1937 Dodge, Ol Bessy Is Coming Home!

[deathbound]

I offered to buy some of the original front suspension parts, but you weren't interested in shipping, only scrap. Would've made more selling with a little extra effort.

[Sharps40]

Yep.  And the low demand for these era/make parts has not changed, I have not changed my mind and I'm sure you havn't either.  You and about 40eleven others are unlikely to want to pay the very high freight on top of a fair asking price, and quite likely neither are you/others willing to drive here to get it.   Its going to scrap.  Done and Done.  As for the rest of the worries expressed by me recently....they are resolved as follows.

 

Heavy sigh.....good news.

Dad got in to have a look and a good chat about progress. 

The body work is all bought and paid for.  No worries.  On looking over the quality, shop owner didn't like it and it is being redone on shop time/dime.  I get the impression one team member is no longer working on Ol Bessy.  So.......Dad describes the work as 8 out of 10 and the assignment was 9.5 out of 10 and so, Bessy is getting adjusted.

A full up 5.3L Vortec with auto, wiring, PS, PB, computer, headers, etc, etc, etc is in house.  Shop is looking about for another package in the interim for choices, etc.

A 20K mile Pontiac Le Mans rear is in house and ready.  Front suspension is lined up and will be in house just as soon as the body work meets or exceeds the shop owners criteria. 

Everybody is on the same sheet.  We are looking for running/driving car that is painted.  (Dad and I decided we can throw a horse blanket over the seat and make the first trip without door panels if necessary!)  So.....still tracking to our original goals for the Ol Gal and it looks like the Suspension/Rear/Engine/Trans set up will be the next infusion of cash at about $4K to $5K installed and driving.

Hoo Ahh!

Edited April 17, 2016 by Sharps40

[RobertKB]

Your used parts are not worth a whole lot so if someone is willing to pay shipping I don't see why you would scrap useable parts. They are worth next to nothing as scrap. Also when having someone else do your work it is almost a given that it will go over budget.

[Sharps40]

Not tryin to start a fight fellas,....but not my first rodeo either.  Just tellin the story as it unfolds.  We'll get Old Bessy on the road in fine trim I'm confident.

 

A $100 front axle drum to drum with springs ain't worth the $250+ it takes to ship it to Anywhere USA, so scrap it makes most sense ....  same with complete rear housing drum to drum and springs. Besides, on a multi-thousand dollar build, $100 won't make or break the budget, not as implied in the mini-lecture above.  (And as you'll rightly recall, I am 300 miles from both the part and the car.  That might be another factor not considered in said advisory post)

 

And you fellas up north get hosed on shipping.  I sent a 4 oz Plymouth badge to Vancouver, $28 bucks and about 3 weeks to get there and that was the cheapest rate.  Getting this $100 part to you in the Great White would probably make you and me both puke and say no, don't bother.

 

Finally......as stated in my follow up after talking with Dad....we seem to be on the budget we can afford, the only surprise was the work didn't meet the bosses expectations and he is doing it over at his cost.  I was curious from photos to see it apart again as it was supposed to be final blocked and ready for paint. 

 

With luck, I'll have a visitor this weekend to pick up all the sheet metal from the P4 that I won't need for the Dodge project.  Made him a good price and he's the one of the few fellas willing to drive in 10 hours to pick up parts that are too large for economical shipping and/or too good to risk being mauled in shipping.  We'll see if he wants the door shells while he's here....I've gutted them for what I need/want.  They are another bunch of parts both too nice and too large and in low demand/value to bother with shipping. 

Edited April 19, 2016 by Sharps40

[Don Coatney]

, not as implied in the mini-lecture above.

 

I have had many discussions with KB over many years on this forum and we have agreed to disagree more than once. I dont believe he was giving you a mini-lecture. I think he was simply stating his opinion. He, like many on this forum do not like to see usable parts go to the dump. As you said a multi thousand dollar build will not be broken by a Franklin note but if the next guy doing such a build cannot locate such parts it could be a build breaker.

[Sharps40]

KB did not provide the mini lecture.  DB did.  DB pm'd me on front suspension parts, though I never advertised them.  Told him via pm....to large, too heavy, too expensive to ship, too low a value and we had made the decision very early on to place them to scrap iron at 9c/lb when the time came to remove them. 

