Hemmings Classic Driveable Dream

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, has anyone seen that 1941 Dodge Biz Coupe in the driveable dream section of the magazine.

The young guy got it from his grandmother, it was in there family since 1955, it is in Glendora Cal., in Normspeeds neighbourhood.

It is in unrestored shape, but it looks not bad at all, the owner drives it to school and runs it up and down the freeways at 65 mph, says he has no overheating issues even at 100 degrees, wonder what he did to fix his cooling system.

It has the original type drivetrain, not sure what rear gears he has, they are from a 1947 Dodge or Plymouth.

I have 3.73 gears in my 47, the engine runs good, but not sure I would run mine at 65 mph though.

Good to see old Mopars in the mags, even when they are not all fixed up as this one is at the moment, kid must be thrilled to have a car that has been in the family for 53 years..............Fred

[55 Fargo]

Oops, didn't realize Normspeed already met the young Moparman, good to see the kid getting his story and car published, still would like to know how he cured the overheating probelsm the car had when it was first run again after sitting for several years................Fred

[Rodney Bullock]

Rockwood, I have heard some talk about overheating on the forum lately, there must be a reason for your overheating. I was at the Sully car show two years ago and it was 96 degress, the Plymouth did not overheat or show signs of reacting to the heat. When you checked on your heating problem did you have your radiator flow tested? This test see's how many gallons your radiator flows per minute. Then you need to see if the water jacket around the block is not stopped up pull some easy access freeze plugs abd run some high flow water in there and a hanger. Also make sure the water pump is flowing and the perpeller and moving water. These cars in there time did very well as everyday driver's, you know 10,000.00 cab drivers can't be wrong:p

[55 Fargo]

Rodney, I did all of the above, infact I replaced a leaking rear freezeplug this summer, had 3 of the side ones out too, flushed the block out as best I could, had the water tube out also,it was all cleaned up, had the rad boiled out, flow tested, etc.

When it's warm up here the car will run about 180 or so, with it occasionally running up to about 190. I have a cheap aftermarket gauge right now, when it reads 180, the temp in the top of the rad indicates 165, so there is a discrepency from the 2 readings. I have tested the meat thermometer I use in the rad, it is fairly accurate. I am also running a 160 dgree t/stat. The rad is not boiling over or anything like that, it just tends to run warm to hot, on 80 to 90 degree days. this fall had the car out on some highway cruises, when the outside temp was around 60 or so, the car ran at 170 or so during those rides.................Fred

[55 Fargo]

The car in question, a 1947 Chrysler Royal Coupe, she is still under construction, but has come a ways................Fred

[billwillard]

If you are reading 165 in top of rad that is your hottest water. I would drive her.

[Rodney Bullock]

Fred, if that's what you are running on hot day's then you are OK. I would run a 180 thermostat. The 160 is not what you should have on that car. I thought you were running 220 or something. My friends around here use words like overheating and they mean the radiator cap is red hot and the water is fizzing out the overflow, that's overheating. What you have is very normal aside from the 160 thermostat.

[55 Fargo]

Normally these are the reading, on a very hot day, I have had readings in the top of the rad to about 175, so it is still okay, methinks