'41 Dodge 2 door sedan.. Challenge accepted

[Jason K Dodge]

Hey all, first post here.  So after many projects and years of searching for the unicorn, I hastily jumped into this challenge.   Picked up this already half stripped, cut,.. Hunk of parts that once was a 41 Dodge 2 door sedan.  Not sure why, but after lurking on Craigslist and fb marketplace and every other forum this one  was calling out for my attention.  Drove 10hrs to meet a nice gent from Alabama in Atlanta to pick it up.  Needs everything... But not my first basket case.  So now I have been spending hours researching trying to plan my first move..   Figure it will be to remove the body and address the suspension and drive train, then move up from there... Too far gone for original, so I am doing a one off resto mod...  I look forward to your input.   Pic is of when I picked it up.  Sits covered in my driveway while I wait for the weather to clear and plan out suspension and brake upgrades.. 

 

Currently looking at old daddy's disc brake conversion with the coil spring base relocation and it appears there is an 8-3/4 rear in it.. Maybe do a 4-link.. Need to ID the rear before I move out there.  Someone cut the firewall already, so sky's the limit on drive train.  

 

Anyway...  Newbie too long first post.  Challenge accepted. 

[knuckleharley]

10 hours ago, Jason K Dodge said:

Hey all, first post here.  So after many projects and years of searching for the unicorn, I hastily jumped into this challenge.   Picked up this already half stripped, cut,.. Hunk of parts that once was a 41 Dodge 2 door sedan.  Not sure why, but after lurking on Craigslist and fb marketplace and every other forum this one  was calling out for my attention.  Drove 10hrs to meet a nice gent from Alabama in Atlanta to pick it up.  Needs everything... But not my first basket case.  So now I have been spending hours researching trying to plan my first move..   Figure it will be to remove the body and address the suspension and drive train, then move up from there... Too far gone for original, so I am doing a one off resto mod...  I look forward to your input.   Pic is of when I picked it up.  Sits covered in my driveway while I wait for the weather to clear and plan out suspension and brake upgrades.. 

 

Currently looking at old daddy's disc brake conversion with the coil spring base relocation and it appears there is an 8-3/4 rear in it.. Maybe do a 4-link.. Need to ID the rear before I move out there.  Someone cut the firewall already, so sky's the limit on drive train.  

 

Anyway...  Newbie too long first post.  Challenge accepted. 

My suggestion is the first suggestion I always make. Try to keep the body close to stock. No radical modifications.

[Jason K Dodge]

3 hours ago, knuckleharley said:

My suggestion is the first suggestion I always make. Try to keep the body close to stock. No radical modifications.

I intend to, the body lines are what drew me to the model and aside from surface rust it appears to be pretty solid (or so I hope) .  I have not seen very many of these around either so there is no driving need to differentiate it from others.  

[Dartgame]

The original rear axles resemble 8 3/4 units. These had drop out center sections too...good luck with the project. 

[Jason K Dodge]

6 hours ago, Dartgame said:

The original rear axles resemble 8 3/4 units. These had drop out center sections too...good luck with the project. 

I suspected that may be the case...  I have my work cut out for me.  Need to figure out how to ID that. 

[Frank Elder]

Congrats, now get on the google and buy yourself a shop manual, and a parts book.

[Andydodge]

Jason, looks like a great start.......Welcome Aboard from Oztralia.......dunno if this helps but is the rear axle currently in the car a tapered axle one, ie, does it have a large nut in the centre of the brake drum........if so then its a good chance its an original rear axle as this type of rear axle was changed around 1962 as far as I know, also do the rear brakes have parking brake cables?..........if not and uses the driveshaft brake drum then this could also indicate an original rear end setup...........but I could be wrong.......lol...............andyd 

[Plymouthy Adams]

the 8 3/4 appeared about 1957 and continued with tapered axles to the end of 64 production year...

[Dartgame]

Look for the casting number on the side of the center section located near the pinion companion flange. That will tell you what you've got. Another clue are the axle shafts, if they are tapered then they might be oem or as Plymouthy said could be early 8 3/4. The casting number is really what you need to check.

