dpollo

Let us suppose we have two engines side by side, both manufactured the same year. One is a 218, the other a 230, Both have 3 1/4 bores The 218 has a 4 3/8 stroke. The 230 has a 4 5/8 stroke. The pistons on each are level with the deck at TDC. Each left the factory with a 7 to 1 compression ratio. Given the larger volume of the 230's cylinder how could it have the same compression ratio as the 218 if the chamber size was the same ? Hollanders is correct only in that the heads are a bolt for bolt swap. A 53-4 parts book shows part number 1327008 for a P25 (218) and 1326310 for a D46 (230) and that's my client's case, your honour and he's sticking with it.

just remember that the 230 head has a larger chamber than the 217. So putting a 230 head on a 217 will lower compression.

It might work but I am betting the column jacket and the tube are different lengths on each box.

It is likely a transmission from a light truck. A square cut low /reverse would be the giveaway.

Does your car presently have a coupling fluid ? Looking at the predominantly Plymouth body, I suspect not. The modifications needed to put a FD in a Plymouth would far outweigh any dubious advantages. There are kits available to put a more modern automatic (the GM Turbo 350 for one) behind your 230. It seems to me the FD whether it is attached to a standard 3 speed or the semi automatic would soak up a significant amount of your increased horsepower , Also the FD offers no torque multiplication so off the line performance is not enhanced at all. (note what Don said above, FluidDrive is NOT a transmission ) The Plymouth in 1953 and 4 offered a unit called HYDrive which had a torque converter and performance was quite good but having read what someone who installed one in a standard 53 Plymouth went through including altering the floor pan , it is not something I would attempt. Besides, you need a special engine block with special oil passages to feed the torque converter. I believe you will find information on this forum about adapting a modern automatic. The Powerflites which were used in Plymouth sixes from 54 to 59 are somewhat bulky and only the 54 and 55 could be lever controlled and none have a PARK position. More questions than answers, so I wish you luck. 3 speed standard with overdrive would be my choice.

I would recommend Vintage Power Wagons. The rear seal is about the same on all engines and ones I have used most frequently bolt on with three small bolts on each half. Your car is about at the change year when the seal was rotated in around the crankshaft and would require a partial teardown to install. as I recall JV 134-3 was the earlier seal and JV 134-9 the later one. Victor Gasket number The drain plug is designed so that it is flush with the housing when installed. it has an indented square recess for a special wrench. The fill plug is a standard 3/4 inch pipe thread which would be available at any North American hardware store. Cannot speak for European sizes but it should be available. Vintage Power Wagons can supply a water tube for about $50. Your car would likely have the 217 or 230 engine with a cylinder head length of 23 inches. Better check to make sure.

You may be interested to learn that KINGSWAY was the low-line model in Canada. El Cheapo. In export markets KINGSWAY was applied to upscale models. The domestic business coupes here in Canada were badged Kingsway through 1952. I have an export model 52 Convertible Dodge (D40) which would be a REGENT if made in Canada but it was made in Detroit for export and badged KINGSWAY. How it got to western Canada is another story. BTW If you want more info about the new old replacement grille send me a PM .This part of the forum is not for buying and selling.

I think that the years and bad water have destroyed the remnants of the casting sand reinforcing wires . No harm done.

Badge engineering and marketing is what it is all about ! I have access to a 41 Plymouth frontal ensemble. grill has been disassembled. If my NORS grill fits over the Plymouth sheet metal then it will confirm what it actually is. It is a NICE piece(s) but the market is pretty narrow. I think Wiggo's car has potential and there would be no harm in modifying it to suit his tastes. a Hodge Podge Plodge Dodge to be sure.

I have a NORS (new old replacement stock) grill for the 41 Dodge which is cast aluminum. It will polish up nicely but is, at present, "shelf worn" I believe it is for the Canadian car which is built on the Plymouth body. It is two pieces, right and left, and has 14 bars , It curves smoothly from the headlight to the bottom Your car has Luxury Liner in the grille insert and while the park lights are at the top, (Plymouth style) the grille looks like the one from the bigger car. The Luxury liner was also built in Canada but with the same body as the US Dodge. A distinguishing feature of the US Dodge is the placement of the park lights beside the headlight rather tan above. More research is needed before I offer this grille for sale.

