librado65 Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 What's going on everyone? I recently picked this coupe up off a Craigslist seller this past weekend. It's a 1951 Dodge Coronet Diplomat. Everything was stock (engine, transmission, 6volt). Had the usual rust on the trunk lid, the driprails, rocker panels. Nothing a little welding cant fix in my opinion. My plans for now are to have it running by New years at least. It's missing the radiator, generator, battery. To be honest I do not know nothing about this car except that I want to fix it, drive it, and find my future wife with it (some sarcasm there). I built a 86 Monte Carlo last year with alot of help from my dad and some guys in the neighborhood. This 1 will be different since I bought and moved to a new home. I seem to be the only 1 with an old car in the driveway. Anyways, I guess what I am asking is can someone lead me into the right direction? Maybe some books to read to learn about these original flathead 6 engines? I have never been a mechanic more of a bodywork/paint guy but I am willing to learn and get dirty to have this car on the road again. Thanks Some pics of the car from the original craigslist post Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 Thats a very rare car now days. 2nd year of production. Not many of those Dodge "Diplomat" hardtops around. 1 Quote
librado65 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Posted October 29, 2015 Thats a very rare car now days. 2nd year of production. Not many of those Dodge "Diplomat" hardtops around. Oh wow. Guy who sold it said it was rare but I thought he was just trying to sell the car. Quote
deathbound Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 Pick up a service manual for the car....ebay possibly. The book version is better than the disc version, you can place it on the car while working on it. Good luck with it. 1 Quote
librado65 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Posted October 29, 2015 Pick up a service manual for the car....ebay possibly. The book version is better than the disc version, you can place it on the car while working on it. Good luck with it. Thanks. I will do just that. Quote
RouteVanJoe Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 Congrats on a neat find and what looks like a great project. I haven't done much in-depth engine work on my flathead, but get your hands on a "Shop Manual" and parts list if you can. I got mine from eBay. Overall my experience so far is that almost anything I've needed to fix on my '51 can be pretty easily learned by simply disassembling what's there. But if the block, head, and tranny are still good, there's a good chance you can figure out the rest without any books. Good luck! Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 You're Diplomat will have a 230Ci engine with the "Gyro-Matic" M-6 transmission.connected to the Fluid Drive coupling. It has two gear ratios in low range and two gear ratios in high range. Get a manual to learn how to operate it or look on the web. 1 Quote
mopar_earl Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 Sweet! I've only seen pics of those cars. Earl Quote
librado65 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Posted October 29, 2015 (edited) You're Diplomat will have a 230Ci engine with the "Gyro-Matic" M-6 transmission.connected to the Fluid Drive coupling. It has two gear ratios in low range and two gear ratios in high range. Get a manual to learn how to operate it or look on the web. Thanks for the info! Edited October 29, 2015 by librado65 Quote
librado65 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Posted October 29, 2015 Sweet! I've only seen pics of those cars. Earl I almost thought it was a bel air when I seen it on the add. Thanks for the comment Earl Quote
librado65 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Posted October 29, 2015 I do have a problem I am curious as how to solve. The car did not come with keys at all. Quote
casper50 Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 You'll have to either get it to a locksmith that can make them or buy new cylinders with keys and replace them. Quote
mopar_earl Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 I do have a problem I am curious as how to solve. The car did not come with keys at all. You can buy blanks online and than have a good locksmith cut the keys to fit. Sqaure head key is ignition and doors. Trunk is a triangle looking key and glove box if lockable has a round key. So you will have 2 to 3 keys. Provided no one has changed any of the cylinders. Earl Quote
JerseyHarold Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 A good locksmith can make a key by the process of 'impressioning'. It doesn't matter whether the locks or original or not, since the new key will be made to fit whatever pins are in there now. If your ignition key was replaced at some point in the past, it wouldn't match the doors, and vice-versa. Quote
48mirage Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 Here is a good source for several different situations. http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/index.htm Quote
Phil Martin Posted October 31, 2015 Report Posted October 31, 2015 Your car looks good. Only bad thing is gyromatic trans. I have one and all those wires to the trans can give you all kinds of fits. Thats the only thing I dont like about my dodge. Wouldn't mind the fluid drive if it had the 3 speed trans. Quote
librado65 Posted October 31, 2015 Author Report Posted October 31, 2015 @Phil Martin thanks for the comment. I'll take that into consideration when I get to work on it. Here's a pic I took this afternoon as I headed out. Quote
librado65 Posted October 31, 2015 Author Report Posted October 31, 2015 By the way, does anybody know how to open the hood on these manually? Mine is stuck (seller warned me about it) and I haven't been able to get it loose to open. Quote
Young Ed Posted October 31, 2015 Report Posted October 31, 2015 By the way, does anybody know how to open the hood on these manually? Mine is stuck (seller warned me about it) and I haven't been able to get it loose to open. Does yours have an interior handle or just a through the grill? Quote
librado65 Posted October 31, 2015 Author Report Posted October 31, 2015 Does yours have an interior handle or just a through the grill? How do I tell the difference? Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 31, 2015 Report Posted October 31, 2015 The 51-52 dodge cars open up through the grille. Quote
Young Ed Posted October 31, 2015 Report Posted October 31, 2015 The 51-52 dodge cars open up through the grille. I figured it was the same as a plymouth. You should be able to get a spray of penetrating oil onto the latch then. Soak it down wait a couple minutes and try it Quote
librado65 Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Posted February 18, 2016 Oh man it's been 3 months or so since I bought the car but work has kept me from working on it. Been pulling 10-11 hours and by the time I get home I'm just like eat, shower, and go to bed. I have picked up a few parts/accessories for it though thanks to eBay. Here's a quick video I made of it on youtube...please add any suggestions of any other parts I should order. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5WWEfKIOwk Quote
falconvan Posted February 18, 2016 Report Posted February 18, 2016 Very cool ride; I didn't know the Diplomat model was made back in the 50's. I like hot rodding the old Mopars but I think this one I'd have to keep original because of the rarity of it. Quote
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