MoparMontana Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 Hi there, I'm not much of a forum guy but wanted to share this because I think it's going to be a really exciting project on many levels. I have been asked by a gentleman in Belgium to prepare his TJ Richards-bodied 1933 Dodge Roadster for the 2019 Peking to Paris Rally. While remaining very original in appearance, it will be powered by a meticulously prepared 230, a T5 transmission, and a more modern rear axle to dependably concur the arduous 8,000+ mile trip. Other than those three items the car will remain 100% period correct and unmodified in any way. Stay tuned, it going to be a bumpy ride, pun intended. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregarious13 Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 Cool! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 In what ways is a " TJ Richards-bodied 1933 Dodge Roadster " any different that any other 33 Dodge roadster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 Very nice car ! Do you know what the more modern rear axle installed was from ? I have a 33 Plymouth sedan with a 4.37 rear gear ratio that I would like to replace with a better ratio for cruising that will work with the original wire wheels. I tried a mid 50's Plymouth with a 3.9 ratio but the wire wheels don't work with the 50's brake drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 51 minutes ago, knuckleharley said: In what ways is a " TJ Richards-bodied 1933 Dodge Roadster " any different that any other 33 Dodge roadster? Means the body was designed and built in Australia for running gear (and possibly front sheet metal) imported from North America. Not sure on Dodge, but there were no North American built roadsters in 1933 for Plymouth. Only convertible coupes (roll up windows rather than side curtains, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 7 minutes ago, TodFitch said: Means the body was designed and built in Australia for running gear (and possibly front sheet metal) imported from North America. Not sure on Dodge, but there were no North American built roadsters in 1933 for Plymouth. Only convertible coupes (roll up windows rather than side curtains, etc.). You mean Cabriolets,right? IMHO,the 33-34 cabriolets were the only cars made prettier than the coupes. I can see why people cheerfully pay stupid money to own one. I'd own one,maybe even two,if I had stupid money to spend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) 51 minutes ago, Reg Evans said: Very nice car ! Do you know what the more modern rear axle installed was from ? I have a 33 Plymouth sedan with a 4.37 rear gear ratio that I would like to replace with a better ratio for cruising that will work with the original wire wheels. I tried a mid 50's Plymouth with a 3.9 ratio but the wire wheels don't work with the 50's brake drums. Reg,probably a stupid question,but is there some reason you can't use your original brake drums on a 50 rear? BTW,my rustbucket 33 Plymouth coupe is sitting outside right now with more modern factory mopar steel wheels bolted to it. The guy I bought it from wanted to keep the wire wheels,so I sold them back to him. AFAIK,all the brake drums are original on that car,and it had wire wheels on it when it was delivered. Edited January 23, 2018 by knuckleharley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 1 hour ago, MoparMontana said: Hi there, I'm not much of a forum guy but wanted to share this because I think it's going to be a really exciting project on many levels. I have been asked by a gentleman in Belgium to prepare his TJ Richards-bodied 1933 Dodge Roadster for the 2019 Peking to Paris Rally. While remaining very original in appearance, it will be powered by a meticulously prepared 230, a T5 transmission, and a more modern rear axle to dependably concur the arduous 8,000+ mile trip. Other than those three items the car will remain 100% period correct and unmodified in any way. Stay tuned, it going to be a bumpy ride, pun intended. was ther ever a change to bigger tire or rims there seems to be alot of space from the top of the rear wheels to the bottom of the rear fender well also for the front wheel. In the outback country roads not being paved maybe they chnage the tires for more clearance. i know the plymouths had the optional bigger rims for when they had to go into the back country roads here in the states. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 33 minutes ago, knuckleharley said: Reg,probably a stupid question,but is there some reason you can't use your original brake drums on a 50 rear? BTW,my rustbucket 33 Plymouth coupe is sitting outside right now with more modern factory mopar steel wheels bolted to it. The guy I bought it from wanted to keep the wire wheels,so I sold them back to him. AFAIK,all the brake drums are original on that car,and it had wire wheels on it when it was delivered. Yes Knuckle, the reason I couldn't use the original drums on the later rear end was due to the fact that the '33 axles are smaller in diameter than the mid 50's. The profile of the original wheels is much different than the later wheels so that the wire wheels were not coming in contact with the later drums where the lug nut holes are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevinb71 Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 Hey this looks like a really interesting buildup! Please keep us up to date. Is the picture his actual car that you will be modifying? I see the UK or other plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 1 hour ago, knuckleharley said: You mean Cabriolets,right? IMHO,the 33-34 cabriolets were the only cars made prettier than the coupes. I can see why people cheerfully pay stupid money to own one. I'd own one,maybe even two,if I had stupid money to spend. I suppose other companies may have marketed that body style as a cabriolet, but the Plymouth marketing literature called it a convertible coupe and I think Chrysler was pretty consistent across its various makes in regard to naming body styles. More examples: The body style that Chevrolet (and the S.A.E.) called a "coach", Ford called a Tudor and Plymouth called a "two door sedan". And what the S.A.E. called a "sedan", Ford called a Fordor and Plymouth called a "four door sedan" (not sure what Chevy called that one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 2 minutes ago, TodFitch said: (not sure what Chevy called that one). junk....but then I may just be a bit harsh on them.... 