New to the Forum, need help with starting out

[1940_dodge]

yes..but do you..that I think was the reason for the post...after all, you are the one asking questions...that is the price one pays for soliciting advice..

?, not sure I follow.

[Plymouthy Adams]

?, not sure I follow.

that also does not strike me as odd..

[PatS....]

But once I get to step 6 it will be running, driveable, and almost restored. That means I will have never disassembled it at all.....I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

And yes, that was my point...by step 6 it will be running and drivable but not even close to being restored, you would be just beginning:eek:

By disassemble, I mean down to the last nut and bolt. Usually it's the kiss of death to a project started by a beginner in a temporary spot.

By tackling one component at a time, you see real progress and the car can be driven most of the time, even if just around the block...keeps the interest in the project alive.

OH, by totally dismantling, any money you may have spent will be lost...a basket case dismantled project is almost impossible to give away nevermind sell. Running and even a little drivable is much easier to sell if life gets in the way or you lose interest...it happens that way more often than not.

Good luck on your project.

Edited October 16, 2011 by PatS....

[1940_dodge]

And yes, that was my point...by step 6 it will be running and drivable but not even close to being restored, you would be just beginning:eek:

By disassemble, I mean down to the last nut and bolt. Usually it's the kiss of death to a project started by a beginner in a temporary spot.

By tackling one component at a time, you see real progress and the car can be driven most of the time, even if just around the block...keeps the interest in the project alive.

OH, by totally dismantling, any money you may have spent will be lost...a basket case dismantled project is almost impossible to give away nevermind sell. Running and even a little drivable is much easier to sell if life gets in the way or you lose interest...it happens that way more often than not.

Good luck on your project.

I hear you, I know I desperately want to start taking stuff off and sanding it down/primering it, but that would be the extent of me dismantling. HOWEVER FRUSTRATING THAT IS.

Time for some new pictures, does anyone recognize the bumper? All the model pictures I've seen for a 40 dodge do NOT have those two horizontal bars going across. The fact that they are a lot more rusted than the stainless steel makes me think they were added. Anyone else concur? If so it was a pretty good job.

Edited October 16, 2011 by 1940_dodge

[Don Coatney]

Have you developed a game plan for your car? What do you want the end result to be? Hot rod, rat rod, restorod, stock original driver, restroation, etc. Restoration is not a word to use for anything other than a complete restoration as in returning the car to the same condition it was in when it left the assembly line. Very few cars in this world have gone through a complete restoration due to the time and high dollar costs involved. The link below is the story of a car that comes about as close to a restoration as is possible.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=26249&highlight=riding

My personal car is somewhere between a hot rod, rat rod, and restorod. I do have a flathead 6 but it is a long block Desoto engine complete with dual carburetors, dual point distributor, and dual exhaust. The body looks stock except for the color. I also have installed a T-5 transmission, disc brakes, a dual master cylinder, 12 volt conversion, and an upgraded differential. My car is very dependable and I have driven it over 40,000 miles in the last few years. I am not suggesting you do what I did but I am suggesting some options. Others here have gone different routes that are equally as successful. With time they will share there stories.

I do suggest that you develop a game plan before you turn the first wrench. If you share that gameplan and then listen to what some of the old timers on this forum have to say you will find a lot of collective knowledge here. If you come here with a know it all attitude you will get flack and answers that are not so good. It is your car and the choice is yours.

[1940_dodge]

Some more pictures, does anyone know why there is the bubble in the middle of the drivers side brake light, is that for backing up? On the passengers side, it is just the rectangle.

