1954 Plymouth Suburban Project

[Plymouthy Adams]

skeg or skag are both appropriate names....most boards now have three of these attacked attached...one rearward center and one each  just forward and left and right of the center position..

 

pictures of my Suburban "prop" if you will...as I have not surfed in many years...

 

 

[Don Coatney]

nevermind

[Dave72dt]

I'll support "paint it" . With all the sanding through several layers of paint and the amount of bare metal showing, I think it's past the true patina stage and headed into the faux patina category if left as it is at this point. It is, however, a good start for the foundation of a good paint job. It's my understanding it's a work in progress and will be headed for paint in it's future.

Nothing against true patina, it's been earned. To me, faux shouldn't be encouraged or a vehicle left in disrepair because it looks cool. I find it similar to the highly desirable muscle cars and their clones. The clones may look and drive the same as the rare, authentic cars but in the end they're still just a wanna be fake.

JMO, take it or leave it.

[pflaming]

The doghouse is in pieces so this morning I sorted out what I need for this car. I took the grille out of the vert and will use it here. It has some damage but when I get more dollies, or take more, I think I can get it to be acceptable.  The bumper will clean up just fine, the rear bumper is better. Phosphoric acid should do the trick. Now that I know which pieces are needed I can get back to sanding and metal working. Metal working is enjoyable. I like to see the metal come back to a new normal, it's quite rewarding to me.  

 

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

oh no..the dreaded toothless ugly dead fish 53 grille

[DJ194950]

oh no..the dreaded toothless ugly dead fish 53 grille

 

Pauls picking up this body work quickly! Best of all he's liking doing it-that's rare.

At the rate he's learning it expect he will make a custom grill for the front and lose that dead fish look!

 

Doug

[Plymouthy Adams]

for sure and I do pick on him but trust me..the 51/52 grille are hideous even compared to the 53...bad part is I owe both a 51 and a 52 but my 54 is by far a very clean and sharpe looking set up..they did their homework..they had to to compete with the other models...this was the year of the enlongated head light doors

Edited September 5, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[DJ194950]

for sure and I do pick on him but trust me..the 51/52 grille are hideous even compared to the 53...bad part is I owe both a 51 and a 52 but my 54 is by far a very clean and sharpe looking set up..they did their homework..they had to to compete with the other models...this was the year of the enlongated head light doors

How about some comparison photos for us to see?

Could a 54 be adapated? Paul's on his way to be a customlizer anyway with people asking him to work on Their cars!

 

Doug

[54Illinois]

54 Grill...

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

I believe I have you missing piece of trim

[pflaming]

This was the view from my recliner. I put a lux ring and a cap on the rim and took a pic. It's a lot of twisting and turning to pic a grill from one car and then loosely mount that and other pieces to see what is what.  It's a little extra work to pre-assemble but I need to see how things are matching up, I can visualize but I need confirmation. It's getting obvious to me that this patina won't work so I'm in for a season of preparation.  

 

What is interesting is that this is 53 paint and my truck was 52 paint. The paint on the truck was FAR superior. Maybe they knew the trucks would outlast the cars. 

 

Edited September 6, 2013 by pflaming

[Scruffy49]

Man oh man... for some reason I'm seeing a buttercream roof and a 90s Ford Dark Iris pearlescent metallic paint on that. And a Desoto grill... Cream leather and curly maple interior... Twin Appleton spotlights, period correct foglights, wide whites... All sitting about an inch and a half off the pavement.

 

Sorry, 49-51 Merc coupe at the Bartlett TN cruise in tonight got me worked up. So did the L'il Red Express, a few big block push button transmission early 60s coupes... and a former wrestler named Jerry "The King" Lawler showing up in a functional tv series Batmobile... and a 53 PH with low side box, spring under 8" rear end and a small block V8 (had his grade school aged daughter with him, they start rodding young down here).

 

Edited for typos, long night.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Scruffy49

[Plymouthy Adams]

PP says; What is interesting is that this is 53 paint and my truck was 52 paint. The paint on the truck was FAR superior. Maybe they knew the trucks would outlast the cars. 

 

I say..there are so many color of paint on that car you do not have the luxury of knowing what is or what could be stock applied

[pflaming]

(1) Tim, I'm quite certain it was a yellow/tan color unless someone did a very good job of removing the factory paint. Whatever, you are correct.

