1954 Plymouth Suburban Project

[Plymouthy Adams]

you got vision PP...blurred...lol

[Frank Elder]

You have an alley? Cool. Alleys and basements are un heard of here in Tennessee except in the very old neighborhoods.

I agree! Alleys are like your own private arena for shenanigans and hanging out an stuff! Where's PP? Out in the back alley....doing Lord knows what...lol!

[murfman1967]

Don, yes the garage opens to the alley which is 'private' in that the public is not driving by. Jeff, gotta have a little 'vision'. When it's completed you will DROOL!. I'm thinking a very slight tan color with black trim, deep red rims, lux rings and dog dish caps!

The merc headlight rings will help extend the fenders up front.  It helps a lot...

[murfman1967]

so does lowering it:

 

 

This is a pic I found online I photochopped the color to see what I would end up with.

[Plymouthy Adams]

actual 54 headlight doors are an asset also..especially designed to do just that..give appearance of longer car...

[Don Coatney]

In my opinion lowering sucks

[Old Ray]

 

so does lowering it:

  What he said…………………………………just slam it ! ……………………and the ditch down the middle of the now famous alley doesn’t help appearances much.

[Dodgeb4ya]

My 53 Savoy wagon was so reliable for 80,000 miles but so gawd dang awful ugly! Ya know you can't make chicken soup out of chicken sheet!

Edited September 8, 2013 by Dodgeb4ya

[Jeff Balazs]

Paul;

You do know I am just giving you a hard time........right?

I was only half kidding about a woodie treatment though. If you get a chance look at an episode of My Classic Car that was done with a 49 Merc Woodie. I really do think a faux woodie treatment is possible and could turn out fairly cool given some careful thought. And maybe a custom grille.

Have fun with it. One thing is for certain.......hardly anyone will put you down for making some stying improvements.

 

Jeff

[pflaming]

I looked up woody  tape. Would cost about $500, that is if one doesn't make any mistakes. I closed that window really fast. My old body didn't want to work HARD today, so I figured out what I am going to do with the dash, where the speakers will go, toyed with rim and wheel ideas, and examined chrome pieces. 

 

Can't work without a plan of action. So will cut out rusty body pieces next week and try to get new ones in by the end of the week. May not make it but will be closer than I am today. 

 

Frankie: Out here alleys are the scavenger's highways. If I have anything metal to get rid of, I leave it in the alley and in two days its GONE. I wish the city would allow me to put concrete in the area behind my garage and slope it so it drains. Then with a 20' x 20" pop up tent, I could temporarily have a second work space.

 

Omaha, once called "Chicago West", when the stock yards and slaughter houses moved west. Bad climate but a good city. Great Steak houses, starting with "Johnnies" is Soud O. 

Edited September 8, 2013 by pflaming

[Desotodav]

What about a 2-tone Paul? I like what my mate Vic is doing with his ute...

[pflaming]

Desoto Dave: I conflicted between these two colors:

 

My current preference is a sand tan and white that matches. There are a myriad colors of white. I do not believe the two whites in these photos are the same. Additionally I do not think the hub caps in these photos work on a surf car. I think a contrasting color and dog dish would look better. 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2013 by pflaming

[Plymouthy Adams]

oh no....dead-a-dilla red wheels wheels...nothing screams cookie cutter copy cat louder than red wheels..

[pflaming]

I agree with TIm on the red wheels.  This morning I started tapping on suspect rust areas. Most were solid but it's interesting what a small flatting (hammer) tool will reveal.  I did not find any new areas just confirmed how large the rusty areas were. 

[falconvan]

I agree with TIm on the red wheels.  This morning I started tapping on suspect rust areas. Most were solid but it's interesting what a small flatting (hammer) tool will reveal.  I did not find any new areas just confirmed how large the rusty areas were. 

Nothing a good 4x8 sheet of 18 gauge steel and lots of MIG wire wont fix!

[pflaming]

Well I'm still on target. DJ1950, Modesto forum member, is assisting me on the metal work. So while that is getting organized I'm getting ready to rewire so that I can work inside the body. So I cleaned up the dash this morning. Someone said to paint the backside of the dash white and so I did. It is no longer green and tan. 

