1951 Coronet Coupe

[Dan Heston]

Just picked up a 1951 2dr Coronet from a 40 year auto cocoon here in AZ.  The exterior is decent but very patina'd.  Interior is gone as is all glass except the back (lucky there).  We got the flathead to breath life again so that's good.  I will be bringing the vehicle to a pro to have the trunk floor completely redone as holes the size of my fist are abundant.  

 

Brakes are first, is there a recommendation for a rebuild kit for the master cylinder or should I just buy a new one? The old is out and the bore is still very smooth.  Any advice here is welcome. Thanks, Dan.

[knuckleharley]

6 hours ago, Dan Heston said:

Just picked up a 1951 2dr Coronet from a 40 year auto cocoon here in AZ.  The exterior is decent but very patina'd.  Interior is gone as is all glass except the back (lucky there).  We got the flathead to breath life again so that's good.  I will be bringing the vehicle to a pro to have the trunk floor completely redone as holes the size of my fist are abundant.  

 

Brakes are first, is there a recommendation for a rebuild kit for the master cylinder or should I just buy a new one? The old is out and the bore is still very smooth.  Any advice here is welcome. Thanks, Dan.

Different thoughts on master cylinders. If it were me,I would buy a rebuilt one from White Post Restorations that has a stainless steel sleeve installed in it ,or just buy a kit to put a dual-outlet master cylinder on it,and leaning hard on the dual outlet master cylinder. I wouldn't go for the power brake option,though.

 

If  I were putting new brakes on a drive car from scratch,I wouldn't even consider a single outlet master cylinder. I can see them for a restored show car,but not for a driver car.

 

Don't even think of rebuilding the wheel cylinders. You can search around by partnumber and buy then new cheaper than you can buy a rebuild kit. I was being quoted a price right at 100 bucks each for wheel cylinder for my 39 IHC PU,and I did a web search for the parts numbers and bought brand new US made wheel cylinders from Amazon for $4.50 each. Come to find out the 53-54 Corvettes used the same wheel cylinders,as did other more common cars.

 

BTW,go ahead and replace the brake lines,too. No matter how good they look on the outside,they are steel,and there is no telling how much rust there is on the inside. Use the new copper-nickel brake lines and never have to worry about rust in or out again.

 

Replace all the rubber hoses,too.

 

Then plan on fitting a new reproduction gas tank (plastic or galvanized) into your budget,and use copper-steel brake lines for gas lines,too. I have a couple of tanks from Tanks,Inc in different cars,and have nothing but good things to say about them. The price is even good.

 

The last tank I pulled off maybe a year ago looked good until I pulled it off. VERY little rust on the bottom. The top had a hole I could stick my fist through,though.

Edited September 4, 2018 by knuckleharley

[Dan Heston]

That's great advice.  We are going to leave the car as original as possible with a few exceptions.  We may convert to a 12v system eventually but will keep the 6v for now.  The brakes are a must for the next project to finish.

 

A dual cylinder is a great idea.  Is that one for front and one for back or left/right?  We'll keep the drums too for a while but might convert to front disc later.

[Dan Heston]

That's great advice.  We are going to leave the car as original as possible with a few exceptions.  We may convert to a 12v system eventually but will keep the 6v for now.  The brakes are a must for the next project to finish.

 

A dual cylinder is a great idea.  Is that one for front and one for back or left/right?  We'll keep the drums too for a while but might convert to front disc later.

 

******

Knuckleharley, we pulled the tank from the remains of the trunk floor.  I filled it to the top with water and pulled the sending unit. It didnt leak and I was hoping to do the rust removal, acetone, acid, and sealer treatment to save a couple hundred.  

 

I'm with you on the brake lines and hoses.  Great advice.  

[knuckleharley]

9 minutes ago, Dan Heston said:

That's great advice.  We are going to leave the car as original as possible with a few exceptions.  We may convert to a 12v system eventually but will keep the 6v for now.  The brakes are a must for the next project to finish.

 

A dual cylinder is a great idea.  Is that one for front and one for back or left/right?  We'll keep the drums too for a while but might convert to front disc later.

 

******

Knuckleharley, we pulled the tank from the remains of the trunk floor.  I filled it to the top with water and pulled the sending unit. It didnt leak and I was hoping to do the rust removal, acetone, acid, and sealer treatment to save a couple hundred.  

