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Location: Frederick, MD | The 1955 Plaza Suburban 2-door we bought sight unseen arrives today. I'm scared and excited at the same time. My first car was a '59 Coronet, but I haven't owned a Forward Look vehicle in almost 40 years. I'll probably have many questions. My first would be if the doors on coupes and 2-door wagons are the same.
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2016-11-15 9:45 AM The 1955 Plaza Suburban 2-door we bought sight unseen arrives today. I'm scared and excited at the same time. My first car was a '59 Coronet, but I haven't owned a Forward Look vehicle in almost 40 years. I'll probably have many questions. My first would be if the doors on coupes and 2-door wagons are the same.
Nice (but either loose that woodgrain or add more - looks strange the way it is)
One the door issue I can't imagine that the doors would be different between the 2dr wagon and 2dr sedans, either in 55 or 56
In fact, the PNs for the front door shell assemblies for 1956 (and I assume 1955) 2dr Plymouths are the same for both the 2dr Club sedan and the 2dr suburban:
1657006 right
1657007 left
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Location: Georgia | Very cool, Terrence! I hope it's as good as you're expecting. According to my Auto Interchange Systems book, the 1955 2-door
sedan and wagon doors are the same.
Post some photos when she arrives! Let us know your plans for her, too.
Welcome to the forum.
Pete |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | The seller bought it with primered quarters and paid an airbrush artist to get creative. I hope to put the two-tone, two-door side trim on it. Thanks for the info on the doors, I need a driver's door glass.
Is there a vendor that offers seat cover, carpet, and/or headliner kits for these cars?
Edited by 71charger_fan 2016-11-15 11:52 AM
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Location: Frederick, MD | It's here.
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2016-11-15 11:47 AM The seller bought it with primered quarters and paid an airbrush artist to get creative. I hope to put the two-tone, two-door side trim on it. Thanks for the info on the doors, I need a driver's door glass.
The air brush work is very good. Just not enough of it. (OR too much )
I am not even close to being and expert but I have the 1956 all Chrysler parts manual and it says:
Front door glass for 2dr Club sedans and 2 dr wagons for the P28, P29, D60, D61 and D63 models are listed as being the PNs same left and right, PN 1592743 clear and 1592744 "Solex" (which I presume to be tinted).
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Thanks for the parts lookups. If he'd carried the airbrushing another 15" forward, I'd probably keep it. |
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Expert
Posts: 2308
Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH | Nice! What do you have for a drive train in it? Six or V-8? Manual or automatic? If it were my car, I would get rid of the painted woodgrain trim - or go whole hog and do a full job. |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Just screwing some plywood on the sides would be a cheap visual fix
and hide any dents or rust issues.
Just trying to think outside the box here .....
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Location: The Mile High City | Cool beans! 
I like it. It would be interesting to see if someone could place real wood on one of these!
I hope it turns out to be everything you hoped for and more. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Flathead six, three on the tree. I'm thinking of a 12-volt conversion. I have the car, but am still waiting on the title. Once I get it registered, I'm going to get estimates on some rocker panel and lower front fender rust repair. We're looking g at color chips and will likely change the color when we lose the fake woodgrain. I'll have to change the upholstery too. It's blue, but really ugly blue. |
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2016-11-16 10:05 PM
Flathead six, three on the tree. I'm thinking of a 12-volt conversion.
My first car was a 1955 Canadian Dodge Regent 4 dr sedan (think Plymouth Belvedere with a Dodge front clip) Flathead six, 3 on the tree. I got it in 1967 from my Dad when turned 16. He had bought it in 1956. We used it for lots of camping trips. First with a tent and later pulling a 14 ft 1953 Terry trailer (slept 5, ice box, 24" apartment size propane stove (cook top, oven and broiler). And my Mum loaded that thing to the gunnels. Some how the old Dodge managed (mostly) even when going from Regina Saskatchewan to Vancouver BC through the mountains. Not that there weren't some "incidents". One that comes to mind was going over the Teton Pass (I think between Idaho and Montana??) anyway, very steep, very switch backy. At one point, me being the 10 year old kid standing in the back seat, helping my Dad drive, I blurt out after one switch back, "Dad, Dad, put it in first! Put it in first!!" He says, "It is". Oh god. Basically we came to a halt on the steep grade. We got out of it thanks to some guy in a half ton who hooked on to the Dodge with a chain and got my Dad to jack-knife the trailer so it wasn't a dead pull when they started up the grade again. He towed us to the top of the pass and we stopped and unchained. Thanked him and he was on this way. Did I say the brakes faded (badly) on the decent? (Trailer had electric brakes). Had to stop and let them (both the car and the trailer brakes) cool down before we finally made it to Jackson Hole.
Just a story about a flat head six that could (mostly). When I had it, it was high school Grade 11 and 12 and then 4 years of university. Served me well. Hated the 6V battery in the winter. Not enough umph even with a block heater, etc.
One thing that I remember that I had to do often, was to tighten the nut on the shift linkage on top of the transmission (at least that is the way I remember it). I can't remember jacking the car up at all (probably did - no jack stand for sure) and then sliding under the car on my back and reaching up with the wrench (9/16"?) and tightening that shift linkage nut. Thinking about it now, I have no clue as to whether there was a lock washer involved. Now a days, I would install a Nyloc nut *and* a lock washer and be done with it. (Which is probably the point of this whole story. ) I still have that 9/16" wrench and have been using it on my "new" 56 Dodge Custom Royal D-500. Z
Edited by 56D500boy 2016-11-16 11:15 PM
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Location: Frederick, MD | The roof racks lasted mere minutes after the car arrived. I didn't throw them away, but they're off the car. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | I just came to the realization that this car is positive ground. I was going to convert o 12V anyway, so I'll probably install a whole new harness and switch it to 12V negative ground. |
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2016-11-20 2:18 PM I just came to the realization that this car is positive ground. I was going to convert o 12V anyway, so I'll probably install a whole new harness and switch it to 12V negative ground.
OOps.
When I went hunting for a early FL car I specifically wanted to avoid 55 because of the 6V positive ground thing. I focused on 56 because of the 12V negative ground and they would generally likely still fit into my 1942 single car 12 x 20 garage.
I met a guy selling a 55 Custom Royal 2 dr Lancer that I might have been able to live with: He had installed a 2nd 6V battery on the right side of the engine bay (there is room). In parallel with the original 6V battery. So still 6V but twice the cranking amps. Starts like a champ.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Finally got the title processed, got plates and insurance, and was legal to drive. Of course, the battery was flat. I eventually coaxed it to life and drove it around the neighborhood a couple of times. The ride is surprisingly smooth and the handling is, as expected, a little iffy. But, once I get it rewired, I think it'll be a fun cruiser. But, it was fun to finally move it out of the garage. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Pulled these plugs yesterday. Who knows how long it's been since it's seen a tune up. Was going to do plug wires but was stumped by that wire tray that runs under the coil. Do I have to pull the boot off to get the wire out then fish a new wire through and install the boot in the car?
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Location: Frederick, MD | My HEI distributor arrived today. My new wiring harness has been here a couple of days. I'm still waiting on my alternator, bracket, and 12V solenoid.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I scored a driver's door with glass, upper dash, lower dash with gauges, grill, armrests, knuckles, and a steering wheel for $300. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | The stock deluxe wheel for a '55 Plymouth is the white "Hollywood" plastic wheel, like this one. '56 got a black colored version of this.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Since mine is a Plaza, there was nothing deluxe on it. I like that wheel but I think I prefer the Mayflower center. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 496
| Great Plymouth! The door glass is easy. When I sent my 54 Dodge to the body shop, they lost the driver's side glass and cracked the passenger side. I took the cracked passenger side pane to a local glass shop and they cut a new pair for me... easy since they are flat.
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Location: Frederick, MD | The sorry state of what currently passes for a wiring harness on this thing.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Found a few NOS lenses. I just ordered a grill piece to replace my dented one out of a salvage yard in Texas.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I drained the oil out of it the other day. It was black and sludgy. I put in some NAPA high mileage 10W-30 and ran it until it got warm. I then drained that out and refilled it again with fresh oil. Even though it was a running car, I had no idea what, if any, maintenance it had before I got it. I let it idle yesterday until it was hot. I'll probably drain and refill it one more time before I call the oil change done. |
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Expert
Posts: 2633
Location: Minor Hill, TN | Get some marvel mystery oil put some in the fuel tank and some in the engine to see if that will help. Do not feel bad my '61 ran hot for a while and 1 of the start ups I put the marvel mystery oil in the engine and did a monthly start up and I let the car run for about 10-15 minuites and shut it off. I also put this in the fuel tank also. I also do not burn the cheap low grade fuel also. I use the 93 and I keep a bottle of ethanol treatment in the car ( I use the lucas and you can get it at you local auto parts store or walmart. )
Shell has the most additives in their premuim to help clean the engine and fuel system of your car and if you are a fuel rewards member from shell when you fill up with the 93 the next fill up you get .10 off a gallon this is only until the 1st of the year.
I hope this helps out Good luck to you with the car |
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Expert
Posts: 2905
Location: little rock, AR | You need to run a high zinc content oil or you could swipe out a camshaft. Brad Penn oil is what most people are using for flat tappet camshafts. Most people are not even aware that these cars need a high zinc content oil. FYI
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Location: Frederick, MD | I drained it again this afternoon. The oil was very dirty, but it at least looked like oil instead of liquified coal. Fortunately, through the end of the year, NAPA has some really good oil specials. |
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Location: Frederick, MD | Started my 12V conversion/rewiring yesterday. I had to order a curved upper alternator bracket as the original generator bracket doesn't work with the alternator.
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Location: NY & VT | Nice work... love 55/56 wagons!
Like Dorsey said make sure you use a high zinc oil like Brad Penn Grade 1, that's what I use in my older cars. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | HEI distributor went in yesterday. Had to mount it with the vacuum advance on the bottom to clear the engine block.
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | Nice. Electronic ignition is the best upgrade you can make to the motor. What year & motor is the distributor from and what modifications did you have to make to it? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Powerflite - 2016-12-30 10:46 AM Nice. Electronic ignition is the best upgrade you can make to the motor.
Yes, but they do not like excessive heat, carrying a spare module with you is a good idea, ..........ask me how I know this. 
Edited by Old Ray 2016-12-30 10:06 PM
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Location: Frederick, MD | I bought the distributor from Landon's Stovebolt. It uses modules, caps, and rotors from an '80s S-10 2.8 V6. |
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Location: somerville mass | that is one super cool wagon! |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Pulled the dash today and was surprised to find it has a mechanical oil pressure gauge. I gave up on trying to rewire it with the dash installed. |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 71charger_fan - 2017-01-04 8:38 PM Pulled the dash today and was surprised to find it has a mechanical oil pressure gauge. I gave up on trying to rewire it with the dash installed.
Pictures please ..........but only if possible, not inconvenient, or bothersome. Thanks.
PS: not sure if this link will work, a guy on the 55-56 dodge/plymouth Face Book site is doing the same thing, being old I find the face book format confusing and fustrating but good pictures sometimes. https://www.facebook.com/groups/519679014781599/?ref=bookmarks
Edited by Old Ray 2017-01-05 10:06 AM
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | Old Ray - 2017-01-05 9:56 AM not sure if this link will work, a guy on the 55-56 dodge/plymouth Face Book site is doing the same thing, being old I find the face book format confusing and frustrating but good pictures sometimes.
LOL. There's a "format" on the Facebook 55-56 site? I thought it was random shotgun scatterings. The whole facebook "experience" is like catching a disease called "Attention Deficit Syndrome". Hurts my old brain.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Got the dash torn apart. The radio tubes were toast, but, since it's positive ground, it doesn't matter anyway. I ordered a radio delete plate off of Ebay. That radio had to have been half the weight of the dash panel. I pulled the headlight wiring through today. I'm waiting for the proper crimper to come from American Autowire for the doubled terminals. Starter and alternator wiring, except the grounds, is done. I'm not looking forward to pulling the tail light wiring.
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Location: So. Cal | That's an interesting place to put your fuse panel. I would have put it above the left kick panel. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I needed to put it somewhere I could see it to check/replace fuses. With the dash in, that was about the only place I could find that didn't interfere with the parking brake or vent mechanisms. Now, with the dash out, I might relocate it. There's what would be a perfect place on the firewall to the left of the steering column but, when I test fit it, the parking brake mechanism would have crushed it with the brake released. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | What wiring harness/relay/fuse box are you using for this conversion (6V pos to 12V neg). BTW don't forget about your fan and wiper motors.
This one?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm using an American Autowire Highway 15 harness. I liked that it wasn't pre-soldered into the fuse box making it easier to pull wires. I was planning on putting resistors in line feeding into the heater and wiper switches so those motors will continue to see 6V. Unless I turn up some 12V motors from a '56.
http://www.americanautowire.com/shop/american-autowire/highway-15-w...
I bought the Harness from Summit so I saved about $40 off American Autowire's direct sale price. |
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Expert
Posts: 3774
Location: NorCal | 71charger_fan - 2017-01-05 5:55 PM
There's what would be a perfect place on the firewall to the left of the steering column but, when I test fit it, the parking brake mechanism would have crushed it with the brake released.
That's where mine is mounted in the '56 Plaza and no problem with interference from the hand brake.
Edited by 57chizler 2017-01-06 2:36 PM
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Location: Frederick, MD | I'll probably relocate mine to the same location. Assuming I won't hit it with my leg when working the clutch. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I was going to pull the new wires to the tail lights and pulled off the interior side panel in the back. I thought they stuffed the area with insulation. When I got a whiff of it, I realized I had a giant mouse nest to remove. Fortunately, it appeared the tenants had moved out long ago. I wish now I'd taken a photo before I started pulling it out, but it almost completely filled the cavity from the inner wheelhouse back to the tail light and up to the level of the windows. I filled a kitchen trash bag pulling it out. Gross. I'm going to have to get in there and scrub the area then I'll probably get some POR-15 to seal the surfaces. |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 71charger_fan - 2017-01-11 6:22 PM I'm going to have to get in there and scrub the area then I'll probably get some POR-15 to seal the surfaces.
Humm, in Alberta the deer mouse poop carries a bad bug, but I didn't see you location (charger fan?), maybe just spray some cleaner and wear a dust mask?
Here is some some fun reading for you;
Quote;
"Hantavirus is carried by some mice and may be transmitted through contact with their droppings. Most cases occur in the spring during cleaning when people may breathe in air borne particles.
Early symptoms are similar to the flu, but can quickly develop into severe breathing problems and in some cases hantavirus infection can be fatal.
The incidence of the hantavirus and the risk it poses to the public is low. However, particularly in the spring, when the weather improves and people spend more time outdoors and doing spring cleaning, remember to keep any risk to a minimum and take precautions to avoid hantavirus infection.
The only confirmed carrier of the hantavirus in Alberta is the deer mouse (reddish-brown or in some cases grey, but always with white fur on the underside of the neck, belly, feet, and tail). However, it is possible that other rodents may carry the virus and it is not always easy to determine what kind of mouse one is exposed to (particularly when the only evidence is droppings). The virus does not appear to have any effect on mice which carry it.
All rodents should be treated as potential carriers. |
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Location: So. Cal | Sounds more like a pack rat. |
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Location: Frederick, MD | I had to pull out the left headlight bucket to drill out the hole for the wires to a larger size and put in a grommet. Getting five wires through the stock-size hole was going to be too tight. I had a Dorman light socket on the shelf that fit perfectly into the back of the stock parking light. Now, I have to buy another for the other side.
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Location: Montreal, Canada | I don't know why I had not seen that thread before today!
That is a really cool wagon you got there! Keep the photos coming!
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Location: Frederick, MD | I finally had to give up on the idea of keeping the original one-piece plastic headliner and yanked it out today to make rewiring the back of the car easier. There was another, smaller mouse nest at the top of the windshield and a third in the passenger quarter panel. After I got the headliner out, I had a lot of gross crap to vacuum up.
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Location: Georgia | Eeechhh! Glad you got the mice out! Nasty stuff. She's getting better all the time!
Pete |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Smelling better, that's for sure. I'm thinking of going with the 8-bow headliner that Newstalgia sells. Gets expensive when you have to also buy bows.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-01-18 1:24 PM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Took forever to wire in the right front park lamp/turn signal today as my supervisor felt the need to closely inspect everything.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I went with Sylvania Xtra Vision headlights. I needed a 12V horn, so I pulled an extra '71 horn off the shelf and mated it to a bracket from an '87 Lancer which I drilled and tapped. I'm still trying to decide which disc brake conversion to go with so I wired the brake light circuit with extra wire so the switch can be moved around if necessary. My graveyard of old wiring is still growing, but, at this point, almost all of the old wiring is out now. The "boss" continues to oversee progress.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Pulled the upper metal dash which was badly peeling to give it a coat of satin black. Having that out of the way made it easier to mount a couple of resistors for the 6V wiper and blower motors.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I stripped all the gauges out of the dash panel for painting and installed the electronic voltage reducers on the temp and gas gauges.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Had a nice warm day today. I couldn't let that go to waste. Got the dash panel painted, the steering wheel painted, headlight bezels and some of the dash trim painted. Also swapping the painted tail light bezels for stainless ones I got from CTC Auto Ranch.
