54Illinois Posted January 1, 2012 Report Share Posted January 1, 2012 Out of my garage, and into the heated shop! The parts car has been parted out, doors, fenders, trim, rear sheet metal all will be used to transform this blue bruise into a blue bomb. P25 motor acquired from Craigslist is being prepped and painted to be installed. Old motor will have new pistons, cleaned up and put back together, used as as a spare. One year project has turned into about two... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 1, 2012 Report Share Posted January 1, 2012 Good deal, may you be able to get plenty of shop time this year..these projects spread out over a great amount of time especially if you are a homowner, raing kids and still working full time...your car looks real clean from the get go.. http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/album.php?albumid=2&page=2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted January 1, 2012 Report Share Posted January 1, 2012 The '53 and '54 Plymouths are often overlooked or looked down on, especially by non-mopar owners, but they are great cars. I have an original, including paint, '53 Belvedere 4-door and love it! There are actually quite a few '53-'54 owners on the forum. Good luck with the project! Please keep posting pictures as you make progress because we all love seeing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR Waters Posted January 2, 2012 Report Share Posted January 2, 2012 I plan to start on my 53 Cranbrook in the spring. By then I hope to have a pair of Dodge front fenders to transplant onto the nose ala Canadian models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dndrodshop Posted January 2, 2012 Report Share Posted January 2, 2012 Got a 53/54 coupe that will probably be a3-4 year project in South Eastern Wi. Got another project in front of it. But I do like the looks of these cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Tonight I dropped the fuel tank and poured out about 4 gallons of the foulest spelling gas ever! I then put my Ridgid Seesnake camera in the tank and saw a lot of what looked like red barnacles all over the inside. I could see the fuel float, looked yellow. A couple of questions... 1. I saw archived posts of lacquer thinner being used to wash out the tank, good idea? 2. Also read about blowing the fuel filter from the tank, then installing one upstream. Your thoughts on these procedures, please. Also, ordering an exhaust system, seems from posts this guy does the job? http://www.ebay.com/itm/350519926489?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Put a handfull of ball bearings or marbles in the tank. Put it in your car truck for a week, then turn it over and drive another week. The take your camera and take a second look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falconvan Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Great looking 54! She sure looks solid; got any pics of the interior and engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Sure here is the motor (replacement), and a couple shots of the interior. The floors need work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falconvan Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Very nice! Should make a great driver once you get it on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Added a gallon of lacquer thinner to the fuel tank, blew out the fuel filter with compressed air. A lot of junk came out. Was able to pull the float, cleaned the slime off, looks good. Prepped parts, painted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1940_dodge Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 How did you clean the fuel tank after you added the lacquer? Did you swish it around manually or something else? I have a D14 dodge that I'm in the process of starting and that would be good to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 The thinner took 80% of the sludge out. As mentioned in another post, I will add some bearings or marbles to break down any other debris. Keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted January 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Ordered stock exhaust from Ebay. Estimates for delivery into Feb. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350522455022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Motor is in!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Looking goooood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted February 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Here is something funny...I have three engines, one Hy Drive, the other two Power Flite. All three have different oil filter/pressure set ups! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAubuchon Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 IMO send the tank out and have it professionally cleaned. On my 49 coupe i did just waht you are doing, two years after lots of fresh gas, driving several thousand miles, both carbs were clogged with the remaining junk in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Any time you mess with old fuel tanks you run the risk of knocking crud loose. If the inside is not sparkly clean then a better fuel filter is mandatory and a spin-on makes like tolerable. Check this ebay filter. Item number: 370554930913 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captden29 Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 54, the exhaust you ordered is from kepich in NC. i just bought one from them for my 54 windsor. good quality and fit. i do not know if they told you but the tail pipe will be cut into two pieces for shipping. my system i had him cut that pipe even though i picked it up at the shop because i had to cut the old one in two to get it out of the car. if you are using a lift the rear may drop enough to put it in in one piece. they will cut it just as it goes over the diff and you will not see it once the car is on the ground. if you already have the shocks out this may not be an issue. capt den Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted February 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 54, the exhaust you ordered is from kepich in NC. i just bought one from them for my 54 windsor. good quality and fit. i do not know if they told you but the tail pipe will be cut into two pieces for shipping. my system i had him cut that pipe even though i picked it up at the shop because i had to cut the old one in two to get it out of the car. if you are using a lift the rear may drop enough to put it in in one piece. they will cut it just as it goes over the diff and you will not see it once the car is on the ground. if you already have the shocks out this may not be an issue. capt den The quality does look good. They were cut into the pieces as you say. I was planning on adding another fuel filter for the gas tank. There is still some surface rust inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted February 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 Got the motor to turn over, but the battery needs a charge. So I worked on stripping the fenders and bullets for the body shop. Any idea how much it would cost to chrome the Savoy script?? Gotta love dirt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinsailor Posted February 25, 2012 Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 From stuff I've done, $150 to $200. Each. Then you have to worry about if they are going to do a decent job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 These appear on ebay quite often and you can pick up a decent set of used ones for a lot less than rechroming. I believe Joe Flanagan picked up nearly all his chrome work for his car, including bumpers, that way for a reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54Illinois Posted April 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 The replacement motor is running, sounds like a sewing machine. The oil pressure gauge in the car registers 80. Car runs real smooth, shifts well but does leak tranny fluid. Judging from the old forum posts, YouTube videos and a couple of my dad's stories I will let the motor tick, and keep sounding like a sewing machine. Brakes in the front blew out the other day, leaving fluid all over the floor of the shop. The brake lights are goofed, push the pedal, they go off, let it up they come on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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