 

I'm with you on the brake lines and hoses.  Great advice.  

I hope you have better luck with old gas tanks than me.  My positive results are zero.

 

On the dual outlet master cylinders,one outlet goes to the front brakes and one goes to the rear,

[Dan Heston]

Thanks for the help.  I'm also trying to figure out if the vehicle number is coded in such a way as more modern vehicles to show trim, color, & options?

 

Anyone have some history with this? 

[Dodgeed]

Curious as to whether or not you intend to keep the patina? I like the look of it as it is. ?

[Dan Heston]

Dodgeed, I love the patina too, but it's my 12 year old's car and he wants it painted eventually.  He likes the teal and white top look with those colors inside too.

[Dodgeed]

On 9/4/2018 at 9:04 PM, Dan Heston said:

Dodgeed, I love the patina too, but it's my 12 year old's car and he wants it painted eventually.  He likes the teal and white top look with those colors inside too.

Yeah, I get it. I gave my son my 10 year old Dodge, when he was 15, and we kept it pretty much as it was for the next 30 years, but, about 3 years ago, he decided to have it torn down, rebuilt, and rehabbed. Total restoration, pretty much. That car is now 46 years old, as is he, and I guess he can pretty much do whatever he wants w/it. ?

[Dan Heston]

Dodgeed, I really hope my boy keeps this one for a long time too.  I would prob buy it from him if he ever talked of getting rid of it.  Currently, we are going through a rewire and 12v conversion of the car now.  I am trying to find a new ignition switch for it.  The original one has a metal tube containing an affixed wire inside and the tube extends through the firewall.  The NOS switches don't have that so I'm hoping they'll work. Any insight?

[knuckleharley]

On 9/4/2018 at 5:48 PM, Dan Heston said:

Knuckleharley, we pulled the tank from the remains of the trunk floor.  I filled it to the top with water and pulled the sending unit. It didnt leak and I was hoping to do the rust removal, acetone, acid, and sealer treatment to save a couple hundred.  

 

 

You are just delaying the inevitable while wasting time and money. There is no way in hell the inside of that old tank is still coated,and when you start driving it the ethanol will start coating the inside with rust. Even before it rusts out flakes of rust will be clogging your fuel filter or causing you to rebuild your carb.

Save time and labor you can use on other things and just go ahead and buy a Tank,Inc brand new coated gas tank for around 230 bucks,and replace the hard gas lines with the same copper-nickel lines you used for the brakes,replace all the rubber lines with new rubber gas lines designed to stand up to ethanol,and rebuild or buy a rebuild fuel pump rated to work with ethanol.

You will be sorry if you don't. A couple of rollback rides back home could easily cover the expenses.

[wayfarer]

On 9/4/2018 at 2:48 PM, Dan Heston said:

That's great advice.  We are going to leave the car as original as possible with a few exceptions.  We may convert to a 12v system eventually but will keep the 6v for now.  The brakes are a must for the next project to finish.

 

A dual cylinder is a great idea.  Is that one for front and one for back or left/right?  We'll keep the drums too for a while but might convert to front disc later.

 

******

Knuckleharley, we pulled the tank from the remains of the trunk floor.  I filled it to the top with water and pulled the sending unit. It didnt leak and I was hoping to do the rust removal, acetone, acid, and sealer treatment to save a couple hundred.  

 

I'm with you on the brake lines and hoses.  Great advice.  

Considering the costs to rebuild the stock system you might want to reconsider the disc and save some long-term money.

[Dan Heston]

That's a good point.  Is there a good conversion kit for front discs on these old rides?

[rhelm1953]

I installed the eci disc brakes and dual master cylinder kit in my 1950 Plymouth.  The kit is high quality and bolted in with a minimum of fiddling.  I did not use a power booster and the brakes have a good feel and pedal effort.

[Hickory]

Boy I love the look of that car. I own a 4 door Royal and called it sexy, with the comment of a 4 door being sexy came with a 2 door vs 4 door appearance discussion. Your car looks like a 4 door with only 2. I love it.

[Dan Heston]

Thanks @Hickory, we love her.  Her name is Sharlene, after the dear friend and woman who owned her.  My son and I are getting through a complete rewire project.  We built our own harness and have added a few things along the way too.