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Location: Georgia | You are attacking this car! Love the updates--looking good!!
Pete |
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Location: Frederick, MD | I adapted a RetroSound 6 3/4" speaker with dual voice coils onto my original speaker bracket. Had to cut away some of the punched grill that was between the dash grill and the speaker to clear the tweeter bridge.
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Plaza factory speaker removed.jpg (123KB - 413 downloads)
Plaza Speaker mount modified.jpg (127KB - 408 downloads)
Plaza RetroSound mounted.jpg (108KB - 426 downloads)
Plaza speaker installed in dash.jpg (115KB - 415 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I installed a bus bar on the passenger side of the steering column bracket. I'll run a fused accessory lead to that so I'll have a more convenient access point for powering any accessories I may add. Working around the "inspector" sticking his nose into everything added a level of difficulty.
 (Plaza bus bar.jpg)
 (Bear the inspector.jpg)
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Plaza bus bar.jpg (103KB - 412 downloads)
Bear the inspector.jpg (90KB - 424 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | After several failed attempts, I finally got the glovebox door and ashtray front to take paint. Whatever textured finish they put on these parts in '55 did not react well with Rustoleum.
 (Plaza glove box painted.jpg)
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Plaza glove box painted.jpg (242KB - 396 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Got the dash mostly reassembled. Still have to make up a single DIN radio faceplate for the Pioneer I'm putting in.
 (Plaza dash repainted.jpg)
 (Plaza dash left section.jpg)
 (Plaza dash center section.jpg)
 (Plaza right dash section.jpg)
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Plaza dash repainted.jpg (90KB - 424 downloads)
Plaza dash left section.jpg (90KB - 398 downloads)
Plaza dash center section.jpg (88KB - 406 downloads)
Plaza right dash section.jpg (103KB - 416 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I went added a second horn since I had a set from my '71 Charger parts stash.
 (Plaza dual horns.jpg)
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Plaza dual horns.jpg (129KB - 395 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The original dome light fixture was a mess, so I'm using an LED fixture.
 (Plaza LED dome light.jpg)
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Plaza LED dome light.jpg (112KB - 406 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I used the terminal block from the core support originally used for headlight wiring to make a ground distribution block. I've run a 10 ga. wire from the battery negative terminal to the block. Now I know I have a good ground. I ran a wire from this ground distribution block over to the passenger side kick panel area and installed a ground distribution block I grabbed off of Ebay. It's nice to have a location to where I know there's a good ground.
 (Plaza ground distribution block.jpg)
 (Plaza Ebay ground distribution block.jpg)
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Plaza ground distribution block.jpg (145KB - 370 downloads)
Plaza Ebay ground distribution block.jpg (158KB - 400 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Fortunately for me, the glovebox liner is being reproduced.
 (Plaza new and old glovebox.jpg)
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Plaza new and old glovebox.jpg (124KB - 390 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I spent the day sanding and painting the interior trim. Some of it's pretty beat up from over 60 years in the back of a station wagon.
 (Plaza repainted trim.jpg)
 (Plaza repainted trim (2).jpg)
 (Plaza repainted trim (3).jpg)
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Plaza repainted trim.jpg (84KB - 384 downloads)
Plaza repainted trim (2).jpg (129KB - 405 downloads)
Plaza repainted trim (3).jpg (81KB - 398 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I prepared a steel plate with a single DIN opening to mount over a spare radio faceplate so I can use a modern Pioneer radio with Bluetooth.
 (Plaza single DIN radio mount.jpg)
 (Plaza radio faceplate.jpg)
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Plaza single DIN radio mount.jpg (139KB - 385 downloads)
Plaza radio faceplate.jpg (79KB - 370 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I installed the new Pioneer into the modified radio plate today.
 (Plaza radio faceplate front.jpg)
 (Plaza radio faceplate back.jpg)
 (Plaza Pioneer installed.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza radio faceplate front.jpg (108KB - 381 downloads)
Plaza radio faceplate back.jpg (116KB - 400 downloads)
Plaza Pioneer installed.jpg (84KB - 394 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Thank you for posting.
Radio looks great.
I see that Gary S. did a double din in that same place and I would also like to do that for a back up camera (old bad neck) but it sure looks tight for space?
Reply is optional, thanks, Ray. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I think I double DIN would probably fit fine. the original radio was huge. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The oil pressure gauge hard line had a rubber section in it which was cracked and leaking like a sieve. I replaced that with a braided 3AN line. The worst part was having to pull the starter to get to the pressure port on the block.
 (Plaza Starter Out.jpg)
 (Plaza adapters.jpg)
 (Plaza 3AN Line.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza Starter Out.jpg (137KB - 397 downloads)
Plaza adapters.jpg (155KB - 383 downloads)
Plaza 3AN Line.jpg (134KB - 389 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I disassembled the grill to replace a severely dented piece with an NOS piece I was lucky enough to turn up and put in another NOS piece I didn't really need but was cheap. Whoever repainted this car didn't take anything apart, so I repainted the grill brackets to eliminate the blue overspray.
 (Plaza dented grill piece.jpg)
 (Plaza grill pieces.jpg)
 (Plaza grill brackets.jpg)
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Plaza dented grill piece.jpg (110KB - 382 downloads)
Plaza grill pieces.jpg (140KB - 377 downloads)
Plaza grill brackets.jpg (83KB - 378 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I taped off the ridges on the grill center to reshoot the grooves black.
 (Plaza grill center.jpg)
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Plaza grill center.jpg (139KB - 393 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I did relocate the fuse block to the driver's side kick panel. Much easier once I got the whole dash out.
 (Plaza fuse block.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza fuse block.jpg (183KB - 401 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've also spent a lot of time putting convolute tubing around the wires to avoid chaffing and cutting.
 (Plaza wiring protection.jpg)
 (php6xEsgaPM.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza wiring protection.jpg (187KB - 381 downloads)
php6xEsgaPM.jpg (120KB - 368 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Too cold in the garage this weekend, so I brought the grill pieces into the family room and assembled it inside where it's warm.
 (Plaza Grill.jpg)
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Plaza Grill.jpg (68KB - 387 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | I wonder if you will like the Volt meter better than the AMP meter.
That speedo brings back memories. Like me being a 16 or 17 year old and getting my old 55 Dodge Regent (Canadian Plodge) flat head 6, 3 on the tree, up to 85 mph. At night. With at least three passengers. All of us could have died. What an idiot. At least it was Saskatchewan and the road was straight.
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-03-05 6:21 PM
 (PhotoFlip2.jpg)
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PhotoFlip2.jpg (50KB - 385 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I thought about putting a higher capacity amp meter in, as I felt sure the original ammeter couldn't handle the output of the new Delco alternator. However, from what I read, the voltmeter is much safer. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I installed the grill on the car today as well as the headlight bezels and NOS turn signal lens.
 (Plaza grill TS lens installed.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza grill TS lens installed.jpg (115KB - 383 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Looking good. I just installed a cleaner/clearer park light lens in my 56 Dodge and it looks much better. Carry on the good work.
I like the fuse panel that you installed but I am a bit afraid of the work to install it.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | It's not difficult, just tedious. Would have been easier if I'd just yanked out the entire dashboard to start with. The American Autowire kit came with more than enough wire for everything but the right rear tail light and that's only because I have a wagon and had to route the wiring up and over the tailgate. The only circuit I needed that wasn't provided for was back up lights. I took power from a fused accessory port and ran it to the back up lamp switch, then ran power from the switch to the back up lamps which ground through their sockets. I did buy some extra wire for some of my own customization. I added two LED spot beams back by the tailgate wired to the dome lights as well as the added ground blocks. Plus extra wire to make up for the extra wire run distance in a wagon. While everything is torn apart, I'll run a few extra wires from behind the dash to different parts of the car but not hook them up to anything. Just have them available if I, or a future owner, decide to add accessories such as lights or amplifiers in the future. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I forgot that, since I have a wagon with the two wire fuel sender, I also had to run an extra wire to the rear of the car for that second wire. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've got the dash back in but now need to figure out why the wipers don't work.
 (Plaza dash in.jpg)
 (Plaza radio check.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza dash in.jpg (100KB - 374 downloads)
Plaza radio check.jpg (124KB - 389 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Just ordered a 12V starter for a '56. I saw it on Ebay for $323, but found it on that sellers retail website for $209 with free shipping. Although the 6V starter should work just fine on 12V, I have no way of knowing how old it is. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The starter showed up today. I found this with an internet search for Prestolite 3410 and Prestolite MDG6001.
 (Plaza 12V starter.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza 12V starter.jpg (95KB - 362 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Unfortunately, the new starter's nose is shaped just differently enough that I can't get it to slip into the bellhousing. The dipstick tube is in the way. Today, I pulled the nose off of the 6V starter, cleaned it, and painted it. Tomorrow, after the paint has cured, I'll swap it onto the 12V starter. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Switched the old starter nose onto the new starter today. It was just different enough to get the new starter to pop in. I was thrilled when I turned the key and the engine turned over.
 (Plaza starter nose switchover.jpg)
 (Plaza starter noses.jpg)
 (Plaza starter nose switched.jpg)
 (Plaza new starter.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza starter nose switchover.jpg (97KB - 365 downloads)
Plaza starter noses.jpg (95KB - 382 downloads)
Plaza starter nose switched.jpg (90KB - 365 downloads)
Plaza new starter.jpg (91KB - 371 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Nice job. I wouldn't have expected those to be different. Was it a difference in the heights or bolt pattern? It is very possible that they changed it just to guarantee that they wouldn't interchange because of the difference in voltage & potentials. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | It was only a difference in the shape of the nose. The nose on the left is off the '55 six volt starter. The one on the right, off the twelve volt replacement, has more of a squared off shoulder. The original is more sloped. The difference in shape kept the replacement from being able to slip into the bellhousing without hard interference from the dipstick tube.
The housing is clocked differently too. With the '55 nose on it, the new starter's power lug is on the bottom instead of on the side. My solenoid to starter cable just barely stretches.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-04-03 8:22 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | I can plainly see the difference now that you point it out. I guess blindness comes in many forms |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Started on the disc brake conversion today.
 (Plaza Drum.jpg)
 (Plaza drum brakes.jpg)
 (Plaza Spindle cleaned.jpg)
 (Plaza Scarebird disc adapter.jpg)
 (Plaza Scarebird Hub.jpg)
 (Plaza disc installed.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza Drum.jpg (110KB - 383 downloads)
Plaza drum brakes.jpg (143KB - 359 downloads)
Plaza Spindle cleaned.jpg (124KB - 352 downloads)
Plaza Scarebird disc adapter.jpg (97KB - 359 downloads)
Plaza Scarebird Hub.jpg (106KB - 379 downloads)
Plaza disc installed.jpg (110KB - 352 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | What kit are you using (you probably said but I missed it)?
I like the idea of separate hubs and rotors instead of rotors and hubs combined in one unit.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I went with Scarebird because that kit required no spindle modifications. Chevy S10 4WD calipers and Ford Probe rotors. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | One side done. This is the easy part. Installing the master cylinder/proportioning valve/new lines is still to come.
 (Plaza Caliper installed.jpg)
 (Plaza caliper install.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza Caliper installed.jpg (116KB - 358 downloads)
Plaza caliper install.jpg (110KB - 355 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Prying the unneeded brackets off the Cadillac brake hoses.
 (Plaza brake hose1.jpg)
 (Plaza brake hose2.jpg)
 (Plaza brake hose3.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza brake hose1.jpg (97KB - 349 downloads)
Plaza brake hose2.jpg (93KB - 348 downloads)
Plaza brake hose3.jpg (107KB - 356 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Time for new shocks. I bought some Gabriels for a '75 Corvette. I had to open up the slots in the mounting tabs on the shocks for the 3/8 bolts and had to remove about 1/32" on the control arm to pass the shock through. When I pulled the old shock out, it had undercoating on it and was stamped ORIFLOW, which made me think I had the original factory shocks on the front.
 (Plaza shock.jpg)
 (Plaza shocks.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza shock.jpg (79KB - 357 downloads)
Plaza shocks.jpg (80KB - 348 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | One problem with the disc conversion was that, with the new hub, the outer washer stands outboard just a little farther. This negated being able to slip the cotter pin through. I wasn't having any luck finding a low profile 3/4-16 castle nut, so I set up the bearings and marked which slot on the nut needed to be deeper. Then, I just filed that slot down until I could slip the cotter pin through.
 (Plaza cotter pin.jpg)
 (Plaza castle nut.jpg)
 (Plaza castle nut filed.jpg)
 (Plaza castle nut modified.jpg)
 (Plaza cotter pin2.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza cotter pin.jpg (79KB - 362 downloads)
Plaza castle nut.jpg (124KB - 367 downloads)
Plaza castle nut filed.jpg (164KB - 374 downloads)
Plaza castle nut modified.jpg (72KB - 385 downloads)
Plaza cotter pin2.jpg (89KB - 370 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | I didn't have to do anything with the control arm to install the Corvette shocks. Is the Gabriel a larger diameter than most or is the 6cyl control arm smaller than the V8 version?
Nice job on the castle nut. The Scarebird conversion for '57-'61 has a similar problem, but not as severe. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The Gabriel was about 3/64" larger in diameter than the stock shock. The recommendation I found elsewhere on this site was to get the KYB shocks for the mid-'70s 'vette. The Gabriels were cheaper, so I went with them. I suspect they may be slightly larger than the KYBs. I don't know if there's a difference in the 6 and 8 cylinder car lower control arms. But, it was only a few seconds work with the Dremel to slip the new shock through. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Here's the shock in the car.
 (Plaza shock installed.jpg)
 (Plaza Gabriel box top.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza shock installed.jpg (94KB - 395 downloads)
Plaza Gabriel box top.jpg (64KB - 415 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I pulled out the old single master cylinder and started on installing the new dual master cylinder. Had to make a gasket for the firewall. The pushrod was way too long. Fortunately, the original pushrod is adjustable. I had to polish off the corrosion to get it to fit into the '70s A-body MC I'm using.
 (Plaza MC new.jpg)
 (Plaza MC gasket.jpg)
 (Plaza MC pushrod.jpg)
 (Plaza MC installed.jpg)
 (Plaza MC installed2.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza MC new.jpg (131KB - 413 downloads)
Plaza MC gasket.jpg (156KB - 389 downloads)
Plaza MC pushrod.jpg (108KB - 402 downloads)
Plaza MC installed.jpg (131KB - 394 downloads)
Plaza MC installed2.jpg (132KB - 409 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Probably re-plumbing the brake system just in time.
 (Plaza brake hose.jpg)
 (Plaza distribution block old.jpg)
 (Plaza distribution block old2.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza brake hose.jpg (90KB - 390 downloads)
Plaza distribution block old.jpg (118KB - 406 downloads)
Plaza distribution block old2.jpg (114KB - 397 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Master cylinder label.
 (Plaza MC label.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza MC label.jpg (104KB - 386 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Got the master cylinder and distribution valve plumbed today.
 (Plaza MC lines.jpg)
 (Plaza distribution valve and lines.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza MC lines.jpg (152KB - 393 downloads)
Plaza distribution valve and lines.jpg (128KB - 397 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The notch on the top of the mounting flange of the newer master cylinder left a part of the hole in the firewall for the old master cylinder uncovered. I dug out a piece of aluminum sheet I had and made a plate and gasket to go between the new master cylinder and firewall plate.
 (php5KeOdlPM.jpg)
 (Plaza alum plate.jpg)
 (Plaza alum plate2.jpg)
 (Plaza alum plate gasket.jpg)
 (Plaza alum plate3.jpg)
 (php4dGIp5PM.jpg)
Attachments
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php5KeOdlPM.jpg (165KB - 389 downloads)
Plaza alum plate.jpg (198KB - 400 downloads)
Plaza alum plate2.jpg (78KB - 406 downloads)
Plaza alum plate gasket.jpg (135KB - 385 downloads)
Plaza alum plate3.jpg (106KB - 392 downloads)
php4dGIp5PM.jpg (143KB - 392 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | For the life of me, I can't figure out why Chrysler put that blasted notch there in the end of the master. Even on the '73 Dart where this master was used, it seems bad. I believe that they just covered the hole with a foam gasket originally. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Pulled out the 6V wiper motor and installed a 12V I got from Big M. Externally, the units are almost identical. Other than the markings, the 6V has a double ground strap to the mounting bracket and the 12V a single.
