My new old '47 P15

[46Ply]

Just joined this group and this is my first post.  I've been reading some of the threads and looks like this is the place to be.

 

My first car in high school was a 47 4 door Plymouth.  I paid $150 for it.  Was a very nice Florida no rust car in airway gray, with NO heater.  Drove it two years in Illinois that way.  Had to keep the windows open so I could see through the windshield!

 

Now, I have purchased my second 47 a coupe.  Haven't taken delivery yet, but will post some more pictures when I do.  

The good,  nice running rebuilt engine, and new brakes all around with new brake lines.  That's about all the good!!

 

The bad, needs everything else.  The interior was redone but poorly.  The dash was redone but poorly.

 

At any rate, I'm looking forward to the project, and I imagine I'll have a ton of questions for you all.

 

Dave

 

 

[casper50]

Welcome Dave.  At least the body looks straight and looks as if you don't have to strip the paint.  lol

[Frank Elder]

Welcome to the forum.

[BobT-47P15]

Hi Dave.   Welcome to the forum.  In terms of needed repairs......do you yet have a Repair/Service Manual and a Parts Manual

for your car?   The easiest place to find one (either good original or a new reprint) is eBay.  They both contain a lot of very

good information.......cover many fairly routine questions that have been asked on here many a time.  Try to learn how to

operate the "search" function of the forum and there will appear numerous discussions of all kinds of topics.  

 

When you get the car, send a few more pics so we can see what you are having to deal with.   Are many parts missing,

or does it come with needed items?  

 

Bob 

[46Ply]

Thanks guys,  From what I've seen from the pictures and what my brother told me, (who went to look at it for me), the body is pretty straight with hardly any rust.  Unfortunately I think the worst part is where some one tried to eliminate the seam on the back fenders and started a little welding on the underside and applied some filler on the top.  My brother tells me this is not major and can be easily repaired.

 

The car also has 15" wheels that have been sandblasted and repainted.  But being this car is a 47, they are most likely incorrect?

What modification is required to run 15s?  Speedometer gear?  What else?

[46Ply]

Hi Dave.   Welcome to the forum.  In terms of needed repairs......do you yet have a Repair/Service Manual and a Parts Manual

for your car?   The easiest place to find one (either good original or a new reprint) is eBay.  They both contain a lot of very

good information.......cover many fairly routine questions that have been asked on here many a time.  Try to learn how to

operate the "search" function of the forum and there will appear numerous discussions of all kinds of topics.  

 

When you get the car, send a few more pics so we can see what you are having to deal with.   Are many parts missing,

or does it come with needed items?  

 

Bob 

Thanks Bob,  The car comes with everything that was originally on it,  all the trim, rebuilt radio, all the paid bills for work done, etc.

But since I haven't got the car yet, I'm not sure what else goes with it,  I will order  manuals asap, if there is none there.

 

Oh, it comes with a spare engine and transmission too!

[Don Coatney]

Welcome to the neighborhood. What is your objective for the car? Bone stock? Driver? Etc.?

[Mark D]

Maybe you answer the question, but where are you located Dave? You probably have some local help right in your backyard! Best of luck with the build.

[46Ply]

Welcome to the neighborhood. What is your objective for the car? Bone stock? Driver? Etc.?

I'm mostly looking for a good daily or occasional driver.  Will be basically stock for the most part.  Any modifications would be only to improve driveability.  Whatever changes I make will be as close to factory as i can get.  

My biggest concern now is if I'll be able to run it  in the 65mph neighborhood without adding overdrive,  which I understand is hard to come by.  And I don't want to add OD anyway if I can avoid it.  What is generally accepted as a safe running speed on these engines?  55 mph neighborhood?  

 

It obviously needs paint which will be the first priority.  Then when I'm able to drive it, I'll decide what's next.

Edited February 26, 2015 by 46Ply

[46Ply]

Maybe you answer the question, but where are you located Dave? You probably have some local help right in your backyard! Best of luck with the build.

Someone close by to bounce questions off would be great.  I'm in East Central NC, just off I-95.

[Reg Evans]

Welcome to the group !  I'm looking at maybe buying a 47 coupe myself. I'm emailing back and forth now with the seller.

 

[joey4420]

Welcome to the forum. I am fairly new as well. Just got me a 46 4D with a heater

[Young Ed]

Welcome to the forum. I am fairly new as well. Just got me a 46 4D with a heater

Only 1? My 48 has 2 heaters......

[Mark D]

Someone close by to bounce questions off would be great.  I'm in East Central NC, just off I-95.

Well in a few years I'll be close enough. Bought a house in minnesott beach last May. But there are others down that way too. Busycoupe is an ex-mass guy too, lives near Washington.

[46Ply]

Only 1? My 48 has 2 heaters......

Two heaters?  Only time I ever saw this was on a Chrysler.  

In my search I've also notice two styles of heaters.  One has a little oblong door at the bottom and the front is flat pretty much.

Others I've seen has a round motor housing on the front.  

How come two styles, and which one is the best?

[Don Coatney]

Heaters were an option. Many were aftermarket and dealer installed. Click on the resources tab on the tool bar at the top of this page and read everything in there. Very informative.

[Young Ed]

Two heaters?  Only time I ever saw this was on a Chrysler.  

In my search I've also notice two styles of heaters.  One has a little oblong door at the bottom and the front is flat pretty much.

Others I've seen has a round motor housing on the front.  

