46DodgeDeluxe Posted February 26, 2021 Report Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) Hey folks! Changing this thread over to a general build thread to keep from making a bunch of seperate threads, and keep the relevant info in one place. Hope this is OK. Will reformat the info on this first post soon and hopefully get some help and provide a resource for others along the way! Thanks! I've got a 1954 Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe Club Coupe that I am working on refurbishing and need a little help getting all the details from the cowl tag. I know the paint code is for Sea Island Green. But haven't been able to figure out on my own what else I can learn from this. Any help I can get would be great. I would love any resources or guides for this. Any insight on what the extra tag that says "REF UNIT" means? Also, would the dash, window surrounds, and column have been painted Sea Island Green as well? Extra picture to show off a little! Thank you all so much! Edited March 5, 2021 by 46DodgeDeluxe Changing to a project thread for the whole car to keep everything in one thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt den Posted February 27, 2021 Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 this car has a/c. pretty rare. it may be very tough to get it to work anymore. i got a build sheet from walter p chrysler museum. i have the address if you need it.nice looking car. i see no antenna. is it radio delete? seems odd someone pays for a/c but no radio. i have a 54 windsor convertible. i have all the manuals if you need info. also, i may have an extra owners manual. good luck with it. capt den 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted February 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 Hey Den! Thanks! It is an AC car, and all the pieces are there! Getting that working is on the list, but we're not quite there yet. Runs and drives but we are putting in a Rhode Island Wiring factory harness throughout and sorting some minor issues. Power steering box is off to Steer and Gear for rebuilding, but nothing else major needed. New windshield coming, all new rubber seals all around. Painting interior pieces, dash, and column. The door panels, seats, carpet, headliner, and dash were redone at some point. It looks nice, but not stock. As those are in need of replacement, we'll be converting back to the two tone green cloth and green vinyl. It doesn't appear to have ever had an antenna, but it has a radio! I have a service manual but no owners manual. Do you know if there is a manual for the AirTemp system? I found the build card info recently and sent off for that, I'm excited to learn more. Thanks for commenting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt den Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 i will look in the garage and i think i have an owners manual for you. chrysler put out smaller service manuals for the different systems in the car. i have a couple of them, but not for the a/c. i will look at them and see what they are titled, and there is probably one for the a/c. i think they are online. i wonder where the antenna wire goes to? maybe someone just put the radio in for looks. i do have the manual for the powerflite and i believe the power steering too. i owned my first 54 chrysler i 1966 and then i got back to them in 2004. in 2007 i bought the windsor convertible that i currently own. you will find yours a great road car, and with the 235 HP hemi you can cruise at 75 all day long. do not ask about gas mileage. my 6 cylinder does not do any better than your v8 will do as far as gas mileage. the power flite shifts smooth and is a very reliable transmission. they used to use them in police cars. if i can be of any help let me know. i will get back to you about the owners manual. capt den Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 So this A/C speak of is indeed real? I’ve never witnessed it outside of the book drawings. Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 I had a look in my original ‘53 Chrysler owner’s manual. Nothing mentioned on how to run the AC. I did find operating instructions in a service manual I have here. It covers all Chryco cars in ‘53 and ‘54. 3 pages to show here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 (edited) A/C Service instructions are available if needed. Let me know. Sorry I couldn’t find anything in my library on decoding the build tag. Edited February 28, 2021 by keithb7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted February 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 Hey Keith! It is! It is complete, but in need of restoration. The fan and controls still work though! I believe as far as I know (waiting on my build card) it was purchased in Arizona and think they were only offered from dealers in select regions. That's just what I had been told. The more I learn, the more rare it appears to be! This car is amazing. Thanks for sharing! I have a service bulletin and a manual for the AirTemp coming my way, so should give me a lot more info than I currently have. Thanks for looking, I've figured out that the interior was 2 tone green broadcloth so I'm making progress! I'm going to start a thread here soon on the build. Hopefully share our journey and continue learning about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 46Dodge......you asked about the "REF UNIT" tag...............I would guess that it refers to the REFrigeration UNIT, the air con that the car has..........here in Oz we were lucky if out Plymouth based Dodge & DeSotos had a heater let alone a/c...........mate, thats a nice car you have.....any interior, engine bay and especially pics of the A/c setup under the rear parcel