JerseyHarold

Shel, Thanks for the offer. I don't need anything drastic at this point. The highest item on my priority list, believe it or not, is a 14" plastic wheelcover for our '99 Contour, followed by a couple of P195-65-14 tires (hopefully on the correct rims) for the same car. We'll be in NYS soon and there is a u-pull off I-81 just south of Binghamton that I want to stop at if there's time. I've never seen any u-pulls in my area, and I'm beginning to think there aren't any around here.

What did you use to drill the spot-welds out of the floor braces?

I live in Freehold and went to Blewett's in Farmingdale several years ago. They had a bunch of old stuff, neatly organized, but their prices were on the moon. While we're on the subject, does anyone know of any late-model U-Pull-It yards in NJ? I need some pieces for my everyday drivers. Harold

My favorite Plymouth-related Superman episode was 'The Lady in Red'.....featured a '52 Cambridge Yellow Cab.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. If it was a bearing issue and didn't break anything inside the engine, there is a very good chance it's repairable. Maybe the best thing to do is step away for a while and dig back into it after a few days or weeks with a clear head. Harold

If it's just the lock cylinder and keys, they were the same from 1949-1966. Standard/Blue Streak (and others, I guess) still make them. Check your auto parts store. If the wire insulation in the armored cable fell apart (failry common), you can substitute a '53-56 (approx) lock assembly. They didn't use the armored cable, just regular wire with a terminal. If you have a lock without keys, any good locksmith can make a key by 'impressioning' the lock. If the locksmith doesn't know what that is, find another locksmith! Also, in order to remove the cylinder from the lock body without a key, have the existing cylinder picked by a locksmith, then turn the cylinder and depress the brass pin. Some people use drilling or forcing, but that can break the rest of the lock.

FWIW, my father's '52 Cambridge four door, that he bought new, did not have armrests for the front doors. He told me they were optional. The door panels backers already had the mounting holes pre-punched.

I have my Plymouths because of sentimental reasons. Getting media attention for them is nice, but the downside is parts prices may rise due to the publicity.

And let's not even mention the hood ornament with the bow wave....'52's had a slower Mayflower without the wave

It is a '51 judging by the rear fender mud guards. '52's were smaller.

All those add-on's make the car a mild custom....VERY mild!

And I thought my business coupe was bad...Yow!! Looks like someone added a Ford courtesy light switch to the front door.

The car looks fine. A little bit of contrast between the wheels and body doesn't hurt it at all.

I think that darker-on-top two-tones were used more frequently by GM. Personally I like the darker color on the lower part of the car.

Local pickup is a good idea if they allow it. Just for fun, I put a '51 Chevy floorpan into my cart...the shipping was just as absurd. I got all excited when I saw the prices for those panels. My '51 business coupe can use all of them and more, and I thought this would be an easy way out. The outrageous shipping cost really burst my bubble.

Shel, I Googled the manufacturer and they are based in Michigan; their website prices are a few dollars more than RockAuto charges. I put one floor panel for a '51 Coronet in the shopping cart and got a shipping charge of $145.24 to my zip in New Jersey! Sure makes me question RockAuto's stated philosophy of not viewing S&H as a profit center. Harold

I finally got around to looking at the RockAuto newsletter this morning and one article said they now have patch panels made by 'Classic 2 Current'. I went to their site, punched-in 1952 Plymouth (my car), and under 'Body-Exterior' found that they have reasonably-priced floor and rocker panels. The driver's side floor panel, with the cut-out for the master cylinder cover, is listed at $68.00, and the picture looks pretty good. Might be worth a look for what you need. Harold

Sometimes the seller can be his own worst enemy. Researching prices and values is a good idea, but not all buyers do that. You can end-up underpricing the vehicle based on worrying about what the buyer 'might' know. With many people, if they see something they like, and the price seems fair to them, they'll go for it.

If you're doing all this cranking, you're washing the cylinder walls with gas. Maybe throw some oil down each cylinder for lubrication.

Your compression readings sound a little low to me. Have you checked the timing chain for being stretched or jumped?

Ed, I've got a speedometer cable crimper if you need to borrow one. You put the end on the cable, stick it in the crimper, and whack it with a hammer. Got it from an old repair shop many years ago. Harold

I just bought a cheapie digital multimeter at Harbor Freight. $1.99 with the coupon, a few more dollars without.

Here in Freehold, we have a really nice parade going the length of Main Street. Lots of veterans groups, service organizations, marching bands, and old cars participate and make it an enjoyable event. Just curious what's happening to celebrate this important day in your area.

The wagon is a '52 according to the trim and dashboard.

Gotta love that Belmont Blue dashboard....