How come two styles, and which one is the best?

The flat box one is the mopar 36 and is the basic just recirculating heater. The one with the round motor housing is the fancier one which uses a large duct and gets fresh air from the cowl vent. The dual heaters in my 48 is a left and right version of this one.

 

Heaters were an option. Many were aftermarket and dealer installed. Click on the resources tab on the tool bar at the top of this page and read everything in there. Very informative.

 

Yes lots of aftermarket ones too but he seems to be describing the 2 mopar ones.

[48ply1stcar]

PAINT?

 

You got yourself an All-Day project there son. 

 

Although you do have already passed my first year of work with brakes and a running engine.  When I first got my car running I was using a two-gallon gas can on the front floor to feed gas straight to the fuel pump.

 

Welcome, have fun, and take your time.  Once you get the car road worthy there is time for making it pretty.

[46Ply]

PAINT?

 

You got yourself an All-Day project there son. 

 

Although you do have already passed my first year of work with brakes and a running engine.  When I first got my car running I was using a two-gallon gas can on the front floor to feed gas straight to the fuel pump.

 

Welcome, have fun, and take your time.  Once you get the car road worthy there is time for making it pretty.

 

All day project?  How about all year!

 

Paint?  Yea, that's a priority.  I'm planning on original airwing gray.  That's what was on it.  Don't have a clue about paint yet.  Would the modern equivalent be basecoat/clearcoat?  I assume lacquer paint is outlawed now?

[46Ply]

I've been researching woodgraining ideas and ran across this site:  http://woodgraining.com/
They have detailed information about how to re-do your trim.  I'd like to try this method.  Just wondering if anyone here has tried it, and are there other sources for buying the materials to do this.
I like this company because they have most of the original patterns and colors from many of the early cars, including mine.
 
Someone has attempted to re-do the trim on my car and has fairly well messed it up.  I'm also wondering if it might be possible to get some of the goop off and find out what was left of the original?
 
Ideas greatly appreciated.
Here's my dash.

 

 

[BobT-47P15]

The car also has 15" wheels that have been sandblasted and repainted.  But being this car is a 47, they are most likely incorrect?

 

The 47 models started out with 16" wheels.  But......about halfway through the model year, they changed to 15s.

So, the 15s are likely correct.  Probably do not need to do anything to the speedo, etc.

 

One way to get a little more highway speed is change the rear end to a later model.  There is a list somewhere in the

reference section about what rear ends will fit without much modification and have higher gearing.  Also, another

fairly easy safety mod is adding front disc brakes......one forum member makes a kit.........his handle is Olddaddy.

RustyHope is his business name.  

[46Ply]

Thanks Bob,  

Just spent a little time searching for references and specs on changing the rear end ratio.  So far, no luck.  But I did find one application where a 90 Dodge Dakota was used with a 3.55 final ratio.

I need to get educated in order to properly search this forum and also to search elsewhere for possible candidates.

 

Since the brakes have just recently been overhauled including all new brake lines, I would prefer to just change the ring and pinion and leave the original axle intact.  (I think).  Might have to revisit this idea before we get done.

 

Still looking for thoughts on the previous post regarding the company that sells the woodgraining kit.  This is something I would like to do myself.  And this company gives some nice videos on how to do it, and also has the original pattern  for my car.

[46Ply]

Checking for rear fender interchangeability.  According to a friend who has access to Hollanders interchange manual,

the rear fenders from all 46 47 48 Plymouth Dodge DeSoto and Chrysler fenders will work!

 

Is this correct?  I find this information surprising and need a confirmation.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Thanks Bob,  

Just spent a little time searching for references and specs on changing the rear end ratio.  So far, no luck.  But I did find one application where a 90 Dodge Dakota was used with a 3.55 final ratio.

I need to get educated in order to properly search this forum and also to search elsewhere for possible candidates.

 

Since the brakes have just recently been overhauled including all new brake lines, I would prefer to just change the ring and pinion and leave the original axle intact.  (I think).  Might have to revisit this idea before we get done.

 

Still looking for thoughts on the previous post regarding the company that sells the woodgraining kit.  This is something I would like to do myself.  And this company gives some nice videos on how to do it, and also has the original pattern  for my car.

I understand your concern and wish to not re-spend money for items already working.  The brakes and access to them by having to remove the hub with a puller every time is enough for myself to make a modern upgrade a better choice for down the road maintenance.  Further..the elusive 3.54 that will transfer into your axle housing is very often a tad more expensive if and when found unless you get lucky and stumble upon on by a seller NOT in the know of its popularity.  That can and will happen but only for those that are proactive in their search by beating the bushes and looking at some less desirable body styles.  Early Dakota is a good choice due to 5 lugs, a few folks like Jeep axles and some even chose the Ford Expoder rear gears..later axles though are typically a bit wider flange to flange as the trend today is flat faced wheels and greatly positive offset wheels.  Further lots of the later axles in the truck line up use 6 bolt wheel pattern...not a obstacle..just an added cost to change..

[Bad Apache]

Checking for rear fender interchangeability.  According to a friend who has access to Hollanders interchange manual,

the rear fenders from all 46 47 48 Plymouth Dodge DeSoto and Chrysler fenders will work!

 

Is this correct?  I find this information surprising and need a confirmation.

 

My finding is that they are not interchangeable. There's a thread here about it with pics of a dodge fender beside a Plymouth fender. Darned if I can find them now, lol.