 

 

 

[pflaming]

I've moved inside: dash now put away to be painted when the car is. Now for the floor and the inside. Only two bad areas, at the drivers' feet and the passenger's feet. Then a bit of rocker damage next. The challenge for these two panels is that the 2nd body bolt is in that panel.  Suggestions on how to make that will be greatly appreciated. 

 

Question: There is an interesting vacuum switch between the two floor pedals. It is spring loaded has a hose coming in none going out.

 

EDIT:  Doug: that makes sense, there are spray nozzles on the cowl.  

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2013 by pflaming

[DJ194950]

My guess is a manuel windshield fluid pump, foot activated.

 

Doug

[Dave72dt]

Start with the rocker panel and then the seat base.  The rocker is structural, and the rest of the pieces key off it.  Make sure the doors are all gapped first before cutting or welding pieces in.  You don't want to weld a misalignment in.  Accurate cardboard patterns can be made for replacement panels including any bends, holes, etc  and then transferred to steel.  Make them a bit oversize and then trim to fit.  Since you're good with wood, you can make hammer forms for recreating beads in the panels for a more authentic look.  There's a flanging tool available for use with an air hammer if you want or need a flanged edge.

[pflaming]

First, my thank you to Dave. His suggestion was reason to double check my situation and all is well. 

 

To me the most difficult part of restoring an old car is NOT the engine nor the body. It's the little areas. Getting ready to work the floor I picked up an old car hood for the material, so now I can cut and make plates. Early hours I do things that are quiet. So I removed the cowl vent and the wiper motor this morning. It took all morning. First you have to figure how how, then find the tools that work, then it's nail biting, gut wrenching time. 

 

I am starting at the dash and working my way back. This time I'm going to be much more systematic than on the truck AND I won't leave an area until it is correctly finished.  No reruns. 

Both the vent and the motor are hard to get out. 

 

Pic #1. The vent is detached via two screws reached thorugh the vertical openings in the screen. One the vent is out then you cna reach the nuts holding the wiper motor.

 

 

Vent bead blasted

 

 

Wiper motor. I have not been able to get it to run yet. 

 

 

"And the beat goes on"!

[pflaming]

Nothing spectacular here, just proof that I removed the doors to make it easier to work on them. Some pinhole rust areas but other than that solid doors. These doors must weigh close to 50# each.  Got to find out how to fix those pin holes.

 

 

I took this pic with the sprinklers running, so the streaks are water 'spouts'.  

 

 

 

(to be continued)

[DJ194950]

Nothing spectacular here, just proof that I removed the doors to make it easier to work on them. Some pinhole rust areas but other than that solid doors. These doors must weigh close to 50# each.  Got to find out how to fix those pin holes.

 

 

I took this pic with the sprinklers running, so the streaks are water 'spouts'.  

 

 

 

(to be continued)

 

So you were giving the door a good rinse cycle? Tide or Cheer? Clear out the drain holes?

 

Doug

Edited September 14, 2013 by DJ194950

[Dave72dt]

If those black spots on the bottom of the door are the "pinhole", you've got some serious work ahead of you. from the amount of rust I see on the inner door panel bottom lip, I'm guessing the entire bottom is soft and will need replacing

[Young Ed]

So you were giving the door a good rinse cycle? Tide or Cheer? Clear out the drain holes?

 

Doug

 

Since his are rusty I think he was trying to water them to grow new doors. Paul everyone knows its not door planting season right now.

[pflaming]

" . . . those black spots on the bottom of the door are the "pinhole", you've got some serious work ahead of you. from the amount of rust I see on the inner door panel bottom lip, I'm guessing the entire bottom is soft and will need replacing"

 

Dave, I will remove all the existing bondo and find the truth. I may have to put a new piece all across the bottom of that door. I wonder how accessible that will be from the inside. I will post a picture this evening.  This forum is to be a place to learn so maybe this will contribute to that.

 

I've tapped hard on both doors, this is the only trouble spot.  

 

Subject change: wiper motor and mechanism: Motor seems to be frozen. I treated it with electrical cleaner and then with Liquid wrench. If it does not come to life, where do I find another motor?

Edited September 14, 2013 by pflaming