Looking for info and tips for "updating" my 48 special deluxe coupe

[knuckleharley]

42 minutes ago, 48p15sdccoupe said:

Knuckle, this is the car I chose to build. Why start with a rusted out pile when I have a very nice cherry to start with ? So I’m not keeping it original that’s part of hot rodding is it not ?!? As far as cutting it up as I stated before I am looking for upgraded suspension to retain the original kingpin ifs I’m not sub framing it with a mustang 2. The car will run 70mph now but in short bursts, it runs out great but as I said I want to be able to drive it long distances at highway speed if necessary. (Driving the entire length of Route 66 is on bucket list while my grandfather is still kickin good and his 48 Ford is still able also late model running gear) the Ford drivetrain swap is simply because I already have everything that’s ready to go and built the way I want it. The car will be just as it is but with fresh re-paint, better running gear (? sorry couldn’t resist taking that stab) and overall safer brakes.....now I could understand if I was going to chop top and other radical stuff but that’s no where near what I wanna do...as far as knowing more then you I highly doubt it if I did I wouldn’t of posted asking questions. Now ask me if I enjoy seeing the mopar feather ruffled with the idea of a Ford drivetrain yes I enjoy that just as much as you guys love seeing a mopar drivetrain in everything. At the end of the day like others and myself have said it’s my car and I’ll do what I please with it. 

Who said you had to buy a rust pile?  It is a LOT easier to find these cars with no engines or bad engines than it is to find one running and ready to enjoy.

 

There are so many stripped or non-drivable cars out there,I just really hate to see one that is 90+ percent original and driveable modified. They are only original once,and you never get it back again.

 

BTW,if you insist on using the 5.0 Ford,buy a water pump from SHO and you won't have to recess the firewall. I forget how much shorter they are than standard water pumps right now,but IIRC,they are at least 2 inches shorter.

 

Be aware that the water outlet at the bottom in on a different side than the standard 5.0 water pump,so plan on either modifying your radiator or buying one for a Chevy engine.

[48p15sdccoupe]

I traded a 63 mercury comet custom on air ride for this car....but thank you for the water pump info, the 5.0 I’ve got is from an explorer along with the aod and 8.8 3:73 posi disc rear. Another forum on this site was talking about an 8.8 was a great swap as far as size and such for fitment.

[Andydodge]

AS for upgrading the front suspension my 40 Dodge has a pair of MOOG 41-54 cast steel aftermarket upper A arms with are a stronger variation on the 1941-1954  stock factory stamped steel upper A arm, a 9" shortened Austin 1800 rack & pinion with a 1" thick adjustable heim jointed sway bar, Oz 11" vented discs & heavy duty shocks, albeit still using the original upper mount which one day I'll change to a fixed chassis upper mount...........generally speaking the car rides & handles well tho' its still a 78 yr old car.........lol.........and yep the engine is mounted rather low.........lol..........andyd   

[Adam H P15 D30]

Hello 48p15,

Really nice car you have there and I also like the wheel/tire combo. As a hot rodder myself I’ve always believed there only needs to be one perfect example of an original and the rest can be modified, that said it would bother my conscience to cut your car up but you only have to please yourself and everyone else can go you know where. BUT you came on this forum pretty hard almost like a troll, so the advice you get here might be limited. A lot of the guys you had some friction with are the hot rodders here. 

A couple of upgrades are Rusty Hope front disc brakes, the master cyl I’ll leave up to you. I kept the stock one with the check valve removed and my 49 stops great. Relocate the front shocks for a better ride, just do a search here to find many write ups. The 8.8 explorer will fit nicely, I have one in my 47 and they are tough. There was an old thread here where someone adapted a later GM power steering box even using the stock pitman arm, I hate rack and pinion steering so I would NEVER add it to an old car. Fatman sells dropped uprights but you have to modify your steering arms. Poise makes dropped super slide springs so you don’t have to run such a tall block in the back. 

Just an added tidbit and I really don’t want to set you off but I worked at Ford for 20 years mostly doing drivetrain stuff and I went through a lot of AOD, AODE, 4R70W and 4R75W transmissions and I’ll tell you straight up, they don’t even come close to a 727 in brute strength. Closer to a 904. The A500 and A518 overdrives are also light years stronger. Built lotsa those too. 

 

FWIW,

Adam

[knuckleharley]

23 hours ago, 48p15sdccoupe said:

I traded a 63 mercury comet custom on air ride for this car....but thank you for the water pump info, the 5.0 I’ve got is from an explorer along with the aod and 8.8 3:73 posi disc rear. Another forum on this site was talking about an 8.8 was a great swap as far as size and such for fitment.

ATTEN: ALL

 

I screwed  up on the Ford water pump. You can buy one from any Ford dealer,and it comes from their SVO (Special Vehicle Operations Division,which means off-road and racing parts).

 

I have already edited my earlier post to show this correction,but since you have an immediate interest in this and so may some others,I decided to post the correct division in this post so it can be seen.

[DrDoctor]

4pP15sdccoupe,

   Well, I’ve read all of the posts in this topic, including those from those that I’ve placed on my ignored list. First of all, let me say this – it’s your car, and you can do whatever you want to with it. As for the nay-sayers – to put it politely – let them eat cake!!! And, to put it semi-impolitely – they can take a long walk off a short pier. And, to really put it impolitely – well, that’d probably get me banned, but if they’re too dumb to figure it out, I’d be glad to educate them. And as for the “smart a$$ comments”, you’re practically guaranteed to get them from him, so do as I do, and apparently others, too – ignore him!!!

