1954 Plymouth Suburban Project

[pflaming]

I picked all I needed from that donor car and returned it today.Picking is hard, dirty, slow work. I got a steering wheel, the OD, foot pedal mount and linkage, on the column turn signal unit, lots of trim, park light buckets and lens, tail lights, radiator, to name most. So now back to the suburban with an all out effort of the rocker panels and the quarter panels. 

 

After reading the previous posts and making a list of obvious structural modifications required I concurred that a 5 speed tyranny would also accomplish what I want, so will buy adapter kits and put T-5's in the suburban first then the truck. The swap itself didn't intimidate me and I may have continued if I were younger and the T-5 addition is all mechanical so should be a trouble free system.

 

Thank you to those who contributed. 

 

As a final thought. The overdrive is not all that simple to add. It involves a bit of electrical parts, connection to the intake manifold for vacuum and it requires a bit of knowledge to get it all adjusted and working correctly. All that technical stuff was the  final straw in my decision to abandon the OD installation. 

[Young Ed]

 The overdrive is not all that simple to add. It involves a bit of electrical parts, connection to the intake manifold for vacuum and it requires a bit of knowledge to get it all adjusted and working correctly. All that technical stuff was the  final straw in my decision to abandon the OD installation. 

 

What type of OD is this? The R10 for your 54 would have required a very simple wiring harness along with a kickdown switch relay and a lockout cable. Thats all. When I put mine in the 48 I had some issues with clearance and getting the trans itself in but once that was in the rest went fairly quickly.

[pflaming]

I will be back on the body work tomorrow with a goal to get it to the painter soon after Thanksgiving. Had to pull an overdrive and pick parts from a donor car and then I did some much needed reorganization of my shop.

 

In a previous post I was mistaken when I thought that vacuum is involved. I mistook an automatic choke solenoid as . . . Novice mechanic mistake.  (I am not going to use the automatic choke, are they troublesome or quite trouble free.

 

Question: Attached are pictures of the steering wheel. I have this one and another simpler, a broad three spoke wheel. This wheel is a delux wheel, I have the ring and all parts. The covering must have been from some type of plastic. Can I repair what remains and then rebuild the remainder of the wheel, or should I take the old plastic off?  Is there a plastic product to rebuild the wheel? I think I used P-C epoxy on my truck wheel. 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2013 by pflaming

[Dodgeb4ya]

No vacuum required for the R10 OD as far as I know.

[DJ194950]

That steer wheel can be repairede with epoxy, but--very time consuming!

 

Pic of your auto choke?  The only type I know of are very trouble free. Either work or not at all. Adjustments are the only key.

Instructions on how to do  are readily avail.and are easy if followed. Activated on start by wire from Starter to close choke fully when cold and heated spring inside of choke unit on the manifold  relaxes as heated fully opening the choke.

 

Best

 

Doug

[Scruffy49]

Not all Carter chokes are electric... the 230 I picked up in early 2011 has a factory hot air choke mechanism on it. Run via hard line plumbed into the exhaust manifold. I'd get a pic of it but the whole mess is not accessible currently.

[DJ194950]

So the choke is on the carb with a metal line to carry hot exhaust gases like the later (60's? cars/trucks)?.

The older electric operated were expensive to make comparitively.

 

Doug

[pflaming]

Last night on chat, we were discussing what the numbers were on an overdrive transmission and where they are located. So here is what is on the one I pulled.  Sorry about the lack of clarity, I promise I will get a better camera.

 

 

[DJ194950]

R-10-G-1 is the same #'s on both that I have/had.

Mopar OD trans w/ OD unit built by BW the main gear box pices were the same Inside except fot the rear mainshaft portion.

 

 

Doug

[pflaming]

Had to get some things done so I can return to the suburban. Garage door collapsed so had to fix that and prepared the overdrive for shipment. I think my improvised car is appropriate.

 

[48Dodger]

If you are using a cell phone camera Paul....you need to clean the lens before every use.

The focus sensor, and lens gets dirty and results in fuzzy pics.

 

48D

[pflaming]

1. Next week got to get a better camera.

2. Ordered a rocker panel for the driver's side. That is a very important structural part and must be correct. That will save me a lot of time.

3. Put the tailgate on a bench and started to make me a pattern. Per Dave's suggestion, I put down a piece of newspaper then covered that with masking tape and shipping tape. I crisscrossed the tape and it holds it's form. Now, what do I do next?

 

Will be back on the car this coming week.

