Just picked up a 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe

[Nick_R_23]

Hey everyone, I just picked up a 1948 Plymouth and was directed over here from the HAMB, so here I am to show off my "new" car and ask a few questions!

I traded a 2000 Chevy pickup for this car, and drove it 60 miles home with no problems. It's supposedly all original, Inline 6 with a 3 on the tree, with 58,xxx miles.

My plans for now are to just go over it real well and fix anything that might need attention, such as a clutch adjustment, and new tires. It's already been converted over to a spin-on style oil filter, and has an 8 volt battery with the regulator turned up.

Two things I would like to do to this:

1. I would like to make it so all 3 rear lights work as brake lights. The person who followed me home said that the center mount stop light isn't very attention grabbing.

2a. I would like to do a disc brake swap on the front. The brakes on this car "work", but pull side to side, and I feel they could be much better. I've looked around at the Scarebird, Olddaddy, and ECI kits. I'm leaning towards the Scarebird kit (just so I don't have to modify my spindles like the Olddaddy kit, and the custom hubs from ECI could be a problem should they ever need replacing), and the ECI dual master and pedal mount kit. I've read up on here and it seems most people are happy with whichever kit they get, but I can't seem to find anybody mentioning what the pro's and con's are for each kit.

2b. I would like to replace the rear axle also due to gaining better brakes, better parts availability, and it would be nice to have 3.73 gears as well. It cruises very nice around town, but as soon as it hits the highway, the engine rev's a little too high at 65 for my comfort. I've read up a bit on which axles people use as well, and it seems to be quite a list. The Dakota axle seems popular, along with the Explorer, but I also saw somebody mention a 67 Camaro axle will bolt right in other than fabbing shock mounts. I have no problem moving spring pads, making shock mounts, etc, but one requirement is that the bolt pattern is the same as stock, so I can use my original wheels.

Well, that is all I have for now. I'll try and keep it updated with progress. Enjoy the pics!

[MarcDeSoto]

Sounds like you already know a lot! I know what you mean about cruising on the freeway. I had a 50 Plymouth that always felt like I needed a 4th gear when I hit 55 mph. The fact that your car leans to one side when you apply the brakes doesn't mean that is the way they worked when new. It just means you need a brake job. The old way to improve the cruising problem was to put in an overdrive. There are a lot of good reference sources for your car online. Chrysler made lots of educational filmstrips for your car. Check out the link below. Good luck with your Plymouth!

[Niel Hoback]

Welcome to the forum! Nice car. I'm a little predjudiced because it appears to be a twin of mine. What part of AK are located?

[old rat 49]

Welcome. Car looks great. ALASKA ? I went with olddaddy's and have been quite satisfied. I drive mine every day and the disc brakes give me a lot more confidense. Two easiest ways to get the center mount light working are to wire in a pull type switch to the pedal or install another pressure switch in line with the original wired just for the center brake light. New rear end is next major project on my list.

[T120]

Hi Nick,Welcome to the forum.You have a very nice original 48 Plymouth. Looking forward to hearing of your progress.There was a chap from Anchorage with a 48 Plymouth on the forum a while back,hasn't been on for some time.The car had been in his family for years - had been his grandfather's car I believe.He had some issues getting it on the road,was installing an 8 volt battery, as well as he had some other problems...A word of caution with the 8 volt battery if you plan to use the original 6 volt radio,it will stress some of the components of the radio and could lead to premature failure of the radio as the regulator may be adjusted to charge the battery at approx 9.5 volts..Have fun with your car

Edited July 13, 2012 by Ralph D25cpe

[james curl]

I adapted to dual filament sockets for the lower lights. I used the sockets from the Help section of most auto parts store, just look at all of them then find something that you can adapt. I did the same thing to the front and installed a 7 wire aftermarket turn signal that bolts to the steering column. Now when I hit the brake pedal all three light up. If you go with turn signals you will have to leave the upper light wired as it is and the brake wire to the signal switch needs to come off of the same terminal of the brake switch, if not the upper light will flash with the lower lights.

[Nick_R_23]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone!

Welcome to the forum! Nice car. I'm a little predjudiced because it appears to be a twin of mine. What part of AK are located?

I'm in Anchorage, but I have to keep the car out at my parents' place in Willow due to lack of parking right now.

Welcome. Car looks great. ALASKA ? I went with olddaddy's and have been quite satisfied. I drive mine every day and the disc brakes give me a lot more confidense. Two easiest ways to get the center mount light working are to wire in a pull type switch to the pedal or install another pressure switch in line with the original wired just for the center brake light. New rear end is next major project on my list.

Thanks! The center stop light works, but I would like to convert the two side lights to be brake lights as well.

Hi Nick,Welcome to the forum.You have a very nice original 48 Plymouth. Looking forward to hearing of your progress.There was a chap from Anchorage with a 48 Plymouth on the forum a while back,hasn't been on for some time.The car had been in his family for years - had been his grandfather's car I believe.He had some issues getting it on the road,was installing an 8 volt battery, as well as he had some other problems...A word of caution with the 8 volt battery if you plan to use the original 6 volt radio,it will stress some of the components of the radio and could lead to premature failure of the radio as the regulator may be adjusted to charge the battery at approx 9.5 volts..Have fun with your car

This may actually be the same car, the radio doesn't work on this one at the moment. If I get it fixed, will I be able to get a resistor to make it run on 8 volts?