Drivers side: ________________________________________________________Passengers side

Edited October 16, 2011 by 1940_dodge

[Andydodge]

O/k.........that bubble is the reflector so that your car is visible when a car travelling the same direction sees the reflector in its headlights, being on the drivers side it helps to show the car width.......have seen pics showing a similar front bumper overider setup to that so I would assume its factory or a period piece, one thing that is not that common in pics is the chromed molding between the upper & lower grilles, if thats not wanted I know of someone who would absolutely love to get it..........lol.........., btw he would also give his left gonad for the chromed moldings along the running boards.........lol.........seriously tho, it looks like a good starting point for a rebuild/restoration, complete and mostly o/k........the speedo bits could be a problem as they used an early type of plastic for the pointer, the whole disc with the clear hole in it spins showing the different coloured sections behind as a saftey feature.....green up to 30mph, orange 30-50 mph then red 50mph plus.......lol..........anyway its nice to see some closeup pics of areas on the car which are different to my Oz 40 Dodge........regards, andyd

[Plymouthy Adams]

that bubble appears only on the driver's side of the car..the passenger side lens does not have one and if you do put a lens with the bubble on the passenger side, while cool, it is not period correct..that bubble feature is the parking reflector..and as you HAD to park with traffic...thus the drivers side gets this lens..on RHD cars it would again be the other other side of the car but still driver's side correct..

[1940_dodge]

O/k.........that bubble is the reflector so that your car is visible when a car travelling the same direction sees the reflector in its headlights, being on the drivers side it helps to show the car width.......have seen pics showing a similar front bumper overider setup to that so I would assume its factory or a period piece, one thing that is not that common in pics is the chromed molding between the upper & lower grilles, if thats not wanted I know of someone who would absolutely love to get it..........lol.........., btw he would also give his left gonad for the chromed moldings along the running boards.........lol.........seriously tho, it looks like a good starting point for a rebuild/restoration, complete and mostly o/k........the speedo bits could be a problem as they used an early type of plastic for the pointer, the whole disc with the clear hole in it spins showing the different coloured sections behind as a saftey feature.....green up to 30mph, orange 30-50 mph then red 50mph plus.......lol..........anyway its nice to see some closeup pics of areas on the car which are different to my Oz 40 Dodge........regards, andyd

Thanks a lot for the info, I figured because it was a different metal and not in any pictures I could find that it was aftermarket for the time. But sorry this is going to be a complete restoration so I'll need those chrome pieces. I can send you all the pictures and measurements you want if you want to fabricate your own set though. Just let me know what you need.

[1940_dodge]

that bubble appears only on the driver's side of the car..the passenger side lens does not have one and if you do put a lens with the bubble on the passenger side, while cool, it is not period correct..that bubble feature is the parking reflector..and as you HAD to park with traffic...thus the drivers side gets this lens..on RHD cars it would again be the other other side of the car but still driver's side correct..

Thanks, that clears things up for me. Where do you all get your info from? Do you get it from the manuals you buy or is it something you just have asked around about?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Thanks, that clears things up for me. Where do you all get your info from? Do you get it from the manuals you buy or is it something you just have asked around about?

this is information you glean from reading any and all information you can lay your hands onto or search out on the internet, forum archives etc etc..sit back read, listen to others chatter..you be amazed what info will fall onto your ears..this reflector has come up a number of times here..

[1950 Special Deluxe]

I agree.

I am still new to this hobby/addiction as well, there is a ton of info on this site. most of my questions are answered before I can ask them.

Thanks to all!

[Mark Haymond]

I was in the USAF and they moved me five times in four years, part of that was overseas. So it is unlikely you will be able to take it with you everywhere. Keeping it in one piece would make it easier to store when you are away and keep your dream alive. I second the advice to not throw anything away, even if you are replacing a part or with a new one. Honor the old paint colors of the parts, resist any urge to chrome things that were never chromed. The more it feels like a 1940 car to you the more charm it will have. Take lots of digital pictures for reference months and years later. Start a notebook of how some of the parts look or are assembled.

You can have a wonderful experience working on your way back machine.

Have a good journey.

[PatS....]

Thanks, that clears things up for me. Where do you all get your info from? Do you get it from the manuals you buy or is it something you just have asked around about?

Some of us are old enough to have used them! ...on cars we drove and repaired daily:eek:

[1940_dodge]

Some of us are old enough to have used them! ...on cars we drove and repaired daily:eek:

You don't have any parts from any of those cars do you? Eh, nudge nudge, wink wink. I can properly recycle them for you, no harm to the environment..

[PatS....]

