Bob Riding

Thanks, I just might do that. I haven't ID'd the motor yet, but my rockers look different from yours- more waves than scalloped. What's the best way to contact you- PM, or phone?

Yes - 2 in front and 2 in back!

I think I will be able to use a lot of the parts - my '56 has rust out in areas that the turquoise car doesn't. The floors are completely rotten, but the bumpers, glass etc is good. Looks like it will sacrifice it's life for a worthy cause.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, it's a cool ride. On engine parts, Bernbaum, Roberts, etc. don't seem to have much. Speedway, Summit and catalogs don't list a 277 - since it was designed to allow future overboring, for greater HP and torque improvements, I wonder how compatible parts for the 318 would be?

Not sure if this pandemic is good for my wallet- I just couldn't pass up this '56 Suburban, listed as a parts car on Facebook Marketplace - pretty cheap and 3 hours from the house. What a great excuse for a road trip with the wife and granddaughter! An "adventure" as she called it. We have her 3 days a week since her school closed, so no social distancing needed ? The wagon was owned by a hoarder - after he passed away, it was sold during his estate sale. Local folks remember it sitting in the same spot in the northern California woods since the 1970's. It was so covered with pine needles that only the fins were showing, and everyone assumed it was a Handyman wagon. Moss is growing around the windows and doors. Crazy thing is, parts of the wagon are rusted completely away- floors, parts of the fins, tailgate hinges, etc and other parts are in good shape-frame, exhaust, stainless and some chrome. There were apparently 150 generations of mice living the dry life, as I am still vacuuming mountains of droppings out of every crevice and crack. The odometer says 49k miles, and that might be accurate. The motor is the one-year, 277 cu in "Semi-Hemi" Hy-Fire V8 - The PO pulled the plugs , shot lube in and got the motor to turn freely. It also has the standard transmission with the optional overdrive. I think I will be able to use the doors, bumpers, trim and other parts. Probably will sell the OD. Not ever having had a V8 (Mopar or otherwise) in any of my project cars, I'm not sure where the engine ID number is located. My Standard Catalog of Chrysler says "on flat surface, near front of block between two cylinder heads". It's pretty rusty, but I can't find it. Suggestions? Also I've read that the crankshafts aren't the most durable. Any personal experience with these motors?

Yes, it makes you appreciate the art of welding...I like it -chookshit - George Carlin would approve.

Will do!

Thanks. Yes Ryan is quite the artist. If you are in central CA, and need welding or fabrication work, you can contact him from his website link.

The floors are done! My friend Ryan Ballis has been working on them, on and off for almost a year. His business, Ballis Welding snd Fabrication in Fresno, has been booming, so he could only come out on Sundays after church, so it took a while. Ryan can weld almost anything- stainless, cast iron, MIG, TIG, ARC, etc., but the floors on my '52 Suburban were a challenge! The PO, when asked about rust, said the floors were solid. "You can dance on the floors" he claimed. Actually they required 3 out of 4 floor sections and most parts of the rockers to be replaced. Definitely a Flintstone mobile. I used aftermarket patch panels from a USA company, Classic 2 Current Fabrication, and was very pleased with the fit and quality. During the process, I asked Ryan why some of the welds looked perfect and others more irregular- he had to stop and start a lot, and had trouble creating a continuous bead in some areas. He thought that the rust and sound deadening material residues, even after wire wheeling and cleaning, were been pulled into the bead and contaminating the weld. With my (lack of) welding skills, I'm sure I would have blown holes all over the place if I had tried! Before we started, he welded an 1/8" steel beam across the underside of the wagon to help keep it square. I test fit the doors and we are still good. Now on to cleaning up the welds that are going to show, and primer and paint.

Theo, My mistake...it should've been this one: 1941 Plymouth Resto #14

Check out this video done by Mark Walker, who restored his 1941 Plymouth to the highest standards I'd ever seen. 1941 Plymouth Resto #13 It may be similar enough to help you with your '50 Dodge. His email is ihazwings@gmail.com and he is happy to answer questions.

As for the value, It depends on if it turns over, runs, etc. The later Plymouth flatties (the 218 starting in'41 I believe, and the 230 starting in '54?) had more hp, tongue and a beefier bottom end. I've seen running motors go for $200-300 here in CA. A few years ago there was a fellow on the Forum who had a '40 Plymouth and wanted a '40 motor to be authentic. I had one, but shipping to his location on the east coast cost more than the motor was worth.

You're welcome. That's what so great about the hobby- I'm constantly learning new stuff from my Forum buddies. ?

Actually, Chrysler used Cantrell, Pekin Wood Products and for my '40 wagon, US Body and Forging Company of Frankfort Indiana. US Body & Forging is best known for the thousands of Dodge and Plymouth station wagons built by the firm in their Frankfort and Tell City, Indiana factories through 1950. US Body & Forging was more accurately a trade name used by the USHCO Mfg Co. a Buffalo, New York truck body builder that was formed in 1902 as the U.S. Hame Co. Coachbuilt: Chrysler woodies 1933-1950 Here is the ID plate from the woodie when I got it in 2003 and more recently after I restored it. I was told that it was very rare to find an intact brass build plate still attached to the the wagon. I cleaned it up enough to bring out the details.

Something to consider: when I was looking for 16" stock wheels for the '40 wagon, I had numerous parts cars on the property and took 17 wheels down to my cousin's wheel alignment shop to be checked for true. Of the 17, 4 were acceptable, the rest were bent or so out of true as to be unusable. Not sure how much effort it takes to true up a wheel (without the tire), or how you would do it, so a modern alternative where you added the clips might be the path of least resistance.

Very cool Keith. How did you make the power connection? My headlight switch is full!

Very good info and tutorial, thanks! BTW, I want to add a 6 volt wiper to my '40 P10 wagon, and a 12 volt wiper to my current build- a '52 Plymouth wagon. Any suggestions?

Cool. They are about 2 hrs away...Nice trip to the coast!

I may be doing the same to my 230. What engine shop did you use? I am in central CA too, near Fresno, and the guy who rebuilt my '40 Dodge business coupe, Tex Davis, passed away a few years ago.

I know. Try to find a copy of Disney's Song of the South...

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Clevon Little as Sheriff Black Bart from one of my favorite movies, Blazing Saddles, which couldn't get made today ?

Great tutorial! Do you have the wiring tutorial? Also, I thought alternators had built-in voltage regulation. You mention a separate voltage regulator.

Me too, however I will need to go all the way to a 12 volt alternator setup. I'm assuming any of the various mass market suppliers such as Summit, JEGS, etc.would be a good choice...

What tranny are you running?