   Now, as to the Ford drivetrain – you’ve got it, why not use it??? Small block Chevrolet’s with related drive trains are ubiquitous – no imagination required for that. I had a Pontiac, with a supercharged big-block Pontiac motor, Turbo 400 trans, and a Dana rear – not a “cookie-cutter” arrangement. I’ve had Fords, and the C-6 trans, and the top-loader 4-speed are practically bullet proof. I had a ’59 Plymouth Sport Fury that I hated, the engine was crap, and the Torqueflight trans didn’t come equipped with a “Park”, and that was a major pain in the @$$!!!

   Next, the car itself – having had a car that couldn’t clear a beer can lying down, I can attest to the problems that presents. I like your plan of raising the car to a more road-friendly height. I also like the idea of keeping it original looking, but modernizing the mechanicals. We’ve decided to do basically the same thing with our ‘46 Plymouth Special DeLuxe club coupe – keep the body and interior as original as possible, but put in a Ford 6-cylinder engine with an C-4 automatic trans, Ford rear, and I’m looking at using an early Ford Torino front end on the original frame (my Pontiac had a modified frame to accommodate the front suspension). In essence, our car will be a new car in an old body. We’ll be able to go where ever we want, without having to carry a warehouse full of spare parts in the trunk.

   In conclusion – I say go for it. It’ll be different, and if/when you decide to send it down the road, you’ll get a good price from someone in the right audience. In the meantime, enjoy it!!! And remember, opinions are like certain portions of human anatomy - liver, spleen, stomach, sphincter (getting closer . . .). Warmest regards . . .

Edited October 23, 2018 by DrDoctor

[maok]

To be constructive and not negative, whatever your budget is, double it, and whatever your time frame is, triple it.

 

That time and money is being robbed from your family from enjoying it the way it is, IMHO.

Edited October 23, 2018 by maok
spelling

[48p15sdccoupe]

Dr, i appropriate the support !! I wanted to be different then everyone else at the car shows so I got a Plymouth and to make it even more different it will be ford powered instead of the “cookie cutter” chevy drivetrain haha. The ultimate goal is to pass it down to one of my kiddos to be determined still which one.....

 

maok, time nor money is being robbed from my family, my kids are in the garage with me learning and “tinkering” on the car as much as they can. The entire reasoning behind modernizing the drivetrain, suspension and brakes is to ensure optimum safety for them to ride with me. I don’t care how many attest to “perfectly adjusted” drum brakes will never out do power disc brakes in performance or safety in my opinion. 

[Sharps40]

Build it your way.  Modern ford driveline will make it powerful and responsive for modern traffic.  The Independent front suspension should work when rebuilt, adding power disc will make it safer in modern traffic.  Power rack if you can.  Then, add some AC and you'll have comfort and reliability and a simpler ability to have it fixed should anything happen on the road.....go to the modern ford mechanic!

 

For those that like lumbering along on a flathead six with truck gears out back and a clashing tranny double clutching midway between and the ever present worry in the back of their mind about breaking down/did I pack enough spare parts in the trunk for the trip....I respect them.  They make a great choice for themselves....and themselves only. 

 

Go make a great choice for yourself!  And whatever you choose, enjoy it.  The 48 Special Deluxe Coupe is a serious contender in the Top 5 beauties of the post war period.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by Sharps40

[SteveR]

48p15sdccoupe

"my kids are in the garage with me learning and “tinkering” on the car as much as they can"

 

I love this idea. I remember the times I spent with my Dad. Go for it!

[48p15sdccoupe]

Thank ya sharps40, I love the sound of a flathead don’t get me wrong but I’m these days and times you need a lot more bogey to get out these crazies way. I’m a trucker by profession and it still amazes me at the crap ppl do while driving....

 

i spent a lot of time with my dad and papaw in the garage, the way I see it if they’re into cars they will be to broke to do drugs haha. Plus they are very good tool fetchers. 

[Sharps40]

Yep.  And the museum pieces are already in the museums.  Have fun with it and if anybody is acting like a turd about your plans, tell em to go lay in the yard!

Edited October 23, 2018 by Sharps40

[stan's52]

It's your car, and you can do anything you want to do with it, as I see it. Stan

[knuckleharley]

25 minutes ago, stan's52 said:

It's your car, and you can do anything you want to do with it, as I see it. Stan

That's not the point. No one ever said he couldn't do what he wanted to with it. The thing is he ASKED FOR ADVISE ABOUT WHAT TO DO. Some of us gave our opinions and he liked them,and others gave their opinions and then he and several other posters here seemed to take offense because they didn't like the advise given.

 

Given some of the original posters responses since the original post,I am fairly certain he didn't intend to offend anyone,but it sure looked that way at first.

 

Asking others for advise is a good thing,but you might not always get answers you like.

 

 

[desoto1939]

Yes it is your car to do what ever you want to modify the car. So when someone else is putting in the extra money other that you then they have a say as to what can be done so do what you want and enjoy the time that you have with your dad driving route 66. I drove part of route 66 in Az and went thry kingman and saligman.

 

Rich Hartung