 (Plaza 6V wiper motor.jpg)
 (Plaza 12V wiper motor.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza 6V wiper motor.jpg (122KB - 397 downloads)
Plaza 12V wiper motor.jpg (143KB - 400 downloads)
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | 71charger_fan - 2017-04-11 10:54 AM
The Gabriel was about 3/64" larger in diameter than the stock shock. The recommendation I found elsewhere on this site was to get the KYB shocks for the mid-'70s 'vette. The Gabriels were cheaper, so I went with them. I suspect they may be slightly larger than the KYBs. I don't know if there's a difference in the 6 and 8 cylinder car lower control arms. But, it was only a few seconds work with the Dremel to slip the new shock through.
I can an also weigh in here. I believe the control arms are different. I did the same thing as you did, I ordered the Gabriels and tried to fit them without any luck. The tube is slightly larger, and I didn't want to grind anything so I sent them back and bought some KYB's. They fit perfectly.
Looks like those were the originals you removed. Very cool to see. |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | You make things look easy. Nice work updating things.
Are you keeping your old front and rear brake hub / drums? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I offered the fronts up to my Chrysler Products Owners Club membership, but have gotten no takers. I'm keeping the rear drums. If you need the fronts, you can have them. Just pay shipping or I can bring them to Chrysler Carlisle. They're 10" for the three-bolt knuckles.
Also the master cylinder. It had some sludge in it, but the car stopped, so it was working.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-04-20 7:05 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I looked in the parts book and 1955 to 1956 Plymouths and Dodges, both 6 and 8 cylinder cars, used the same lower control arms, part nos. 1615 108 (right) and 1615 109 (left). Maybe there were variances from vendor to vendor or even different stamping dies. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-04-21 12:28 PM I looked in the parts book and 1955 to 1956 Plymouths and Dodges, both 6 and 8 cylinder cars, used the same lower control arms, part nos. 1615 108 (right) and 1615 109 (left).
Agree.
 (55-56FrontSuspensionPartsDiagram.jpg)
 (55-56FrontSuspensionPartsControlArmPNs_1.jpg)
 (55-56FrontSuspensionPartsControlArmPNs_2.jpg)
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55-56FrontSuspensionPartsDiagram.jpg (202KB - 416 downloads)
55-56FrontSuspensionPartsControlArmPNs_1.jpg (264KB - 414 downloads)
55-56FrontSuspensionPartsControlArmPNs_2.jpg (267KB - 403 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | ........................or maybe it's the shock manufacture? |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | 71charger_fan - 2017-04-20 6:03 PM
I offered the fronts up to my Chrysler Products Owners Club membership, but have gotten no takers. I'm keeping the rear drums. If you need the fronts, you can have them. Just pay shipping or I can bring them to Chrysler Carlisle. They're 10" for the three-bolt knuckles.
Also the master cylinder. It had some sludge in it, but the car stopped, so it was working.
Thanks for the offer, 71charger_fan. I may take you up on it. Any idea what shipping would be to 61614? Thank you!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Depends on the weight. I don't know how much all that weighs, but it's a lot of steel/iron. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Got the steering wheel back on. I'm waiting on some tie rod ends. The grease seals on mine look like they failed decades ago. Getting the horn switch back together was a huge pain as the rubber isolators had come apart. I had to stick them all together with black RTV and wait a day for it all to set up before I could turn the horn button over and attach it to the wheel.
 (Plaza Steering Wheel Installed.jpg)
 (Plaza Brake Line Wheel Well.jpg)
 (Plaza Bearing Boxes.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza Steering Wheel Installed.jpg (140KB - 379 downloads)
Plaza Brake Line Wheel Well.jpg (157KB - 385 downloads)
Plaza Bearing Boxes.jpg (115KB - 375 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The upper hatch is held to the hinges with 1/4" bolts. One of which was broken off. Yesterday was a good day as I rarely have any luck extracting broken bolts.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-04-27 8:56 AM
 (Plaza broken bolt.jpg)
 (Plaza broken bolt out.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza broken bolt.jpg (112KB - 372 downloads)
Plaza broken bolt out.jpg (97KB - 369 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The upper gate on the wagon latches to the lower with two rotating latches operated by twisting the central handle. One of the latches didn't work and a previous owner had put tape over it. I pulled the latch assembly and found a broken rivet. I used a socket and punch to remove the piece of broken rivet from the actuating arm but had to drill a hole in the latch assembly to get to drill out the piece of rivet in the latch piece. I filed down the head of a #10 screw and worked it through the actuator arm and latch piece. By dumb luck, the screw head is off center of the hole I drilled, so it doesn't have a clear path to work it's way out. I'm hoping this will be a good enough fix for how little the car will be used. I don't want to have to drill out all the rivets and take the mechanism completely apart.
 (Plaza latch broken rivet.jpg)
 (Plaza latch rivet removed.jpg)
 (Plaza latch hole drilled.jpg)
 (Plaza latch screw installed.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza latch broken rivet.jpg (126KB - 384 downloads)
Plaza latch rivet removed.jpg (129KB - 400 downloads)
Plaza latch hole drilled.jpg (121KB - 376 downloads)
Plaza latch screw installed.jpg (111KB - 381 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Pulled the rear shocks today. The shocks and the nuts at the upper mounting points both had undercoating on them. Again, I think they might have been 1955 originals.
 (Plaza rear shock old.jpg)
 (Plaza rear shock old_new.jpg)
Attachments
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Plaza rear shock old.jpg (114KB - 396 downloads)
Plaza rear shock old_new.jpg (119KB - 379 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The Gabriel Guardian shocks I bought for the rear were somehow manufactured with different bushings from one shock to the other. The holes in the bushings of one shock were just enough smaller that the shock wouldn't slip over the mounting studs. It was too much trouble to return that shock for a replacement. I removed the upper mounting stud from the car and pressed it into the shock on the bench and was able to pound the lower bushing on just enough that the threads of the nut caught and I pushed it on the rest of the way with the nut and washer. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I bought a clutch/brake pedal set only to find out that, while they look the same, they are not the same. The clutch pad fits over the end of the pedal, but the brake pad is molded to the pedal. So, I found an NORS brake pedal pad which arrived today.
 (Plaza Brake Pad Front.jpg)
 (Plaza Brake Pad Back.jpg)
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Plaza Brake Pad Front.jpg (110KB - 378 downloads)
Plaza Brake Pad Back.jpg (114KB - 373 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I finally got the right side tie rod out today. The old grease was rock hard and took a lot of chipping and WD40 to finally get the ends out. One wasn't too bad, but the other required the bench vise and a large pipe wrench.
 (Plaza Tie Rod Ends.jpg)
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Plaza Tie Rod Ends.jpg (115KB - 382 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | New tie rod ends are in and many layers of rock-hard crud scraped off the sleeves.
 (Plaza tie rod ends new.jpg)
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Plaza tie rod ends new.jpg (124KB - 379 downloads)
phpl9t0H0AM.jpg (112KB - 369 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Since I've replaced every other moving part in the brake system, I figured I'd better also take a look at the rear wheel cylinders. I'm glad I did. I've only gotten as far as the passenger side, but there was so much rust in that wheel cylinder, I'm sure those pistons haven't moved in years.
 (Plaza rear brakes.jpg)
 (Plaza rear brakes old whl cyl.jpg)
 (Plaza rear brakes new wh cyl.jpg)
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Plaza rear brakes.jpg (157KB - 384 downloads)
Plaza rear brakes old whl cyl.jpg (122KB - 369 downloads)
Plaza rear brakes new wh cyl.jpg (134KB - 378 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | New rear shocks installed.
 (Plaza rear shocks.jpg)
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Plaza rear shocks.jpg (111KB - 385 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I found an NOS back up lens to replace the lesser of the two on the car. I'm still looking for another NOS back up lens and one turn signal/parking lamp lens. I have an NOS '56 parking lamp lens and am considering just drilling two holes through that and using it.
 (Plaza back up lenses.jpg)
 (Plaza back up lens new.jpg)
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Plaza back up lenses.jpg (105KB - 378 downloads)
Plaza back up lens new.jpg (104KB - 382 downloads)
Plaza back up lens2.jpg (97KB - 383 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've started repainting the interior. My new headliner is en route, so I need the interior repainted and good and dry before I start messing with that. I still need to order some insulation for the inside of the roof. Not sure what I'm going to buy.
 (Plaza interior repaint.jpg)
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Plaza interior repaint.jpg (101KB - 371 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | CTC Auto Ranch built a crate to ship me my headliner bows. Now, I have to get them out and get them painted. I don't want to put rusty headliner bows into a white headliner.
 (Plaza headliner bows.jpg)
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Plaza headliner bows.jpg (75KB - 367 downloads)
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Member
Posts: 30
| Hi,I'm new to this forum,and just had to join to follow this tread. Have a 55 Plaza 2dr suburban too,and this year I've had it for 40..! years..won't bore you guys with bad excuses for not finishing it,but rust,lack of parts,building a home,raising kids are a few of them..in addition,I live in Norway,Europe,and if it's tough to find parts in the US,you can only imagine trying over here..
Anyway,I'm thankful for the technical information,what parts you use,and the name of the suppliers.Will probably go for a lot of the same stuff,like the disc brake conversion,wire kit ++
Must say,I'm impressed by the speed you make things done,and the crisp and detailed pictures !
Just last Month though,I bought a pretty nice 1956 Savoy club sedan,with only 17200 miles since new,so will try to leave that alone ( for now ),and just enjoy it this summer,and get back to the Plaza in the garage when winter comes..
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I did the right side wheel cylinder first. I was happy to find the linings were pretty much brand new. Then, I moved over to the left side and found the linings were shot. No actual wear, but the material was crumbling. So, a new set of shoes from Bernbaum went on yesterday.
 (Plaza shoes old.jpg)
 (Plaza shoes new.jpg)
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Plaza shoes old.jpg (147KB - 366 downloads)
Plaza shoes new.jpg (114KB - 374 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Coating the headliner bows with Eastwood rust encapsulator.
 (Plaza headliner bows (2).jpg)
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Plaza headliner bows (2).jpg (101KB - 363 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've now realized that I have sedan headliner bows and not wagon headliner bows. The last couple of sedan bows are way too long for a wagon. Now, I have to either find wagon bows, shorten and re-arch the sedan bows, buy universal bows, or make some bows. I'm wondering if maybe cheap kids fishing poles from Walmart or Kmart would make good bows. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I tried remounting the wheels and taking the car off the jackstands. I was disappointed to find the inside of the wheels interfere with the calipers. Looks like about a 1/4" spacer would clear this up.
 (Plaza caliper interference.jpg)
 (Plaza caliper interference on wheel.jpg)
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Plaza caliper interference.jpg (132KB - 361 downloads)
Plaza caliper interference on wheel.jpg (193KB - 374 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I used some washers as spacers and realized that a 1/4" spacer would be fine. However, as it was, it was close, so I went ahead and tried the hammer. A few blows with the big ball pein and the metal moved enough to clear the calipers.
 (Plaza Rim.jpg)
 (Plaza Rim2.jpg)
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Plaza Rim.jpg (66KB - 378 downloads)
Plaza Rim2.jpg (135KB - 360 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Finally after months on jack stands, I started it up and moved it under its own power today. I just backed it out of the garage and let it idle until it got hot, but it was a relief to hear it run. I still have to set the timing and likely address choke problems with the carb, but I cannot adequately express how relieved I was, after all that rewiring, to hear it fire up. Of course, I couldn't completely escape my stupid side. I noticed the gas gauge read empty and assumed it wasn't working until the gas ran out when it was halfway back into the garage. About a gallon and a half from the mower can and I was good to go again.
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phpjm9ytIPM.jpg (96KB - 373 downloads)
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Member
Posts: 30
| Job well done so far,71 Charger fan ! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I found some '56 Dodge wagon headliner bows at Big M. While I wait for those to arrive, I'm sanding and prepping the interior for paint. Now that's a miserable job. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 5006
| going to be amazing with that fake wood gone...
56 the same as 55?
 (1956PlymouthAd03.jpg)
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1956PlymouthAd03.jpg (117KB - 374 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | '56 has small fins, different taillights, parking light lenses, grill, hood ornament, the dash is changed a little, and the '56s are 12V. Other than that, they're pretty close to being the same. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 55's
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-05-23 12:22 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I sanded and prepped the interior structure on the passenger side for primer.
 (Plaza pass int prepped.jpg)
 (Plaza pass int primed.jpg)
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Plaza pass int prepped.jpg (117KB - 373 downloads)
Plaza pass int primed.jpg (93KB - 369 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 769
Location: Oley, PA | You do great work! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | There are a couple of runs in the primer that I'll sand out today and some thin spots I'll recover, but I should have it covered in white paint this afternoon and be ready to move to the door frames. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I took the rear seat back cushion off of its metal frame today and discovered more mouse nests. Vacuuming it all out of the seat springs really filled up the shop vac.
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phphcUkiDPM.jpg (126KB - 371 downloads)
phppKwyH9PM.jpg (148KB - 355 downloads)
phpZpclMfPM.jpg (160KB - 367 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The '56 Dodge wagon headliner bows I ordered from Big M arrived today and I've given them a coat of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator.
 (Plaza headliner bows from Big M.jpg)
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Plaza headliner bows from Big M.jpg (195KB - 370 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | More mouse nests. I'm afraid to look in the front seat. This is the rear seat bottom.
 (Plaza rear seat bottom cushion.jpg)
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Plaza rear seat bottom cushion.jpg (119KB - 386 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The metal pan that goes under the rear seat cushion suffered from rodent urine-induced corrosion. Lots of Simple Green and scrubbing later and it still looked like this.
 (Plaza rear seat bottom cushion pan.jpg)
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Plaza rear seat bottom cushion pan.jpg (102KB - 371 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I got the rear seat bottom cushion pan stripped and primed. I took this piece and the corresponding piece for the seat back to the local powder coater. He wanted $600, so I brought them home.
 (Plaza Rear Seat Pan.jpg)
 (Plaza Rear Seat Pan (2).jpg)
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Plaza Rear Seat Pan.jpg (92KB - 383 downloads)
Plaza Rear Seat Pan (2).jpg (111KB - 388 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I started fitting the sewn headliner I got from Newstalgia. I'm realizing I'm far more comfortable with the mechanical than trim work. It's going to be very "fiddly" trying to get this thing looking right. I'm now certain it's not a one-person job.
 (Plaza sewn headliner.jpg)
 (Plaza sewn headliner (2).jpg)
 (Plaza sewn headliner (3).jpg)
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Plaza sewn headliner.jpg (107KB - 448 downloads)
Plaza sewn headliner (2).jpg (92KB - 481 downloads)
Plaza sewn headliner (3).jpg (83KB - 447 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I don't know why my photos look fine on my computer but sometimes flip sideways when I post them. I re-cropped the photo and am trying again.
 (Plaza sewn headliner (3).jpg)
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Plaza sewn headliner (3).jpg (52KB - 452 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Pretty sure the dome light needs to come out/off BEFORE you install the headliner.
Good luck.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | There's plenty of room to snatch it out of there. I had a hodge podge of bows from two different cars and I needed to figure out which bow fit best where. I'll pull the domelight before I start pinning/gluing anything in place.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-05-31 8:21 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Putting this thing in is endlessly tedious. It's coming along though.
 (Plaza Headliner Install.jpg)
 (Plaza Headliner Install (2).jpg)
 (Plaza Headliner Install (3).jpg)
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Plaza Headliner Install.jpg (88KB - 425 downloads)
Plaza Headliner Install (2).jpg (77KB - 436 downloads)
Plaza Headliner Install (3).jpg (90KB - 445 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Good for you for doing it yourself. I did one for a VW bug about 30yrs ago, and that was enough for me! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I still have to figure out how to trim it over the middle windows. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1155
Location: somerville mass | ive seen this post since the beginning and havent commented but will now..
nice little wagon! not many 55 2 dr suburban wagons left... did it come
stock w the wood grain? those stickers on the glass are from the past...
flathead 6 or v-8... first v-8 offered in 55. i see your doing a full restoration...
i can imagine how nice it will be.. if your into 55s in the ebay section a 55 belvedere
conv. was just posted .. looks rough sitting a long time.. cant wait to see your
wagon finished! 71 charger? rt? 440 440 six pak? hemi? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The wood grain is airbrushed. It's a 230 flathead. My '71 is an SE. It was a 383-2V with 4-wheel manual drum brakes and a 2.45 open rear. It's now got a .030-over 400 with an Edelbrock carb, 4-wheel discs, 3.55 sure grip 8.75 rear, tubular front suspension and k-frame, R/T tail lights, and a bulge hood off a '74 Rallye. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I made a pattern out of cardboard and marked it on some 1" wide aluminum to make headliner trim for over the middle windows. Car show tomorrow, so I hope to get them installed on Sunday and finish out this headliner.
