Just bought: 1947 Dodge 4 door

[Jchaidez]

Hi All

 

Plan to post more pics soon but just wanted to post on the forum. Picked this up yesterday. Feeling over my head already because i started looking for window rubber seals and couldn't find more than 1 offs here and there? Are there no kits for our D24s? Anyone point me in the right direction? List of vendors you shop with? Excited to get this going. 

 

Tips on keeping the inline 6? Engine swap? 

IFS swap maybe ? Rear suspension swap? All and any ideas welcome. Just want to get conversations going. 

 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Jchaidez
Resized pictures

[Jchaidez]

[philjafo]

If it’s running and driving, keep it running and driving. If you get into a project that puts the car into a “pile of parts” in the garage for years at a time it’s hard to stay motivated on it.

[Jchaidez]

Thanks. Currently not running and driving. Trying to figure out the best way to get it running. The engine is complete on the car currently, but I dont know the condition of it. I have a spare 327 and 700r4. Thus thinking out loud.

[Los_Control]

My 2 cents, do the basics on the motor and start it. Then decide. If it runs 1/2 way decent, then move on to other areas of the car, brakes, fuel delivery, transmission etc.

Just get it where you can drive it.

The front suspension and brakes on these cars if in good working condition, work very well.

Thats my opinion and my plan of attack, get it on the road and then do upgrades in the areas you are not happy with.

 

Depends on your driving habits, you may never be happy with a stock flathead car, but if you have a good running engine, you can sell it to help pay for the swap.

You can drive and enjoy the car, while collecting info and parts.

[Sam Buchanan]

Congratulations on your new ride!

 

Advice; Eat the elephant one bite at a time.   

[Cannuck]

Congrats on tour purchase looking forward to more pics.

Check out Andy Berbaum Auto Parts for your window rubber seals . 

[ebruns1]

Spend your time reading this forum and searching answers.  Almost everything you will need to know has been covered by the knowledgeable folks in here!  It's worth spending a few hours just browsing previous posts on whatever topics you are wondering about.  Good luck!

[Jchaidez]

Is there any particular pics anyone would like me to take and post?

[Frank Elder]

Sigh....already wanting to slop in a shoverolet in it. Look at the front end you already have IFS.

[Jchaidez]

10 minutes ago, Frank Elder said:

Sigh....already wanting to slop in a shoverolet in it. Look at the front end you already have IFS.

How can I tell?

[Los_Control]

Where are you with trying to start the motor, what steps have you taken?

1, does the engine turn over by hand,  or is it stuck.

2, do you have spark?

3, how long has it been sitting, I would suggest changing the oil first.

 

Just trying to pick your brain a bit, see what you have tried so far. Which areas would be best to help you with.

Myself, I would want to prepare the engine and start it, just to get a idea what condition it is in.

If the motor is stuck, you can add some oil to the cylinders and soak them for several days or 2 weeks, and work on other parts of the car..

If it takes longer then that, you may have to pull the engine and consider a rebuild. At least disassemble it and see what is re-buildable.

 

[Jchaidez]

35 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

Where are you with trying to start the motor, what steps have you taken?

1, does the engine turn over by hand,  or is it stuck.

2, do you have spark?

3, how long has it been sitting, I would suggest changing the oil first.

 

Just trying to pick your brain a bit, see what you have tried so far. Which areas would be best to help you with.

Myself, I would want to prepare the engine and start it, just to get a idea what condition it is in.

If the motor is stuck, you can add some oil to the cylinders and soak them for several days or 2 weeks, and work on other parts of the car..

If it takes longer then that, you may have to pull the engine and consider a rebuild. At least disassemble it and see what is re-buildable.

 

Thanks. I was thinking along those lines also. Havent had time. Will try turning by hand in a few after work and go from there. Missing a carb. Fun. 

[Dan Hiebert]

Welcome to the Forum!  As suggested, look about herein for ideas, what others have done, issues that have been solved, etc.  Everything you're thinking out loud about has been done and covered somewhere in this Forum, good searches (which I'm not good at) will usually land an answer for you.  Unless you say otherwise, we tend to assume you've got at least some automotive mechanical ability and answer accordingly.  If you don't, that's certainly not a problem here, just modifies the answers accordingly.  There's quite a few folks here that genuinely like teaching others, sometimes whether they realize it or not.  There is a Links Directory at the top of the page with numerous sources that is a good place to start browsing.  I would echo that, unless you plan to jump right into a restoration or restomod and get the car finished as soon as you can, prioritizing what you want to get done and when with the car will help alleviate that overwhelmed feeling.  Like Sam said, one bite at a time.  (27 years and still working on ours...) 

[Jchaidez]

18 minutes ago, Dan Hiebert said:

Welcome to the Forum!  As suggested, look about herein for ideas, what others have done, issues that have been solved, etc.  Everything you're thinking out loud about has been done and covered somewhere in this Forum, good searches (which I'm not good at) will usually land an answer for you.  Unless you say otherwise, we tend to assume you've got at least some automotive mechanical ability and answer accordingly.  If you don't, that's certainly not a problem here, just modifies the answers accordingly.  There's quite a few folks here that genuinely like teaching others, sometimes whether they realize it or not.  There is a Links Directory at the top of the page with numerous sources that is a good place to start browsing.  I would echo that, unless you plan to jump right into a restoration or restomod and get the car finished as soon as you can, prioritizing what you want to get done and when with the car will help alleviate that overwhelmed feeling.  Like Sam said, one bite at a time.  (27 years and still working on ours...) 

Thank you!

