1937 Dodge, Ol Bessy Is Coming Home!

[Sharps40]

Some more predictive photography.

The average female reaction to a pair of fine mature gentlemen driving a classy old car.....

[T120]

_{...Ol Bessy in her younger days.}   

[Young Ed]

Couple of those look like you were hunting Dodge instead of deer

[Sharps40]

Couple of those look like you were hunting Dodge instead of deer

 

 

Well, sometimes our hair gets let down just a lil bit when we are in deer camp!

[Sharps40]

I'd thought that until I find as good and inexpensive a 1937 NC Plate, this one will be the one Ol Bessy runs.  MD is her home state for 79 years, hopefully before she's 80 she'll be dressed and movin to NC. 

 

But, once she's rollin and barring any last minute plate changes, look out for a Pearl Blue Widebody HellCat with quiet exhaust, this plate and narrow tires smokin on the 3-4 shift.

 

 

And then, moments after arrival of the MD plate for Ol Bessy, months of searching comes to an end with a PM from a Pal...

 

Sorry, small photo, but if I recall, its all original in very fine condition.  The 1934 the seller had for the same price was worse shape.  But even if redone, I'm tickled!  Thanks Sir!

 

So, I spose NC for around town and MD for when I'm on toll roads?

Edited January 15, 2016 by Sharps40

[Dave72dt]

I think you're going to have to choose whichever state represents your official residence. I doubt any state will allow you to register it in more than one state at a time. Maybe save them for a show.

[Sharps40]

Neither will be registered and both will be fine.  All you do in NC is register the car and tag it with a normal tag, insurance of course....

 

Insert the registered/up to date tag in the glove box or under the seat, etc., for "Display on Demand". 

 

Install YOM plate on antique car.  Done.  Go ride.  If stopped, produce up to date tag, registration, insurance from hidie hole.

 

The law reads in part....

 

G.S. 20-63(d) reads:

"Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person."

Edited January 15, 2016 by Sharps40

[Niel Hoback]

Use one on the front and one on the back!

[Sharps40]

That's actually a durn fine ider!

[Sharps40]

Woo Hoo!  Good news, I hope.  Running Boards!  With luck, no more scammers with borrowed photos of junk cars from years back.

Dad is taking final measurments from the one original running board we have on hand.  Smoothie Fabrications of Indian Trail, NC has the boards ready to go.  If the measurements are the same (and should be as we are both fairly certain that all 37 Dodge cars, coop-a to le-mo-zeen, used the same length board) they can be final welded friday and immediatly shipped to VA for instalation on Ol Bessy. 

And, if we want a more period look I already have good ribbed battleship rubber that can be attached.

Very Excited.  I won't get to see the boards right away but as soon as I do, I'll let ya know what I think. 

And for those that might need a smooth running board made up in new steel, check em out.  Not for Concours I suppose but who cares, Ol Bessy is gonna be a "Runner".

www.smoothiefab.com

[Sharps40]

And, thanks to Lasttombstone, this one came up tonight.  Sorry, small photo, but if I recall, its all original in very fine condition.  The 1934 the seller had for the same price was worse shape.  But even if redone, I'm tickled!  Thanks Sir!

So, I spose NC for around town and MD for when I'm on toll roads?

Got it yesterday.  Pretty happy even with the price.  Its a 5 footer (looks great from 5 feet away.) instead of a 10 footer and thats just darn cool for a 79 year old license plate.

It is very straight, rust free and the black paint is original.  The yellow paint is new and hand lettered.  Not real steadily lettered but plenty good enough and its goin on the car.  Thanks for the lead Lasttombstone!  The outside of the car is approaching completion (less color) and the mechanicals are gettin ready to go inbetween and under the frame rails. 

I hope to here the first fire over the phone soon, soon!!!!!

[Sharps40]

Perfect. Before the great HellStorm of 2016 (30" of snow predicted for Northern VA and Scads of Ice for the Carolina) tonight and tomorrow, Dad got to the shop and measured our original running board.

Just as SmoothieFab indicated, it measures 73.5" tip to tip on the street side. Dad took some additional measurements and came up with Front Width, outer edge to inner edge of about 12". The width of the rear of the running board, from outer edge to inner edge is about 9". The length of the long frame side edge from front tip to the center of the radius at the rear fender, about 59".

We should be good.

I'll be calling SmoothieFab tomorrow and ordering mine up for shipment to VA.

The builder looked over the photos of 37 Dodge boards produced in the past by SmoothieFab and feels confident they are fine quality and just what we need. He also said, the price is durn fine!

