steveplym

Sounds like you have been busy Mark. Hope you have an uneventful trip. I'm hoping to take a few short trips this summer. Hope to get up your way eventually.

Yep nothing like really greasy fingers and busted knuckles. I could have taken up stamp collecting.

Fred I replaced the all the control arm sets. I didn't replace the tie rods as they seemed to be okay at this point. May do that down the road, but all is tight in that area. Andy I wacked that pin with the biggest hammer I could find, hit both sides too as I noticed what you were talking about. It would not budge. I have to believe that it was the original pin. Never been removed. The left side came right out as you had said. Should be a bit easier to change in the future. Hopefully not real soon.

I started last night replacing the front suspension parts on my P-15. Everything was pretty much worn out. I've got the right side done and just about ready to put the left side back together. Left side parts are assembled I just have to get them back on the car. Everything went pretty good. Had a lot of trouble with the pin that holds the king pin in place. Had to drill it out. I'm figuring that the right side had never been touched, probably original stuff. Everything fits much tighter now and hopefully won't be wandering from side to side any more. Should finish it up later this week and get an alignment done next week. Then I'm planning some road trips. Nothing too far yet. Planning on going to the Lebanon, IL cruise on April 24th and Goodguys Bowling Green, KY this coming fall. Since the Hot Rod Power tour is coming thru my town this year I'm thinking of catching it up in Springfield and driving back south to home. It would be neat to take the old Plymouth, but we'll see. Pictures to come soon. I've taken several and plan on taking a few more before I finish up.

I wired mine up just like the factory diagram with a few exceptions. Since I have electronic ignition the cut out won't work for me. So I eliminated that part of the equation. I'm using a normally closed push button switch under the dash for my kickdown switch. I make the governor do most of the work. I get it up to speed and let off the gas, it goes right into OD. Then I can use the switch to kick it down if I'm going up a hill, etc. I hardly ever have to do this though. Unless the hill is pretty steep. Haven't had a problem with it yet.

Nope, I love the color and wasn't sure about it when I saw it on the website. Must say I am very pleased. So much I painted pretty much everything that color from the dash and door frames to the wheels. Good luck with your project.

I found it on a paint website, TCP Global. It is basecoat/clearcoat, name of the color is marine blue. Here's the link. http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/rsp1509.aspx

Alright I got the car out today with temps close to 70 degrees. Drove it over to a friends house after work. About 20 miles one way. I've been wanting to get it up in the air in his garage and check the front suspension to see what it needs and what is worn out. Looks like I'm gonna end up rebuilding most of the front suspension. It needs kingpins and bushings are worn out. Figured might as well buy a front end rebuild kit and do what I can while it's apart. I'm wanting to buy new tires, but that is going to be a waste of money with worn front suspension parts. Checked tie rods and all out and everything is real tight and no issues there. Got lucky there I guess. I'll be ordering a kit soon and will try to post some pics of the progress. Otherwise this is only the third or fourth time I've got to drive it since adding the OD. I didn't get it put in until the end of October and then winter came. I have to say the OD and the 12 volt conversion has got to be the best mods I have done to my car. It drives so smooth and quiet now at 60mph. Well worth all the work. Sharing a few pics of the drive, etc. Enjoy, I hope spring is finally getting here.

You may be right I've slept since then. I remember though it didn't leak for a while, then it seeped a bit. Can't complain though, no big drips on the floor yet.

It was nice here two weekends ago and I was able to get the Plymouth and the Chebby truck started. Let them both run a while. I didn't feel like uncovering them both to take them out for a drive. Hoped to do that the last two weekends, but it has rained here. Also hoping to get some new tires for the Plym before I take it out too far. Had these tires on the car for 10 years and they are starting to dry rot. I'm done doing any body work or paint work on the car for a while so no need to risk it. Ready for a long, dry summer as well.

I bought a rear main seal kit from roberts motor parts. If I remember correctly it was rubber.

Very nice article. Thanks for sharing. Car looks very familiar, but who knows. Seems like I saw it on ebay last year, but maybe not.

Nope all you need is a ballast resistor with a coil that isn't internally resisted.

I ordered my from 5th Avenue. The 6 volt alternator guys. It is chrome and labeled "Overdrive" It is pretty close to stock. Runs around $55. http://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/parts/parts_counter_3.html

I did the same thing to my car last year Fred. He is right it would struggle up to 55, after I added the langdon ignition it goes right up to speed with no problems. I advanced it 3 degrees and have been running it there. With the OD I added it makes it even more comfortable to drive. Wish I had done this years ago.

Ouch, we lost two Norms in one month.

My favorite magazine right now is the Goodguys Gazette. It comes with a Goodguys membership which is about the same cost of a magazine subscription, but there are so many pictures in there I enjoy it much more than a magazine where there is so much advertisement and stories. Some of them are interesting, but I like looking at lots of cars.

Here is a link to a picture album showing what I did. They have worked fine and held me in through a close call or two. Hope I never have to find out how good they work in a crash. http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/siufan6/seat%20belt%20install/

That is interesting Pete I didn't notice that. Makes it nice though when you are rolling thru traffic. Don't have to come to a complete stop and tick off that guy behind you.

The guys at VPW told me the same thing. I was looking at .030 on the main journals and .040 on the rod journals. They told me that it would chew up the bearings and spit them out, plus the bearings were going to be very expensive. I ended up getting another driveshaft that was standard. Got lucky there. I would think that .020 shouldn't be a problem. Bearings in that size are readily available if I remember correctly. Call Terrill Machine in Texas, they are very knowledgeable and helpful as well. 254-893-2610

Enjoying keeping up with your progress JD. Good luck with your project, keep the updates coming.

When I installed my transmission and new driveshaft I had the car jacked up in the rear for a week or so. I had it pretty high so the front wheels were taking a lot weight. Once I drove the car after that I noticed that the right front wheel was in at the top. Camber is off for some reason and I can't tell if something has moved or possibly bent. I can't see anything being visibly bent, but I'm wondering what would cause this kind of problem on the front suspension of a stock P-15?

Greenbomb is correct. That is how I have my od wired. Mine is wired just like blueskies has his, I bought a normally closed switch at a swap meet and used that rather than the original kickdown switch. It was a bit tougher to press. I think I only use it going up hills, or if I need engine braking. Its mounted under the left side of the dash. Blueskies has his switch in the shift knob. There are directions on his website on how to do that. Seemed pretty simple. The difference on the highway at 55 or even 65 is night and day. One of the best mods I did to the car.

That should be correct, but pretty sure it has to be going faster than 25mph. I had a hard time getting mine to shift in with second gear. Third gear it worked like a charm.

Very sad to hear this news. I never met Norm, but had talked with him through pm's and email. A very nice man. Condolences and prayers out to his family.