dodge59 Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) I am i need of fenders and hood for my 54 dodge convertible.. the question I have for you guys is : are the fenders the same on 1953 dodge with the shorter front end the same as the 54 dodge with the shorter front end? obviously the hood is shorter too. I have a line of a drv side fender .. they appear to be Identicle. my fenders measure 51inches top side . 1954 dodge convertible, wagons and hardtops have the shorter front end clips . others are 2.5 inches longer .mine has the raised eye brow on the lower front edge of hood that leads into the fenders. Thanks for your response ! john dodge59@wi.rr.com Edited March 22, 2014 by dodge59 Quote
dodge59 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Posted March 22, 2014 Here it is guys .. found this info regarding the front clips on 53-54 dodge ply. short front end . THE H.A.M.B. > General Discussion > The Hokey Ass Message Board > Parts interchange Dodge / Plymouth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PDAView Full Version : Parts interchange Dodge / Plymouth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 08:22 PM Does anyone know if a 1953 Dodge is the same basic front end as a 53 Plymouth ? I see 53, 54 Plymouths in yards, not often 53 Dodges ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 08:52 PM Looks close ? http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3603255939_eb411d5413.jpg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 08:56 PM I like this one , cool ! http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EWHALwCFKn8/S8hJeSRB0AI/AAAAAAAABbM/fPWMKMIXqts/s1600/101_0800.jpg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scott F.03-10-2011, 08:58 PM I don't have any real good pictures of just those areas, but this is a 53 dodge. I've never heard that they interchange. A good place to find out for sure (besides here) would be the p15-d24.com website. I hang out there a little bit and the guys over there know there stuff. Scott -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- squirrel03-10-2011, 08:59 PM sheet metal or suspension? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hnstray03-10-2011, 09:08 PM sheet metal or suspension? Good question........ in the case of sheetmetal, I believe the entire front "clip" will interchange as the cowl/fender area is compatible. The wheelbase of the Dodge two and 4 door sedans are longer than the Plymouth, but that additonal length is behind the front doors. The Dodge 2 door hardtop, convertible and wagon is shorter, being the same as Plymouth. The Dodge/Plymouth hoods seem the same but for the "scoop" opening on the Dodge. As for the front end suspension, it is mostly the same, but Dodges have some differences in steering linkage and steering box placement to clear the starter motor on the V8 engines. Ray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 09:14 PM Just sheetmetal Fenders, hood , etc -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hnstray03-10-2011, 09:31 PM As stated above, except for the hood, the front end sheetmetal must be used as an assembly to interchange.......... Ray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 50dodge4x403-10-2011, 09:32 PM By the pictures posted, I suspect the individual parts are different, but as a unit they would probably swap. Plymouth fenders have a body line above the tires not present on the Dodge. Hoods look different as well. Might bolt up, but the body lines would be different between the Plymouth parts and the Dodge parts. Gene -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 09:56 PM I'm lost So, if you have a 53 Dodge coronet 2 door HT, but it is missing the front clip .. Only thing that will work is another 2 door front ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O.Hove03-10-2011, 11:07 PM In 53 fenders from Diplomat,convert. & sta. wagon are different than the rest of the line.. One is taller. Do the tape measure thing, before jumping. I know you are looking for a 55 Ply hardtop. I have a 55 2-door post,3 speed O.Hove -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hnstray03-10-2011, 11:10 PM I'm lost So, if you have a 53 Dodge coronet 2 door HT, but it is missing the front clip .. Only thing that will work is another 2 door front ? Sorry if my replies were confusing. Any '53/'54 Dodge ( 2 dr hardtp, conv, wgn) front clip should bolt on. Likewise for '53/'54 Plymouth front clip. Obviously (to me) the Dodge would be the preferred front end assembly (clip) if you have a Dodge. I would have said the sedan parts would work too, until I read O. Hove's post. He may be correct, I don't know for sure, but I think I have a Parts Manual for '53s and plan to look that up tomorrow. I'll repost what I find. In any case, whatever works from a '53 would also work from a '54. By the way, I also happen to have a '53 Dodge Coronet Diplomat 2 door hardtop. These cars are very scarce. I have in the past owned '53 Plymouth's, one a Belvedere hardtop and 2 Cranbrook convertibles, all of which are much more plentiful than the Dodge versions. Ray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 11:26 PM http://images.craigslist.org/3m63o83l55Y15T45W1b373eb2fedb127b1c06.jpg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 11:28 PM Its on craiglist locally, I want to build a Mopar drag car ..and am having trouble finding one Seen this thought ... maybe http://images.craigslist.org/3n83ka3m85O05Y05X5b37c9e3c55e09441987.jpg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Dad03-10-2011, 11:28 PM In 53 fenders from Diplomat,convert. & sta. wagon are different than the rest of the line.. One is taller. Do the tape measure thing, before jumping. I know you are looking for a 55 Ply hardtop. I have a 55 2-door post,3 speed O.Hove How rough is the 55 sedan ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- plodge55aqua03-10-2011, 11:29 PM I'm lost So, if you have a 53 Dodge coronet 2 door HT, but it is missing the front clip .. Only thing that will work is another 2 door front ? a 4 dr front clip will work.