New to the dodge seen

[Bones]

Hello new to the site here are my 2 cars I'm picking up.... looking for a running or builder 300 6cyl outta a 55-59 dodge or plymouth in Arizona or New Mexico or so cal vegas.... also any advise on performance products. I know it's not gonna be a fast car I just want it to run good on freeway and sound good.... and if anyone has pics of one of these 3 window coupes chopped  be appreciated.... thanks yall BONES IN TUCSON ARIZONA 

[Bryan]

Welcome aboard!  They look in pretty good shape outside but hope you look underneath. These have 218 or 230 flathead 6 cylinders.  Would  get them running first so you know what the originals feel like on the road, then later add go-fast stuff.  Don't know on the coupe how much it would de-value it to chop the top.  Would get it running first.

[RobertKB]

Those coupes look so good as is, it would be a shame to chop. It would then look like a squashed bug. I just think the factory lines are perfectly proportioned. 
 

19 hours ago, Bones said:

 

T

[OUTFXD]

Greetings and welcome! Congratulations on your buy!  Lots of good people on this forum and tons of information to be had!

[Plymouthy Adams]

while not a fan of chopped cars either......good luck with your proposed built...hope it turns out to be what you want...Many folks chop these to the point they slouch in the seat with the steering wheel in their chest neck also in their chest and eyes looking up, looks goofing to viewer as they drive this way as I see it anyway.......maybe check out a local show with a similar chop and ask if you can see if it is comfortable.  In a chopped top the dash, seat and such usually does not change, you lose the headroom and the upper portion of the glass to see through...the dash is often an unavoidable issue.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Eneto-55]

7 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

while not a fan of chopped cars either......good luck with your proposed built...hope it turns out to be what you want...Many folks chop these to the point they slouch in the seat with the steering wheel in their chest neck also in their chest and eyes looking up, looks goofing to viewer as they drive this way as I see it anyway.......maybe check out a local show with a similar chop and ask if you can see if it is comfortable.  In a chopped top the dash, seat and such usually does not change, you lose the headroom and the upper portion of the glass to see through...the dash is often an unavoidable issue.

I won't put down a well designed chop, but my personal opinion is that the proportions are pretty spot on as is, and that to make a chop look right, you'll need to section it as well.  But then that can make it look stretched, so "all things in moderation".

[Andydodge]

Nice score..........and Welcome Aboard from Downunder......even tho' I'm a hotrodder that business coupe seems to be so complete & original I would think it a shame to chop the top, but your car so your choice...........the 4dr sedan looks to be a good parts car or maybe tidy up for sale & use the funds to be put into the coupe....

.............BTW I assume the 4dr is licenced as a 1949 Car( a leftover 1948) but as far as I know everything about these "1st Series 1949 cars" is identical to the actual 1948 vehicles and unless there is an  actual paper trail to confirm this "1949" status then I'd be calling it a 1948 Dodge........my Oz 2 cents worth.........Andy Douglas

[Bones]

Thanks fellas I'm liking the look as is on the coupe and maby a chop might ruin it.... as for the 4door were gonna get it running and driving restore the interior almost stock but gonna wash it up really good with some CLR and a scotch bright pad and have a friend pinstripe it up and shoot a clear over it n sell it .... I have 2 48 5 window coupes to work on next to the 47..... fellas need opinion I just scored a motor outta a 1954 dodge truck all complete are these motors worth rebuilding nothing crazy just mild cam dual carbs n Fenton headers.. .. thanks for the welcome and imput....BONES....

[Plymouthy Adams]

the engines are worth what you willing to put into them....they are not high cost cores/runner...but add some goodies and the prices rise fast....performance return way less than dollars spent....but most build them to reflect the period so cost often is overlooked by the serious builder.

[Andydodge]

A good cheap way to get a bit more from a side valve six is a low restriction 2 & 1/2" exhaust, turbo style muffler, a twin carb intake or a late 50's Plymouth/Dodge 2 barrel intake, also Stovebolt Engineering has weber 2 barrel carbs that help a lot....... upgraded ignition to a HEI style dissy, electric fan & delete the stock windmill blades, and say 50 thou off the head to bump the compression...........you won't go hunting Ferraris but these things will help........if funds allow then a finned head such as those by Earl Edgerton,"Edgy" or if can be found a Fenton or Edmunds head.......also a set od tube or cast iron headers will help to boost the power a little.........with these things and a general tidy up under the hood you'll be surprised at the 2nd glances you'll get as its not a belly button car or engine..........heres a pic of the 230 I was building, edgy Finned head, Offy intake, pair of Oz single barrel strombergs & a split cast Iron exhaust......sold before installed but you get the idea..............regards, andyd    

Edited November 11, 2021 by Andydodge
more info

[Sniper]

Andy hit on the biggest hp consumer, the fan.  No room in there for anything other than a solid mount one so you only option to free up that power is an electric one. 

[Bryan]

Uh, looking at the pictures...how do you adjust the valves with dual headers in the way?    I would still suggest getting it running stock, run around a few months to get the feel of it, and then adding hop up stuff later one at a time to feel the improvement. Then you can appreciate the add ons.

