My Traditionally inspired ‘40 Chrysler

[ThriftyT]

I suppose I should finally start a thread on this thing.  I did a ton of research, knew I wanted a 40s car. Fell in love with 40 Plymouths, then stumbled across this on the list.  Me and my son made a overnight 10 hr each way trip to Topeka KS in August of ‘17 and yanked it home.   Was a 100% original untouched survivor,  exactly what I wanted.  With the upmost important factory overdrive (I wanted to drive this thing anywhere).  Long story short it was a super clean untouched car.  1940 Chrysler Windsor club coupe. 241 flat 6 factory O/D, 3 on the tree.  First pics are of the sellers listing.
 

[ThriftyT]

When we got it home, we enjoyed it for a few months. The previous owner had a few cars. This one had been sitting for a bit.   He admittedly hadn’t washed it in 10 years.  Every scratch and blemish had dirt caked into it.  I scrubbed it with every high dollar whatever, but it wouldn’t clean up.   So me and a buddy to the polisher to it.  Essentially wet sanded it with a light scotch brite and the a 3 step cleaner/polisher.  Lost some paint.  But a far better looking car in my opinion.  Here are some before and afters.

[ThriftyT]

I really wanted a late 40s custom taildragger.  So next was the stance.  Started with 3” posies rear leafs and 2” blocks.  Here is the stock nosebleed to the after.  
 

Put a number of miles on that.  Since then we have moved from Pierre SD.  To the Black Hills of SD.   After getting settled in I took to it again.

[ThriftyT]

Last winter I blew apart the front end. Cleaned and painted everything but the steering. Redid the drive line.  Swapped the 2” rear block for a 3”.  And put some Aerostar springs up front.  Ended up knocking an additional half coil off the front springs.
 

I’m really unsure where all my suspension pictures went to.  But I’m sure you’ve seen painted control arms and such before.

 

 

Edited November 28, 2019 by ThriftyT

[ThriftyT]

I also blasted the stock faded wheels and sprayed them in a vintage white.  Added some full 2 piece caps

 

[1949 Wraith]

A beauty!

[ThriftyT]

I also sucked in the front bumper 2.5” and got rid of the fogs and eye brows.

Here are a few shots after all that. 
 

[ThriftyT]

This current winters project is dealing with a leaking head gasket.    So in turn I have blown it apart.  Took another .23 off the head so it’s at a total of .38.  Me and a good buddy split a stock exhaust manifold.  And as I was removing the stock intake I found out there was a hidden 13th nut.  Oops.    I also bought a complete engine gasket kit to re seal the ol girl. 
. So now I’m pained with finding or fixing the stock intake.   Or....  maybe a dual??

 

 

[ThriftyT]

My table of sorted pieces. 
 

[ThriftyT]

So I have been on the hunt for an affordable 2nd carter carb.  Was watching for a few weeks.  My buddy kept telling me to be patient, something would come along.    He sends me a picture the other day and somehow had the perfect one in the back of one of his cabinets.   So I sent them with a local old fella and he rebuilt both of them for me.  Did some swapping and proper jetting on them to set me up right.    Soooo...   I now need an intake.    Back when I lived in Pierre one of my neighbors walked over one day to check out my car.    Long story short.    The ol boy had a stock dodge truck flat 6 dual intake.  Someone had cut both heat risers off of it at some point thru it’s life.   So I’m making arrangements to head back home and pick that up.   Lot easier to explain to the wife after I “forgot” the 13th nut on the stock intake removal.  Hehe.      Hopefully some pictures will come soon.

[ThriftyT]

  Rebuilt, re jetted, and ready.   I better get back to Pierre and get that intake.
 

[ThriftyT]

Got the old book out for some light reading as I torqued down the freshly cut head.    Kinda wishing I would have taken a bit more off, really tested them 79 year old rings.
 

[ThriftyT]

Refurbished the water neck and bleed off line.
 

[ThriftyT]

I’ve spent a bunch of time trying to find a kool air cleaner.   Didn’t want to spend a  ton on some early aftermarket piece.  I used a stock’35-‘36   Sectioned a bit out of the middle.  Added some perforated steel.    Nothing over the top, just a little custom.  Now I need another 

 

[ThriftyT]

Couple big milestones here....

 

Installed the refurbished crankcase tube, and pushrod covers.

 

 

[ThriftyT]

My buddy picked up my intake!   He sent me this picture, I think he took it with a potato.   Can’t wait to get it cleaned up and installed.  (This was last weekend).   (Posting this all in one morning) 

 

[ThriftyT]

Got a couple fair pictures of my new intake. I can’t want to assemble this thing
 

[ThriftyT]

Sometime in its life, I suppose 50s or 60s someone cut the heat risers off of the intake.  I cleaned it up and took it all off.  Ran it through the blast cabinet, cleaned and trued up the flanges, threw on some high heat primer, and finished it with some cast blast paint.  Boy I can’t wait to run this thing.
 

[ThriftyT]

This is everything up to date, Thanksgiving morning.  

[Bbdakota]

Very nice! And a good score on the carb and intake. I like the way the paint came out.

[Sniper]

Nice work

[T120]

Thanks for posting the photos of your Chrysler... Car looks great.Would certainly cause me to stop and check it out if I saw it on the road.

[homer41]

I was waiting for the final fitting of the manifold, I thought  maybe if it came off a truck it might be a 23 inch engine, is yours a 25 inch engine?

 

[ThriftyT]

4 hours ago, homer41 said:

I was waiting for the final fitting of the manifold, I thought  maybe if it came off a truck it might be a 23 inch engine, is yours a 25 inch engine?

 

It is for a 25”     I even double checked and mine is a 25”. 

 

thanks for the heads up though! 

Edited November 28, 2019 by ThriftyT

[ThriftyT]

Huge snow storm today.  When the power stays on long enough I’ve been out buttoning a few things up.   Then decided to mock up the intake and carbs.  Boy this should be fun this spring.