The gasket holes match the manifolds. The block's ports are a little smaller . I use the gasket as a template to enlarge the block's intake ports so they match the manifold. The 25 inch engine has larger ports than the 23.

The codes can be found in any shop manual but they are not of any purpose other than to designate a particular model.

The SPITFIRE head was found most often on the 1949 Chrysler. If you put it on a Canadian Plymouth or Dodge it will look nice but will lower your compression because it is designed for a bore of 3 7/16 and stroke of 4 1/2. The Plymouth and Dodge P15 and D25 had a bore of 3 3/8 and stroke of 4 1/16. Spitfire engines and their heads used an external bypass even in 51. Therefore the head does not have the extra water passage art the front. So the short answer to your question is Yes. if you are not into performance.

always black. 50 to 52 all the same and probably for 49

I do not know of any published material on this subject but I do know that trucks of this era were delivered with wheels that were cream colored or red . My medium blue 40 Plymouth has wheel centers that match the body and have the pin striping but the rim is dark blue to match the fenders which were painted at the dealership (in 1940) to resemble the two tone which was available on the Dodge. In any case, changing the wheel colour is a quick and easy way to make a car stand out. Maybe a spare wheel was a different color to indicate its status as a spare only but I have never heard of this. The operators manuals of the day all have diagrams showing 5 wheel tire rotation. Interesting.

It is a special shape for this car. I noticed somewhere that it is available but cannot remember where. Perhaps another forum member can help. It seems to be a very durable plastic -like material . I have never had to replace it on any of these cars that I have owned or worked on. Sometimes it gets painted over . I have then repainted it with signwriters' black.

What I am saying is that the car in the picture is a US Dodge which can be easily identified by the square dash instruments (and the size of the car) . In fact you do mention it is a Coronet. Its body parts will not fit a Plymouth (or its Dodge twin which was not sold in the US). The Plymouth body is smaller in every way. Too bad as the grille in the photo looks really good.

You will find the Dodge is a larger car in every way. In Canada as well as other parts of the world, Dodge built a car on the Plymouth chassis and body parts from these will interchange. The parts car pictured looks like the USA Dodge. If the dash instruments are square that is the clincher.

Page 7-16 in the shop manual recommends removal of the clutch cover and the pan can then be slid back. dipstick must be removed and the oil float may need to be lifted. It does not suggest that removal of the tie rods is necessary but as I recall, the counterweight on the crankshaft can get in the way. Removing the clutch cover on a fluid drive can be a chore. Good luck.

Your swap is certainly straightforward however you can make it easier if you know someone in Canada who can send you the oil pan from a Canadian 55 or 56 and maybe the radiator too. The 230 in your 55 should have an eight hole crankshaft so there will be no difficulties with the flywheel and bell housing Too bad we are so far apart as I am looking for a 230 crankshaft and likely have the pan and oil pick up. Shipping either way would be prohibitive. ( I am on Canada's west coast)

Yes, you are correct. The rear bearing is very lightly loaded. I have never heard of one being worn out.

I saved the discs from several high mileage units and they showed little wear. I still have them somewhere. Nobody ever asked for one.

There is no seal. On the inside of the end plate, there is a tube which extends up through the worm gear and well above the oil level . Heavy Gear Oil is embossed on the filler plug so there is no question of what lubricant should be used. ( It is possible that someone has forced grease into the box displacing the oil up into the column jacket.) If there is a leak at this point the box is overfull (unlikely) or the tube has cracked where it is fastened to the end plate. The gaskets for this plate are actually shims which set the worm gear roller bearings and must be replaced with the same thickness.

It is indeed the knob for resetting the trip odometer as Dodge b4ya says.

anything I have ordered from Rhode Island has been colour coded the same as the original and of excellent quality.