I adapted to dual filament sockets for the lower lights. I used the sockets from the Help section of most auto parts store, just look at all of them then find something that you can adapt. I did the same thing to the front and installed a 7 wire aftermarket turn signal that bolts to the steering column. Now when I hit the brake pedal all three light up. If you go with turn signals you will have to leave the upper light wired as it is and the brake wire to the signal switch needs to come off of the same terminal of the brake switch, if not the upper light will flash with the lower lights.

Getting new sockets and tapping into the 3rd light may not be a bad idea. I don't know what wire count my turn signal switch is, but it's got one and it works save for the bad flasher.

[james49ply]

Mine is grey and just like yours:D, the interior looks in good shape:), you have a winner there. mine had 50,000 when i bought it three years ago, now has close to 90,000. runs like a champ. I to need better gearing, but there are few O.D.'s available today. George Ashe is the rebuilder and supplier of choice and he cannot locate any to rebuild:eek:. looks like I will have to chane out my rear also, and soon.

[T120]

This may actually be the same car, the radio doesn't work on this one at the moment. If I get it fixed, will I be able to get a resistor to make it run on 8 volts?

It's quite common with radios that age to require some repairs.Adding a dropping resistor of the proper type would probably work.It's not something I've done.While I'm not in favour of using 8 volt batteries,some do use them. A 6 volt electrical system in good order works fine.Others have changed over to 12 volts.

[Plymouthy Adams]

The 8 volt is considered by many as a band-aid type fix for an apparent problem that needs attention..like voltage drop issues with bad cables (looks fine but internal resistance at the clamp due to unseen corrision) or inferior size cables replaced unknowningly by a PO tweaking of the regualtor and short life of bulbs could be a nagging hinderance..big in the tractor world..but fewer accessories run on these beast that are voltage sensitive

[stan's52]

Nice car. Probably a wise move to unload the chevy pickup. The truck will only continue to go down in value where the car will hold it's value, and as time goes by may also increase in value. Stan

[Don Coatney]

Seems the prior owner of your car has already been here. He was advised against installing the 8 volt battery. Follow these links.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/member.php?u=2145

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/search.php?searchid=1273331

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=9120&highlight=alaska+volt

Follow this link for cons on the ECI dual master cylinder.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=22469

[Nick_R_23]

Seems the prior owner of your car has already been here. He was advised against installing the 8 volt battery. Follow these links.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/member.php?u=2145

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/search.php?searchid=1273331

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=9120&highlight=alaska+volt

Follow this link for cons on the ECI dual master cylinder.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=22469

Good read. The 8 volt battery setup seems to be working fine, and for now I'd rather keep it as it is. If I come across any future problems, I will return it to 6 volt and fix any problems associated with it.

As for the ECI kit, their service doesn't seem all that great! I do still want to upgrade to a dual master cylinder, though. Are there any other companies out there that make a similar setup, or is my only option to modify ECI's to work/build my own?

[Nick_R_23]

Any other input on a better way to get a dual master cylinder setup other than through ECI for this car?

[Mopar Mick]

Love your 48 Nick.

I have seen "LED" tailights for your model on "U.S. ebay".

I have also seen the centre light "LED".

All very bright.

I bought 2 46-48 Tailights (LED) off U.S. ebay for my 40 Chrysler Coupe.

Good luck with it.

Mick.

[builtfercomfort]

Can you fit a whole second light socket in the tail light? That way you can simplify the wiring and probably get brighter lights. If you don't have turn signals, it doesn't matter much and a change to dual-wire sockets is simple. But if you have turn signals, it gets more complicated; the brighter light in the tail lights is both brake and turn.

Dual filament bulbs have a brighter (brake, turn) and dimmer (running light) side. Usually the turn signal itself handles the issue of having both the turn signal and brake light on at once. So if you wire it up the simple way, you may light both rear lights when the brake lights and turn signals are both on.

Diodes will work as a valve to stop the current from flowing where you don't want it. But a second socket, if it will fit, will make the whole thing much brighter, and the old cars need all the help they can get with rear lighting.

[Young Ed]

I have a dual filament bulb in my center brake light. I just put a drop of solder across the two terminals and put it in the original wiring. Seems to make it brighter.

[Nick_R_23]

Well, I got up underneath to change out the flasher unit to see what I really have, and it appears there is already some kind of aftermarket one with non stock wiring. I had to run back to town, so I didn't get a chance to really see what exactly is going on under the dash, but hopefully I can this weekend. I'll check on the bulb sockets and see what possibilities I have there. The worst that can happen is I end up making my own wiring harness for all the turn signals and brakes, which may be likely since it looks like it's already been modified.

[mpn23748]

another good source for brakes is AAJ brakes, he has dual master cylinder kits as well. I install a 8 3/4 diff from a 67 B body car, slighty narrow so you can install wider rims. I did all this on a 41 plymouth so it maybe slightly different

[Nick_R_23]

I got a chance to get under the dash and get the turn signals working, so we loaded up and drove the car into town to the movies. Got lots of waves and thumbs up! It drove like a dream, I can tell the shocks are worn though. I'm happy with the rear end ratio as it is, but I still would like to change out the front to discs. I'll check out the AAJ brakes when I get a chance. Other than that, I want to order clip on side mirrors, need to adjust the clutch, see how much I can clean the paint up, and drive it!

[Mark D]

Nice driver! Have fun with it, getting the thumbs up and loads of smiles is the best part!