I Can’t Help Falling In love...1951 Dodge

[dpollo]

This particular model had a 25 inch 3 3/8 bore 218 and any oil filter would be the optional (on this model) Bypass type.

The car is rare in that less than 500  D39 Business Coupes were made and many were part of fleets like the BC Public Health Nurses

and BC Elactric.   A few got burned up on our local circle track where they did well because of their light weight and the ease with which a 251

could be built up inside the stock block.

[keithb7]

Not helping! Dpollo. 

 

Just kidding. Interesting info. Yet more reasons why I should buy this car. 

[dpollo]

..... and what can we do to slide you into this sweet little unit today ?        also just kidding

[RobertKB]

Not kidding. Get it!! They are great and unusual cars with only 345 made in 1951 and I am the lucky owner of one! The car is actually much further along than the second picture shows. All body parts are now on and all wiring completed. Basically just the interior left. Just showed the driver's side as the green fender made me choose the colour I did. I remember as a kid that a lot of these cars were the green shown. Colour is slightly different to what shows as the car is under fluorescent lights.

 

Keep your Chrysler as well. These kind of deals do not come often and if the car checks out well, you can always find room or rent a space somewhere. You only live once!! Carpe Diem!!

 

 

 

 

I did manage to sneak another picture in to show where the car is presently at in its restoration.

 

Edited February 20, 2018 by RobertKB

[Dodgeb4ya]

Beautiful professional job!

Love the nice hood medallion detail... looks new?

Is it plastic (AKA 1952) ?

[classiccarjack]

Robert,

 

Your car is a beauty!

[RobertKB]

13 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Beautiful professional job!

Love the nice hood medallion detail... looks new?

Is it plastic (AKA 1952) ?

 

Thanks for the compliment. The original was plastic and beyond saving. I thought I had found a correct Canadian metal one for the car based on the part number provided by the seller. It turned out to be for the US Dodge and would not fit my car. I noticed that the bolts holes were the same size though so modified the US medallion. Canadian Dodge is really a Plymouth with Dodge trim (Plogde) and the medallion needed a bit more curvature to it. I put it on the edge of my bench and gently bent it to fit. First time perfect except I did damage the black in it. I used a filler there and painted it black. Up close you can notice if I point it out but otherwiswe it's hard to tell. Getting a new '51 Canadian Dodge medallion proved impossible for me so I improvised.

 

As can be seen in the first picture the middle D is missing. Again, due to curvature, the D for a Canadian Dodge was a different part number than its US counterpart. I did find an NOS Canadian one from a Canadian supplier. Sometime you do get lucky! All other letters are original to the car but needed drilling, tapping, and a small bolt minus its head put in so I could get a nut on. All previous attachments were broken off or badly damaged. This was a long and laborious process but worked out OK.

Edited February 20, 2018 by RobertKB

[pflaming]

Will that grill fit in a '53 Plymouth? It would be very close, that is a great grill.

[dpollo]

no, that grill fits only 51 and 2  However the 53 Canadian Dodge used a scaled down version of the American Dodge Grill and the same for 54.

[John Reddie]

Great rare cars. Gotta keep as many going as we can. Superb resto job Robert KB.

JOHN r

[RobertKB]

3 hours ago, John Reddie said:

Great rare cars. Gotta keep as many going as we can. Superb resto job Robert KB.

JOHN r

 

Thanks for the compliment! It is going to be a driver, not a trailer queen. I had the engine professionally rebuilt and I intend to put a lot of miles on it. I'm 69 and hope to be driving this car for 10-15 years and try to wear it out. LOL  One trip I want to do is from where I live in Lethbridge, Alberta to Vancouver Island to visit dpollo, also on this thread, who has helped me with advice and lots of difficult to find parts. About 800 miles one way.

Edited February 24, 2018 by RobertKB

[1950 Special Deluxe]

+1 to dpollo

He helped me out with my 1950 Dodge as well.

He gave me some valuable advice and with his help my car went from a   _O_GE on the front hood to a DODGE. 

Edited February 25, 2018 by 1950 Special Deluxe

[rhelm1953]

"One trip I want to do is from where I live in Lethbridge, Alberta to Vancouver Island to visit dpollo, also on this thread, who has helped me with advice and lots of difficult to find parts. About 800 miles one way. "

 

I like the thinking, ya gotta love old cars with bugs in their teeth!

[John Reddie]

13 hours ago, 1950 Special Deluxe said:

+1 to dpollo

He helped me out with my 1950 Dodge as well.

He gave me some valuable advice and with his help my car went from a   _O_GE on the front hood.

I wrote to dpollo once regarding the differences in the '51 and '52 Plymouths and received a most informative response. I also really enjoyed his articles in the Plymouth Bulletins, in patricular, The Sylvan Lake garage stories (I hope that is the correct title). Thanks to dpollo for all the helpful input.

John R

[dpollo]

Thank you all for the kind words.  Made my day.   It has been a pleasure to help and it is nice to know there are others out there who share my passion for Chrysler's products of that era.

 

Funny about the Sylvan stories.  I had the last  one  all doped out but it never came to life. I felt that I had reached the limit of my experience and besides, it was my friends' Fords and Chevrolets that required the most fixing.   Of course the stories were modeled after Popular Science's Gus Wilson series, all of which can now be read on line at Mike Hammerberg's site.