 

Enough though.  If I have parts for sale/trade they will be in the classified.  Everything else is either reused, or scrapped.  Lets stop this fruitless discussion and come back to the story.  Maybe we'll get some more photos soon and another progress report on the suspension and driveline.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Sharps40

[deathbound]

Just to clarify, I only wanted the sway bar/shock set-up....A LOT lighter and easier to pack/ship than a drum to drum front axle. Would've given you a fair price and shipping for it. I, as others hate to see good parts get scrapped, especially hard to find parts. Take it as a "mini lecture", but, I thought it would be one car guy trying to help another, that's what WE do. Good luck with the build.

[DJ194950]

A thought

 

Why not post a Craigslist ad (free) near where the parts are for the leftover  parts(all) FREE in the auto parts listings. I strongly suspect that a locally located seller of old car parts will be be thrilled to get the leftovers and maybe put to use, especially if he will take the time to advertise and ship- Greyhound anyone? 

 

No money for the parts but no regrets as to just scrapping.

 

Best of luck with getting her up and running.

 

\DJ

[Sharps40]

Thanks. She's coming good. It's nice to know much of the drive line is in and ready too. Getting the bodywork done by pros is a huge bit of heavy lifting that Dad a d I can just no longer handle easily. As for the rest of the work....faster and better this way. dad is 77. I want as much good time with him in this one as I can get. I can always slow roll another in the garage. But this one....it needs doing well and quicker so we can share it again. And no..my only regret is "losing" the car for over 20 years. The concerns run deeper than getting a few dollars for what most folks (and I agree) know to be low value/undesired items.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Sharps40

[Sharps40]

Its so cool when you meet with somebody in the hobby and they just got their baby back and their eyes light up and they get all so excited when they see the parts they came to look at. 

Met a fella like that today.  He got his car back like I got mine back.  His is in pieces, delivered home after 15 years on a box truck and missing lots of stuff.  A 37 Plymouth 2 door sedan with humpback trunk. 

He went home with a grill, grill center, grill surround and the clips that survived 79 years, inner fender wells, fender supports brackets, tail lamp buckets, tail lamps stands, tail lamp lenses, tail lamp bezels, door sill plates, three flat head water pumps, a working 6v foot pedal starter and two MOPAR oil bath air cleaners with carb clamps.

We settled for $200 and we agreed to meet up and roll once both are back on the road.

[DJ194950]

How did you two meet and hook up?

 

Great story and tell him to join the forum  with pics of course.

[Sharps40]

His daughter contacted me on a hamb ad. I don't think he even has a cell phone. My king of guy!

[Sharps40]

Email this morning to Dad:

 

Pops,

 

We broke even on the Plymouth car parts.  $1200 invested on the old Plymouth spares and have sold that much in unneeded components.

 

At this point, we stand to make a bit of a profit on the investment as I still have the door shells, hood and grill shell to sell.

 

So, a good investment.  We have many of the small parts we could need like window/door latch mechanisms, glass bottom channels, door handles, trunk hinges, headlight buckets, spare fenders, spare trunk lid, spare windshield trim and windshield crank/hinges, etc., etc.

 

Let me know what you see on your next trip to the shop.

[Sharps40]

Dad,

Am considering setting up the dash board insert.  I'd like to use the attached Dolphin gauges.

The speedometer is electronic and fully programmable for any tire size and gear ratios.

Next trip, talk to Jim, specifically:  Should I order a GM Pulse Generator so the transmission can talk to the speedometer......also, will he need specifications on the gauges, specifically the resistance values on the fuel gauge in order to set up the fuel tank sender....?

Photo is a 6 gauge set....we'll use a 5 gauge set eliminating the tachometer.  No need for a tach on a classy lady....she won't be driven for flash or cash.....

 

Gauge set particulars from the Dolphin Web Site:

Dolphin Automotive Gauges feature a Convex gauge lens, air core movements, glare free lighting, polished stainless or gold bezels, and come in a choice of face colors. All Gauge Sets come with water, oil, and fuel sending units. The Electronic Gauge Sets include an electronic speedometer that is fully programmable for easy calibration with any tire size/axle ratio. Speedometer are 3-3/8" and Oil, Temp, Volt and Fuel are 2-1/16". *Note: if you have an older transmission and are ordering the programmable speedo set, don't forget your pulse generator (Ford and GM available).