 (Plaza headliner trim (2).jpg)
 (Plaza headliner trim.jpg)
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Plaza headliner trim (2).jpg (72KB - 420 downloads)
Plaza headliner trim.jpg (70KB - 415 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | moparsteve - 2017-06-08 2:02 PM 71 charger? rt? 440 440 six pak? hemi?
Since you asked, this is my '71 and our two '15 Challengers.
 (Charger & Co..jpg)
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Charger & Co..jpg (101KB - 442 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Making progress.
 (Plaza headliner.jpg)
 (Plaza headliner (2).jpg)
 (Plaza headliner (3).jpg)
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Plaza headliner.jpg (84KB - 422 downloads)
Plaza headliner (2).jpg (144KB - 414 downloads)
Plaza headliner (3).jpg (105KB - 429 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The rear view mirror was nasty. Rusty in places, the finish was cracked, and there was 60 years of dirt, tar, and nicotine built up on it. I scrubbed it, sanded it, primed it, and painted it in satin black to match the rest of what I've got going on color wise.
 (Plaza mirror.jpg)
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Plaza mirror.jpg (107KB - 431 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Looking good. I like the perforated material (vinyl?). What did you do for insulation above the headliner, attached to the underside of the roof?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I know I should have put something up there, but I didn't. It's just bare steel. |
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Expert
Posts: 2002
Location: Branson, MO | Great job! I tried to replace a headliner on a 1960 Chrysler I had but wound up having it done at an upholstery shop. Not enough patience and I didn't want to screw it up. By the way, it wasnt a wagon either which is probably even more challenging.
Congrats on a job well done.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My '55 sun visors were shot and the brackets were corroded. I painted the brackets in satin black to match the mirror and touched up a pair of extra '71 Charger visors and used them.
 (Plaza Sun Visors.jpg)
 (Plaza Sun Visors (2).jpg)
 (Plaza Sun Visor Bracket Dr Side.jpg)
 (Plaza Sun Visor Bracket Pass Side.jpg)
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Plaza Sun Visors.jpg (84KB - 426 downloads)
Plaza Sun Visors (2).jpg (80KB - 416 downloads)
Plaza Sun Visor Bracket Dr Side.jpg (70KB - 426 downloads)
Plaza Sun Visor Bracket Pass Side.jpg (148KB - 412 downloads)
Plaza Sun Visor pass side.jpg (120KB - 419 downloads)
Plaza Sun Visor.jpg (94KB - 413 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I got up the nerve to slice the headliner to install the LED dome light. I also wired two small LED spots into the dome light circuit and put them in the back on either side of the tailgate.
 (Plaza LED Dome Light (2).jpg)
 (Plaza LED Spot.jpg)
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Plaza LED Dome Light (2).jpg (90KB - 422 downloads)
Plaza LED Spot.jpg (73KB - 412 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I lost the nuts to the lower left dash trim. Just my luck, they're #12-24 studs. I've never in my life needed a 12-24 nut. Local stores didn't carry that size, so I wound up buying an entire box just to reattach this piece of trim.
 (Plaza Dash Trim (2).jpg)
 (Plaza Dash Trim Nuts.jpg)
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Plaza Dash Trim (2).jpg (78KB - 412 downloads)
Plaza Dash Trim Nuts.jpg (128KB - 421 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Thanks for reminding me. I knew I needed some 12-24 hardware, but couldn't remember what for. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I tried a test drive and realized after hearing an unpleasant sound that something was amiss. The alternator pulley was just enough out of alignment that it spit the belt off. So, I aligned the pulley and went to AutoZone and bought a new belt. Unfortunately, the listed belt is too short for my alternator conversion. So, for now, I'll have to reuse the old belt.
 (Plaza belt failure.jpg)
 (Plaza belt too short.jpg)
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Plaza belt failure.jpg (128KB - 422 downloads)
Plaza belt too short.jpg (92KB - 427 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I have not been able to get a hard brake pedal. It's been driving me nuts. I got another new MC. Application says for '73 Charger manual discs. I bench bled it, installed it, pushed a quart of fluid through the lines and still have a mushy pedal. I think I'll pull it out, bench bleed it again, bleed the lines again, and hope for the best. If that doesn't work, I may give up and have it flat bedded somewhere they can pressure bleed it from the wheels to the MC and see if that finally fixes it.
 (Plaza New MC.jpg)
 (Plaza New MC Bench Bleed.jpg)
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Plaza New MC.jpg (139KB - 426 downloads)
Plaza New MC Bench Bleed.jpg (126KB - 412 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | After experimenting with several different length belts, I think I finally hit the sweet spot.
 (Plaza Belt.jpg)
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Plaza Belt.jpg (155KB - 402 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | I wouldn't bother taking the brakes somewhere else. I have installed 100's of master cylinders during the days when I worked as a brake mechanic and never had a single issue with them back in the early 90's. Now, it is hard to get a good one off the shelf. New master cylinders are typically worse than rebuilt, but still not a guarantee. I don't know what happened with it, but they are obviously cutting corners with the seals in them somewhere. I recommend you take it back to the auto parts store and get a rebuilt one to try instead. Get your money back. Expensive returns are the only way to get the message back to these crappy manufacturers that it doesn't pay to sell crap. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I finally clamped off my rubber hoses and got a hard pedal. I unclamped the fronts one at a time and the pedal stayed rock hard. I unclamped the rear line and the pedal went to the floor. Wasted the day trying to bleed the air out of it. I even made a new piece of steel brake line from the tee on the rear axle to the left rear wheel cylinder. The right rear seems to bleed out fine and give me nice clear fluid. The left rear, however, constantly has small bubbles in it and sometimes is almost foamy. My new suspicion is that my new Chinesium wheel cylinder might be a piece of crap. I think I'll head over to NAPA tomorrow and pick up a new wheel cylinder, swap out the left rear and hope that finally fixes it.
 (phpJo08DdPM.jpg)
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phpJo08DdPM.jpg (87KB - 448 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | There was some minor seepage at the left rear wheel cylinder so I switched it out. The pedal is better, but still not where I think it should be. However, I think I can tweak the adjustment of the brake shoes. I'm hoping if I adjust the shoes so that the drum drags, then just back off a hair, it might just cure the problem. Eventually, I might just take my flange-to-flange measurement to the junk yard and see what Ford/Mopar rear axle I can find to just swap out and get more modern, easier-to-adjust brakes. Maybe even rear discs. It was very disappointing to buy "NAPA Ultra Premium Brake Parts" and still wind up with the "made in China" on the box. However, the seals on the NAPA part seemed much better than those on the Centric I pulled off.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-07-05 8:31 PM
 (Plaza Wheel Cylinder Box.jpg)
 (Plaza Wheel Cylinder.jpg)
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Plaza Wheel Cylinder Box.jpg (114KB - 399 downloads)
Plaza Wheel Cylinder.jpg (128KB - 402 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Trying to get a hard brake pedal on this car is driving me mad. I decided to again pull the drums and verify the setting of the shoes. Previously, I just did the best I could without the proper gauge. Today, I made a gauge out of some flat aluminum and a long 1/4-20 screw with the head cut off. Using this, I realized I was off by quite a bit getting the heel of the shoes where they needed to be. So, now, I've got the shoes set as close as I can get them to factory spec. After pushing over 7 quarts of brake fluid through this system, I still don't have the pedal I feel I should have and still get some bubbles when I bleed. I've got a buddy coming over tomorrow with a vacuum bleeder. I have one that runs off the compressor, but can't get a decent seal on the bleeder nipple with it, so it pulls air around the bleeder fitting.
 (Plaza brake gauge.jpg)
 (Plaza brake gauge (2).jpg)
 (Plaza brake rear.jpg)
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Plaza brake gauge.jpg (122KB - 406 downloads)
Plaza brake gauge (2).jpg (96KB - 411 downloads)
Plaza brake rear.jpg (113KB - 403 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | You should re-tighten your lines, especially if you have made a new line with a new flare. Oftentimes these can leak slightly, giving you some air into the line. |
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Location: North Australia | You could try some plumbers thread seal tape on the thread of the bleeder to create a seal. I have done this and it works. This has a secondary positive outcome. It keeps the brake fluid out of the threads. Another trick is to bump the slave cylinder with a rubber/plastic hammer to bounce any air pockets/bubbles up to the bleeder port.
I am liking your posts, as I do all the guys threads who post info and pics of their progress. Nice work 71.
Steve. |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13045
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Attention, your brake hose is too short - it's stretching which is not a good thing. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 60 Imp - 2017-07-10 5:48 AM You could try some plumbers thread seal tape on the thread of the bleeder to create a seal. Steve.
...........umm .............doesn't the bleeder seal on the taper of the bleeder screw? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | That was supposedly the "correct" replacement brake hose. Fortunately, it only pulls tight at full suspension drop. While the bleeder does seal on the taper of the bleeder screw, air often can sneak past the bleeder screw threads. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7389
Location: northern germany | Old Ray - 2017-07-10 11:56 AM
60 Imp - 2017-07-10 5:48 AM You could try some plumbers thread seal tape on the thread of the bleeder to create a seal. Steve.
...........umm .............doesn't the bleeder seal on the taper of the bleeder screw? : )
yes, but when you bled the system you have to open the screws and the thread is not supposed to let any air pass then. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I ordered new brake line tubing and plan to (again) re-plumb the brake lines from the proportioning valve back. I'll also replace the Centric wheel cylinder on the right side with a NAPA one and replace the brake hose. I think I'll also relocate the frame mounting point for the brake hose to put it closer to the axle as it shouldn't be stretched tight when the car is jacked up. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Until today, it's been too hot in the garage since Carlisle to work on the Plymouth. I finally got around to replacing the right rear wheel cylinder with another new one from NAPA and making up new rear axle brake lines. I looked, but couldn't find a rear axle brake tee listed for a '55. I saw one at Inline Tube listed for '59 to '76 8.75 rear. I ordered one and it was an exact duplicate of the '55 brake tee. I also picked up another new rear rubber line, but it's no longer than the existing one. I'm trying to make a bracket to move the brake hose mounting bracket inboard a few inches to hopefully put some slack in the line when the car is on a lift.
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phpRLf23KPM.jpg (107KB - 392 downloads)
php9tug4WPM.jpg (77KB - 385 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406
Location: Hilltown, PA |
Oh dear lord please tell me that isn't copper line . . . . !!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | It's copper-nickel brake line tubing. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406
Location: Hilltown, PA | 71charger_fan - 2017-07-25 10:19 PM
It's copper-nickel brake line tubing.
I need to ask - what is that? I'm only familiar with the steel brake line, and here in PA that is the only legally acceptable brake line material. Well, stainless is also acceptable.
Please fill me in . . .
Gregg |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | It's original equipment on some European cars. It's much more easily formed than steel, especially stainless steel. It's highly rust resistant both internally and externally.
https://www.copper.org/applications/automotive/brake-tube/brake.html
http://agscompany.com/product-category/brake-fuel-transmission-line...
http://copperalliance.org.uk/docs/librariesprovider5/resources/is49... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | ....or even better (IMO) is Poly-Vinyl Fluorine coated.
http://agscompany.com/product-category/brake-fuel-transmission-lines/poly-armour/ |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | That must be what the brake lines in my Jeep Commander are. They look like plastic. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The new NAPA hose I picked up was the exact same length as the one I had on the car that was stretched overly tight when the car was jacked up. I used some scrap I had in the garage to make a bracket and spaced the bracket where the hose and hard line join off of the frame rail. It was just enough to allow the line to rest without being stretched.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406
Location: Hilltown, PA |
Thank you for the links. I've never heard of this material, but the information you provided makes it sound like a much better alternative. I'll have to see if it's readily available around me, or locate some online. I assume it works with standard double-flare fittings and is otherwise "drop-in" compatible with everything else in the system.
You project is very cool and makes for great reading, especially with all the photos you've taken.
Thanks for sharing a lot of great information
Gregg |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I bought a 25' coil of it plus an assortment of fittings for $28.45 from Ebay. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm at the point of buying and installing a 3rd new master cylinder. A friend of mine came by Thursday and we spent the afternoon bleeding the brakes. I can pump the pedal and make it feel okay, but just getting in and pushing the pedal, it goes to the floor. I used my Mityvac bleeder that works with the compressor and pulled fluid until I saw no more bubbles. My buddy came by and we used his Mityvac hand pump and pulled a few more reservoirs full through the lines. Then we bled all four corners by me pushing the pedal and him working the bleeder screws. We pushed almost another quart through the system. We went over the system, component by component, and found no leaks. I have new calipers, new front hoses, all new hard lines, new proportioning valve, new wheel cylinders (again), new master cylinder (again), new rear hose (again), and new brake tee. This is driving me nuts. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Did you "bench bleed" the master cylinder before installing it? (I made that mistake back in Nov. so don't feel bad).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEPXgDGU6_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOTkVAeU_n4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USdtwqju4GY
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-07-29 12:08 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Like I said before, make sure you get your money back on it. We all need to send a message that they are going to pay to sell this kind of garbage. Me and multiple people I know have had similar issues with brand new crap master cylinders recently. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406
Location: Hilltown, PA | In my experience, when you run into something like this where you've been over the thing a dozen times and still can't find the issue, it's usually something so basic you keep assuming it's ok, but it isn't.
So . . .
You did a disc brake conversion - Are you using a disc brake master cylinder, and using the correct outlet for front/rear? Sounds silly but remember the drum brake side usually has a check valve that prevents complete fluid return to the M/C for the purpose of keeping a firm pedal. Generally the large reservoir is for the disc brake, but just to make it fun not always.
Is the proportioning valve you're using for disc brakes, and is the orientation correct - both in terms of disc/drum AND in/out?
Are your calipers mounted properly in relation to the discs? Low pedals that pump up often indicate that there is excessive "play" in the system someplace - meaning you need to move a bunch of fluid before the friction materials make solid contact with the drum/rotor. Calipers that are skewed in relation to the rotor, loose wheel bearings, and anything else that disturbs the needed "almost touching" relationship of friction material to contact surface can cause a low pedal.
Are your calipers "over-returning". Rare, but I have seen rebuilt/reman calipers that for whatever reason actually pulled the disc pads away from the rotor. This should never happen - there is always some lateral runout in the rotor and this is used along with the natural pull-back of the square-cut o-ring on the caliper piston to barely retract the pad. Light drag is expected. But I have seen calipers that must have had a rolled o-ring that would actually pull the pad a notable distance from the rotor.
Is your pedal to master cylinder linkage adjusted correctly? When doing custom installations it can be difficult to gauge that adjustment sometimes. Maybe what you perceive as a low pedal is really just the take-up of an improper adjustment. If you adjust the pedal so that you get good pedal application height are the brakes dragging? When you apply the pedal are you getting immediate movement of the brake shoes and pads, or are you stroking the M/C some distance before the fluid reacts?
I find it difficult to believe that after 3 M/C's and all of that bleeding that you have a air issue. Are you still getting air when you bleed? If so where? I've seen faulty line flares, defects in fittings, and even calipers that will draw air in when the pedal returns. Unless you ended up with an unfortunate line arrangement that has a high spot/loop that is holding air, or you continue to find air when you bleed, I would focus on a mechanical issue rather than a hydraulic one.
Good luck - I'll be curious to hear the solution.
Gregg
Edited by LostDeere59 2017-07-29 5:04 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've got a reverse bleeder coming. I'll try pushing fluid from the wheel cylinders. If that doesn't work, I'm paying someone to figure it out.
Meanwhile, I've started fitting new interior panels.
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Plaza side panel.jpg (93KB - 392 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | This arrived today. I'm going to start by clamping off the rear brake hose. Then, use my bottle jack to get one rear wheel higher than the other then push brake fluid from the low side to the high side. That should, once and for all, eliminate the question of whether there's air caught in the hump of the rear line. Following that, I'll push some fluid up and out the MC with the front end elevated. I really hope this gets it once and for all.
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phpSBq5ZmPM.jpg (116KB - 396 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I was on vacation, then, the temps were just too hot to deal with it. Today, I finally touched it again. I plugged the MC and gave the pedal a push. It was a good firm pedal as it should have been. But, when I pushed hard, I heard a funny noise and the pedal slowly slipped to the floor. I got out another MC, bench bled it, installed it, and plugged it. The pedal is hard as a rock and doesn't sink at all. So, I hooked up the fronts and it's still good. Tomorrow, if it's not too hot, I'll cross my fingers and hook the rears back up.