Just Google Gus Wilson.  Highly recommended.

 

I will look forward to meeting Robert KB and will make him feel very welcome.  Same goes for other Forum members who may visit Vancouver Island.

[keithb7]

On 2/16/2018 at 7:01 AM, dpollo said:

If you send me a PM I can put you in touch with the owner of a similar car who did go to look at this one.

 

@dpollo PM-ing you. I can't get this car outta my head.

 

[55 Fargo]

2 hours ago, keithb7 said:

 

@dpollo PM-ing you. I can't get this car outta my head.

 

You want it? Then buy it and enjoy.

I would have bought a few nice cars the past little while if I could afford it.

I like my truck but miss my old 40s Mopar car just dont miss 6 volt systems...lol

[keithb7]

20 minutes ago, 55 Fargo Spitfire said:

 

I like my truck but miss my old 40s Mopar car just dont miss 6 volt systems...lol

 

I only have a year into my 6V system so far. No problems once I performed required maintenance. What headaches should I expect with a 6V system? So far I can’t complain. Maybe ignoance is bliss?

[Dodgeb4ya]

Keep a H-Duty  Group 2 battery up to Maximum charge... high amperage ( for 6 volt ) factory sized or larger battery cables... super clean cable connections and good grounding connection...and in good tune... then you should be trouble free.

I've run my 6 volt cars straight 8's, Hemi's too.... still all factory 6 volt.

I get double the life of a group 2 using group 4's with a slight battery tray and hold down modification on the straight 8 cars..

[keithb7]

Last year I bought a new 6V commercial grade battery. 640 CCA. 130 min Reserve Capacity. 

 

Upgraded battery cable to new. I built a few. I cant remember the gauge. Pretty heavy. 

 

 

[55 Fargo]

58 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

 

I only have a year into my 6V system so far. No problems once I performed required maintenance. What headaches should I expect with a 6V system? So far I can’t complain. Maybe ignoance is bliss?

No there fine. Just prefer 12 volt faster cranking in the heat and cold.

4 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

Last year I bought a new 6V commercial grade battery. 640 CCA. 130 min Reserve Capacity. 

 

Upgraded battery cable to new. I built a few. I cant remember the gauge. Pretty heavy. 

 

 

Used 2/0 cables on the 6 volt system.

Have 1/0  on myb12 volt system and most likely overkill.

I can live with a 6 volt system again especially in a car with the M5 trans or a radio.

All other items no issues to convert if it warranted that, which most times it doesn't...

[55 Fargo]

Without sidetracking the thread my old 47 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe.

It was 6 volts

 

[RobertKB]

7 hours ago, keithb7 said:

 

@dpollo PM-ing you. I can't get this car outta my head.

 

 

Easily explained. Like many of us on the forum you have caught a disease called "NeedmoreMoparflatheaditis". There is no known cure. Temporary relief may be provided by buying a 1951 Dodge business coupe. 

[B-Watson]

On 2018-02-22 at 3:36 PM, dpollo said:

no, that grill fits only 51 and 2  However the 53 Canadian Dodge used a scaled down version of the American Dodge Grill and the same for 54.

 

The 1941-1952 US Dodges used the DeSoto-Chrysler body and for 1953 the U.S. Dodge moved to the Plymouth body.  The sedan and club coupe had the rear axle moved back 5" thus increasing the wheelbase to 119".   The convertible, hardtop and wagon models were left on the Plymouth 114" wheelbase.   The front clips look the same, but the 114" models had a shorter front overhang than the 119" models.   You can see this on the 1954 models where the hood slopes down into the grille on the sedan and club coupe, but the shorter models have the hood end before the grille and drop down to the grille.  The Canadian 114" wheelbase models shared the 114" wheelbase front clip with the U.S. convertible, hardtop and wagon models.. 

 

In 1953, the D43 (Canada), D47 (6) and D48 (V8) all used the same front fenders and grille,  Hoods are interchangeable but the V8 D48 has a hood scoop.   The 119" models (D44 V8, D46 6 cyl) shared fenders and grille with hoods differing due to hood scoop.  Same held in 1954 - 114" wheelbase models (D49 (Canada),  D52 6 cyl, D53 V8) and likewise the 119" models (D50 V8, D51 6 cyl), with the V8 hoods having a hood scoop.

 

The only exception to the above was the 1954 119" wheelbase D53-2 Coronet V8 4 door wagon.  Bodies started out as 2 door 114" wagons and were shipped to Mitchell-Bentley where the bodies were extended 5".   M-B attached 4 door sedan front doors, the B pillar, and customized rear doors to the body.   The completed wagon body was then shipped back to Detroit where the body was painted, trimmed and lowered onto a 119" chassis.  The front clip, though, was the same as used on the 114" wheelbase models.

 

Grilles on the 1953 are the same for all models, while in 1954 the top differs between 114" and 119" wheelbase models. 

 

All the above according to the 1953-54 Passenger Car Parts List by Chrysler Corporation of Canada Limited.

 

The 1955 to 1959 Dodges all used the same front end clip, with trim according to series. 

 

The so-called "Canadian" Dodges were built in the U.S. for export markets, under the Kingsway name, around the world, outside of the U.S. and Canada.. 

 

 

[dpollo]

I will defer to your research but my hands on experience suggests to me that a 54 V-8 Royal  shares very few body parts with a 54 Mayfair.