5 Gauge sets include:
* 140 M.P.H. Programmable Speedometer
* Temperature gauge and water temperature sending unit for engine.
* Fuel level gauge and fuel sending unit for gas tank.
* Oil pressure gauge and oil sending unit for engine.
* Voltmeter gauge.
* Mounting hardware and installation instructions.
* Mechanical sets include a mechanical Speedo and four electronic gauges.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Sharps40

[Sharps40]

Dad.

 

Locate a vintage Guide reverse light for Ol Bessy.  It on the way from Arkansas.  Works.  Will rebuild though with new wiring and a ground.  Will also make a nice steel clamp on bracket so it will fit on the drivers side rear bumper bracket.  Send it to ya when its done.

 

So, that should be it on exterior lighting.  We have modern headlamps, front turn and running lights, out back is run/stop/turn and the reverse. 

 

No loose wires on the upgrade wiring harness then.

 

Time to capture the dash insert from the shop and some curly maple or walnut cause there is no way in hell I'm putting billet aluminum flashycrap in the dash with the new gauges....what color do you want the dash high beam and turn signal indicators, blue, green, yellow or red?

 

 

[Sharps40]

Dad,

On this months visit, I'd like to return with some more parts we don't need and get them advertised and sold.

Dash Gauge insert set (to build the new dash then sell the original gauges and inserts.  I believe there is one at the house and one in the shop from the original and the parts car)

The brand new and unused brake drums at the shop.  (Raysbestos brand I believe, back when they were making them in the 80s and 90s for the old 37 cars.)

The spare windshield mechanism with the broken tape down at the shop.

The after market running board brackets I sent Jim, I have a full set of originals I'll bring along to install on the car, even have original DPCD fine thread bolts!

At the house, I want to verify we have a spare 1937 Dodge front axle and its not a 47 Chevy unit.  If its dodge, I'll pull the drums, hubs, spindles, drag link, shock mounts, etc.  All are easily shipped.  We may be cutting the axle to get the spindles as the axle is too big to ship/no value anyway. We'll do the same with the original axle when it comes out from under the car soon.

See ya soon.

Rich

[Sharps40]

^{I found the one single 1937 Dodge instrument cluster photo/for sale on the entire internet.  I have two.  Many moons ago, I opened one of mine, rebuilt the gauges, repainted the dials, repainted the markings on the glass and refurbished the entire background.  Put it back in Ol Bessy and BAM!!!!   Drunk hit me.}

^{So, as I recall, the front separates from the back to remove the glass.  Gauges come out the back.}

^{I'll disassemble and polish the remaining housing so that I'll have the dash mounting tabs and chrome trim for reinsertion into the dash opening.  Inside, instead of glass and gauges I hope to install a nicely finished chunk of walnut or curly maple with Dolphin gold rim gauges, two turn signal lamps and a high beam lamp.} 

^{Crimp it all back together and send it back to the shop for installation in the dash.  And, the guts (and spare complete cluster from the Raleigh Parts Car) can go up for sale to pay for the new gauges, etc.}

^{Fingers crossed.}

[Sharps40]

Reverse light is rebuilt and grounded.  Now to make a bumper bracket bracket.

New contact, wire and spring.  Added ground to the original weep hole....oddly enough there is another weep hole near the bezel screw so, this one can be used for ground (with a non rusting stainless screw and nut) and the lamp can be installed with the other weep hole/bezel screw at 6 oclock.

New old stock reverse lens was glued in place last evening in the chromed brass bezel.  Looks good on this old Guide B31 lamp.

Works good too....

[Sharps40]

Just ordered a 3/8" x 2.5" engraved brass saddle plate for the new dash insert.  The engraving will be all caps, block lettering like the original speedometer....FLOATING POWER.  MOPARS early marketing strategy for its motors that "hung"  (sort of) from the front mount instead of pushing down and transmitting all the motor movement to the frame.

[Sharps40]

A simple bracket to slip over the bumper bracket and rest right in front of the rubber frame cover.  Should look and work great. 

