A differebt experience

[james curl]

After spending the latter part of last week reinstalling the pistons and rods back into my engine after having all of the wristpin bushings replaced. The engine had two broken top rings on the two rods with the loose wristpins I replaced the rings and went ahead and installed new rod and main bearings. Retimed the engine back to tc as Chrysler recommends and had about 70 miles on the reassembled engine and was on my way to the credit union to get a check to send to Paul Curtis for the adapter kit that Don Coatney wrote about. About two blocks from the credit union a car passed me on the frontage road and I heard that dreaded sound of a rod knock, shut the engine down and coasted into the credit union parking lot. Did as Don Coatney always says he will do if in trouble, called AAA, two hours later they arrived from Austin 20 miles away because the AAA carrier in Roundrock cannot go 10 miles to Georgetown but the Austin guys can go anywhere, go figure. Got home and drained the oil and pulled the pan, spun # 1 rod bearing. I will either have to sell the car as is or rest up for a month are so and pull the front clip again and pull the engine and have another crank turned and the rod resized and reassemble and reinstall. Thinking SBC is sure looking better each day and T-5 does not require a kit to install. Having washed the under side of the car many times after the Bonneville experience salt still comes out everywhere, I would never drive a car through salt brime and wet salt again. The salt water got inside of the frame and you can put the water hose in the back and water will run out of the front then salt will appear along the bottom lap seam of the frame.

[greg g]

James sorry to hear of you bad experience. A real kick in the butt. Maybe in these circumstances putting the belly button motor in is the best course. Good luck which ever way you decide.

[blueskies]

James-

Man, what a drag! I know first hand the feeling, after all the work and $$$$ to hear that dreaded sound. But if I hear it again, like you have, I'm not sure I'd have the gumption to fix it again either.

I feel your pain, hang in there brother.

Pete

[Normspeed]

Yup, that must be getting pretty darned old at this point. But you'd still be looking at more work and expense to switch to the SBC.

Is it really necessary to remove the dog house to pull the motor on your car? On my 53, I did the swap and all I had to remove was the hood.

[james curl]

I am 71 years old and all of that bending over is a killer, I am still sore from torquing the mains and rods from flat on my back and the head twice while standing on the front bumper because the bench I use kept kicking out from under me when I leaned way over the drivers fender to torque the cam side of the head. I have the engine that I took out of the car and the crank mics good so will probably have turned .010 under before installing in this engine. Will take some time off from the 48. After having done the disc brakes on front and the Dakota rear end, then changing to 12 volts, installed electric wipers and an aftermarket fuel gage then driving 4600 miles to Reno and Bonneville.

[PatS....]

What a bummer, James. I think I would be thinking the same thing about the sbc.

There's only so many times you can use the paddles before you realize the patient is gone.

OR the patience is gone. Can't recall which.

Whichever way you decide, we're all here for ya!!!

[randroid]

James,

Out of blind curiosity, and blind curiosity alone, may I ask that if you decided to do the repair if the manual labor were not there (read: would you pay for any machine work necessary to put the beast back on the road?) would you go for it?

Just asking.

-Randy

[james curl]

No, I seldom take any of our cars to a mechanic if I can possibly do it myself. If I do not do it myself it just doesn't get done. Never show the wife that you are handy around the house, they will expect you to do it all. I was in the process of striping all of the 86 year old and newer paint off of the house when I started building this engine for the trip. I had two sides done so now would be a good time to start back to heating the paint and scraping then sanding before painting again. Just think of all the experience that I am getting so that I can get my 48 and also my 55 Chev pick up ready to paint. Striped all of the paint off of the pick up last summer then primed with epoxie primer, now just need to do all of the body work before painting.

[Norm's Coupe]

James, I'm with you on the SBC. I pulled my engine and completely rebuilt it about 10 years ago. So far it's been ok. However, should it go on me it's time to drop in an SBC with automatic in the P15 coupe. I'm 63 myself now and I can't do the things I did when I was 53. Putting in a nice SBC is a lot easier and more reliable, and less maintenance required in the long run. There isn't that much work involved in putting in the SBC. Just about everything stays in the same place except for welding in new motor mounts to the frame. Another plus is if you do have trouble with the SBC and can't or don't want to work on the engine, any mechanic can work on the SBC.