 

[Dave72dt]

next part is to start shaping a piece to duplicate your pattern.  I'd start with your major break line, pout that in and then start shrinking the sides to match the curve across the back.  secondary break lines can be put in with a bead roller and tipping wheel.  some of that remaining edge will need to be stretched to maintain the curve.  make it longer and wider than needed so trimming to fit can be done.  after it's perfected, cut the old off and replace with the new.

 

You can make it is several pieces if needed.  the more pieces, the more welding, the more likely for warping the panels.  Anytime you need to, you can lay the pattern over to check fit.  Do that often especially when welding.  Correct any misfit before welding more.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Dave72dt

[pflaming]

". . . break line; shrinking; tipping wheel; stretched. . ." Dave, are you referring to the tailgate or my mind?  So much more to learn. Maybe that back gate would look just as good with a nice smooth skin to match the hood! 

[Dave72dt]

tailgate,  body lines to be matched or duplicated where the quarters  meet the tailgate.  doing something different than what's already there needs to have a smooth transition from one panel to the other.

[pflaming]

Been busy, first the overdrive pull, then a much need shop make over, then items around the place that needed fall attention. Now those are done I can get back on the car.

 

Doug Johnson put me on to a source of rocker panels. I got mine today and I am very pleased. Now I will have a 'perfect' rocker panel and will be able to form new quarter panels accordingly. I wanted to have a different  camera by now but just too busy, sorry. 

 

Edited November 23, 2013 by pflaming

[ssnowden]

Nice rocker panel. Is it a local source or online?

[pflaming]

On line, will have to find where I found it. 

 

Edit: Source, Gary Bauer, Waukeasha, WI., 53188. 

 

I don't know how much can be stated in such a reply, so pm me for more information.

I paid $78,00. I do not know if that is a good price but I know I cannot duplicate anything close, so Gary's happy and I'm happy.

Edited November 23, 2013 by pflaming

[murfman1967]

He has nice stuff, he is about 2 hours from me.  I bought a door skin from him, ended up installing it but not using it, as the parts car I bought had perfect doors. 

[pflaming]

Well, finally got a little time on the car. Got my acetylene and oxygen tanks filled so now I can weld. Worked on the quarter panel now that I have a good rocker panel. Will fit and form ready to weld tomorrow. Then to the tail gate. My 'technique' may not be text book but it will work.

 

Hoping for a new camera for Christmas!

 

Turkey day with family on Saturday, 35 are coming.

 

Wishing all of you a great weekend.

 

. 

 

 

[murfman1967]

some inspirational photos for you in the auction

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plymouth-Other-NO-RESERVE-1953-plymouth-2-door-panel-wagon-mopar-hotrod-one-of-a-kind-selling-no-/141128908551?forcerrptr=true&hash=item20dbf03f07&item=141128908551&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

[pflaming]

This afternoon I  finally got some time on the car. I hope I can get back on a steady basis. I'm forming the quarter panel and getting it ready to butt weld it in place. It needs some more forming but I'm beginning to get a feel for how metal can be worked. I put this panel in place with metal screws, cut the weld gaps, then the little clamps. Will spot weld it in place and see how nice I can make it. 

 

While this is time consuming, for a novice, it is enjoyable.

 

 

[DJ194950]

Paul,

The good and the bad. Is that still some bondo above the replacement panel? You Have to get it off and straighten the upper panel first before any attempt at welding, if so.

 

Otherwise looking much better!

 

Saw some rear fender opening replacement panels for 54 Ply. cras on Ebay recently. If I remember correctly you need to replace at least one of those also? Not sure if right model or mostly correct and still be of help? Look at the heading "panel" after getting to Ebay motors-part and accessories.

 

What happened to your pics?  I can see them! 

 

Best,

 

Doug

[pflaming]

Thanks Doug. I know I cannot weld to bondo but it does burn when the torch gets to it. I'm not sure how to get that natural curve in the new panel. I'm trying by 'over bending' it so that it springs back in a natural 'curve'. Tricks of the trade I'm thinking. I'm going to have to remove it and work on that, got to be right. 

[pflaming]

Lessons learned today. (1) to put a gentle curve in a surface piece, one best use a rounded flatting hammer and work it out. I found that my car dolly placed upside down was a near perfect curve so it became my anvil. If you compare these pics with the previous you will note the difference. (2) So now this panel is very close to welding.  (3) the clamps are helpful to weld but also to form and fit. 

 

Now that I'm gaining a little knowledge and experience, things should speed up. I certainly hope so. 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2013 by pflaming