[Plymouthy Adams]

the 41's are unique with the butterfly bumpers, valance inserts and hood....I have both a 41 Bz Cp and Town Sedan...do you have bumpers for yours?  noticed them missing in the pics but to say you don't have them.

[Andydodge]

Well....I was wrong........lol.........thanks for the correction Tim.......andyd

[Jason K Dodge]

9 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

the 41's are unique with the butterfly bumpers, valance inserts and hood....I have both a 41 Bz Cp and Town Sedan...do you have bumpers for yours?  noticed them missing in the pics but to say you don't have them.

I do have the bumpers.  The guy I picked it up from had taken them off to reduce the overall length so he could squeeze it in the garage. ? 

[Jason K Dodge]

Been a while, figured I'd post an update.  Haven't done much but attempt to clean up/out the car.  I did drop a Jerry can and battery in it and the motor fired right up.  Albeit spraying fuel out of every hose and connection.  The chevy 6 cylinder appears to be from a truck and I was able to get the th-350 to move the car a few feet before it stalled out.  Good thing as I have zero brakes. 

 

... I went ahead and ordered the Rusty Hope kit and have it and all the parts on the shelf just waiting for time.   Took the front body work off to fit it into the garage and started to scrape off the many years of build up that was protecting the front end components.  Once that is all cleaned up and inspected I will install the disc brake kit.  If I can get it to stop.. Then I will try to make it run.  

 

That chevy drivetrain though... Just doesn't feel right.  May need to find me something more Dodge.  

[Sniper]

I have the Rusty Hope kit as well.  Not sure why he built it like he did.  But the brackets he sent are not wide enough to clear the calipers I got.  Not sure if the issue is the calipers or the bracket though.  Be interested in seeing how yours clear?

 

Next, I really don't like the castellated nut issue, I had already updated my setup to a later style, similar to how the rotor donors were designed. and if the spacer was maybe an 1/8" shorter it would not be an issue.

 

Finally, I am really scratching my head as to why he chose to upsize the bracket mounting bolts instead of just drilling the bracket to fit the stock sized bolts used in those locations.   

 

[Jason K Dodge]

On 10/8/2021 at 9:17 PM, Sniper said:

I have the Rusty Hope kit as well.  Not sure why he built it like he did.  But the brackets he sent are not wide enough to clear the calipers I got.  Not sure if the issue is the calipers or the bracket though.  Be interested in seeing how yours clear?

 

Next, I really don't like the castellated nut issue, I had already updated my setup to a later style, similar to how the rotor donors were designed. and if the spacer was maybe an 1/8" shorter it would not be an issue.

 

Finally, I am really scratching my head as to why he chose to upsize the bracket mounting bolts instead of just drilling the bracket to fit the stock sized bolts used in those locations.   

 

So, yeah... I tend to agree. I am sure there was logic in there, or ease of parts availability when this was first designed maybe?  Hopefully I will be able to get it on without issue.  I pulled the trigger on the donor charger.  So,.. I'm gonna need some good brakes. 

[JerseyHarold]

Make sure your title paperwork is in order before dropping a lot of money into the car.  It can be very difficult to get a title without documentation in many states, and you don't want to have an un-registerable car after it's done.

[Jason K Dodge]

1 hour ago, JerseyHarold said:

Make sure your title paperwork is in order before dropping a lot of money into the car.  It can be very difficult to get a title without documentation in many states, and you don't want to have an un-registerable car after it's done.

JerseyHarold - already took care of that.  I am in VA and there is an established albeit relatively unknown process to get a title.  Takes roughly 120 days and $150 to complete and is always my first step when I pick up a project vehicle from states that do not require or when there is incomplete documentation. 

[knuckleharley]

2 hours ago, JerseyHarold said:

Make sure your title paperwork is in order before dropping a lot of money into the car.  It can be very difficult to get a title without documentation in many states, and you don't want to have an un-registerable car after it's done.

Depends on where you live. I got a new clean title for a 35 Chev pu I bought by bringing the data tag in and letting the DMV clerk run a search. It hadn't been registered or had any taxes paid on it for over 5 years,so I  walked out of the DMV that day with a new title in hand.

 

It is true that some states want to make you just through flaming circus hoops to get a new title,though. Never made any sense to me because they are denying the state treasury the fees and taxes that would be paid,but they do it anyhow.