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Plaza MC plugged.jpg (117KB - 456 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Finally buttoned it up and gave it a brief road test today. The original drum brakes are sensitive to adjustment. I left them dragging very slightly and decided to let them wear in through short drives around the neighborhood. I tried the reverse bleeder on the passenger side with the rubber hose clamped off and the drum off. It pressurized the rear axle line and moved the pistons out on the wheel cylinder as it should have. After three or four times of letting the wheel cylinder pistons extend and retract, an air bubble made its way out. So, looks like I had a combination of a bad MC and a stubborn air bubble.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Looks good, thanks for posting. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I drove it out of the neighborhood to the gas station. I went over 25mph for the first time since I bought this thing. By the time I got it home, the right rear was smoking. So, I had those shoes adjusted too tight. This morning, I took just a hair of adjustment out of them and took it for another drive. All seems fine now. No more stink of burning friction material. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Congratulations. Always great to be driving them. I'm sure more work is still ahead, but now you can enjoy it more. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | One of the few things the seller stated in their ad for this car was that the floors were good. Not sure their idea of good floors and mine are the same. At least for the time being, I'm just sealing them up with POR-15 and fiberglass.
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Plaza front passenger floor pan.jpg (160KB - 442 downloads)
Plaza front passenger floor pan (2).jpg (143KB - 443 downloads)
Plaza front passenger floor pan (3).jpg (153KB - 442 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The gas gauge isn't working. So, I pulled the sending unit and found the resistance was the same with the float up as with the float down. So, for the time being, I picked up an inexpensive gauge/sending unit and gauge pod to mount under the dash for the time being. I took the top off the OEM sender and took the aftermarket sender apart. I mounted the top of the OEM unit onto the aftermarket unit's guts.
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Plaza fuel sender (6).jpg (98KB - 425 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | OH MY!! With all that rust on the OE sender body and the cork float, your gas tank has had a lot of water sitting in it. IF you haven't already, I think that you are going to have to pull the tank and get it cleaned and relined. You might want to source a better used tank because I can imagine that yours is going to have lots of pin holes, etc. at the water line.
Clever job on the aftermarket sender mod. There are NOS OE style senders on eBay if you look.
Good luck.
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-09-07 9:31 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've been watching Ebay, but, so far, I've only seen non-wagon senders. There was one that said it was for wagons, but it only had one terminal instead of the two on wagon senders. I have a sedan gauge and could get a non-wagon sender and switch gauges, but really don't feel like taking anything in the dash apart. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | There is this one. It says that it operates from 78-10 ohms. That is the same range as a newer '60's Mopar. If that is true, you could probably just get one for a '66 Coronet or a '67 Dart and modify it to work if you don't want to pay the high price.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1949-1956-PLYMOUTH-DODGE-BRAND-NEW-STATION-... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The wagon has a different shaped gas tank and, I believe, a longer arm on the sender. I could use one of those with my sedan gauge and switch the arm with the one I pulled out of my wagon's gas tank.
It took a few times putting the sender in and taking it out adjusting the length of the sender and the float arm, but I think I finally got it close enough. I took a quick trip to the gas station and was happy when the needle climbed up on full. The extra gauge is out of the way under the glove compartment over the hump. If I get ambitious, I might move it up into the gas gauge hole in the dash. I took the easy way out and wired the gauge light to the gauge power rather than screw around tapping into the light circuit. Unfortunately, my iPhone refused to focus on it when it was lit up.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My lower tailgate has a lot of mud in it. I accidentally put a small dent in it while working on it and cracks spread. Yesterday, an NOS tailgate arrived from Bernbaum. It's in pretty good shape for over 60 years of shelf wear, just a couple of minor bends on the upper corners, some scratches from shipping, and some surface rust.
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Plaza tailgate (5).jpg (96KB - 416 downloads)
Plaza tailgate (6).jpg (101KB - 419 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The car tracked straight on the road, but the steering wheel was off by about 45 degrees. Because there's a master spline, I couldn't just yank the wheel and re-clock that. So, the good folks at the Ford dealership just down the road were kind enough to throw it on the alignment rack and set toe/center the steering wheel.
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Plaza alignment rack resized.jpg (90KB - 421 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | After previously being unable to get much of the old differential lube out because it was like tar, I crawled under there yesterday to try it again. Having gotten a small amount of new gear lube in and driving it around a bit, the new lube did mix with the tar-like crap that was in there and thinned it enough that most of it flowed out the drain plug. So, after it stopped draining, I put some new lube in while the drain plug was open and that pushed more of the old crud out. After buttoning it up with new lube, I'll put some more miles on it and change it again to try and get rid of the rest of the old nasty lube. While under the car, I went ahead and drained and refilled the manual transmission. That lube flowed out fine, but was well past when it should have been changed. I'll change the transmission oil again before winter to try and get rid of the remnants of the old lube that was in there. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | When I finally drove at night, I realized the right headlight pointed down at the street. Today, I pulled the HL bezel to adjust the HL and realized that some previous owner had broken an adjuster tab and the tab that serves as the third mount for the trim ring. So, I got to pull the HL bucket, drill out the rivet heads and reattach the tabs so that the HL could be adjusted.
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Plaza HL bucket (2).jpg (100KB - 396 downloads)
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Plaza HL bucket (3).jpg (88KB - 398 downloads)
Plaza HL bucket (4).jpg (98KB - 420 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My driver's side floor pans arrived today. After the heat breaks and when it's not raining, I'll take it to the body shop for an estimate because I've never learned to weld.
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Plaza floor pan patch panels.jpg (118KB - 409 downloads)
Plaza floor pan patch panels box.jpg (112KB - 395 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | I bought the same panels for my 56 Dodge (just to have). Not sure if the company is the same or not. What I can tell you is that inspection panel still need a bunch of work before it will fit. That lip at the top needs to be bent over towards you and the kink in the middle needs to be bigger and softer (larger radius bend).
Yours:
Mine:
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm not too worried about it. At least it's a good head start over the body shop having to start from scratch.
Today, I changed the differential lube again. It still came out thick and black. I may have to change it one more time before winter. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-09-25 4:21 PM
I'm not too worried about it. At least it's a good head start over the body shop having to start from scratch.
Today, I changed the differential lube again. It still came out thick and black. I may have to change it one more time before winter.
True dat.
What diff lube/oil are you using SAE 90? or ??
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've got 80w-90 and 75w-90 on the shelf. I generally use whichever is closest to hand. Today, I used up a bottle of the 75w-90. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I pulled the front seat out so that I could finally dispose of what was left of the disgusting carpet that was in the car. I was happy to see that the floors under and behind the seat weren't too bad. A little POR-15 and fiberglass and they'll be fine. It's not worth replacing the pans for a few small holes.
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Plaza passenger floor.jpg (160KB - 407 downloads)
Plaza passenger floor (2).jpg (129KB - 398 downloads)
Plaza passenger floor (3).jpg (127KB - 401 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-01 7:27 PM Today, I pulled the front seat out so that I could finally dispose of what was left of the disgusting carpet that was in the car. I was happy to see that the floors under and behind the seat weren't too bad. A little POR-15 and fiberglass and they'll be fine. It's not worth replacing the pans for a few small holes.
Probably a stupid question but what holds the front seat in? 4 bolts (2 per side)? (I can see the holes - just want to confirm).
How difficult was it to get the seat out? I think that is going to be one of my winter (in the warm basement projects this winter).
I had two small holes in my front passenger foot well that I was able to patch with some wire mesh and Bondo Liquid Metal. (Then I sprayed over entire footwell with DupliColor bed liner (spray)).
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The bottom seat cushion just lifted out which provided good access to the bolts on the inside. The sheet metal trim on the sides of the seat were easily removed with the seat cushion out which provided free access to the seat bolts on the outside. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-01 8:57 PM
The bottom seat cushion just lifted out which provided good access to the bolts on the inside. The sheet metal trim on the sides of the seat were easily removed with the seat cushion out which provided free access to the seat bolts on the outside.
Okay. Living and learning.
All I could find was this:
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55-56ManualSeatAdjustmentMechanism.jpg (86KB - 394 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Here's the sheet metal trim I mentioned in case you weren't sure what I meant. I started replacing the hideous blue someone had painted it.
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phpZmZsGJAM.jpg (193KB - 388 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I shoved the front seat frame in the back of the wagon while I work on the floor, but I tried to get a couple of photos of the sections you pulled out of the parts book.
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php5JXqYEAM.jpg (114KB - 378 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I put another coat of POR-15 down today with some more layers of fiberglass over the pinholes.
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phpb2yvCwPM.jpg (133KB - 389 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-02 2:36 PM
Here's the sheet metal trim I mentioned in case you weren't sure what I meant. I started replacing the hideous blue someone had painted it.
Umm...that "hideous" blue might be factory.
56 Dodge
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-10-02 3:57 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Mine have been repainted, but it might be close to a factory shade. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-01 8:57 PM The bottom seat cushion just lifted out which provided good access to the bolts on the inside. The sheet metal trim on the sides of the seat were easily removed with the seat cushion out which provided free access to the seat bolts on the outside.
Now that I knew what I was dealing with, I went out to the car and pulled up on a front corner of the front seat bottom. Came up. Okay. Go to the other side and put up that corner. OKAY THEN!! Pulled the seat bottom out.
Well I can tell you the previous (Canadian) owner who I bought it from did not do this because I have found a bunch of US$ (about 1.26 in) coins from the US owner he had bought it from (Annacortes, WA area). I found a few things that might allow me to track down the previous US owner just for fun.
Lots of junk too. All vacuumed up now.
I think that it might not be necessary to remove the metal seat side trim to access the hold-down bolts (seat slider to body).
I'll see how ambitious I get later (during the winter) when I start dealing with the seats.
Thanks for your hints and photos.
Progress. Gotta love it.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 56D500boy - 2017-10-02 5:14 PM
I think that it might not be necessary to remove the metal seat side trim to access the hold-down bolts (seat slider to body).
:)
I was just out there playing with the seat base/frame and found that I could remove the outermost two hold down bolts with a 1/2" box end wrench without removing the side panels. I removed and replaced all 8 bolts, 4 per side, adding never-sieze to the threads so when I do actually take the front seat out (to install carpet, etc.) there won't be issues.
Now back to what I started to do: right side rocker panel improvements.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Whoever previously took my front seat out only put four of the bolts back in. So, I've scrounged four matching bolts from my hoard. Unfortunately, I have a broken bolt on the driver side to extract.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-10-02 8:22 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-02 8:21 PM Whoever previously took my front seat out only put four of the bolts back in. So, I've scrounged four matching bolts from my hoard. Unfortunately, I have a broken bolt on the driver side to extract.
Well that sucks. Use a bunch of penetrating oil (PB Blaster, etc) to help with the extraction. The captured nut on the bottom of the floor pan appears to be welded to the pan from below (that is a bit of guess because my undercarriage was undercoated at some point). You might be able to access the broken bit from below as well.
While I was cleaning up under that seat I found a Shell gas credit card receipt signed by maybe the last US owner with the license plate number shown below (when I first got the car). Unfortunately I can't read the date or the city name - but it might be Vancouver WA.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I refinished the seat side trim to match the dash color scheme. I'll eventually redo the seats in a white/black combo.
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Plaza seat side panels.jpg (100KB - 379 downloads)
Plaza seat side panels (2).jpg (125KB - 388 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I cleaned up the passenger floor under the back seat. While there was plenty of surface rust, there were no perforations. I suspect much of what corrosion there was was from rodent urine given the size of the mouse nests that were in that seat cushion. I just gave it a coat of POR-15 to seal it. Next, moving on to the driver's side rear.
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Plaza passenger floor rear.jpg (140KB - 381 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | I painted the seat side trim on my '56 Plymouth exactly the same, except in (the original) blue & white instead of black and white. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Since I had some bleed under the tape, I'm thinking of going to the auto body supply, picking up some finelines tape, and masking off the grooves on the side trim and painting those silver. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I cleaned up the driver's side floor under the back seat. It was very solid back there. Lots of surface rust, but nothing deep. A good coat of POR-15 and I'll move on to the driver's side rear footwell.
 (Plaza drivers rear floor.jpg)
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Plaza drivers rear floor.jpg (80KB - 387 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I cleaned up and coated the driver's side rear foot footwell. There were a lot of small rust holes in this area so I generously spread fiberglass cloth around to make sure I got them all.
 (Plaza driver rear footwell.jpg)
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Plaza driver rear footwell.jpg (126KB - 376 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I ran out of grey POR-15 and had to second coat the driver's side rear seat floor pan in black. So, I went ahead and third coated all three foot wells in black. I'll get the front seat back in tomorrow and probably roll over to a local cruise night (assuming it's not raining).
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Plaza floor pan.jpg (133KB - 365 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | How long does POR15 take to dry/cure?
You know a lawn chair would fit in there right?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'd say after a few hours it was good and dry. It has a weird chemistry in that it dries faster when it's humid. I laid pretty much all of this when it was very damp. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Between Hershey and Ebay, I've accumulated a few emblems for an eventual repaint. Even though my car didn't have a Suburban emblem, I think I'll add one just so the Chevy folks can scratch their heads at cruise-ins.
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Plaza Emblems.jpg (137KB - 361 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I gave up, at least for now, on the broken seat mounting bolt after snapping off a screw extractor in it. There were only four bolts holding it in when I bought it and now there are seven. I'm calling it good enough. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | If you want to remove it, weld a blob or a nut to the end of it. Then turn it out while it is still warm (but not red-hot). The welding will heat it up enough to dislodge the rust holding it in place and the blob or nut gives you something to grab onto. I have removed broken off exhaust studs in heads that have sat out in a field for 20 years using this method. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm working on assembling a front suspension rebuild kit without having to resort to any of the Chinese stuff being sold now.
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Plaza pin and bushing.jpg (117KB - 356 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | After rewiring this 1955 Plymouth Plaza Suburban from 6V positive ground to 12V negative ground, I was still left with a 6V heater blower motor. Today, I switched that out using a 4 Seasons Unimotor. I should have measured how far off the mounting plate the fan sat as I had to install/remove/install a few times to get the fan set to the proper depth, but, other than that, it went pretty smoothly. The bushing supplied with the motor makes up for the shaft being too narrow for the hole in the fan. I had to file down one end of the bushing to get it to slip into the fan. I had to make the black lead positive and ground the red lead to get it to turn in the proper direction for the Plymouth.
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Plaza Blower Motor.jpg (105KB - 351 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (2).jpg (111KB - 373 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (7).jpg (85KB - 359 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (3).jpg (118KB - 360 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (4).jpg (119KB - 371 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (5).jpg (113KB - 371 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (6).jpg (86KB - 370 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (8).jpg (96KB - 366 downloads)
Plaza Blower Motor (9).jpg (76KB - 363 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I decided to try and figure out why my cowl vent won't open all the way. While poking around under the dash, I realized the bottom of the heater box was packed with dirt. The only way to get it out was to pull the heater box off the cowl. I still haven't gotten to the bottom of why the cowl vent won't open all the way.
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Plaza Cowl.jpg (143KB - 363 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-19 8:25 PM Today, I decided to try and figure out why my cowl vent won't open all the way. While poking around under the dash, I realized the bottom of the heater box was packed with dirt. The only way to get it out was to pull the heater box off the cowl. I still haven't gotten to the bottom of why the cowl vent won't open all the way.
There might have been an easier way to get that dirt out but the heat box is off now. Now you get to rehab the motor, consider replacing the heater core, etc, etc, (the can of worms is open now).
As for the cowl vent lever, it will depend on which type you have (there are two types for 55-56 Dodge and Plymouths (and maybe Desotos and Chryslers).
This was why mine wouldn't open (totally rusted) (see link below photo):
REFERENCE: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=63613&...
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-10-19 9:22 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | That looks like the same mechanism that's in my car. It seems to work fine. It's the vent itself that seems to be jammed. I disconnected the linkage and can't pull the vent open.
I went ahead and pulled the heater box off to make sure I got all that dirt out of there and to ensure there were no rodent nests and associated feces hiding there. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-19 10:47 PM
That looks like the same mechanism that's in my car. It seems to work fine. It's the vent itself that seems to be jammed. I disconnected the linkage and can't pull the vent open..
Please don't make the same mistake as I made in that situation. Please read through this thread before forcing anything.
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=65057&...
I still haven't fixed that problem. Very Very UGLY.
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-10-20 1:31 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I just read through that thread. What a mess. Hopefully, having my heater box off the firewall will make mine less of an ordeal. However, it's still almost impossible to see in there. I did just order one of those Mercury Marine bellows for my car. Thanks for that tip. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-20 9:05 AM
I just read through that thread. What a mess. Hopefully, having my heater box off the firewall will make mine less of an ordeal. However, it's still almost impossible to see in there. I did just order one of those Mercury Marine bellows for my car. Thanks for that tip.