First bends in the steel.  Cold bending is fine for this job, just trying to keep the bends even and not get things too far out of wack from side to side.

A loop on top for the light to sit on and a loop around the double portion of the bumper bracket.

Roughing it in on the bumper bracket.

Adding some stainless steel hardware and checking the look.  Just need to make a small spacer to fill the gap and keep the snugging up screw from pulling the bracket into a squished shape.  It'll ride plenty tight on the bumper bracket and look good, I think, right there on the drivers side back end.

[Sharps40]

Seems to be a common theme in the business of owning and enjoying MOPAR....ya get one, ya loose it and then ya get the same one back....

 

Met another fella with a similar story to mine today.  Contacted me about purchasing some windshield hinges.

 

Seems he had a 36 Dodge Coupe for 40+ years.

 

Got broke ($$$) somewhere along the line about 15 to 18 years back and sold the coupe.

 

Got a hankering here of late but didn't make a move.

 

His good Son, went out.......

 

Located the Original Coupe.

 

Bought it for his Dad for Christmass!

 

Way to go Son!!!!!

[Sharps40]

The other person I talked to with a story like this, called me on parts for his 32ish Dodge.  Built it.....sold it 10 years ago.  Went out last month, bought it back.   On the trailer home, it was hit by a knuckle head....bounced it around in the trailer and smashed in the drivers side of the car between the fenders.  I suspect he's got it home now and on the hunt for parts instead of getting to enjoy its return immediately.

[Sharps40]

Dad,

 

Just back from Ol Kantuk....TSA stole my toothpaste on the trip out....tube too big....don't seem to matter it was only a spit left in the tube.....I fixed em though.  Bought an even bigger tube for the trip back and they missed it, the maglight and the cigarette lighter on the way back through.  So much for  consistency in inspection....as we are aware from years of experience in Munitions QA and Safety, 100% inspection only rarely uncovers more than 80% of deficiencies.

 

But....to the car.

 

Brass plate is for the new wood dash insert.  I want to keep some flavor of the original Dodge so, even though the gauges will be new, we'll be using the original trim and gauge housing and glass and adding this plate somewhere above or just below the gauge set.

 

As for the reverse light.  As you can see, its done.  When I visit next weekend we will install it on the rear bumper up in the attic.  That way, it'll be done and won't get lost as we wait for the right time to deliver the final parts to the shop for installation.

 

See ya soon!

 

Rich.

 

[Sharps40]

Dad,

 

This is the walnut burl I have selected to build the new gauges into and insert in the original chrome dash insert. (Front and back sides, thin slab for lamination to a sturdy backer). 

 

This section of the burl is 11.5" x 23.5" by .125"

 

I'll pick up both sets of dash inserts (one in attic, one at shop) next week when I come up. 

 

Will wind up setting up one original dash insert with the walnut, glass and gauges + the Floating Power name plate I had made up.  The other dash insert, likely the one from the Raleigh parts car will get sold.

 

Should look nice, the burl walnut under glass and set back into the original chrome housing.

 

I decided we'll be using a two gauge pack (each is 3 3/8" dia) with two green turn signal lamps and a blue high beam indicator.  120 mph self programming electronic speedo.  Other gauge will be combo electric oil/temp/fuel/volts.   Gauge packs come with all sending units. 

 

We may need a speedo pulse generator if the trans doesn't already have one on it. 

 

I'll get it all together and wired and grounds made up then ship it up to you in the next several weeks.

 

See ya soon.

 

Rich.

 

Edited May 20, 2016 by Sharps40

[Sharps40]

Getting excited.  Less than a week till we visit.  Dad is excited too.  He said we should go to the shop twice while I'm visiting just to see what changed from one day to the next!

 

I gotta start listing what to take and what to bring back.

 

Take up:  original running board brackets, reverse light assembly, etc.

 

Bring back:  2 dash gauge clusters, spare windshield transmission, 2 new brake drums, up to 6 original brake drums, NOS/lightly used front leaf springs if removed, 4 steering knuckles if removed, 4 front hubs if removed.  All four lower front shock/sway bar mounts if removable from the axles , the two front upper shock mounts if removed, drag link/steering box/steering column if removed, horn button, etc.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Sharps40