Hello! New member, New project

[kridgleyud]

Hello all,

Want to introduce myself as I'll be posting and reading a lot on these forums.  My name's Kevin from northern DE.  Just picked up a 1940 Dodge De Luxe, 4 door.

 

Needs a lot of work buts in overall good shape for 75 years old.  Plans are to either rebuild the 218 or swap in a late 50s 230.  Not 100% on the trans, OD will be nice.

 

I found that the engine ID on the block and chassis match, and the body serial number is in pass door.  But what are the other 3 numbers shown in the last image on firewall? 

 

Large tag looks like the dodge manufacturer tag ... small tag under that?

 

Two stampings on firewall under these as well (above voltage reg.) ... 21678 and 1D under that.

 

Looking forward to this project - was just at a local car show and there were way too many mustangs, corvettes and bel airs - nice to see something different on the roads.

 

Also, one last thing ... I'm in Upper Delaware if there are any local or nearby forum members that would like to meet, it's always great having a local contact.

 

-Kev

Edited September 1, 2015 by kridgleyud

[busycoupe]

The large firewall tag is the Mopar Dodge tag, as you said. The smaller oval tag is a Briggs Body company I.D. Tag. I don't think that either of these tags have any numbers on them that are useful for registration or buying the correct parts.

I don't know what the stamped numbers on the firewall are. .. Sorry!

Dave B.

P.S. Welcome to the forum. It looks like you have a nice car.

Edited September 1, 2015 by busycoupe

[Don Coatney]

Welcome and nice looking car. On the toolbar near the top of this page is a members tab. There is a pull down on that tab linked to a members map. Add yourself and you can see who is near you.

[greg g]

Most Chrysler cars produced in the 40's use the serial number on the door post as the general id for the assembled vehicle.  The bodies and engines were assembled separately with numbers of their own.  When the assemblies came together, the serial number was issued to the complete vehicle.  Chrylser historical tracks the cars by the Serial.  Some DMV's used the engine number, some the serial number. Use of the engine number can cause titling problems if the engine had ever been swapped which was a pretty routine service method back when.  It is lucky you were able to find the engine number stamped into the frame and that the number matches your engine. Welcome and good luck with your car. Under the members section you can pull up a map and check out if there are other members in your area.  I know of one who lives in Deleware.  Perhaps he will chime in on this thread.

[kridgleyud]

Dave, Thanks!  Someone will know those other two numbers.

 

Don, Thanks!  Just added my location.

 

Greg, Thanks! This car was titled in PA before me, and TX before that.  Prior to that I have no idea, but since TX it has been the engine number on title.  Already asked my local DMV what would happen if engine removed, they said to just stamp a VIN plate and rivet to firewall when original motor comes out.  My goal however, is to rebuilt this one, previous owner spun a bearing which seems a common occurrence on these flatties.  

 

I'll be sure to keep you all posted with progress - this week has just involved removing brightwork, trim, interior, etc and tagging and picture logging everything.

[casper50]

Welcome.  Don't forget to take photos of everything before disassembling.  A photo is worth 1000 "I don't remember how this goes back on".

[Don Coatney]

 previous owner spun a bearing which seems a common occurrence on these flatties.  

 

Where did you hear that spinning a bearing is common? On high mileage engines the cam bearings will fail causing low oil pressure. Top ring on a piston will break due to excessive cylinder ridge and overheating. Wrist pins will fail and knock. Rod bearings and main bearings will wear out but spinning a bearing is not what I would call common.

 

If you have not yet done so find and buy a service manual for your car. Also take the time to read the resources section of this web page found on the aforementioned top toolbar. Read all the links on that toolbar.

[kridgleyud]

I assumed common as I've heard from a few people and read across multiple forums.  Maybe by circumstance it came across common.

 

There are tons of resources I've read through here, they are great.

Also, I have the D14/D17 1940 Service manual, parts book and interchange book for reference in the garage.

 

Casper ... been taking photos like crazy.

[kridgleyud]

Hey all ... been a LOOONG time since I've updated the group on the status of the old D14.  After stalling for a bit (nearly 2 years ...), I've got the motor out and front end ready to be rebuilt.  I'm going to start diving into the suspension revival.  All the rubber is deteriorated and it was under about a half inch of crud and build-up ... there's actually metal under there!!.  

Added some pics because we all like pics ... engine out, crub scrapped and fresh rebuilt motor sitting along-side the original I just pulled out.  Next, I've got to tear into the suspension, frame/firewall paint, re-assembly and putting new motor in ... more pics to follow.

[plymjim]

That new engine----2 carbs? alternator? I think you're on to something there.