[Don Coatney]

James;

Sorry to hear you lost a bearing. Wish I was closer so I could assist you with the repairs.

I wondered how the salt brine affected the cars at Bonneville this year. I once had a Corvette and drove it on the beach at Daytona in the wet salty sand. Every steel piece under the car soon formed rust. I think my P-15 would melt if exposed to salt brine today.

[james curl]

This was my first ever experience with anytype of salt and cars, boy is that stuff bad. I am dishartened about the continual appearance of salt residue all over the frame amd suspension. If I ever go back to Bonneville, which I hope I will, I will park my car back at the highway and ride a bicycle or motor scooter in or better yet get a ride in one of the rat rods that do donuts in the salt. I had striped the frame and suspension to bare metel and painted with rustolem before I installed the fresh engine, now the paint is comming off. The new dust caps on my new disc brakes look terrible. The salt gets every where, I was careful and drove slow to prevent throwing the salt up under the fenders, still did.

[Norm's Coupe]

James, now you know why we don't drive our cars on the streets up north during the winter months. Streets are covered with salt for ice melting in the winter. Sometimes on a dry windy day you can see the salt dust blowing in the wind. That's one reason I've wondered why Pete (blueskies) takes his Plymouth on the salts.

[blueskies]

...I've wondered why Pete (blueskies) takes his Plymouth on the salt.

Norm-

Usually the salt at the Bonneville Salt Flats is only damp. The damp salt will clump and stick to the tires' date=' and whatever it lands on, like the inner fender wells. This "clumpy" salt is fairly easy to remove, and leaves little residue. With a little prep and carefull cleaning afterward, there is little to no harm done.

[img']http://www.50plymouth.com/03-otr/Bville06/bville15.jpg[/img]

This year, however, was unusual. There was a tremendous amount of rain for a few weeks prior to Speed Week, and the the salt flats turned back into Lake Bonneville. By the time Speed Week came about, not all of the water had dissapated. The paved road that runs sout into the flats ends about 7 miles out, and from there to the course is another 3-5 miles. This year there was standing water beyond the pavement, for maybe a half mile. In the morning, there were only puddles and soggy salt. In the afternoon, the ground water would come back up, and there was 12"-18" of standing water. I knew the water was there, so I chose not to drive my plymouth or my truck out on the salt. I took my motorcycles instead.

When we came back of the salt in the evening, we were riding in deep salty water, it was over my feet on the bike. My buddy was riding my Yamaha TW200, and hit a deep hole just before getting back on the pavement. He hit the throttle, throwing a rooster tail of salty mud, and managed to get through without going down in 18" of goop.

The cars that were coming back in weren't fairing much better, the low rat rods were pushing salt brine water with the radiators halfway submerged...

Click this link to a pic of the deep water...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=342869&d=1186932355

I would not hesitate to drive my car back on the salt again, but only if there is no water. The brine water seeps into every cavity on the car, and there is no way to get it out, as James has discovered. The Salt Flats is hallowed ground for hot rodders all over the globe, it's by far the coolest place I have ever driven my car. I will go back again.

Pete

[KMReeves]

Instead of messing up another old car of any brand why not buy a newer car such as a Nova that already has sbc and auto trans and leave the old cars to others who like them the way they are.

