New Route For '41?

[mattimuss]

Hey All,

 

I spent last week & weekend in Florida attending my Gramps funeral.  He was 98 1/2 years old when he passed and lived an AWESOME life.  Seven children, sixteen grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren and four great-great grand children.  He slid into home base totally wore out and smokin' :-)  He was a huge influence on me and will be sorely missed...

 

While attending I got to spend considerable time with my Uncle Tom [U-T], another great man who has had a strong influence on me.  A lot of our conversations were about Gramps, the numerous old cars he had owned, and about the '41 that I have inherited that once belonged to both Gramps and U-T.  I have to say that I sat there shocked, mouth agape, during the conversation...U-T informed me that my plan to keep the car as close to original is not what he, or Gramps, would have done.

 

He then went on to advise me to leave the exterior/interior as close to original as possible, but to upgrade the drive-line/suspension/brakes/electrical to make the car safer, more reliable, easier to maintain.

 

Now, before anyone cries "foul", and any bashing starts, I am not certain I will change my mind.  But I would like to hear from those who have "upgraded" their cars.  Here's the info I am looking for:

Engine?

Trans?

Rear-end?

Brakes?

Tires?

Radiator?

Problems/hiccups during upgrades?

Things to stay away from.

 

Thanks in advance for any info given.  Feel free to PM me if you prefer.

 

 

[matt167]

The Flatheads are so reliable, with parts still available that about all you need to do is add some modern disc brakes and probably a rear axle. Plymouth would be a 3spd anyway so no fluid drive or complex self shifting. Unless it's a car that needs everything.

[Mark Haymond]

A dual reservoir master cylinder and disk brakes will be a big safety improvement. You can take your time to decide all the other stuff, according to your own schedule, fabrication skills, and budget.

[allbizz49]

Front discs, t5, Cherokee rear, drive the piss out of it.

[Mark Haymond]

I will say this in jest but other owners who have done it may agree in spirit. Carefully list the dollar cost of all your drivetrain upgrade parts. Multiply by three. Calculate the number of weeks for the complete upgrade project. Multiply that by ten. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

my 1948 Plymouth Business Coupe looks like a 1948 business coupe on the outside save for 2007 alloy wheels from Ma Mopar and tinted glass all around....the interior and drivetrain is all upgraded and basically a 2004 model in ALL aspects.....try it, you'll like it...

Edited April 13, 2018 by Plymouthy Adams

[brian b]

What you need to ask yourself is what are you going to do with the car?  If all you desire is to take it to the local car show once in a while,  Do the disc brake upgrade and run the original engine.  If you will feel limited having a car top out at 60 on the interstate,  maybe an engine upgrade is the ticket.  My 39 coupe was hot rodded long ago, so all I've known is the 440 V8,  and I  like hot rods.  If you have never owned an old car, you may want to get it running if you can, before doing anything expensive.  It may sound like blasphemy on this list, but some guys find out they don't like driving a pre war car.  Its far different from a modern car, or even a sixties car.  Can't drive them with one finger like a modern car.  Be careful spending money you may not get back.

 

                                                                                                                                                                        brian b

[mattimuss]

Thanks ALL for your replies so far!

 

The car is 99% original and I have spent the last two+ years getting it road worthy.  I limit myself to local shows simply because it's not safe to drive it on the highways in Southern CA. Not that the car isn't safe, it's the other drivers that scare the crap outta me!  I would like to take it to shows further away, and that may be what makes my decision.

 

I personally do not mind "restomod" cars, and have liked many that I have seen.  I have kept the car as original as possible simply because that's what I thought my Gramps and U-T wanted.  And I do like the attention it gets.

 

I have not put a lot of thought into what drive-line I would put into it if I do decide to go "restomod", but I do know that it will be a MoPar setup.  Thinking about it as I read/write here I think either a 225 /6 or an LA 318 v8 with an automatic transmission, Scarbird disc brake setup, and a decent rearend and 12 volt electric system sounds like a good way to go.

 

 

[TodFitch]

Braking is probably the most scary thing for me on a SoCal freeway. Tiny drums without power assist, and with a small tire contact patch on the pavement, don't compete well with four wheel power assisted anti-lock discs with a large rubber contact area on the pavement. My trick on that is to find a 18 wheeler and follow it: A loaded 18 wheeler has about the same acceleration and braking as my car, in California they are limited to 55 MPH which means they typically go about 64 MPH which my car can do, and it is big so people see it.

 

There is at least one other person in SoCal with a 41 Plymouth that takes theirs on the freeway. I posted this in another thread a few weeks ago. I have no idea how stock the running gear is but based on the tires fitted it hasn't be updated a huge amount.

 

 

[knuckleharley]

5 hours ago, mattimuss said:

 

Things to stay away from.

 

 

 

 

Anything that doesn't need to be done. I would definitely consider a dual-outlet master cylinder that mounts below the floor,and all new brake parts and lines for safety reasons,but unless you are planning on racing the car or pulling a trailer over mountains at highway speed,if your car is in good mechanical condition it will handle any normal driving with ease.

 

When your uncle and your gramps were talking about modifying the car it was probably 20 + years ago,the car was worth 20 bucks,and the woods were full of them. Original cars that run and drive are worth considerably more money than that and are as desirable to most people as the modern street rods these days.

 

Doctors have a slogan that states "Do no harm". MY slogan is "If it ain't broke,don't fix it."

[pflaming]

I certainly agree with your uncles, upgrade for safety. And I do what Todd does, I travel with the big rigs, but far enough back so I can see down the road, or one lane to their left in lighter traffic. 

Edited April 12, 2018 by pflaming

[Andydodge]

Interesting comments & replies from others and thats good because it gives you a variety of views and opinions, all of which may help, but in the long run its your car and really depending on your skills, experience, knowledge and of course money then those factors will determine what you should do.....my 2 cents worth is that if its basically a nice original stocker then I'd upgrade the brakes and wheels & tyres but leave the stock engine or change to a later 230 and hot it up but keep the original engine just in case you want to return it to stock..........the 41 Coupe I had was getting a 230/5 speed, diff and brakes upgraded, lowered and wheel/tyre change but that was it........as I said it depends on what you want just make sure you are happy with what you do as its your car...........andyd     

[Adam H P15 D30]

If you’re driving on So Cal freeways, put disc brakes on it, save the car and possibly your life. After a few scary shoulder slides in my 49, I put disc brakes and modern drum brakes (rear) so I can be safer on my No Cal freeways. Night and day difference, still not where modern cars are but much closer.