51 Cranbrook gasser

[1951Cranbrook]

Hi,

Where would I find the hub to hub width for my Cranbrook front end? I am turning my Plymouth into a 4 door gasser and need any advice I can get, especially if you have any experience. So far I am thinking of getting a Speedway kit. I can't go stock because of the butchering and rot that was done to the car before I brought it home. It also has no steering, so any help with that would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks!

John

[Plymouthy Adams]

if you  have the car at your place you should be able to remove the wheels, set a square against the hub...scribe a line..do the same to the other side and then measure between the scribe lines for you hub to hub.

[captden29]

there is a gasser made out of I think a 50 Plymouth. I saw it at a car show about 3 years ago and I bought the t shirt. I cannot find that shirt but I think the name of the car was high -------? someone on this site will remember it. the builder is still around and if you can find the website he will be a great resource.    capt den

[knuckleharley]

28 minutes ago, captden29 said:

there is a gasser made out of I think a 50 Plymouth. I saw it at a car show about 3 years ago and I bought the t shirt. I cannot find that shirt but I think the name of the car was high -------? someone on this site will remember it. the builder is still around and if you can find the website he will be a great resource.    capt den

I THINK you might be talking about one of the first "Ramchargers" drag cars. A 50 Plymouth business coupe called the "High and Mighty" with no rear fenders,headers that looked like spaghetti sticking out in all directions,Jacked up high off the ground for weight transfer,and so ugly it's photo should be with the word "ugly" in the dictionary. It was however,insanely fast.

This car may have been the inspiration for the saying that "Aerodynamics is for Chevrolet drivers and other sissies who can't make enough power to go fast.",but that's just my own theory.

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/video-the-story-of-the-original-ramchargers-racing-team/

[49D-24BusCpe]

    The car you're referring to was the Ramcharger's first club effort, and it was a '49 Plymouth Business Coupe named the "High & Mighty". The car ran in the C/A class.

[LAKOTA169]

High and Mighty. I believe this is a clone of the one built by the original Ramchargers. It was brought to our 2008 Grand National Meet from the Chrysler Museum.

 

 

[knuckleharley]

5 minutes ago, LAKOTA169 said:

High and Mighty. I believe this is a clone of the one built by the original Ramchargers. It was brought to our 2008 Grand National Meet from the Chrysler Museum.

 

Yup,the original was powered by a 413 and inspired the factory 413 Max Wedge.

One of my biggest thrills as a young teen was being in the pitts as one of these 4000 lb monsters that were about as aerodynamic as a brick would come rumbling through on the way back from a low-12 second run on 7 inch street tires,with the open headers beating a tune on the cement I could FEEL as they moved past me. The GM guys just quit showing up. A few 406 Fords showed up to make it interesting,but the 413 Max Wedges just flat dominated.

Edited November 23, 2016 by knuckleharley

[DJ194950]

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0909sr-1950-plymouth-three-window-coupe

I was surrised how long ago this article was,

Streetrodder  mag. showed this in the past and if I remember right the front straight axle was  from  Speedway Motors. Probably same width front suspension as your car.

This is  part 2 but there was more besides part 1, I'll leave it up to you to find them online as it was covered over a fair amount of time.

Cannot seem to find much more early info- Magazine was sold to HotRod Mag. and things are not working well on past articles as before- Sorry maybe no help after all.

DJ

Edited November 23, 2016 by DJ194950
Update1

[Don Coatney]

The car arrived at the 2008 show in an enclosed trailer. The headers had to be removed for the car to fit in the trailer. At the show they re-installed the headers and fired it up. It rattled the windows in the hotel.

[Young Ed]

The story I read and what they told us with the replica is that the original had a hemi pulled from a truck. I believe a 354. 

http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v172/dodgepu1946/detroit/HighMighty.mp4

 

 

Edited November 23, 2016 by Young Ed

[1951Cranbrook]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm likely to go with a Speedway kit for the front axle. Probably with a straight sub frame. Anyone ever put a straight axle on a curved frame before?

[1951Cranbrook]

HI,

I am turning my Cranbrook into a gasser and wondered if anyone has experience do this? My car is in a serious state of disrepair which makes it hard to find exact measurements, so I have a couple of questions:

What is the hub to hub width of the front axle on a 51?

How wide is the car at the front fenderwells?

Thanks. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

John

[Dave72dt]

You're going to want the front sheetmetal off the car to do any of the suspension work needed.  With that thought in mind, measure across the top of the fenders to a marked reference point, remove the front sheet metal as a unit, reset the fenders to the same dimensions you just measured and then measure your fenderwells.  While it's off , remove the front wheels, clamp some uprights to the hub surface and measure between them for your hub to hub.  Simple problem solving and this project will take long enough and present enough problems to overcome, you have plenty of time to do this.  Getting the steering geometry correct will be extremely important in a gasser setup.  If it's not, it will be wicked to drive and more likely a weapon that will get someone hurt.  A gasser style is not a plan I'd recommend for a novice.  Find someone who's done it and can physically lead you through it.