[james curl]

For K M Reeves

After driving out from Bonneville each evening through the salt brime that Blueskies just described in the previous post it might be that in a few years there will not be much of a nice car left since the salt water got inside of the frame. This car is a daily driver and has been driven long distances, 4600 miles on one trip. I believe that cars are ment to be driven not just sat in a garage and polished every now and again. Maybe driven 100 miles a year, why not just put your money in a money market account and watch it grow? When I take my car to a cruise in I open the doors and allow people to actually sit in it. You will never see one of those "Do Not Touch Unless You Are In The Nude" signs on anything that I own. Nor a "DO Not Touch" sign. The only reasion that I would consider putting a SBC into this car would because I have over 2500 dollars in this engine and must again pull and replace the crank and figure out why the front rod bearing didnot lube, it was showing 50 psi oil pressure when the bearing spun. The two halves fused themselves together and turned inside of the rod. Must be something in the oil passage in the crank. Also I am a member if Inliners International and do not own any cars or pick ups that do not have inline engines. All that said as much as I love my engines inline sometimes you get tired of stuffing money down a rat hole. You might check Old Car trader or other price guide for a #4 condition 48 Plymouth Special Delux four door sedan, I have more in disc brakes a modern rear end and the enging than the valvue of the car which still needs a new interior and a new paint job which without new glass and rubber will add another 6000 dollars to the list. Now with all of that the car will now be at most a #3 car valvued at around 6500 dollars by the blue book. We who love old MOPARS do this because we love them or else we would drive Fords or Chevrolets if it was money only.

[PatS....]

Instead of messing up another old car of any brand why not buy a newer car such as a Nova that already has sbc and auto trans and leave the old cars to others who like them the way they are.

I think you'll find that, on this forum anyway, we are all very tolerant of almost any modification made to these old Mopars. Personally, if I wanted an old Nova, I'd HAVE an old Nova...and I don't.

As far as leaving them to others who like them the way they are, there a more than enough to go around, and you know, once it's in my garage, ALL the decisions are MINE and MINE alone.

I have an old '50 DeSoto parts car that is likely destined for the scrapper after all the parts are stripped.

I have bee toying with the idea of keeping it, finding a front clip from any old Mopar that'll fit, find a front seat, cut the back off and make a truck out of the shell...maybe put it all on a Chevy truck chassis.

Have I saved one from the scrapper or destroyed a prime example of automotive history?

All I did was cobble a vehicle together from otherwise unwanted parts that the guys who like them the way they are were not interested in saving (I know because I tried).

[Heavy Flat Head]

I think you'll find that, on this forum anyway, we are all very tolerant of almost any modification made to these old Mopars. Personally, if I wanted an old Nova, I'd HAVE an old Nova...and I don't.

As far as leaving them to others who like them the way they are, there a more than enough to go around, and you know, once it's in my garage, ALL the decisions are MINE and MINE alone.

I have an old '50 DeSoto parts car that is likely destined for the scrapper after all the parts are stripped.

I have bee toying with the idea of keeping it, finding a front clip from any old Mopar that'll fit, find a front seat, cut the back off and make a truck out of the shell...maybe put it all on a Chevy truck chassis.

Have I saved one from the scrapper or destroyed a prime example of automotive history?

All I did was cobble a vehicle together from otherwise unwanted parts that the guys who like them the way they are were not interested in saving (I know because I tried).

Desoto truck? That would be cool.

On no; There I go again with that word, still living in the sixties.

Help I am trapped.

KMReeves after sixties years of being abused, any way a person can save one of these autos is a good thing. In my almost sixty years on this planet I have, like a lot of others here, owned stock and modified. Both have there place and you have come to a treasure chest of information on these special pieces of American history. Just remember to keep an open mind and enjoy, even some of the older members here have there likes on what should and should not be done and voice it often.

[james curl]

KMReeves, I am sensitive about my car, my friends keep asking why do you keep spending money on that car, get a Ford or a Cheverolet. I belong to a car club with 100 members and we have less than 6 MOPARS in the club., now where are all of those people waiting to save another old MOPAR?

Several fourm members have 4 door cars because we could get the best car for the money we chose to pay. We have lavished much labor and love on these old cars, far more than their value will ever be. Most of us have modified our old cars so that they can be driven with confidence and enjoyed. Most people at car shows don't even look at four door cars, just coupes and contvertibles. We, the drivers and labours who have these cars have already saved them for the public to enjoy. Seldom do I drive my car that I do not get a high five from someone or a comment like at one show a woman older than I commented on the great rear seats in these cars, brought back great memories of her youth. Would you lay on your back for hours at a time using mineral spirits and a putty knife to scrape grease from the entire underside of a 59 year old car then paint all of it with a brush?