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 18 minutes ago, TodFitch said: I suppose other companies may have marketed that body style as a cabriolet, but the Plymouth marketing literature called it a convertible coupe and I think Chrysler was pretty consistent across its various makes in regard to naming body styles. Thanks for the correction. I called it a Cabriolet because every Mopar I have seen for sale with a canvas top and rollup windows was advertised as a Cabriolet. Whatever you call them,they are beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoparMontana Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 26 minutes ago, knuckleharley said: Thanks for the correction. I called it a Cabriolet because every Mopar I have seen for sale with a canvas top and rollup windows was advertised as a Cabriolet. Whatever you call them,they are beautiful. By my understanding, I have always considered a car with- 1. a convertible top 2. no roll up side windows 3. a windshield that is not part of the cowl a "roadster". A convertible coupe, IMO, would have roll up windows and a fixed windshield frame like my '33 Chrysler CO6 convertible coupe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoparMontana Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 3 hours ago, knuckleharley said: In what ways is a " TJ Richards-bodied 1933 Dodge Roadster " any different that any other 33 Dodge roadster? TJ Richards was a body builder in Australia. They built 1933 Dodge roadsters on 1933 Dodge 111" commercial (aka 1/2 ton pickup) chassis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 6 minutes ago, MoparMontana said: By my understanding, I have always considered a car with- 1. a convertible top 2. no roll up side windows 3. a windshield that is not part of the cowl a "roadster". A convertible coupe, IMO, would have roll up windows and a fixed windshield frame like my '33 Chrysler CO6 convertible coupe. That's right,rub it in. I guess that's an unrestored original,too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoparMontana Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Kevinb71 said: Hey this looks like a really interesting buildup! Please keep us up to date. Is the picture his actual car that you will be modifying? I see the UK or other plates. Yes, the actual car. It's an older photo. The gentleman who bought it stripped it to prep for the rally. We are actually receiving it disassembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoparMontana Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) 4 minutes ago, knuckleharley said: That's right,rub it in. I guess that's an unrestored original,too? No rubbing. Just trying to clarify. My '33 is mostly original, including the paint. When I bought it, it had a tired 40's 218. I drove it for several year until the 218 gave up. I put a fresh, high compression hopped up '54 265" L-6 and overdrive in it last winter, but other than that it is still stock. Edited January 24, 2018 by MoparMontana typos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 I was informed long back that the true definition of the Cabriolet as first used in European cars was a convertible that also had an inner headliner that hid the folding mechanism completely from view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 17 minutes ago, MoparMontana said: TJ Richards was a body builder in Australia. They built 1933 Dodge roadsters on 1933 Dodge 111" commercial (aka 1/2 ton pickup) chassis. Once again I am proven wrong. I have just been assuming the pickup (1/4 or 1/2 ton in 33?) was build on the same chassis as the cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoparMontana Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 6 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: I was informed long back that the true definition of the Cabriolet as first used in European cars was a convertible that also had an inner headliner that hid the folding mechanism completely from view. Interesting. I'll be doing some Goolging tonight... not that it really matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoparMontana Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 3 minutes ago, knuckleharley said: Once again I am proven wrong. I have just been assuming the pickup (1/4 or 1/2 ton in 33?) was build on the same chassis as the cars. Very similar with some very small changes. Learning more every day. We were surprised to find this weekend when looking at several chassis back to back that the frame rails of the longer wheelbase trucks were made from heavier gauge steel than the 1/2 tons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatie46 Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 Wow! Really cool exciting project! Keep us updated as you progress. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUSTYSNACK Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 Very cool, I'll be following this for sure!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp15cspecial Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 Cool project looking foward to reading this as i have a 33 TJ Richards body sedan Cheers Gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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