worked on them. I just love it when everything works the way it should, and that I was the one who made the difference. I love the musty smell of the old upholstery. I love the TRUE experience of operating them even with the drawbacks of obsolete technology. The vacuum tube radio that takes time to warm up and has a certain tone that can't be produced digitally. A tone that guitarists seek when they spend big bucks acquiring vintage amplifiers, and now reproduction tube amps. It's an experience you can't get in a modified Rat Rod equipped with every modern convenience known to Man. In 100 years people won't look to experience riding in a modified classic. They'll want to know what non-sychro-mesh gears sound like. My ego isn't hurt when passed on the road by modern plastic appliances. I like to tell them that I'll race them when THEIR vehicle is over a half century old, knowing full well it is disposable transportation! I do aspire to restore a few projects eventually, but I need to build a bigger garage so they are out of the elements otherwise what's the point if the elements are going to quickly ruin it? Besides there's a certain freedom in not dreading that first big scratch inflicted by some careless oaf. (usually ME!) Possibly the best reason for me to resurrect these junkyard refugees, is that it's so rare to have the identical make/model sitting next to me a traffic light! I just bought a '54 Belvedere parts car today from a Kid who probably can't legally drink alcohol. He is driving/rehabilitating an original unrestored '53 Chevy that was part of his grandfather's hoard, so the tradition continues! Folks like us who care about the past are still being born. They are not ALL about being fast and furious in cheap Asian sedans! It certainly gives me hope for the future!

I hadn't even thought of that! Thanks.

Definitely will do. Although, with the tiny footprint of bias tires and huge steering wheel I can navigate this boat already with one hand, I wouldn't mind power brakes though.