[Young Ed]

We who love old MOPARS do this because we love them or else we would drive Fords or Chevrolets if it was money only.

Just curious how a mopar with a chevy engine isn't like driving a chevy?

[Norm's Coupe]

Pete, even though the salt may not stick or clump on the car when the salt is dry, the dust from the salt gets in it. Then when the car gets wet or damp it reactivates that salt dust. That's why I said I wondered why you took your Plymouth to the flats. Not only about you doing it, but everyone else that is out there with their nice old cars. Even if you don't create the dust yourself, everyone else driving on it and the wind blowing across the salt will create the dust and get on and in everyones vehicle.

[Norm's Coupe]

We who love old MOPARS do this because we love them or else we would drive Fords or Chevrolets if it was money only.

Just curious how a mopar with a chevy engine isn't like driving a chevy?

Let's forget about putting a Chevy or Ford in a Mopar for a moment and consider the following.

"If the engine in your old Mopar car was blown and either needed a complete rebuild or replacement what would you do IF?

1) You want or need the car right away within a few days. Not enough time to find parts or new engine, and get it drivable in the time frame needed.

2) You then find a nice new running perfectly Yugo engine that will slide right in without much trouble. So.......you can put it in and drive it within a day.

Which would you do? Put the Yugo engine in the car, or walk?

Myself, if the engine went in that easily I'd drop the Yugo engine in. After all, as I'm driving the car, no one is going to know I have a Yugo under the hood.

For what it's worth, my cousin who is a mechanic and also built race cars and drove them got married for the third or fourth time in the mid 80's. The woman he married had a Yugo at the time. They still had that Yugo in the early 90's and she drove it every day. My cousin even said he was surprised at how well it ran. So.............what's it going to be guys. Yugo engine or walk? Keep in mind I'm not talking about doing a restoration. I'm talking about a driver and keep it running.

[Don Coatney]

' date=' the dust from the salt gets in it. the wind blowing across the salt will create the dust and get on and in everyones vehicle.[/quote']

Norm;

Having been to the salt flats I will attest to the fact that the salt does not blow away in the wind. When the cars race down the salt at several hundred miles per hour there is not a cloud of salt dust behind them. There is no salt dust on the salt flats. The pictured car is traveling at 407 MPH when the picture was taken.

After all' date=' as I'm driving the car, no one is going to know I have a Yugo under the hood. .[/quote']

Norm;

Now I know why you dont drive your car. It is Yugh powered and cannot make it around the block or up even the shortest of hills:D

[Young Ed]

I believe most of us in here are not relying on our old mopars for everyday transportation. So if something happened to the motor in there it wouldn't matter if it was broken down for a few days. Heck my 48 just spent like 3 days with no steering wheel and is in fact broken down in my driveway right now!

Now if my 94 dakota suddenly lost its engine and I had to get to work what would I do? The yugo motor would not be even considered because of all the work involved with getting a custom motor put in. I'd head to the junkyards and look for either another 3.9v6 or a 318 or 360 from a ram or dakota. Any of those would bolt right in to my truck. Otherwise I suppose I'd have to get my existing v6 repaired or rebuilt. The shop that did my flathead had it completely rebuilt in 12 days. I would think he could turn out a modern engine in that time or less.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Norm..from most people's experience in owning a YOGO..you were walking...

and remeber "no matter what they do to it, it's still a Vega" applies

Mash Motors, we don't work on nothing we don't like...!!!

Remember how the Datsun got its name...they built the first one and the designeer was taking it home for the wife to see and maybe name..he got home in a cab...she asked where the car was..he said it broke down..she said dat soon...so the name stuck...(or so I hear)

[Norm's Coupe]

I think you guys are missing to point I was making, or didn't read the whole thing.

There is no other motor available right away, AND, you need the car right away. That also means there's no running engine in the salvage yard.