You don't have any parts from any of those cars do you? Eh, nudge nudge, wink wink. I can properly recycle them for you, no harm to the environment..

I have a few memento's from a few cars, but not many. Most of us greybeards lament the rare and desirable vehicles we scrapped or sold for $25 bucks that are now worth a mint...but...they were just old cars back then.

Edited October 17, 2011 by PatS....

[Cpt.Fred]

welcome to the board, nice car you have there!

it will be lots of work,

but you will get to know great people and learn a lot of amazing stuff until you're finished!

this is one of the most satisfying hobbies one can choose, you'll see.

and keep us updated on the progress, the photos look promising

best from berlin,

fred

[Tom Skinner]

1940 Dodge,

Well since you asked..... In my Humble Opinion, if you can keep her in one piece INSIDE a building or garage and dry you have won time to research her.

Half of the journey is to research all the wonderful information.

Sometimes I would read the same thing in the Service Manual every night for a week before I understood what it was they were trying to tell me what to do. One Great Book is: Automotive Trouble Shooting for WW2 Wheeled Vehicles Volume 1 by Robert V. Notman. Contact: notmanr7@comcast.net

You will be sure to have her running with this 107 page booklet.

Great Car - Good Luck - Stay Posted to us here on the Forum.

There are a couple of Great Guys that really know their stuff here like Don Coatney and Bloody Knuckles and many more.

Tom

[1940_dodge]

1940 Dodge,

Well since you asked..... In my Humble Opinion, if you can keep her in one piece INSIDE a building or garage and dry you have won time to research her.

Half of the journey is to research all the wonderful information.

Sometimes I would read the same thing in the Service Manual every night for a week before I understood what it was they were trying to tell me what to do. One Great Book is: Automotive Trouble Shooting for WW2 Wheeled Vehicles Volume 1 by Robert V. Notman. Contact: notmanr7@comcast.net

You will be sure to have her running with this 107 page booklet.

Great Car - Good Luck - Stay Posted to us here on the Forum.

There are a couple of Great Guys that really know their stuff here like Don Coatney and Bloody Knuckles and many more.

Tom

Thanks for the info, I'll be buying a repair/care manual that I'll upload to share with everyone once I get it. I really wish I could leave it inside a garage too. Sadly no one I know has one that can have a vehicle put inside it. So it will have to sit in the sun while I get things set to have the restoration started.

Edited October 27, 2011 by 1940_dodge

[toddbracik]

I hear you, I know I desperately want to start taking stuff off and sanding it down/primering it, but that would be the extent of me dismantling. HOWEVER FRUSTRATING THAT IS.

Welcome to the forum! These guys know what they are talking about! I picked up my 48 d24 in 98 when I was 26 and immediately started taking it apart. I moved soon after my project began and not all the parts made the trip. Working on it off and on over the years, I still end up with missing parts and the good guys on this forum have advised and helped me many times.

My car looked to be in great condition when I got it. Once I got into it, I had to fabricate and weld new front floorboards and the driver-side rocker panel. The engine had to be rebuilt because the # 5 cylinder had a hole blown in it so it had to be sleeved. The fluid drive needed a new ring gear. The starter was rebuilt. I put new drum brakes on it with the help of Robert Van Buskirk who I met through this forum. Bob has actually bailed me out several times when I have gotten discouraged. The transmission was rebuilt and it will soon have a new clutch. I had to go through the wiring and re-terminate connections and re-shield a lot of dry-rotted cloth insulation. I replaced the water pump with a part I got from Don Coatney. I was lucky with the removable floor pan as I only had to replace the side portions and re-fabricate the gas pedal bracket. Anyway, everyone on here has a similar story with their car as you can probably tell. It's a lot of work but if you are like the rest of us on here, it's more of an adventure.

Attached is a photo of when I first got her. Good luck and I hope this doesn't discourage you. I would do it all again! I'd just be smarter about it.

[1940_dodge]

Welcome to the forum! These guys know what they are talking about! I picked up my 48 d24 in 98 when I was 26 and immediately started taking it apart. I moved soon after my project began and not all the parts made the trip. Working on it off and on over the years, I still end up with missing parts and the good guys on this forum have advised and helped me many times.

