1952 Dodge Cornet buy...

[54Illinois]

Picked this up the other day. Solid body, unbelievable interior. Front fenders need work/replace. Engine needs a tune up, decals still intact.

[54Illinois]

Starts and drives, needs brake work and carb adjustment. Anyone have a book on the "Gyromatic" and carb adjustments?

[RobertKB]

Looks like a great buy................if the price was right. Interior is wonderful and my guess is that car spent a lot of time garaged, out of the light. Fenders look to have seen some salt but as you say they can easily be replaced. Good luck with the project.

[greg g]

Imperial club site covers the semi auto in their repair section with the carb circuits I think.

[mackster]

nice score! I think I have a transmission lil booklet...i will look for it...

[wills 51]

Nice looking, The upholstery looks to be in good shape

[Uncle-Pekka]

Wow,

That interior is amazing fine condition. Is that really unrestored from the factory?

I would say this is a treasure find.

Also externally it looks straight and nice.

Congratulations for super score!

[54Illinois]

As far as I know everything is original. The drivers door armrest is wore out.

[Don Coatney]

Great find. Interesting that the windows appear to be tinted.

[falconvan]

Nice! Looks like it'll make a cool cruiser.

[John Reddie]

Great deal. These models are pretty rare now and I think it would look really nice painted the maroon color with a matching outside visor:).

John R

[54Illinois]

Went over the car, did a couple things:

-changed oil and filter

-new plugs

-new oil pan gasket, cleaned out sludge

-new fuel pump

-replaced in line fuel filter

Things needed:

-rebuild BXVES 3 carburator

-install rear fender

-tires

Also, what gives with the two-tone paint/rust job? I have seen a couple 51-52 Dodge cars where the fenders and hood have rust, but the doors look fine?

[JerseyHarold]

I have seen a couple 51-52 Dodge cars where the fenders and hood have rust, but the doors look fine?

I've seen this on lots of 51-52 Plymouths as well. For the Plymouth, I think the reason is that the bodies were made by Briggs and the front end and rear fenders were painted separately (with a different or lesser-quality primer) at the assembly plant. Chrysler made the bodies for Dodge but maybe the production process was the same.

[54Illinois]

Ordered a rebuild kit for the BXVES 3 from NAPA. Car will start, but then stalls out. Let her sit a while then same thing...acts like it is flooding out. I can see gas around the base of carb, and a little in the manifold. I was even able to find a new filter for this Skinner in line filter from NAPA.

[WatchingWolf]

Yep, you got a seeper there. Take you time at a well lit place and the rebuild is easy. I did mine at the dining room table with butchers paper down. the light background made it easy to not lose parts.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Check the throttle actuating side lever for looseness to throttle shaft. Throttle side lever is swedged to brass throttle shaft. Common to see them loose on the 1949-52 Dodge Stromberg carbs W/the kick down feature.

Bob

[BobT-47P15]

I wonder if they had a tarp or some cover draped over the middle

section of the car, and the rest was exposed to the weather.....I

see what might be rub marks on the roof.

Judging from the firewall and door jambs, the original color was maroon.

[Mark D]

Great looking car, fantastic interior! Don't forget to post updates. Love to see this one when you're done with it.

[greg g]

My guess on the fenders and hood are that at one time they were repaired and repainted or replaced and repainted. MOPAR factory paint from that era is nearly indestructable, so any replaced or repaired panels, painted by a shop and not in the factory were probably inferior product/prep/application and probably not baked on, so more susceptabel to enviromantal degradation.

[54Illinois]

My guess on the fenders and hood are that at one time they were repaired and repainted or replaced and repainted. MOPAR factory paint from that era is nearly indestructable, so any replaced or repaired panels, painted by a shop and not in the factory were probably inferior product/prep/application and probably not baked on, so more susceptabel to enviromantal degradation.

I was thinking the same thing...but the more I look for parts, the more of the same I see.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pts/3474536944.html

[54Illinois]

On another note, I got it running steady today. I think it was lack of spark. Seems to want to stall out if you rev the engine, it will catch up though. Oil pressure decent, next to add a new cork, and some gas to see if the fuel sender works!

[54Illinois]

Trying to figure out how to disconnect the wires from the carb.  They do not look screwed on....any ideas out there?

[Dodgeb4ya]

The two wires just pull out of the antistall coil-but be gentle.

[pflaming]

I use a small vice grip and press them out. You can controll the pressure this way, get the grip snug, then release, tighten 1/2 turn etc.

[54Illinois]

Excellent!  Thanks!