[Andydodge]

Bryan...........lol........a good question.......that pic was of just a few parts mocked up on the bare 230 block........... my intention would have been to get it running on an engine stand with a stock manifold then and only then once everything was o/k instal in the car.........the car had the original 201 installed in 1941 which ran o/k, slow to start but it was 1941 parts.......BUT......I installed a Stovebolt Engineering HEI distributor and the difference with just that was amazing......the car had been converted to 12 volts before I bought it and started o/k but as it had a key ignition/start installed, once the HEI was in it I could stand outside the car, reach in to the key thru the open window, turn the key and instant start...........and it ran smoother, seemed to have more power and was just a much better car to drive...........I also had the stock airport tug industrial 230 cam reground by Waggott engineering to 1/2 race specs............with the finned head,cam, carbs,twin exhaust,HEI,no fan & balanced assembly I was hoping to see around 180-190 horses, the best a stock factory installed 230 was 132 hp in the late 50's with a 2 barrel carby and 8:1 compression......the finned head was supposed to raise this to 9:1...........anyway thats my story.........lol............andyd    

Edited November 11, 2021 by Andydodge
more info

[marty mopar]

Business coupes are rather rare (27,600) and the 4 doors are super common (believe over 500,000) in the 3 year run of the D-24.

Correct me if I am wrong. It would be a shame to alter it.

[Bryan]

I played with the picture a little..don't nobody laugh..?  One just extended the back towards the trunk. Maybe with a better shaped window.

[Plymouthy Adams]

aren't these bugs called cockroaches??

[keithb7]

I’m a stock type guy but I get it. If you want a chop, its your car. 
 

I think stock, these flathead 6’s are pretty indestructible. Not performance machines, yet the cars never were intended to be. They were built for reliable daily transportation.  If I wanted performance and handling,  I’d probably seriously consider hot-rodding the entire powertrain. Instead of attempting to squeeze more out of the flathead 6.  Its not cheap to rebuild a stock flathead 6. I imagine performance parts get pricey real fast.  A small block Chevy 350 are a dime a dozen and cheap to rebuild.  A matching tranny, driveshaft, and rear end with caliper brakes wouldn’t hurt. 
 

I’m not advocating hot rodding a stock old Mopar. I’m just saying, knowing what I know now. IF I wanted performance and freeway handling and braking, trying to hop-up stock seems futile to me.  
 

I’ll be sticking with stock and live within the design of and capabilities of the old cars. 

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by keithb7

[Bryan]

6 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

aren't these bugs called cockroaches??

Yeah, I wouldn't chop it..  to me it would look better if they had extended the top back more to the trunk, changed the angle to a little more slope, and changed the back window somehow.  Looks too much like a bubble.  But any change like that will probably tank the value.

[MarcDeSoto]

Dodge did make a model more to your liking.  The 3 window coupe is rare and desirable to many collectors, but if you don't like it, you could get a club coupe, or a two door sedan.  Both have a longer roofs and different rear windows.  

[Andydodge]

The funny thing is that the 3 window dodge, DeSoto & Chrysler 1941-1948 Business coupes for years were worth next to nothing but I think that the popularity of these mopar coupes is in a large part due to the popularity of both the 1937-1942 Willys Coupes and the same in the 1937-42 Lincoln Zephyr Coupes, both the Willys and Lincolns have virtually priced them selves out of the market, to the extent that both brands are now available as fibreglass copies which I think has made people go looking for a similar body style in a more common, ie, cheaper brand............dah, dah.......the 1941 -1948 Dodge/DeSoto & Chrysler 3 window Coupe........this is only a personal view but I do wish I had discovered these mopar 3 window coupes myself years ago............lol..........hindsight is a wonderful thing........the closest I came was at 16yrs of age in 1970 buying the 1940 Australian Dodge coupe pictured & pulling it apart.......its been a downhill ride since..........lol...........regards, andyd       

[MarcDeSoto]

Andy, I agree with everything you just said there.  But maybe I'm biased as I am currently restoring a rare 1948 DeSoto three window coupe.  Only 1,950 made from 1946-49!  Chrysler had not offered a 3-window coupe since the early 30s when they came out with them in the 1941 model year on Dodge, DeSoto, and Chrysler.  I often think that since the body builder for Chrysler and Ford was Briggs, that they were following the lead of the 3 window Lincoln Zephyr coupes of 1937-42.  

[moparfun]

Your car, your time, your money 

[tom'sB2B]

Allow me to assume that as a " vato loco", you're more interested in low and slow then fast and loud. A 218/230 with a few upgrades will give you plenty of power. Does the coupe have fluid drive? This may cause you problems with an engine swap. You may also need to think about a rear axle swap. Also trans options such as a T5, BorgWarner, or keeping the 3speed if it will work with the new engine. This will help you acquire highway speeds with a flathead.

I will also plug Terrill Machine in Deleon TX. for your rebuild parts 

Good luck on your build. I look forward to seeing your progress. ?

[p15-1948]

On the chop, I think late 40's Plymouth's look good with and inch to inch and a half out of the front pillars.  Saw one chopped that way in Louisville, KY years ago.

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by p15-1948