Bob Riding

Well, I was able to install the new fuel pump, designed for '55-56 Plymouths, with no glass bowl. I also replaced the NOS rubber hose with a new SAE 30R7 rubber hose and fittings from NAPA. Total price - $23. As you can see, the old hose was shot. I know our regular vendors sell the correct hose and say they are ethanol resistant, but I KNOW that the SAE30R7 definitely is. Didn't even need to prime it as it started quickly and ran great. I have the NAPA parts numbers for the fittings if anyone needs them. They don't seem to be normally stocked items.

My 218 motor in the wagon has been having fuel delivery issues, even before I changed to the Langdon 2 barrel carb, (EMPI 32/36 Weber clone), so I was suspecting the fuel pump. It was NOS, purchased off eBay back in 2013. For a while it was intermittent flow, then no gas to the carb. I pulled the pump and found engine oil inside and what looks like a factory hole in the top I didn't remember seeing before. In addition, my flex fuel line was shot (also NOS from 2013)- it has major cracks that you can't see unless you bend it. I guess even 75 year old American-made rubber can't last forever Looking at our regular suppliers, some say rebuilt, but don't say "ethanol resistant parts", others include that phrasing- all cost north of $165. I was able to find a later model pump (no glass bowl) for $35+ shipping from Steve Rotholz, at Globe Auto Parts in Selma CA. He purchased a large number of original fuel pumps that had been rebuilt to handle ethanol fuel. He sells on eBay under Forthebeachonly Great guy and has lots of inventory at very reasonable prices. I'll be installing mine today and will report back.

Hey Go! Mine also had nuts and bolts on the original motor. Here are pics from when I rebuilt it. It is from a P18.

Go BSA (I was a Scoutmaster for 12 years)

My 11 yr old granddaughter looked at it and said she liked it because it looked like a "wide-mouth frog"

Just ordered some 1" flat neodymium magnets and will see how long they stay in place on the plug. Cost me all of $7.

I wonder if Tony is OK? I saw a recent memorial on FB for a Tony Smith, but I couldn't tell if it was The Freewheeling Tony.

Not sure what happened, but FB just cancelled my order saying the vendor took too long...

post deleted parts offers to be made via PM or classifieds - moderator

I wouldn't use POR 15 silver, as it turns a bit green with time and heat...

Yes. I believe they were the same through to the end of production in 1959.

I agree, and I do most of my own work. I need help with upholstery, stainless polishing, and of course, chrome, but try to tackle most anything else (with Forum Members help)! I was hoping some smart member would know the answer, but failing that, I will be diving into the parts wagon! BTW, Do you know of a good chrome shop here in central CA? It looks like Meclecs Metal Finishing isn't doing Chrome anymore.

I do, but it's in my parts car. I was hoping to not have to pull it

I'm going to assume, since Mother Chrysler tended to try to continue to use older parts, that I should be able to use the '56 bellhousing clutchfolk configuration with '51 pedals. My Chrysler 1950-1965 Interchange Manual doesn't show parts that small to be able to say for sure.

After further reading, it seems there's a split on the feel and function of one vs. the other... Reddit Thread

I bought one. It attaches to the dash - it will be interesting to see how well it works.

Looks great. Any installation tips? I have one waiting for me on my '51.

Thanks for the awesome research and time you spent compiling for the Forum. I bought the March 1951 Mechanix Illustrated just for the Plymouth article, only to find someone had cut it out with a razor blade! The eBay seller refunded my $. Now I can read it!

I'm progressing slowly but steadily with my '51 Suburban build. I'm using a rebuilt 230 from a '56 Suburban, including the '56 bell-housing, flywheel (new ring gear) refurbished transmission, clutch, pressure plate, and new throwout and pilot bearings. The '56 came with hanging pedals, mounted under the dash, while the '51 has a floor mount setup. I could go either way as I have both sets of pedals and linkages but I'm wondering if the clutch fork in the '56 bell-housing is in a different position where it would preclude me from running a floor mount system?

Wow- I didn't even think that through- of course. Luckily I had the cap in my parts stash. So is there any fix, or leave it alone. I don't remember it ever burping.

Took the wagon for a 10 mile run yesterday -out in the country. It was 111 degrees here in sunny California. I thought it would be a good test of the Stant 4lb radiator cap I just installed. No over-heating. Hard to tell the exact temp from the 1940 dash gauge, but my infared gun showed about 200 degrees at the top of the radiator and 155 near the bottom. The real test might be idling in town. The plastic Fram G2 fuel filter wasn't percolating the gas. I definitely will be installing a metal filter elsewhere after reading this thread! Just for yucks, I tried to find out what at what temp a quality plastic fuel filter would begin to fail (melt), but I guess they don't want you to know. I'll save my supply of Fram G2s for the lawn mower!

Points well taken!

I just finished installing Tom Langdon's EMPI 23/36 carb in the wagon, and I have to say, I'm impressed! Immediate starts, better throttle response, etc. I plumbed a plastic filter in-line just below the carb, cause that's what I had on the shelf. I think I want to do the glass "bowel" type eventually, cause it's nice to be able to see the fuel percolating through the filter.

My mistake- they are all red on the outside! Actually I used the 222 (Low Strength) which is purple. Thanks for the clarification.