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lone Star Mopar03-10-2011, 11:55 PM If A 1950 Coronet sheetmetal will work Ive got you covered...Cheap! Or for that matter the whole damn car, it was gonna be our Mopar drag car project...buuut I need a new headliner in a bad way. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hnstray03-11-2011, 09:19 AM Okay, looked up the part numbers for front fenders this morning. O. Hove is correct insofar as there are 2 sets of part numbers for '53 (and presumably '54) pass cars. Model #'s D-44 Coronet & D-46 Meadowbrook with 119" wheelbase are Rt side 1434 657....Lt side 1434 658........... Model #'s D-47 Meadowbrook & D-48 Coronet with 114" wheelbase are Rt side 1494 178.......Lt side 1494 179 The '53/'54 Dodge models built on the 114" wheelbase are the 2 dr hardtop, conv and 2 door station wagon. ALL '53/'54 Plymouth body styles were built on the 114" wheelbase....so this Dodge hardtop COULD be fitted with Plymouth front sheetmetal which should be fairly easy to obtain, at least as compared to the above mentioned Dodge models. Ray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- plym_4603-12-2011, 11:13 AM Export Dodges, and Diplomats, depending on country were plymouth bodies with dodge front sheet metal. Canadian production shared this also through the late 50. The Canadian Dodge Mayfair, is a plymouth body with Dodge dog house. http://www.adclassix.com/images54dodgemayfaircoupe.jpg I have some pictures of this car in my albums somewhere. I have seen it at 3 or 4 regional shows. But it is a 54 US plymouth body with the Dodge front sheet metal. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2812071016_8c9a83eb3b.jpg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- patrick6603-12-2011, 12:12 PM IIRC, the '53 and '54 Dodge/Plymouth front sheet metal will swap, if you are doing an entire sheetmetal swap. This works in the same way the '55 and '56 Dodge and Plymouth cars do. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hnstray03-13-2011, 11:24 AM IIRC, the '53 and '54 Dodge/Plymouth front sheet metal will swap, if you are doing an entire sheetmetal swap. This works in the same way the '55 and '56 Dodge and Plymouth cars do. That's what I initially thought too, but O. Hove's post caused me to do further research..........see my post above regarding the part number differences between the Plymouth body based Dodge models (2 dr hrdtp, conv, wagon) and the Dodge based Dodge bodies (2 & 4 dr post sedans). Ray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TR Waters03-10-2012, 02:01 PM I will bring this old post to the top. Maybe someone has new information? From what I can gather, I will need Canadian Dodge 2 dr htd, conv, or wagon front fenders for my 53 Plymouth Cranbrook "Canadian Dodge" project. Can anyone verify the actual length of the various fenders? My Cranbrook fenders measure 50 3/4" from door edge to headlight edge. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hnstray03-10-2012, 02:29 PM TR, either the canadian or US versions of the Hardtop, Covertible or Wagon, are what it takes. It's just that all those are scarce models in my experience and I've been fooling with these things since the 60's. Ray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TR Waters03-12-2012, 05:59 PM Thanks. I'll keep looking. I am trying to put together some measurements so I have some positive info to go by. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2014, vBulletin Solutions, Inc. Quote
CaptainGTX Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 59dodge and I have traded a couple emails, but I thought I'd relay to anyone else with an interest what I've found. According to the Standard Catalog of 1950s Chrylser, 1953 Dodge Coronet series convertibles, Diplomat hardtops & 2dr Sierra wagons are Model D48's (the 2 dr Meadowbrook series Suburban wagons is a D47). Comparable 1954s are D53's, except the 2 dr Suburban is a D52 (it also says the 4dr Sierra wagon is a D52, but I wonder if that's a mistake). According to my 1954 Mopar Parts List, D47 & D48 RF fenders are part no. 1494304, and LF are 1494305. Model D53 fenders are part nos. B1541177 and B1541178, respectively. Hoods for D47 & D52 are part no. 1456718; D48's are 1456706 and D53's are 1541452. So it looks like 1953 and 1954 fenders are not interchangeable (except as an entire clip as suggested by another poster). Regarding the hoods, the only interchangeability between those two years would be for the 2dr wagons. I don't know what the differences are as I only have the D48 convertible, but suspect they might be the lip at the front of the 54's, and the location of holes for the grille. Photos I've seen of both make it appear the 54's have a slightly less rounded top line near the headlight bucket, but that could be the angles I'm looking at. The wheel arches appear the same for both years. Unless someone can line up the two cars (or at least fenders) side by side, we're left guessing exactly what, if any, the differences are. Quote