Attached is a photo of when I first got her. Good luck and I hope this doesn't discourage you. I would do it all again! I'd just be smarter about it.

My car is a similar story. The floorboards in the front are completely rotted out, as well as the dividing wall between the trunk and the rear seat. Also the wheel well for the spare tire has rust holes at the bottom of it. I've found out through some research that you can buy new floorboards that are specifically made for this model for around 200 bucks. Then the next step is just learning how to weld, for me, or paying to shadow somebody as they weld it on for me. I don't know what I'm going to do about the trunk yet. Good news is it's flat metal besides the spare tire wheel well..

[toddbracik]

I took a $100 welding class at a local high school. It was part of an adult learning course that took place at night. They teach you technique and then you just keep doing it till you get better at it. When you goof it up, cut it off and do it again. I used a wire feed mig welder like Joe Flanagan did. Joe posted a lot of pics that helped me along. Old school guys like Tim Adams use a torch and lead solider because it involves less heat which means less risk of the metal warping. I'm not good enough to do that...yet. If welding doesn't sound like an option, you can use rivets and caulk. I've also had a friend fix a hole in his trunk door with a piece of metal, body panel adhesive and filler. There is also fiberglass. Let that be a project for a different day though. Start with small tasks that you know you can do, get done quickly, and show progress. Stay on one thing till its done then move on to the next. Don't do what I did and start 15 things at once. You'll bury yourself in discouragement quick.

The dividing wall between the trunk and back seat was cardboard riveted to support brackets as I recall. There is an easy fix for you.

[40phil41]

My car is a similar story. The floorboards in the front are completely rotted out, as well as the dividing wall between the trunk and the rear seat. Also the wheel well for the spare tire has rust holes at the bottom of it. I've found out through some research that you can buy new floorboards that are specifically made for this model for around 200 bucks. Then the next step is just learning how to weld, for me, or paying to shadow somebody as they weld it on for me. I don't know what I'm going to do about the trunk yet. Good news is it's flat metal besides the spare tire wheel well..

Note that the front floor pan is removeable (i.e. bolted in place). Also, unlike the 46-48 floorpan, the '40 is full width. But you will have to fabricate and weld in the small pieces between the floor pan and the rockers. When I did my car the trunk floor and spare tire wheel well were not available as replacement panels, I had to fabricate them.

Phil

[1940_dodge]

Adding a couple more pictures

You can see what state the interior is in..

[1940_dodge]

I took a $100 welding class at a local high school. It was part of an adult learning course that took place at night. They teach you technique and then you just keep doing it till you get better at it. When you goof it up, cut it off and do it again. I used a wire feed mig welder like Joe Flanagan did. Joe posted a lot of pics that helped me along. Old school guys like Tim Adams use a torch and lead solider because it involves less heat which means less risk of the metal warping. I'm not good enough to do that...yet. If welding doesn't sound like an option, you can use rivets and caulk. I've also had a friend fix a hole in his trunk door with a piece of metal, body panel adhesive and filler. There is also fiberglass. Let that be a project for a different day though. Start with small tasks that you know you can do, get done quickly, and show progress. Stay on one thing till its done then move on to the next. Don't do what I did and start 15 things at once. You'll bury yourself in discouragement quick.

The dividing wall between the trunk and back seat was cardboard riveted to support brackets as I recall. There is an easy fix for you.

Cardboard?! Really? Well that's going to be an easy fix like you said. Thanks for the class tip, I hadn't thought about checking out local community colleges.

Note that the front floor pan is removeable (i.e. bolted in place). Also, unlike the 46-48 floorpan, the '40 is full width. But you will have to fabricate and weld in the small pieces between the floor pan and the rockers. When I did my car the trunk floor and spare tire wheel well were not available as replacement panels, I had to fabricate them.

Phil

Yeah, I saw that there were bolts holding it on, but honestly I need to just wire brush all of that metal to see what damage I'm actually looking at.