Yeh, as soon as I read that about your stiff cowl vent I knew that I had to help you avoid my mess. Use an inspection mirror to locate the two hinges and spray the heck out them with PB Blaster or the like and let it soak in for a day or so before trying to work the hinges. And then, make sure that you are actually moving the hinged bit not ripping the hinge from the body like I inadvertently did.
The Mercury Marine bellows needed ZERO cutting. I just pulled the big end through the firewall hole and sealed it to the inside with black messy sticky hate it silicone sealant. I will post a photo of that hopefully later today. (It was done weeks ago, I just forgot to take a photo).
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I worked the cowl a little to see if maybe it would loosen up on its own. It didn't. I vacuumed out all the packed dirt then sprayed the crap out of that section of cowl with WD-40 since it has a long bendable nozzle and I could really get it up in there. I started working at the screws that hold the cowl flap to the hinge. They do not want to come out, but I got one to turn about half a rotation without breaking off. Not sure how I'll get them back in once I get them out, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
I added the photo of my open cowl to your thread as I thought it might be helpful there.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-10-20 8:27 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | I think only one of my screws came out whole. The others broke off but I was able to turn them from the back as if they were going in and because the threads were cleaner going that way, they came out, leaving okay threads for new screws (yet to be sourced).
PS: Try something other than WD40 on the rusty hinges, e.g. PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | If you use a torch to heat the screws up red hot, and then turn them while still hot, they should come out without breaking. That is if you can get the torch etc up there to get to them without setting the car on fire. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Given the amount of penetrate I've sprayed up in there, I'd be very afraid to take a torch to the area. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 56D500boy - 2017-10-20 6:48 PM PS: Try something other than WD40 on the rusty hinges, e.g. PB Blaster. What he said ................... (with my emphasis) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I got the cowl vent out today and successfully snapped off all three screws. Go big or go home. The hinge is well and truly stuck. It's soaking in PB Blaster now. I took a piece of scrap wood and, with a small ball pein, gave it a few sharp taps to see if it would magically break free. It didn't. Hopefully, given enough penetrant and time, it'll move. If I can get any movement at all, it'll help work the penetrating oil in and hopefully restore its range of motion.
 (Plaza Cowl.jpg)
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Plaza Cowl.jpg (86KB - 391 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent.jpg (153KB - 382 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent Rod Bellows.jpg (126KB - 384 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I also removed the insulation pad from the heater box and dug out the accumulated dirt and mud with a screw driver. Next, I'll give it a good scrubbing with soap and water, then clean and POR-15 the metal plate. I'll probably get some Thermo-Tec to replace the insulation.
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Plaza Heater Box.jpg (135KB - 387 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Grab those broken screws from the back side with needle-nosed vicegrips and turn them in the "in" direction. They will hopefully, like mine, break loose and turn so you can remove them. Save the bits to check the thread size for the new replacements that you will eventually need.
Be patient with the hinge. You do NOT want to break it (at either end).
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I got my Mercruiser replacement bellows for my cowl vent rod. Still no luck getting the hinge to move
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-10-23 2:33 PM
 (Plaza Bellows New.jpg)
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Plaza Bellows New.jpg (122KB - 369 downloads)
Plaza Bellows New (2).jpg (114KB - 371 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I did get two out of the three snapped off screws out today. The one in the middle still won't budge.
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phpWHkxezPM.jpg (60KB - 420 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-23 8:03 PM
I did get two out of the three snapped off screws out today. The one in the middle still won't budge.
Keep spraying it (and the hinges with PB Blaster, etc.
Patience grasshopper patience
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-23 6:03 PM I did get two out of the three snapped off screws out today. The one in the middle still won't budge.
....time to upgrade to a rust removing spray chemical, huh? (like CLR, or better)
.......and do I have a vent screw story for you two, .....new film and news sometime tomorrow! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Sorry if I’m hijacking this thread. Thought this might be helpful to future readers. Seeing the trials and tribulations that the vent hinge has caused I was getting paranoid about mine, so Sunday, instead of grinding mig welds (boring), I tackled my vent hinge, the heater box was already off so easy access, So I have many good things to say about the semi-arid climate where I live and where this car came from. The screws and parts were out in less than 10 minutes. (Sorry). Would this be a bad time to ask where to get the cowl vent seal from? 
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1956 VENT.jpg (55KB - 383 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I got a cowl vent seal from Bernbaum (http://store.oldmoparts.com/index.php?)
Since your screws seem to have come out in good shape, can you post what size they are? Mine (what little bit came out) are badly rusted. I'm afraid they're something odd like 12-24 that won't be available locally.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-10-24 3:46 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I wire brushed the back side of the cowl vent and the steel plate in the heater box and gave them each a coat of POR-15.
I was quite happy to have been able to get some movement on the cowl vent hinge. With the heater box out, it's relatively easy to reach in there with a small pry bar and move it. I got a little movement, sprayed it with more PB B'laster, waited a while, then moved it back. It's still nowhere near having its full range of motion, but any movement is encouraging.
 (Plaza heater box (2).jpg)
 (Plaza cowl vent.jpg)
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Plaza heater box (2).jpg (139KB - 367 downloads)
Plaza cowl vent.jpg (109KB - 359 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Will do gladly.... probably be tomorrow, |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Thanks, appreciate it. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-24 3:38 PM
I was quite happy to have been able to get some movement on the cowl vent hinge. With the heater box out, it's relatively easy to reach in there with a small pry bar and move it. I got a little movement, sprayed it with more PB B'laster, waited a while, then moved it back. It's still nowhere near having its full range of motion, but any movement is encouraging.
I was happy with the motion that I got to. UNTIL I realized that it was the hinge mount fatiguing and breaking off. Personally I would have avoided the small pry bar  and only wiggled the hinge by hand.
Good luck.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | If you notice it isn't going to budge, break out the torch before you do any damage. Heat performs miracles to free up rusted parts. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've come to realize that, with the unique shape of the wagon's fuel tank, I really needed the wagon fuel sender hooked up to the original wagon gauge. So, many dollars later, I have an NOS one.
 (Plaza Fuel Sender (9).jpg)
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Plaza Fuel Sender (9).jpg (65KB - 390 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm also continuing to collect old, NOS suspension parts trying to avoid Chinesium components as much as possible.
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Plaza LCA Pivot Bar.jpg (64KB - 362 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Cowl vent hinge screws appear to be;
3/16 dia X ¼-or 5/16 long stove bolts ......OR....... #10-24 dia X ¾ or 5/16 long machine screws (they are the same thing).
The threads appear to be a bit sloppy but the threaded bracket is not very thick, an anal Vergio (me) would use a longer screw and double nut it, your average Mopar guy would complicate it as much as possible. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Thanks. I dug around and found one #10-24 machine screw in the garage and tried it. It fit perfectly. I took the propane torch to the third screw and it finally came out. I was a little worried when a few wisps of smoke came from the defroster vent inside the car, but all seems okay.
 (Plaza Cowl Vent Screw Out.jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent Screw Out.jpg (87KB - 383 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The front of the underside of the cowl vent was pretty heavily rusted. Today, I wire brushed and sanded it, then sealed that surface with some POR-15. If only the hinge was bolted in instead of welded in. It would be nice to be able to strip and coat that.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-10-25 4:08 PM
 (Plaza Cowl Vent (3).jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent (3).jpg (91KB - 381 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent (4).jpg (96KB - 386 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I cleaned up the length of the cowl vent rod and coated most of it with POR-15. Eventually, I'll sandblast the clevis and coat that too. I didn't coat the bottom as I was afraid it would make it too hard to get the clip back on it.
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Plaza Cowl Vent Rod.jpg (124KB - 371 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My heater box insulation came today. I'll probably cut and fit that tomorrow.
 (Plaza Heater Box Insulation.jpg)
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Plaza Heater Box Insulation.jpg (142KB - 385 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The hinge has loosened enough that I can now move it to the fully closed position. A bag of #10-24 button-head cap screws came today. They're a little long, but they'll work.
 (Plaza Cowl Vent Screw.jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent Screw.jpg (132KB - 367 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-27 4:08 PM The hinge has loosened enough that I can now move it to the fully closed position. A bag of #10-24 button-head cap screws came today. They're a little long, but they'll work.
I am envious.  Too bad nobody had broken their hinge before me and stopped me from breaking mine
I still have to put the lid on that can of worms. I can do that in the garage over the winter.
Right now the weather is fantastic for working outside on the car.
You can trim those cap screws down to a shorter length using a Dremel with the small abrasive cutting disc. Works great (wear I protection and go slow).
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | It's still extremely tight and impossible to move by hand. I'm still having to pry it to move it. So, I'm not yet safe from the possibility of breaking the hinge, but I'm optimistic. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-27 7:35 PM It's still extremely tight and impossible to move by hand. I'm still having to pry it to move it. So, I'm not yet safe from the possibility of breaking the hinge, but I'm optimistic.
SO! I made some seat belt upper anchors (this is not my first rodeo) as Dave Forgie is doing and these are the brackets one before and one after being soaked in Phosphoric acid. I have tried to buy some more unsuccessfully but I did get a pail of new stuff that I haven't tried yet. In the old days there was a product called navel jelly (I think) and there many new ones that EAT rust. (hint)
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seat belt bracket rust.jpg (93KB - 355 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Home Depot has a phosphoric prep and etch for sale (at least in the U.S.). I may have to give that a try. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I moved and sprayed the hinge some more and made new insulation for the heater box.
 (Plaza Heater Box Insulation.jpg)
 (Plaza Heater Box Insulation (2).jpg)
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Plaza Heater Box Insulation.jpg (141KB - 351 downloads)
Plaza Heater Box Insulation (2).jpg (119KB - 344 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 56D500boy - 2017-10-02 5:14 PM
I'll see how ambitious I get later (during the winter) when I start dealing with the seats.
:)
56D500boy - 2017-10-02 7:03 PM
I was just out there playing with the seat base/frame and found that I could remove the outermost two hold down bolts with a 1/2" box end wrench without removing the side panels. I removed and replaced all 8 bolts, 4 per side, adding never-sieze to the threads so when I do actually take the front seat out (to install carpet, etc.) there won't be issues.
:)
Well it must be winter because I have taken both the rear seat totally out AND the front seat it out too ( a little tricky by myself but slowly slowly it was doable). In the end, it was faster to take the metal seat bottom covers off, made the access to the outer bolts easier, I could get a socket on the outside forward bolt (but NOT the rear outside bolt). At least now I can paint the inside of those covers (Tremclad Royal Blue is almost a perfect match for my situation)>
Somewhere somehow, I ordered carpet and I want to see it if fits (because it turns out to be for a 55-56 Desoto Fireflite (4 dr Sedan).
Question: How is the front seat back attached to the seat frame? I would like to remove it to paint the seat frame (well at least the bottom).
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I haven't yet figured that one out. It seems that the seat back pieces probably have to be bent to clear the pins on the seat frame. I was hesitant to try it, but I'll have to deal with it some day. I'm reasonably sure there's at least one old yet undiscovered mouse nest in my front seat back.
I bought carpet for mine and I'm kicking myself for not checking the fit while all the seats were out.
Definitely easier to deal with the front seats with the metal side covers off. I'm not reinstalling mine until after I put on new seat covers.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-10-28 9:53 PM
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | I bought the carpet for mine, and the fit isn't great but it works. Most of the trouble is under the front seat so it is workable. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | Powerflite - 2017-10-28 10:28 PM
I bought the carpet for mine, and the fit isn't great but it works. Most of the trouble is under the front seat so it is workable.
Nathan: Where did you get your carpet and what did you order for which car?
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Same as yours, from AC. I think all of them are made by the same place no matter who you buy it from. This was for my '56 Savoy. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Well crap. I guess it was inevitable.
 (Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Broken.jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Broken.jpg (103KB - 347 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-10-30 8:28 PM
Well crap. I guess it was inevitable.
Sorry. I laughed (ironically, with a tinge of pity but a lot of compassion).
Hopefully the other end is still working. Now that there are two of us in this situation, together we might be able to come up with a solution.
I have a sketch of my idea to fix mine that I will scan and post up.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I was thinking of making a hinge bracket that attached to the firewall behind the heater box that would be long enough to reach up in there. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Shoot, mine is still working great. Maybe I should get under there and oil it up! |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Powerflite - 2017-10-30 10:04 PM
Shoot, mine is still working great. Maybe I should get under there and oil it up!
Did you miss this thread?:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=65057&...
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-10-30 11:45 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I haven't touched the car in more than a week, but I'm still gathering old suspension parts.
 (Plaza Control Arm Bushing and Pin Kit.jpg)
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Plaza Control Arm Bushing and Pin Kit.jpg (60KB - 336 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I did find a suitable substitute for the curved heater hose from the heater control valve to the heater core.
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=67019&... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I drilled (and Dremel'd) the frozen bracket off of the cowl vent hinge. I'm trying to figure out a suitable work around to replace that passenger side pivot.
 (Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge.jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge.jpg (108KB - 347 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-11-06 3:59 PM Today, I drilled (and Dremel'd) the frozen bracket off of the cowl vent hinge. I'm trying to figure out a suitable work around to replace that passenger side pivot.
Thanks for kicking my butt. That is one of my oldest untamed cans of worms
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=65057&...
My idea was to Dremel off the Hinge pin (but I see drilling it off works well too), and then using an angle/corner bracket to create the new hinge. One leg of the brace would be vertical and attached to the cowl vent hinge with a small bolt and nyloc nut. The other leg would be horizontal and bolted to the flat part of the cowl. The location for that would be a bit of trial and error using a drill to create trial holes. Initially the bolt head would be exposed beside the cowl vent. Once the location was fixed and the cowl vent was operating fine (enough), I would remove the vertical bolt and drill a larger hole in the upper cowl, through the top layer but not the bottom layer (there are several). Then I would reinstall the vertical bolt and, after confirming that it the hinge still works, fill in the larger hole and refinish and paint the cowl.
To decrease the "Trial and Error" on the location of the new hinge bracket, I can use the cowl piece that I got from John at Big M to get it within half a millimeter (see below)
Proposed 3/4" x 3/4" angle bracket (not too scale) (might need to be smaller or purpose made from flat stock):
My initial probe holes from back in March:
I can measure sizes and locations using the cowl and hinge shown in this photo, *IF* we can establish the proper measurement reference points:
PAUSE While I go down to basement and find the cowl section and probing size drill bit. I felt inside where I thought the hole should go. Got through the first layer but made no progress (maybe hitting the hinge). So I moved over a bit and tried again. Very close but needed to be over a bit more (for the angle bracket that I have). Third hole lucky.
Location is 18 mm back from the rounded edge of the cowl vent depression and either about 4" from the centerline of the right windshield washer nozzle or about 15/16" from the outer metal lip (at it's widest point) where the gasket sits. See below (Ignore the some of the measurements that you see and read the above and the photo label). Distances would vary depending on the bracket chosen.
Thanks for kicking my butt. I have other things to do today but I decided that I should at least post this:
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-11-06 6:09 PM
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CowlVentHingeProbeHoleNo2CloseButNeedsToBeMoreOutboardFromTheTop.jpg (159KB - 381 downloads)
CowlVentHingeProbeHoleNo3CloseButNeedsToBeMoreInBoard.jpg (211KB - 330 downloads)
CowlVentHingeProbeHoleNo3CloseButNeedsToBeMoreInBoardFromTop.jpg (174KB - 325 downloads)
ProbeHoleLocationLineAbout18point5mmFromLipOfCowlDepression.jpg (148KB - 329 downloads)
LocationOfThirdProbeHole4inchesFromCenterOfWindshieldWasherNozzleCenter.jpg (178KB - 328 downloads)
LocationOfThirdProbeHole15_16thsFromEdgeOfVentGasketLip.jpg (181KB - 339 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Went back down to measure the height of the hinge pin off the "floor" (upside down ceiling) and had a thought.
First - the distance is around 5/16" (hard to measure)
The thought: I might be easier to mount the new hinge bracket on the inboard side of the hinge rather than on the outboard side which is not flat like the inboard side.
This will require more probing (on Weds. busy tomorrow)
Inboard is the left in this photo:
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-11-06 6:35 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm trying a piece of flat stock in which I've twisted a 90-degree bend on the long axis. I'm hoping to get one end up inside the cowl to act as the hinge then bend the flat stock along the face of the firewall and attach it to one of the nuts that secures the passenger-side vent. My hinge plate was not welded in square at the factory so my vent never sat square. I'm hoping when (if) I get this hinge jury rigged, I can also get the vent to sit square with the opening. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-11-06 8:24 PM I'm trying a piece of flat stock in which I've twisted a 90-degree bend on the long axis. I'm hoping to get one end up inside the cowl to act as the hinge then bend the flat stock along the face of the firewall and attach it to one of the nuts that secures the passenger-side vent. My hinge plate was not welded in square at the factory so my vent never sat square. I'm hoping when (if) I get this hinge jury rigged, I can also get the vent to sit square with the opening.