B-Watson Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) I suspect the difference is in the front overhang. The 1953-54 114 inch wheelbase Plymouths and Dodges share the same front bumpers, but the 119 inch wheelbase Dodges use a different bumper. Also, the trim on the front fender sides is different for the two wheelbase lengths. Also, the front hood on the 114 wheelbase Dodges appears to have been cut back as it does not flow smoothly down to the grille. Hoods for 1953 and 1954 Dodges interchange by engine (6 or V8) and by wheelbase. And judging by the photos it is due to the front edge on the hoods. Which adds to belief the front fenders are longer ahead of the wheel opening on the 119 wheelbase models. Also, it is not surprising the 1954 4 door wagons are listed under the same model number as the 2 door wagon. All wagon bodies built by Chrysler for Plymouth and Dodge were 2 door models. Chrysler shipped 2 door wagon bodies along with 4 door sedan front doors and other parts to Mitchell-Bentley in Ionia, Michigan. M-B took the 2 door wagon bodies, extended them 5 inches, moved the B pillar to fit the front door and then modified the body to permit a rear door. Attached a photo of a 1954 Dodge Royal sedan in which you can see where the extra 5 inches was added - between the rear doors and rear axle. Also a photo of a 1954 Kingsway (114 wheelbase) for the lip on the front edge of the hood. Comparing the two might be enough to see if any difference in length between the two ahead of the front wheel openings. Edited March 23, 2014 by B-Watson Quote
dodge59 Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 I agree with all that B-watson has mentioned.. I just don't understand why mopar had so many different vaiations in one particular model/year. just makes everything so difficult in the long run. but that is mopar for you. john Quote
B-Watson Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) Chrysler was on a learning project in the early 1950s. Their 1949 models were too big for their markets and thus priced higher than the competition. They tried to force wage constraints in 1950 and went through a 100 day strike, only to lose sales (Ford Motor Company took #2 spot, first time since 1935) and signed an agreement with the UAW that was little different from the proposal when the strike began. After that Chrysler attempted to cheapen the content - less chrome and stainless steel trim, removing items such as the dust cover between the rear seat and the trunk, but that only brought about complaints from buyers and auto magazine writers. To deal with the big bodies, the 1953 Plymouth was shrunk (118½ down to 114) while the Dodge moved from the DeSoto-Chrysler body to the Plymouth, reducing the Dodge wheelbase from 123½ down to 119. For whatever reason the convertibles, hardtops and wagons remained on the 114 inch wheelbase. I suspect they were trying to save the cost of extending the body, although the front ends were needlessly different between the two wheelbase sizes and they also used a different windshield on the Dodge sedans and club coupes. Again money expended where it was not needed and the costs involved in coming up with two front clips probably erased any savings resulting from not extending the convertible-hardtop body.. K T Keller probably thought the Plymouth front clip was too short on the 119 inch Dodge and / or the Dodge clip too long on the 114 inch models. But Chrysler learned from their experiences and for the 1955 models Dodge had all their models on a 120 inch wheelbase. And the front clip used on the Coronet, Royal and Custom Royal was used on the Plymouth body to create the Canadian small Dodge models as well as the export Kingsway. Further sharing of parts occurred for the 1957 models where Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler shared the same basic body. The Plymouth was on a 118 wheelbase and Dodge on a 122 inch wheelbase. Roof and windows were shared between the two. The DeSoto-Chrysler models used the same floor as the Dodge but with different roof and door designs. To get the 126 wheelbase models they added a 4 inch longer front clip. Imperial used its own body and Chrysler covered the costs by using that body through to 1966, with a major restyle for 1964. The elimination of the division engines with corporate engines was another cost saving move. Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler all used hemi V8 engines, but very few knew back then (and even now) they were completely different engines that shared no parts between the three. Even the Plymouth poly A block V8 became a corporate engine in 1959 with the 326-cid Coronet V8. And Chrysler centralized all body production, engine production and even assembly plants. By 1959 the Chrysler Corporation divisions, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler-Imperial, were basically sales and marketing organizations. Edited March 23, 2014 by B-Watson 1 Quote
440roadrunner Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 I have a `54 Dodge Coronet Sierra 4dr Station Wagon....it's a 5" stretch...B-Watson, you're right on the money. 2dr Suburban wagons were sent to Mitchell-Bentley in Ionia, Michigan. The frame was baloney-cut and extended. The roof was extended above the front doors, the floor was extended in the backseat footwell. They used the 4dr Sedan front doors, custom rear doors, 2dr Plymouth quarters.This wagon is fairly scarce/rare:1 of 1300241 Hemi w/ODAny more info, pics of others, or for sale would be appreciated! 1 Quote
Steve Bou Posted December 17, 2016 Report Posted December 17, 2016 The main difference between hoods from 1953-54 models (same wheelbase) are the holes: from crest badge on 6 cyl and V8 emblem. Also the holes to fit the Ram Ornament because 54 is longer than 53. And others to fit the front chromed guard on 53. Besides the trim, some little changes and ornaments, they were nearly part interchangeable. Quote
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