So, SmoothieFab, I hope ya ain't iced in tomorrow cause I'm callin. But if ya are iced in I hope ya make good use of the time off, like me.....grab the bow and go Deer huntin! I'll be in the woods after lunch!

Yall stay warm!

Edited January 22, 2016 by Sharps40

[Sharps40]

Woo Hoo!

Just got off the phone with SmoothieFab.  Boards done and boxed.  Shipping soon as the weather breaks!

YEAH!!!!!!!!

[Sharps40]

Went to American Muscle Car, http://stores.ebay.com/American-Muscle-Car-Parts

 

I think this was the last set, (they no longer show on the fleabay store) but the Part Number they carry them under from their email to me is:  "We also have braces under item 290588336467 thanks"

 

 

Look sturdy and are universal fit (trim/tweak) for 30s/40s cars. 

Ordered em and sent em direct to the shop.  No sense paying $150 shipped for one side only and already 80 years old.  Figgered to go new here and have both sides the same.  After they are final fitted, they can be painted and look as good underneath as the new SmoothieFab boards will.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Sharps40

[Sharps40]

All Hail, Fleabay!

 

Found trunk hinges.  Ours are pitted and one has been broken for nearly 50 years.

[Sharps40]

Dad got the hinges.  He said they are so beautiful....excellent "seconds" and is tickled with the look and finish.  Off to the shop this week I hope to check out the fit and perhaps to look over the SmoothieFab running boards.  Seems they arrived 28 Jan at the shop. 

Will report back!

[Sharps40]

Dad was at the shop yesterday. Said the boards and brackets arrived and look great. Ol Bessy is back in pieces in about 4 locations in the shop. Body in the booth for prime and blocking, front end in the bay finishing up, boards in the office, etc, etc.

 

Its hard to sit 5 hours away and wait. Probably best though....otherwise I'd be in the shop regularly and slowing stuff up too much!

[Sharps40]

Big giant shout out to Jack's PA. Thank you Sir!!! SHOUT!!

We have made a deal thanks to your brokering and it appears Ol Bessy will be acquiring, at a fair price, the following immediately needed and potential spares from a local rust free 1937 Plymouth 4 Door P4 Touring Sedan. Meeting and pick up is scheduled for Wednesday evening.

I did not attempt to get the entire car (no rolling stock and my wife and realtor would kill me even if I had a forklift to move it around the house between now and any future sale) but, we did settle as follows:

Trunk lid
4 Doors
4 Fenders

2 Headlight Buckets
2 Running Boards
2 Bumpers
4 Bumper brackets
Hood with associated hardware
Nose + Grill
Windshield with frame
Windshield Crank out mechanism
Window trim, door handles (interior and exterior) and window handles
Dome lights with lenses

Edited February 12, 2016 by Sharps40

[casper50]

it should be easy to move after you get all those parts.  Nothing left but frame and body.  lol

[Sharps40]

Well, frame and body, from the pics looks to be excellent or better.  I saw no rust whatsoever....but probably know more Wed as pics ain't the most reliable.  But the paint looks great.....at least in the pics!  I believe the title is clear too!. 

 

Selling the house, so, since its no roller and I ain't payin forklift by the hour too get it on and off a truck at both ends, not even counting moving it again when the house sells or the beating my wife and realtor will give me for fillin the garage of a marketed house with a disassembled car.....I'll leave the interior, body and frame to the next feller.

[Sharps40]

Rollin home with parts. Deer getter, trailer and jeep absolutely pig stuffed with parts and gotta go back for windshield and crank out mechanism. Seats, trim sheet metal grill chrome glass....got it all. Even headlight lenses and stainless trim. Meso happy!

[Sharps40]

Teaser pics till I can get it unloaded, sorted and stowed away with better photos.  But a great deal at $1200 and I am so dayum excited.  Tons of little stuff I need that woulda been hard to find and durned spensive.

Trailer full of sheet metal, 4 doors, 4 fenders, grill shell with grill, trunk, running boards, bumper. (Doors and trunk have keys.  Doors have all glass, check straps, hinges, window mechanisms, etc....complete!)

Wife's jeep stuffed full of seats with perfect springs and all the door panels and arm rests for templates.

[Sharps40]

The seats out, perfect springs.

Full box of interior trim parts...

Spare front fender splash panels

Back seat is the complete hood, all door window garnish, spare vent windows with latches, etc.

[Sharps40]

The window garnish

The awesome hood out of Deergitters back seat...Dayumnear perfect too.

Front seat of Deergitter with head and tail lights and hood side panel trim

These headlight buckets are going straight to VA for install.....

[Sharps40]

Next week will pick up the windshield, its chrome trim, the windshield crank and the running board brackets.