Good luck. I'm going to stick with my proposed solution.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I very well may wind up with your solution. I'm not sure I can make my idea work. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | One of the insulation retainers crumbled and fell apart when I tried to pull it off. Since I had 99 left over #12-24 nuts from the box I had to buy to get the one nut I needed, I threaded one of the studs, used a scrap piece of plastic as a retainer for the insulation, and double-nutted two #12-24 nuts to hold the plastic.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-11-07 9:27 PM
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Plaza Heater Box (2).jpg (127KB - 519 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm pretty sure I can make this twisted flat bar hinge repair work. Determining where to drill the hole for the actual hinge will be a challenge. I think I may have to notch the bottom of the vent itself. The stud is 1/4-28. Fortunately, I had a buy a few 1/4-28 nuts to repair a chainsaw a few years ago.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-11-08 3:56 PM
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Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair.jpg (56KB - 429 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair (2).jpg (57KB - 435 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair (3).jpg (64KB - 439 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair (4).jpg (85KB - 431 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair (5).jpg (99KB - 435 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | You are in a unique situation relative to mine in that you have the heater box off the car. Based on what I see, your solution should work if you can get the bracket lined up correctly. If I was you I would make an good educated estimate of where the hinge pin needs to be located and drill the appropriate sized hole based on what you are going to use as a hinge pin. I would then slot the lower hole so you can make adjustments up and down until everything works as you hope. Install the hinge pin and put the bracket slot over the lower stud and adjust (and readjust) until the vent is closing evenly across the cowl vent opening. That is one thing that my solution can not do, other than making a new 90 deg hinge plate if things aren't parallel.
Good luck. Keep us up to date.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I put my bracket in then got the hinge where I thought it needed to be. I used an awl with a 90-degree bend to reach up and scratch the bracket through the hole in the hinge. I then drilled a hole centered on the scratch marks. I took a couple of bottle caps and made plastic washers so the hinge and bracket wouldn't be metal to metal. I put it together (the first time backwards of course) with a #10 machine screw. I put a double nut on the screw so it wouldn't be too tight and wouldn't back off.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-11-09 10:05 PM
 (Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair (6).jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent Hinge Repair (6).jpg (102KB - 429 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent Rod (2).jpg (104KB - 421 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | Looking good!! I like the bottle cap washer idea. Nice.
As for the rod boot. I did not cut mine at the bottom but I think some trimming is possible (but not needed). No photo but I used black silicone sealant to seal the boot to the body where it comes into the body. You could seal on both sides (bottom and in the plenum) if you still have the heater box off.
My trial fit from the passenger compartment side.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm convinced part of the problem with mine was the rivet for the passenger side had been smashed too tight when the assembly was made. Even with almost all the rivet head drilled off, that piece of hinge bracket still refused to turn even the slightest bit. Fortunately, I have one C-clamp that's missing the pad on the screw. So, the pin part that remains was what I used to push out the remains of the rivet from the hinge into a socket. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Interesting. Could be a common failure then (because of an over-zealous riveter/out of adjustment crimper at the factory).
Thanks for the C-clamp hint.
Edited by 56D500boy 2017-11-09 10:52 PM
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Expert
Posts: 3774
Location: NorCal |
When you guys get your cowl vents working smoothly, consider making them electric with a linear actuator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7yUvR7NPVU
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Cowl Act_2.JPG (179KB - 425 downloads)
Cowl Act_4.JPG (156KB - 437 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | That's a cool set up, but beyond where I'm looking to go with this car. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 57chizler - 2017-11-10 3:12 PM
When you guys get your cowl vents working smoothly, consider making them electric with a linear actuator.
Sorry. That's a $100 answer to a $10 question. I've already rehabbed and greased the bell-crank mechanism which works very nicely now, thanks. No need to complicate things with power it at all.
Now if that was power activators on exhaust side pipe outlets, I might be interested. 
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The round wire spring hose clamps on this thing have been giving me fits. Even though I had a pair of hose clamp pliers, they wouldn't open these clamps enough. I bought a pair of Channelock 558 hose clamp pliers. They have turned out to be exactly what I needed.
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phpxESPmZPM.jpg (94KB - 448 downloads)
phpa3p0q9PM.jpg (89KB - 430 downloads)
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Expert
Posts: 3774
Location: NorCal | 56D500boy - 2017-11-11 10:24 PM
57chizler - 2017-11-10 3:12 PM
When you guys get your cowl vents working smoothly, consider making them electric with a linear actuator.
Sorry. That's a $100 answer to a $10 question.
Not in my case, the vent lever was in the way of my hang-on A/C evaporator. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2017-11-15 3:39 PM
The round wire spring hose clamps on this thing have been giving me fits. Even though I had a pair of hose clamp pliers, they wouldn't open these clamps enough. I bought a pair of Channelock 558 hose clamp pliers. They have turned out to be exactly what I needed.
I wish I had that problem. I hate my thermostat housing to radiator corrugated hose and its gear clamps. I would love a nice smooth OE style rad hose and spring clamps.
Mine:
What I would prefer hose-wise (not sure about the air cleaner):
 (56DodgeCustomRoyalD500EngineShowingHeaterHoseBracket.jpg)
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56DodgeCustomRoyalD500EngineShowingHeaterHoseBracket.jpg (143KB - 456 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Finally, an operating cowl vent. That wasn't in any way a giant PITA. You can see the paint line on the screen where it was frozen partially open. Funny how someone just painted the car with it like that.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2017-11-19 2:24 PM
 (Plaza Cowl Vent (5).jpg)
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Plaza Cowl Vent (5).jpg (89KB - 416 downloads)
Plaza Cowl Vent (2).jpg (108KB - 431 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Even though this is covered in a separate thread, I'm going to repost the below in this thread so there'll be a thread that contains everything I've been doing.
I found a curved heater hose (Gates 18701/NAPA NBH 10701) that, with trimming, made a decent stand in for my original looped hose from the heater control valve to the heater core.
 (Plaza Heater Hose (2).jpg)
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Plaza Heater Hose (2).jpg (67KB - 446 downloads)
Plaza Heater Hose (5).jpg (117KB - 500 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm waiting to get the car into the body shop to get some rust repair taken car of, but I'm continuing to acquire parts.
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php5j7fojPM.jpg (98KB - 418 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Checked in with the body shop today and it looks like they won't be able to take it in until after the new year. I've barely touched the wagon lately. I've moved over to my '71 Charger which I'm stripping down for a color change. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | It was warm today, so I started stripping the seat frames down so I can reupholster them. The rear seat back still stinks of mouse urine even though it's been apart for about a year. There's no way anything but the metal parts can be reused. Even the metal springs are corroded from the urine.
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Plaza rear seat cushion.jpg (185KB - 398 downloads)
Plaza rear seat cushion (2).jpg (168KB - 409 downloads)
Plaza rear seat cushion cover.jpg (132KB - 408 downloads)
Plaza rear seat springs.jpg (185KB - 392 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Will be watching to seat what/how you do with that. I started to take my rear seat bottom upholstery off at the end of October but stopped when I realized that the "chrome" mylar welting was sewn into the jute padding. Did you encounter the same with your Plymouth?
Mine (56 Dodge Custom Royal 4dr):
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The upside of working on a Plaza, the bottom feeder in the Plymouth line, I suppose, is that everything is very basic. The seat cover came off easily. The burlap, however, was secured by what seemed like a hundred hog rings. Lebaron Bonney didn't list the 2-door wagon on their website. I contacted them and, after a couple of weeks, they said they'd found the patterns for the '55 2-door wagon seats. So, $450 later, I have new black and white black cloth trimmed in white vinyl seat covers. I haven't yet opened the box as I'm trying to avoid getting Great Pyrenees hair all over them until I have to.
I've been looking for upholstery foam and I'm thinking I might, instead, hit the flooring store and buy high-density carpet padding. Then, I can add layers until it's just the right thickness. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-01-20 9:22 PM
I've been looking for upholstery foam and I'm thinking I might, instead, hit the flooring store and buy high-density carpet padding. Then, I can add layers until it's just the right thickness.
At some point in the video linked below, they mention what foam they used in the redoing of the seats in this resto-mod 1954 Desoto Wagon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vwcbTr8Oxc
Edited by 56D500boy 2018-01-20 10:42 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I spoke with my body shop today and they told me to bring the car on Monday. In addition to the driver's floor, I need rust repair on the lip in front of the cowl vent, in the tailgate opening, and under the battery.
 (Plaza rust cowl.jpg)
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Plaza rust cowl.jpg (106KB - 386 downloads)
Plaza rust tailgate opening.jpg (135KB - 372 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My upholstery padding arrived today from yourautotrim.com. They sell a fabric similar to burlap, but is a plastic-coated yarn, so I got some of that. I also got some carpet padding and 1" foam. The foam has the air vacuumed out of it for shipping.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2018-01-26 8:20 PM
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Plaza upholstery materials.jpg (107KB - 376 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC |
I rewatched the video. The mention of the seat foam starts at 13:55. "We replaced all the (seat) foam with a closed-cell tempur-pedic-style foam"
Now I need to find some.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Dropped it off at RF Body Works this morning. Driving a '55 across town in a January morning rush hour with its non-synchronized first gear, manual steering, and no heater is not as much fun as it sounds. Although, it does draw a lot of looks. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | What is the problem with the heater? Valve leaks? If so, that can be repaired with a kit sold by NAPA. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 71charger_fan - 2018-01-29 6:43 AM rush hour with its non-synchronized first gear.
Double clutch, double clutch! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I pulled the heater to fix the cowl vent. Since the body shop told me it would have to come out to weld new steel in front of the cowl vent, I didn't reinstall it. Originally, I thought it would be going into the body shop between Halloween and Thanksgiving |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Got it. I didn't realize you were still waiting for that to finish. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I stopped by the body shop this morning and the driver's floor looks like new. Probably better than new. Unfortunately, the lighting wasn't good enough up on the lift to get a good cell phone photo. Next, they'll tackle the rust outs in the tailgate opening, cowl, and under the battery. I also green lighted him to fix the rocker panels and anything they find in the quarters.
I will have to figure out something for a clutch rod grommet as the one that was in there just crumbled away. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-02-01 2:15 PM
I will have to figure out something for a clutch rod grommet as the one that was in there just crumbled away.
I think the PN is 1613 854 (for a 55, 855 for a 56). What does it look like?
Something like this from a 1970-81 Camaro?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I have no idea what the original looked like, but that Camaro boot looks like it would work. They're $4.04 under part number ATM A773401 at NAPA, so, even if it doesn't work, who cares.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2018-02-02 10:42 AM
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-02-02 10:40 AM
I have no idea what the original looked like, but that Camaro boot looks like it would work. They're $4.04 under part number ATM A773401 at NAPA, so, even if it doesn't work, who cares.
Make it work.
I am a bit p'd at myself for not finding that Camaro boot earlier at that price. Way better than the $30 each Mercury Marine outboard boots that I bought for the cowl vent rod boot and the throttle pedal boot.
Edited by 56D500boy 2018-02-02 10:58 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Stopped in the body shop this afternoon. He's fixed the gaping rust hole under the battery and has rebuilt the lower corners of the tailgate opening. He told me the opening is out of square from old accident damage and showed me the seams where the left quarter panel was replaced in the past. There's an old repair in the passenger rocker and quarter that I gave him the go ahead to redo.
 (Plaza tailgate opening.jpg)
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Plaza tailgate opening.jpg (134KB - 376 downloads)
Plaza tailgate opening (2).jpg (128KB - 390 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Stopped by the body shop today. They're ready to spot in the tailgate opening and have finished making and installing a new passenger rocker panel.
 (Plaza tailgate opening repair.jpg)
 (Plaza rocker panel replaced.jpg)
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Plaza tailgate opening repair.jpg (97KB - 378 downloads)
Plaza rocker panel replaced.jpg (85KB - 386 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | I brought the wagon home from the body shop today.
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phpQTv8hCAM.jpg (138KB - 372 downloads)
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phpWLRNwpAM.jpg (134KB - 371 downloads)
phpF20ILgAM.jpg (145KB - 372 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | Looking good. Nice job of paint matching.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | I agree, looks really good. Looks like you swapped tail gates. I assume your old one wasn't worth fixing?
Edited by Powerflite 2018-02-20 4:26 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | There was lots of filler in the lower part of the tailgate that came with the car. I found an NOS tailgate at a reasonable price, so I switched parts. Plus, the new one doesn't have holes for the chrome trim piece which I'm happy to not remount. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I still need to reinstall the heater box, but wasn't sure what to use to seal it. So, I headed over to the auto body supply and they sold me this.
 (Plaza Heater Box Sealant.jpg)
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Plaza Heater Box Sealant.jpg (98KB - 359 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Oh my God, don't use that! 
It looks like it came from Canada, you will completely upset the USA balance of trade, probably break some law, and will not get a Christmas card from you know who.
(Just kidding) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My bright hood trim arrived from Big M. They sent me '56 trim, not '55. But, I think I like it better than what I asked for, so I'll probably use it. Here it is as received and after a preliminary clean/polish.
 (Plaza Hood Trim.jpg)
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Plaza Hood Trim.jpg (102KB - 355 downloads)
Plaza Hood Trim (2).jpg (106KB - 357 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Yep, that's '56 trim. The outside pieces might be the same as the '55 - but maybe shorter? But the center portion is definitely unique to '56. That center emblem is painted black on the left and white on the right. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Powerflite - 2018-02-27 12:11 PM Yep, that's '56 trim. The outside pieces might be the same as the '55 - but maybe shorter? But the center portion is definitely unique to '56. That center emblem is painted black on the left and white on the right.
Or maybe the other way around, white on the left, black on the right?
Previous thread on this topic:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=67032&...
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Dave you have your left and right hands mixed up! You mean your other left. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I finally put the heater box back in it. What a tedious project that is. So many fasteners. After I got it in, I had four screws left over. I was expecting three for the blower motor. I eventually found a screw hole on the bottom of the passenger side that I had missed. So, correct number of screws leftover, zero.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2018-02-27 3:22 PM
 (Plaza Heater Box Reinstalled.jpg)
 (Plaza Heater Box Reinstalled (2).jpg)
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Plaza Heater Box Reinstalled.jpg (157KB - 354 downloads)
Plaza Heater Box Reinstalled (2).jpg (152KB - 359 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | If you spray the heater box with a matte finish clear coat after a light sanding, you will be amazed at how good it looks. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I've been looking for a second NOS backup lens (part nr. 1604764). I was thrilled to score one on Ebay today for about $37 U.S. (including shipping) from a seller in Quebec. The last one I saw sell went for about $72.
Well crap. The seller returned my money with no explanation. I'm guessing he decided he didn't get enough for it. Now I'm waiting to hear back as I'm confused. With no reserve, I thought he was obligated to sell for the high bid.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2018-03-05 8:31 AM
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Expert
Posts: 2002
Location: Branson, MO | Powerflite - 2018-02-27 2:47 PM
If you spray the heater box with a matte finish clear coat after a light sanding, you will be amazed at how good it looks.
Yeah, we do that at Smitty's - Scotchbrite does wonders and it's easier to work with than sandpaper.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The '56 hood trim piece is a definite improvement over the '55.
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phpkvFtdMPM.jpg (93KB - 396 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-03-10 5:32 PM
The '56 hood trim piece is a definite improvement over the '55.
As reminder to others, in the beginning, you started with this:
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The wagon lost its garage space to my wife's new Corvette.
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phpR1K65sAM.jpg (146KB - 387 downloads)
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Expert
Posts: 2002
Location: Branson, MO | 71charger_fan - 2018-03-20 1:45 PM
The wagon lost its garage space to my wife's new Corvette.
So sad - I'm sorry!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I picked up a couple of model-appropriate Suburban emblems for $32. Not sure if I'll wind up using them or not, but, for the price, I couldn't say no. I saw a pair at Carlisle and the seller's price was somewhere in the hundreds of dollars.
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Plaza Suburban Emblems.jpg (93KB - 386 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Nice price. Probably from a 56? Have you seen those on a 55? (not that it will matter)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | They are off of a '56. Mine is the only '55 I've ever seen in person and I'm not concerned about originality. That can be the next owner's concern if he or she cares about it. I also have a Suburban badge from a '54. I'll probably put one of them on the tailgate. I won't drill any holes, I'll cut off the pins and use double-sided emblem tape on it. |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Weird..bought a pair of these emblems years back to maybe use on my 55' Plaza 2dr wagon,only they are for the 56' "Custom Suburban". Don't know if I will ever mount them though,when or if my wagon will be finished.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Finally, some very delayed weather over 60 degrees. I got a coat of POR-15 on the rear seat back springs.