[Los_Control]

Thing about these old flatheads, if taken care of, they were very dependable. They do not like to rev over 3600 rpm.

I gave away a 52 suburban last year, my grandpa hot rodded it and spun a bearing. The rod was frozen to the crank since 1961.

Just saying, soaking the cylinders would never free up that engine.

But quite often, these cars were parked for different reasons.

The owner died

The brakes went out

the wife did not like the leaking windows

the radio quit working

I dont like the paint color

 

Back then it was so easy to buy another newer car, they just parked the old ones.

I bought a 68 chevelle 327/pg for $100 Drove it for 6 months and gave it to my sister who drove it for 3 years.

I bought 57 chevy wagon for $75 and drove and sold it for $150

My 1969 mustang fastback I paid $700 for, more then I like ... drove it for several years and passed it on.

 

Just saying, back then it was cheaper to buy a new (used) car, then fix the brakes on your old car.

You just need to figure out why they parked this car.

[Jchaidez]

Engine shot. Did not turn by hand. Lube and breaker bar to come. 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Jchaidez

[Frank Elder]

1 hour ago, Jchaidez said:

How can I tell?

If it looks like this straight axle it isn't IFS......

Take my word for it you have a IFS from the factory.

 

[Los_Control]

Pretty rough on them, being parked with no carb. Everything just goes straight into the cyl/pistons.

 

I hope others have opinions.

I might want to just go ahead and pull the head on that one.

At Napa, I bought a complete engine rebuild gasket set for about $120

I would not order it before looking at the engine. Pretty simple to pull the head, then look at the cylinders and soak them then.

It might save you a lot of time and grief.

 

Do you have any idea how long it has been since last driven?

You want the carb mounted as a first layer of protection, then you want the air cleaner on the carb as a second level of protection.

You have neither.

Does not mean the engine is shot, but it has been open to the weather for as long as the carb has been removed.

This is one of the few times I might suggest removing the head and go from there.

See how bad the cylinders are at this time.

 

This would be a good example, the engine was fine. The carburettor needed rebuilt so they pulled it and then bought a $100 newr car instead.

[Jchaidez]

13 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

Pretty rough on them, being parked with no carb. Everything just goes straight into the cyl/pistons.

 

I hope others have opinions.

I might want to just go ahead and pull the head on that one.

At Napa, I bought a complete engine rebuild gasket set for about $120

I would not order it before looking at the engine. Pretty simple to pull the head, then look at the cylinders and soak them then.

It might save you a lot of time and grief.

 

Do you have any idea how long it has been since last driven?

You want the carb mounted as a first layer of protection, then you want the air cleaner on the carb as a second level of protection.

You have neither.

Does not mean the engine is shot, but it has been open to the weather for as long as the carb has been removed.

This is one of the few times I might suggest removing the head and go from there.

See how bad the cylinders are at this time.

 

This would be a good example, the engine was fine. The carburettor needed rebuilt so they pulled it and then bought a $100 newr car instead.

 

I do not know how long it sat. I will follow your suggestion. 

[Jchaidez]

24 minutes ago, Frank Elder said:

If it looks like this straight axle it isn't IFS......

Take my word for it you have a IFS from the factory.

 

You are correct. 

[Andydodge]

Welcome aboard..........these mopars have an IFS, basically the same arrangement from 1939 thru to 1956.......it has upper and lower A arms, and uses kingpins which are the same size from 1939 to 1954 at least...........check out Bernbaums at oldmoparts.com .........there are disc brake kits available, also various steering upgrades etc however if you swap to another engine trans then unless you install a late model diff you won't have a parking brake as the original is on the stock driveshaft......for me I'd try & get the orginal engine running tho' if you swap the engine trans the small block either Chev, Frod or better still mopar version will fit without a lot of work, suggest you do a search on this forum.....I have a 1940 Dodge with the stock style front end, 4 wheel discs, late Oz Ford rear axle, 318 Poly, Auto, rack & pinion etc.........I'd strongly suggest getting a workshop manual simply because it will help you understand exactly what your car is and what it has and what can be upgraded of left ............regards from sunny South Grafton Australia.......Andy Douglas      

[Los_Control]

11 minutes ago, Jchaidez said:

I do not know how long it sat. I will follow your suggestion. 

you may get better suggestions from this thread.

Just because I might pull the head, others may have a good idea also.

 

Because it is missing the carb and today the motor is locked, looking at the cylinders would be a real good option to see whats really going on.

If the motor turned, I would not suggest pulling the head. Since it is already locked and carb is missing, possible you can pull the head and clear up the issues and bring this motor back to life without removing it.

 

You could spend 3 months soaking that engine, still locked up.

If the cylinders look good, then maybe a bad bearing and the crank is froze.

Possible just a bad carburettor,  They pulled it off and left it for 30 years.

 

This is a mystery, you need to be a detective. It may not be as hard as you think to get that motor running.

It may be easier to stick a chevy in it.

If you advertise in the classifieds, you may find a good running flat6 to bolt in.

Time to be a detective and carry your magnifying glass to look for clues.

[Frank Elder]

Has anyone else noticed the head studs are way too short ? They don't protrude at ALL through the nuts, or am I missing something here......They are supposed to be head bolts from the factory, maybe replaced with incorrect length studs?

Edited September 10, 2019 by Frank Elder

[Los_Control]

1 minute ago, Frank Elder said:

Has anyone else noticed the head studs are way too short ? They don't protrude at ALL through the nuts, or am I missing something here......

I was looking at that, just kinda figured someone added nuts on top of the studs.

Which would do nothing ... but still is what it is.