(2) In the early hours, I work at projects that are quiet. So I have these speakers, took them out of their boxes this morning, left over by one of my boys. QUESTION: Where do I place them in this suburban. A good sound system never hurts the value of an old car. I would like to wire them up so someone can plug modern devices into them but I will set them up to a radio first. I will be working on the inside next, floor first and would like to place these during that time.

 

edit: I found a match to the middle sized speaker, the one in the middle.

 

Edited September 6, 2013 by pflaming

[Scruffy49]

Round one in the dash, square ones in the doors, ovals in the rear under the windows. Will you be hiding a modern tuner in the glovebox, or is the dash raggedy enough to justify adding it there? My 49 truck/s dash is uncut, so I'll be using either an underdash mount, or a header panel mount like in a Peterbilt. Unless i decide to deep six the stock small gauges, then the stereo goes where the gauges were, with a dash speaker and cab corner speakers out of the parts Ranger. I kind of like the Ranger speaker mounts...

[Plymouthy Adams]

actually round ones are great in the kick panels and there is plenty of room for them there...the 6 x 9 oval are good/intended  for the rear and will easily mount in the trim panel that is between the tailgate and the top of the inner wheel well hump..odds are you will be making new panels for you car as it is anyway..

[Dave72dt]

Speaker placement may depend on the functions of the individual speaker.  Those big oval speakers may be capable of all three sound ranges and I would place them in the back sections as Plymouthy suggested.  The round may do all three also and would do an under dash or match it up with another and do the kick panels.  Those square ones look like they may be limited to mid and high range and would use them to augment  the speakers either front or rear.  Stay out of the door panels if possible.  That way you stay away from window regulators and constant flexing of cables.   Use heavy speaker wire to the ones in back.  The heavier the load/ distance, the heavier the wire needs to be.  All speakers have the same Ohm rating?

[murfman1967]

oh no..the dreaded toothless ugly dead fish 53 grille

I like the 53 grille, you just need to add a little more bling to it:

[Old Ray]

Re: Speakers, if the front ones are in the kick panel then there are no wires into the door, which is a pain. If Dodges are Plymouths bodies (Canada) then the fix to the Plymouth grille would be:

[Young Ed]

Speaker placement may depend on the functions of the individual speaker.  Those big oval speakers may be capable of all three sound ranges and I would place them in the back sections as Plymouthy suggested.  The round may do all three also and would do an under dash or match it up with another and do the kick panels.  Those square ones look like they may be limited to mid and high range and would use them to augment  the speakers either front or rear.  Stay out of the door panels if possible.  That way you stay away from window regulators and constant flexing of cables.   Use heavy speaker wire to the ones in back.  The heavier the load/ distance, the heavier the wire needs to be.  All speakers have the same Ohm rating?

 

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Additionally if you want it to really sound good power them with an external amp. Get a head unit with Ipod control and a nice amp. The speakers will last a lot longer this way if someone cranks it up. Mine are over 10 years old and still sound great.

[pflaming]

Thank you for the input on the speakers. I was going to put them under the seats!  I picked some parts from the 54 Plymouth that still has my od.  I had purchased the horn ring but got it today, I have the center hub and will get the wheel later. The prize may be the radio. I went to remove the speaker grill and found this. I wonder if the radio control unit in my truck mates to this.

 

Random parts many of which I need for the suburban

 

 

The horn ring

 

 

Radio/speaker

 

[pflaming]

Restoring cars is quite involved for it requires a good shop or space, tools, and an understanding of the sequences of each sub assembly. To clean out my garage now that the first stage of sanding is done, I pushed the wagon into the alley. These two photos represent two approaches to finish / paint / accessorize / etc. One shot shows 15" rims and moon caps and new paint. The second show shows slicks on the back 14" rims on the front and either new paint or original patina. Either way the style of rims has an influence on paint: two tone, single color, etc. 

 

As is just the rims / tires gives the car a whole new look. Still not sure about a 380 cu and Bonneville though.

 

So now I can do some planning

 

Metal work, rusty body panel and floor replacement is next.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2013 by pflaming

[Don Coatney]

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

[Jeff Balazs]

Geez Paul;

Now that I see it out in the daylight......well it is not too sleek looking is it?

The homely / clunky look works Ok on the trucks ....... but you would have to get real crazy with it at a chop shop to get one of these looking speedy. They really should have spent the money to hire Raymond Lowy.

 

Maybe you could make a faux Woodie out of it? With a little practice you could learn to hand paint a wood grain or there is always the self adhesive stuff.

 

Jeff

[pflaming]

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!

Edited September 8, 2013 by pflaming