shelf and elsewhere..........I've never seen those Chrysler rear 1/4 air intakes before....have seen a couple of imported Cadillacs with the clear plastic scoops here in Oz.........I'm amazed that the rear 1/4's haven't rusted out being that moisture would get in thru those intakes................must have a very good drain setup.........more pics please...........and Welcome Aboard from Oztralia.............andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 17 hours ago, Andydodge said: 46Dodge......you asked about the "REF UNIT" tag...............I would guess that it refers to the REFrigeration UNIT, the air con that the car has..........here in Oz we were lucky if out Plymouth based Dodge & DeSotos had a heater let alone a/c...........mate, thats a nice car you have.....any interior, engine bay and especially pics of the A/c setup under the rear parcel shelf and elsewhere..........I've never seen those Chrysler rear 1/4 air intakes before....have seen a couple of imported Cadillacs with the clear plastic scoops here in Oz.........I'm amazed that the rear 1/4's haven't rusted out being that moisture would get in thru those intakes................must have a very good drain setup.........more pics please...........and Welcome Aboard from Oztralia.............andyd Hey Andy! I was stoked to see you reply! One of my other projects is a 46 D24 Sedan that is about 1/2 way through a 5.9/auto/8.8rear/4wheel disc/ power steering mod on the original frame. This forum was instrumental in guiding us in the right direction with that build and I recall getting a ton of great information from your posts, THANK YOU! One of the main reasons we ditched a front clip swap was your story of driving yours for decades. Now I feel a little silly that I didn't come anywhere near that conclusion. But hey, gotta be humble to learn! I was shocked to see factory air on a car of this year, 1952 was the first year for Chrysler, and they were the first post war. It came from Arizona and was well cared for for years it seems. Only rust appears to be where the cowl vent was letting water in, and the drain hose for the air box wasn't intact letting water into the passenger compartment and onto the floor. Fortunately, it spent only a few years in the rain it seems. I am going to start a build thread this week to keep it in one place and show it off properly! The system is really interesting! I'll take a bunch more photos next time I'm at the shop and detail those in the thread. I can't tell you why the trunk isn't worse. The AC unit in the back does have a drain in the bottom so any condensation or water from the vents will drain out. However, the ducts from the fender vent into the box have been shot for who knows how long. I was expecting the same thing honestly. Once the car is rewired and running reliably and we've recuperated a bit of money, we're going to tackle the AC and restore it to as original as possible. I have to. Hagerty doesn't even list this model as an option and I about fell out of my chair when they reported back what they wanted to insure it for. Even at condition 4, it's a higher value than all 6 of my other cars combined... and I paid almost the least for it. Take away the brand new Cokers they put on right before I bought it, it is the cheapest classic mopar I've bought so far! The more we tear into it, the more pleasantly surprised at it's condition I am. Thank you again Andy, I genuinely appreciate your input and look forward to learning more from you in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 Oh, there it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 Seat & door trim looks o/k..........any pic of the area under the rear parcel shelf and the parcel shelf itself?............thanks, andyd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2021 (edited) They are just OK, older cosmetic restoration (non stock materials and patterns unfortunately) that looks fine but is falling apart in places because of poor installation or materials or both. I didn't know this car had a dome light until I looked through the service manual. Went out and felt around and they just put the headliner over it. Headliners coming down soon to replace the body harness, so we'll see what other surprises await us! I personally would much prefer to fix up a molested interior, than the running gear or body being hacked up or half a$$ed! Fortunately, both still have their innocence! I took some today for you! I intend to do a seperate post for the AC when we get there, because I'll need all the help I can get, and I'm sure many would be interested to see more! I can hardly find any info on the web about it. Got some books and service manuals on the way though. The fans still work in it! So that's a plus, everything else will need gone through. My mechanic who's helping me said he'd switch to R134, but I've heard varying opinions. Biggest con I've seen mentioned to using the old refrigerant is cost, which is what he said. However, I've heard that R134A doesn't work as well, especially in these older systems. Any insight on that? I figured if we are rebuilding the whole system, than the likelihood of an expensive recharge is pretty unlikely? I will take more detailed pics once we are at that stage and get pics of the inside. For now, it will have to wait. Will be researching and planning though. Gotta find someone to send my compressor into for a rebuild. That's in the trunk for now. Fortunately, all the lines look great and intact though! The ducts did not survive the heat over the years and have crumbled as you can see from the interior pic of the vent. Gotta find a replacement for that too. On and on! Enjoy, let me know what you think! Edited March 4, 2021 by 46DodgeDeluxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2021 Speaking of dome light, I got a replacement lens coming that was 3d printed last night! Found a guy on a Facebook group who has a 54 and has been printing or molding new parts he needs! That's how I got new front turn and park lenses, and he's working on making a mold for the steering wheel next! Thanks technology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 Could anyone offer any advice on getting my hands on the factory Sea Island Green? The PPG/Ditzler number doesn't come up in their system with any results. When the scanned my cowl tag, it came back as Aston Martin Almond Green, which is close, but too much flake, and a little too blue to my eyes when comparing to the parts on my steering column that have never seen the light of day. Which they couldn't scan apparently? I found a HEX code and am trying to figure out how to convert that into a code that they can use to mix up a paint, but I'm going to have to try a couple different ones I think to find the perfect match. Has anyone already gone down this hole? Are there resources for these kinds of things so I don't have to reinvent the wheel? I would prefer to paint these things the correct color and be done, but a one year only Chrysler color is eluding me so far. Thanks in advance for any help, advice, encouraging words, or happy thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 5, 2021 Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 Odd that the 1953 and later AC cars used the 1946-48 convertible top motor operating chrome handle as shown .... Did a restoration on a 1956 Chrysler 300B and a 60 Crown Imperial using those same lever/handles. My 48 Chrysler convert has the same handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccudahy Posted March 5, 2021 Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 I did a search for 1954 Chrysler Colors, and came up with this site: http://paintref.com/paintref/index.shtml It had a list of colors and Ditzler/PPG numbers maybe this will help. P.S. - Nice car and good luck on your project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 3 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said: Odd that the 1953 and later AC cars used the 1946-48 convertible top motor operating chrome handle as shown .... Did a restoration on a 1956 Chrysler 300B and a 60 Crown Imperial using those same lever/handles. My 48 Chrysler convert has the same handle. Well that's a fun bit of trivia! Thanks for sharing, if these are like a lot of the other chrome on this car, they should polish up beautifully. With the exception of a few dings and scrapes, it's all there and just needs some elbow grease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 2 hours ago, ccudahy said: I did a search for 1954 Chrysler Colors, and came up with this site: http://paintref.com/paintref/index.shtml It had a list of colors and Ditzler/PPG numbers maybe this will help. P.S. - Nice car and good luck on your project. Found that page also, thanks for sharing though! PPGs system returned 0 results when I gave them that code. So I'm working with an app on my phone called color grabber to convert hexadecimal color codes to paint codes. It's a really useful tool once you play with it for awhile. Going to take my top 3 in tomorrow to get a few samples mixed up. Gotta start painting my trim and dash so it can go back in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccudahy Posted March 5, 2021 Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 7 hours ago, 46DodgeDeluxe said: Found that page also, thanks for sharing though! PPGs system returned 0 results when I gave them that code. You can call PPG and they will get you an equivalent formula if you have a code number to work from. PPG Color library at 1-800-647-6050. When lacquer paint was being phased out we had to call all the time to get enamel equivalent formulas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 4 hours ago, ccudahy said: You can call PPG and they will get you an equivalent formula if you have a code number to work from. PPG Color library at 1-800-647-6050. When lacquer paint was being phased out we had to call all the time to get enamel equivalent formulas. Thank you! I tried a different paint place and they tried 10x harder to help me. I have request in with the color library and they should be receiving the formula from them in the next week or so. I gave them both the Dupont, and PPG codes I was able to find, not sure which one we're getting at the moment. I will report back once I have a sample. Will be worth the work when the color is perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccudahy Posted March 5, 2021 Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 Glad to hear your getting some help with finding your color formula. That is really a nice color and I hope it all works out. Like you said @46DodgeDeluxe it will be worth the work to get it perfect it will really set that car apart from all the other, besides the A/C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46DodgeDeluxe Posted March 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 1 hour ago, ccudahy said: Glad to hear your getting some help with finding your color formula. That is really a nice color and I hope it all works out. Like you said @46DodgeDeluxe it will be worth the work to get it perfect it will really set that car apart from all the other, besides the A/C. All the others seems to be a pretty small number. 1800~ club coupes produced, who knows how many in this color WITH AC. I wonder if there is a way to find out that kind of stuff for these cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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