Keep us posted.

[kridgleyud]

5 minutes ago, plymjim said:

That new engine----2 carbs? alternator? I think you're on to something there.

Keep us posted.

Yes Jim ... 12v, electronic ignition, bored up a bit, dual headers, offenhauser intake, dual carbs and hotter cam. 

[plymjim]

Nice! Mine's a 230, Fenton headers, HEI distributor from Tom Langdon,

alum. head from Edgie, &  since last weekend a rod knockin'. Bummer!

[Andydodge]

Kev...thats a nice car..........I've had an interest in 1940 Dodges since 1969 at 15yrs of age, a passing fad my wife hopes.........I bought the sedan in 1971 originally as a parts car for the Oz 1940 Dodge Coupe I had bought & pulled apart, decided to restore then rodded the sedan, its an Oz assembled D15D car......Plymouth fenders, hood, headlight, taillights, bumpers and wheelbase on an oz built 1939 introduced body shell.....Dodge grille, badges & RHD dash..........318 Poly/auto from an Oz 1962 Chrysler, 4wheel discs, rack & pinion etc.......... keeps me amused.........its interesting to note the similarities and differences..........have attached a couple of pics...........btw if you have trouble sourcing the 1940 upper outer bush & pin you can change to the more common 41-54 style upper A arm and 41-54 outer bush/pin as the assembly just swaps straight in which is what I have done............regards, Andy Douglas     

[Andydodge]

Kev...........was having another look at the pics of your car and noticed something I had not ever seen before...........the overhead pic of the front suspension shows what appears to be an EXTRA set of front engine mounts hanging off the rear edge of the front crossmember!!!!!!!!..............I have never seen such a thing.............I can see the pair of stamped holes in the crossmember but there is a bracket on both sides repeating the chassis holes.............how come?????................lol..............is this a standard US or maybe Canadian thing or does your Dodge have the optional NASCAR engine.......lol...........regards........andyd.

[casper50]

maybe a 23" was put in instead of a 25"?

 

[kridgleyud]

As far as I've been able to gather this is original. Although now it's been so long I can't recall what these forward 2 holes were for ... 

Here is a pic before I starting tearing things too far out. Motor mounts were on back set that are on a piece of metal bolted to the frame. Maybe they're for radiator? The rears are on the correct place. Time to start digging some more. 

 

[Don Coatney]

The 2 holes in front are for the radiator mounting bracket.

[kridgleyud]

I knew Don would know that I wasn't right LOL!   But really, not sure what they're for, potentially these brackets were added post-1940 or they may have been provisions for longer block cars?  If i find out, I'll post.

[Andydodge]

Well the reason I ask is that my Oz 1940 Dodge originally had a 23" 201 engine and it only has the pair of elongated holes on either side of the crank pulley recess and did not have the pair of brackets hanging to the rear edge of the crossmember that your engine mount sits on( I have never seen these brackets on any Oz built mopar from this time period)...............my cars engine mount bolted to the front pair of elongated holes on either side of the crank recess.............the 1941 Plymouth coupe I had had exactly the same arrangement, the engine mount bolted to the front crossmember, not to brackets hanging off the rear of that crossmember.....................and I know about the 2 elongated holes in the CENTRE of the front crossmember, those are for the radiator surround studs to fit into and in fact sit on a pair of 2" approx. square steel plates or shims..................btw the engine mount plate on the Oz 1940 Dodge and 1941 Plymouth and the radiator surround studs are all accessed from underneath thru a hole in the centre of the front crossmember..........it appears that the NUTS holding the engine mount in your 1940 Dodge are accessed from outside of the rear of the front crossmember.............

.......................just had a thought.........

.............might this "rearset" of the engine or the effective "forward" push of the front crossmember and therefore the suspension be the result of the 2" extra in the wheelbase of the USA Dodge.........both of my cars, were based on the Plymouth chassis and therefore shorter wheelbase.............do all US Dodges have these 2 brackets and mount the engine there?.............

Kev........BTW, your the original pic is no longer being displayed.............andyd        

[Mike36]

On September 11, 2017 at 7:15 PM, plymjim said:

Nice! Mine's a 230, Fenton headers, HEI distributor from Tom Langdon,

alum. head from Edgie, &  since last weekend a rod knockin'. Bummer!

Too many high RPM's ???

[Mike36]

On September 1, 2015 at 1:19 PM, Don Coatney said:

Welcome and nice looking car. On the toolbar near the top of this page is a members tab. There is a pull down on that tab linked to a members map. Add yourself and you can see who is near you.

I do not see a members tab, don't know what I'm doing wrong.