dpollo

Ratios for that rear axle were 4.3 -1 4.1 -1 3.9 -1 3.73 -1 and 3,54 -1 Ring and pinion sets are mostly interchangeable through 1956 but axle spline count changed in 1953 3.9 to 1 is the most popular and all six cylinder cars DPCD will interchange axle lengths 37 to 48 49 51-56

Some allow two wires to simply connect to one but yours looks like the connectors used for signals which were an add on accessory. Chances are good you will find more in the trunk for the tail and stop lights.

drums would be the same 37 to 41....maybe 42 depends on the seal ( National 5797 ) axles 37 t0 48 all DPCD 6 cyl shoes 35 to 42 and light truck to 41 light truck front only to 54 (ten inch) WC 17789 is a truck cylinder, not stepped which works well for me. Tapered axles to 63. not all the same taper though.

Great thread. Alas , I have thrown away uncracked heads and would have been pleased to give you one...... but freight is a real handicap to get parts around at reasonable final cost. And if you are on an island, like me, it gets even worse.

The vibration dampener is a good thing but very few Plymouths ever had them. Contrary to what the others have said, I would give it a try without. I am assuming your car is a Canadian model. Space up front is tight.

The Hydrive was not a semi automatic . It was a three speed manual driven by a torque converter.

You have a Canadian built car, twin to a Plymouth Road King. The engine is a 3 3/8 bore 218 which is 25 inches along the cylinder head. This is in comparison to the USA built engine which is 23 inches. It is a smaller car than the US model. You will find that the grille is smaller than the US model and the park and headlight are the same as Plymouth

Ten splines. Axles are the same 37 to 48 . 49 unique but still 10 splines 50-52 same length 10 spline more splines same length 53 to 56.

if and when you go to rivet the hub cap clips on, do so from behind so the flat part of the "pop" rivet is on the back of the wheel, otherwise it will interfere with the brake drum.

I have found the original manuscript but it requires some revision. Some advice while it seemed relevant in 1980 no longer rings true. I am going to edit it and have it retyped and if Fargo 55 and Matt wish to contact me , I will (eventually) send a newly edited copy or if you want it sooner, I will send, by regular mail . a copy as it appeared in the Plymouth Bulletin with pencilled in revisions. I really do not wish to republish in any format since it will undoubtedly result in questions that I am no longer patient enough to answer.

It is the uploading process I am unsure about. I can get things onto my computer screen , then the size issue . I will try to learn this but first I must find yje article. It was presented best by the Plymouth Bulletin Thanks.

I probably have the original manuscript. but short of retyping it I have no idea how I would post it. I was born in the first half of the last century and computers are anathema to me. First let me see if I can find it. When published in the Plymouth Bulletin it was titled " Make That Plymouth Run " maybe you can get a handle on it that way but I will look.

The Detroit joint used at both ends of the Plymouth shaft is not a CV joint despite its appearance from outside. It is very likely that the driveshaft shop has the elements of the universal joints out of phase, that is , one is presently 90 degrees from where it should be. In the early 60s Chrysler used a Detroit joint at the front and a Spicer at the rear so that is OK so far as it goes. Also, and more seriously, what may be lacking in your installation is enough forward and back to allow for necessary variations in driveshaft length. This will cause a very alarming noise on braking when the snout of the differential tends to nose down and will result in failure. Before you get in any deeper, have a splined slip yoke and spicer joint put up front and your troubles will be over. The Detroit joints can be expensive to service.

If you have a full set of wheels like the one pictured, you are a lucky guy indeed. They are 15 and are either 5 or 5 1/2 inches wide and will allow a modern radial tire to fit. They were originally found on some larger Chrysler products in the late 50s? early 60s when a 15 inch wheel was optional HD equipment. As you have noted they are drilled for the alignment pin and will accept the clips needed to secure the earlier hub caps. Your truck was originally equipped with a 16 x 4 1/2 wheel and used a 6.50 x 16 tire usually 6 ply.

careful how you install the oil transfer pipe . The way that looked right to me allowed the counterweight to hit. almost did it this way twice....... and that was 50 years ago. some lessons you do not easily forget. ( at that time it cost $24 to have the crankshaft ground )

personal experience does not favour the 201 carb on a 218. Use the head with the extra water passage at the front .

Andy d has it right. If you want to look original use the earlier pump and thermostat housing. Generally the top gear is worn out by the time the chain needs replacing. The chain, when new is very tight but does not stay that way for long. It settles into a comfortable posture and lasts for maybe 80 000 miles. A new chain on a worn gear does not do so well. If you are examining yours, it will hang loosely on the sprockets when at rest if it is due for replacement. Chances are it is. Chains are of two types. Up to about 1954 they have two rows of teeth on the sprockets. After that they have one row and are narrower. It does not matter which one you use so long as the suitable sprockets are used.

use a brass stem, available from tire stores catering to commercial trade. I think I got mine from a trailer outfit. they have a rubber washer which fits the hole. The added advantage is that they will prevent wheel covers from creeping around the rim The other option is to weld a washer into the hole and then redrill the hole. This is not very difficult especially if you use the smaller rubber stem.

I do not think you will have any troubles but the larger the bore, the narrower is the gasket surface between the siamesed cylinders. so make sure the block and the head have been resurfaced.

I was referring to exports from Canada. ( or some cars built in Detroit specifically for export) The US built Dodge is a very different car from a Plymouth. Longer wheelbase for one. and these were exported too.

Niel is likely correct I would first check the tank unit. If you put a clip lead on the wire at the tank, the gauge should indicate Full.

I wrote that article first for the WPC News back about 1980. then it was later published by the Plymouth Owners Club. The publication mentioned in the quote picked it up and did a poor job of editing it, something I am still annoyed about. If you have any questions, ask me directly, I will be pleased to help. dp

I do not think it is safe to make any assumptions especially when export Dodges which may be riding on Plymouth frames are concerned. I do know that the frames are similar enough so that sections can be cut from one and spliced to another with good results.

Actually this is better than getting an engine block which has been bored to the max and a crank ground to 030 . You have room to make it right. Besides taking up clearance, Knurling on pistons helped hold oil on the skirts. There were also piston expanders of several designs which wedged in between the pin bosses and the inner non thrust skirt. Another good fix was Hastings' GL spacer used to put the top groove back in shape. The steel spacer is tougher than the aluminum piston and would extend ring life even in bores with more taper than they should have.

so far as I can gather from your posts, you have an engine which has knurled pistons with oversize pins, cam bearing oil restrictors and if you look further you might find undersize crankshaft bearings of .001 or 002. If you look at the rings, one or both oil rings will be steel and the second compression ring will have an expander behind it. All very legitimate tricks dating back to the 40s with the hopes of getting another 20 000 miles out of a worn out block. It took real talent to achieve these results and while it does not reflect best practice it often worked out just fine.