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Plaza Rear Seat Back Springs.jpg (200KB - 387 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I stripped the rear seat bottom and got a coat of POR-15 on those springs.
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Plaza rear seat bottom.jpg (123KB - 391 downloads)
Plaza rear seat bottom (2).jpg (136KB - 383 downloads)
Plaza rear seat bottom (3).jpg (118KB - 374 downloads)
Plaza rear seat bottom cover.jpg (87KB - 372 downloads)
Plaza rear seat bottom springs.jpg (152KB - 391 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-04-13 8:21 PM
I stripped the rear seat bottom and got a coat of POR-15 on those springs.
What's the plan to rebuild the seat? I've got mine down to the jute on the back part and will be adding some closed cell upholstery foam (1" on the back part and 1/2" over the existing molded foam on the front part).
Your plan?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I have some 1" upholstery foam, some burlap from Home Depot, and some plastic-coated mesh fabric. I'll cover the springs with burlap, apply a layer of foam, and wrap the foam in the mesh fabric before stretching on the LeBaron-Bonney seat covers I had made.
https://www.yourautotrim.com/mumehedufa.html |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, we worked on the rear seat bottom.
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Plaza rear seat bottom (4).jpg (128KB - 390 downloads)
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Plaza rear seat bottom (8).jpg (82KB - 380 downloads)
Plaza rear seat bottom (7).jpg (113KB - 383 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The rear seat back is done. I think. I doubt I'll take it apart to try and work out those minor wrinkles.
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Plaza rear seat back (3).jpg (106KB - 384 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I took a break from upholstery to start getting the X Mat down on the floors.
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Plaza Xmat.jpg (109KB - 376 downloads)
Plaza Xmat (2).jpg (139KB - 373 downloads)
Plaza Xmat (3).jpg (138KB - 362 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-04-18 4:26 PM
Today, I took a break from upholstery to start getting the X Mat down on the floors.
Looks familiar. Hope you wore gloves.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Several pair. Not all at once of course.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2018-04-18 8:05 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I started tearing the front seat apart. The bottom was drama free and I got a coat of POR-15 on the springs.
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Plaza front seat bottom.jpg (90KB - 358 downloads)
Plaza front seat bottom (2).jpg (109KB - 370 downloads)
Plaza front seat springs.jpg (181KB - 400 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The driver side seat back was stuffed with mouse nests.
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Plaza front seat driver back.jpg (78KB - 368 downloads)
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Plaza front seat driver back (3).jpg (113KB - 377 downloads)
Plaza front seat driver back padding.jpg (133KB - 388 downloads)
Plaza front seat driver back cover.jpg (93KB - 370 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm afraid to open up the passenger side back.
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Plaza front seat passenger back.jpg (84KB - 368 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Pulled and painted the front seat frame. I had planned to paint it black. I didn't have enough black but had plenty of white. So, white it is.
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Plaza front seat frame.jpg (120KB - 375 downloads)
Plaza front seat frame (2).jpg (141KB - 386 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Rear seat is rebuilt and front seat is underway.
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Plaza Front Seat Bottom (3).jpg (107KB - 382 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat Bottom (4).jpg (53KB - 367 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat Bottom Rear Seat Back.jpg (70KB - 373 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 5006
| 71charger_fan - 2018-03-26 12:31 PM I picked up a couple of model-appropriate Suburban emblems for $32. Not sure if I'll wind up using them or not, but, for the price, I couldn't say no. I saw a pair at Carlisle and the seller's price was somewhere in the hundreds of dollars. asking and getting is two different things the Carlisle guys are wising up, i had one ask me "your not gonna just put this on ebay are you?" I laughed, i said no i actually collect them. I do sometimes sell extras though. I did sell a set of big dodge pickup hood nos emblems after i made a mold that i got in Chrysler Nats :) i made a couple of bucks and the buyer was super happy he got nos emblems for his project. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I started fitting the carpet. I put the front carpet in the sun to relax out the creases. Someone found it quite comfortable.
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Plaza Carpet.jpg (86KB - 372 downloads)
Plaza Carpet (2).jpg (116KB - 356 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Time to rebuild the front seat backs.
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Plaza Driver Seat Back.jpg (126KB - 361 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I decided to add a layer of carpet padding to further isolate the springs from my back.
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Plaza passenger seat back.jpg (94KB - 376 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Got the last two seat covers on last night. Now to put the interior back in the car.
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Plaza Front Seat Back.jpg (77KB - 353 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat Back (2).jpg (65KB - 350 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat Back (3).jpg (73KB - 367 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat Back (4).jpg (78KB - 372 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I installed the rear bench cushions back onto the steel pans today. Not happy with the wrinkling on the bottom cushion, so I'll pull that out tomorrow and tighten it up.
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Plaza rear seat.jpg (68KB - 348 downloads)
Plaza rear seat (2).jpg (71KB - 356 downloads)
Plaza rear seat (3).jpg (74KB - 362 downloads)
Plaza rear seat (4).jpg (61KB - 344 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Finally finished the seats. Just in time to head to today's Wings and Wheels show.
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Plaza Front Seat.jpg (90KB - 348 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat (2).jpg (76KB - 350 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat (3).jpg (86KB - 348 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat (4).jpg (93KB - 361 downloads)
Plaza Front Seat (5).jpg (99KB - 358 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | At Wings and Wheels.
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phpg4OSMvPM.jpg (152KB - 338 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Recently scored not one, but two NOS backup lenses. Only needed one, but he was selling as a pair.
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Plaza Back Up Lenses (2).jpg (60KB - 346 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Took me long enough, but I finally noticed yesterday that my '55 has a '53 engine in it. The engine number starts with P24. I guess that's why it has the wrong carb/choke setup. Probably correct for a '53. Now, I wish I had bought the '55 two-door I was offered a year and a half ago. At least it would have yielded a complete 230 with transmission. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I installed one of the NOS backup lenses I recently acquired.
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phpjn3K7NPM.jpg (143KB - 354 downloads)
phpq5v1ZfPM.jpg (79KB - 358 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | When I was a kid (16 to 21) (1967 to 1972) and I had my 55 Canadian Dodge Regent (6 std) (aka Plodge), the "chrome" part of my back-up light bezels had started to "fog". Never even occurred to me that I could buy new ones and swap them out. Duh. What did I know.
Speaking of 1955 (and 56) Canadian Plodges, we tended to get the 250.6 ("251") cu.in. engine. Now there is something you might want to look into.
Maybe.
Edited by 56D500boy 2018-05-11 5:43 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I bought an NOS clutch rod grommet. It cost me $30 to find out that buying 60-year-old NOS rubber parts is a bad idea. The thing is hard as a rock and unusable.
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phpQfmLNQAM.jpg (59KB - 357 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I did finally buy the last two NOS suspension pieces I needed with these two upper control arm pivot packages.
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php7gRhoYAM.jpg (121KB - 356 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I could smell gas (more than usual) so I investigated and found that my solution of making a hybrid of an original sender top and aftermarket unit had failed. The sender had fallen into the bottom of the tank, where it's going to stay. So, I broke out the NOS sending unit and installed that only to find that my gas gauge doesn't work. So, there's an NOS gas gauge on its way along with a new voltmeter that I managed to short out testing for voltage behind the dashboard. |
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Expert
Posts: 2196
Location: Muskego, WI | Might be able to soften that old rubber up, search "soften old rubber" online. Lots of options. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'll likely make a plate to cover the oval hole in the firewall and use a round grommet I have for a Jeep. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I started coating the Masonite side panels with POR15 to seal them against moisture and have added a layer of 3/16" foam. I have some black and white houndstooth cloth to go over the foam.
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phpfxtFgZAM.jpg (87KB - 340 downloads)
phpswouwkAM.jpg (117KB - 340 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My NOS fuel gauge arrived as well as a replacement voltmeter.
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phpMCAR9zAM.jpg (144KB - 335 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 1622 622 has the unique place in the Mopar world of being *ONLY* the 55/56 Plymouth Suburban fuel gauge, nothing else. Good score!!
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Weird that the car gauges were different from '55 to '56 to account for the change in voltage, but the suburban gauge is capable of being used for either one. Looks like that is what the "1" and "2" is for, depending on which battery you are using. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Powerflite - 2018-05-30 4:30 PM
Weird that the car gauges were different from '55 to '56 to account for the change in voltage, but the suburban gauge is capable of being used for either one. Looks like that is what the "1" and "2" is for, depending on which battery you are using.
Thanks for pointing that out. I have a 56 Dodge fuel gauge in my hand and it only has two terminal on the back, i.e. switched power (which turns out to be both ACC and RUN modes) and the connection to the variable resistance sender. I saw the 3 terminals on the 55/56 Plymouth Suburban gauge and scratched my head for a second but then moved on when the answer didn't come to me.
This three terminal gauge would also have been a 55/56 Canadian Dodge suburban fuel gauge like that Old Ray's 56 Dodge wagon.
(55/56 Plymouth and Canadian Plodge gauges have white lettering on black faces; 55 US Dodge is black faced as well. 56 US Dodge = "gunmetal" green(ish))
Edited by 56D500boy 2018-05-30 4:56 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | "Looks like that is what the "1" and "2" is for, depending on which battery you are using."
The 1 and 2 correspond to the 1 and 2 terminals on the station wagon fuel level sender. Not sure why it works fine on 6 or 12 volt. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I removed the rear seat side panels and gave them a coat of POR-15.
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phpWXnoW3PM.jpg (98KB - 348 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, we got the door and side panels mostly done. Still have the two in the "way back" to cover.
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phpQrVKWBPM.jpg (123KB - 345 downloads)
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phpPkUj08PM.jpg (72KB - 329 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | To paraphrase "The Dude", those door panels really tie the interior together.
It's begging for black and white armrests now.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I have a pair of armrests, but am not where they're supposed to attach as Plazas (at least my Plaza) didn't come with armrests. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-06-03 9:23 AM
I have a pair of armrests, but am not where they're supposed to attach as Plazas (at least my Plaza) didn't come with armrests.
Not sure if you've posted a photo of one of your doors with the inner door panel off, but I am guessing the location of the screw receivers is already marked or even punched out. If it isn't punched out you would have to open a rectangular slot (2 actually). Then the next trick is creating the armrest screw receiver clips which fit in those slots. If possible, the receiver clips could be cannibalized off any 55-56 Plymouth or Dodge (or probably Desoto or Chrysler).
Somebody with a 2dr sedan (or wagon), e.g. Nathan (Powerflite) might be able to measure location(s) for the slots if your door is not already punched.
Some photos (of my right rear door that needed some anti-rust conditioning) and the clips, etc.:
Edited by 56D500boy 2018-06-03 10:30 AM
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56DodgeDoorArmrestAttachmentDetail.jpg (81KB - 465 downloads)
56DodgeDoorArmrestAttachmentDetail_2.jpg (175KB - 459 downloads)
56DodgeDoorArmrestAttachmentDetail_3.jpg (186KB - 455 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | So, I've been going round and round trying to get the fuel gauge working. Had 12.36 volts at the gauge, but nothing at the sender. Continuity was fine on both leads going to the sender, so I added a ground to the sender and still nothing. I pulled the gauge and sender and tested them straight from the battery according to the FSM. The needle didn't move. So, I grabbed the original gauge, filed the points in the gauge, and hooked it up. It worked. So, I filed the points in the NOS gauge, hooked it up, and it worked. Who knew there were points in a fuel gauge?
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Plaza Fuel Gauges.jpg (62KB - 467 downloads)
Plaza Fuel Gauge Testing Original.jpg (105KB - 452 downloads)
Plaza Fuel Gauge Testing NOS.jpg (104KB - 458 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Wow. I am holding a 56 Dodge fuel gauge in my hand and I must be blind. I can't see any points.
You know that isn't the right battery for your car right? (In terms of location of the 12V terminals that is). |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I tried putting the battery in the other way but the negative cable was too short. It was cheaper to flip the battery around than buy a longer ground cable. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | "I am holding a 56 Dodge fuel gauge in my hand and I must be blind. I can't see any points. "
The points are only on the wagon gauge. They may exist because they didn't use fuses at the time. They may function as a circuit breaker. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Most likely those points are used as a crude voltage regulator. That is what allows the gauge to run on either supply voltage. Mopar vehicles in the '60's used this same technology to provide an average 5 volt supply to their gauges.
Edited by Powerflite 2018-06-05 7:45 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Powerflite - 2018-06-05 5:43 PM Most likely those points are used as a crude voltage regulator.
What he said ! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I got one of the last two panels covered today then ran out of staples.
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php6g9UHEPM.jpg (129KB - 463 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, my wife covered the last interior panel and I installed it. Now, I need to do something about the rear seat armrests and the cargo load floor.
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Plaza Interior Panel Rear Left.jpg (92KB - 452 downloads)
Plaza Interior Panel Rear Left (2).jpg (92KB - 446 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Went to today's Mopar show at Mason Dixon Dragway. That was a mistake.
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phpWe9oEgAM.jpg (80KB - 508 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I decided to take a swing at carpeting the load floor. I had to clean up the edges as there was a little rust and some pinholes. So, I sealed them up with a combination of POR15 and POR putty. Then, I went around the edges with masking tape and filled in with masking paper. Then, I put the pattern on some indoor/outdoor carpet I picked up at a local discount store. The color of the carpet was supposed to be charcoal, but it seems more blue. I may buy different carpet and switch it out. For the time being, it's much better than the bare blue-painted steel.
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Plaza load floor.jpg (79KB - 436 downloads)
Plaza load floor (2).jpg (75KB - 457 downloads)
Plaza load floor (3).jpg (95KB - 475 downloads)
Plaza load floor (4).jpg (93KB - 464 downloads)
Plaza carpet pattern.jpg (76KB - 433 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Measuring and cutting the padding would have been easier without the assistance of my Great Pyrenees.
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Plaza carpet padding.jpg (82KB - 434 downloads)
Plaza carpet pad.jpg (95KB - 463 downloads)
Plaza carpet pattern (2).jpg (86KB - 442 downloads)
Plaza carpet load floor.jpg (91KB - 435 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Looks great.....thank you for posting. (can't wait). |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I think I finally found a spring for the driver side wiper arm that will hold the blade against the window.
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php8cZlnuPM.jpg (98KB - 439 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I started on the rear seat armrest tops. The last vestige of the smell of mice.
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Plaza rear seat arm rest tops.jpg (101KB - 448 downloads)
Plaza rear seat arm rest tops (2).jpg (110KB - 437 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I continued working on the rear seat arm rests.
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Plaza rear seat arm rest tops (3).jpg (90KB - 447 downloads)
Plaza rear seat arm rest tops (4).jpg (81KB - 425 downloads)
Plaza rear seat arm rest tops (5).jpg (74KB - 422 downloads)
Plaza rear seat arm rest tops (6).jpg (82KB - 424 downloads)
Plaza rear seat arm rest tops (7).jpg (86KB - 423 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Finished up the rear seat arm rests today.
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phpsGJoHMPM.jpg (90KB - 432 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I decided to put some fresh oil in the engine for Carlisle weekend as sludge is still working its way loose from years of neglect. When I pulled out the oil filter, I stuck my finger down in the canister and felt probably a good inch of sludge in the bottom. So, I disconnected the inlet and outlet lines, removed the canister and cleaned it out. The worst of what was in the bottom was like Play Doh when it's just about hard. I scooped that out with a worn screwdriver and wiped it out thoroughly. I reassembled everything and decided to go for a short drive. Almost as soon as I left the driveway, the filter cover gasket let go and there's about 2 quarts of fresh 10w-30 making a stripe on the street. I took the canister off the engine again and also removed the drain line and cleared that with brake cleaner. I put it all back together with an NOS USA-made Hastings filter instead of the made-in-Turkey Fram and it all seems fine now. What a mess. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | Hum. 10w-30 is probably a good flushing oil but I wonder if a slightly heavier oil for summer heat and long trips would be better? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Made it up and back twice. Only used a quart of oil per day. I really have to do something about the leak where the oil filter drain goes back into the block. Two qts in just over 300 miles is excessive. Especially when it doesn't seem to be burning any. I'll probably replace the hard lines to the oil filter with braided lines to the filter can be emptied at oil changes without disconnecting anything. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | On the drives up and back to Carlisle I was thrilled at how comfortable the seats were. I really dumb-lucked into a great combination of materials that provided a firm but comfortable cushion and the cloth seating surfaces are so much more comfortable in the heat than the vinyl was. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | At Carlisle, I bought a clutch rod grommet/bellows from one of the vendors that looked like it would fit the '55. Today, I decided to find out. It was a surprisingly good fit. Color me happy. I smeared a good amount of Permatex Black around it on the engine side.
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phpNtN2ORPM.jpg (75KB - 412 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | My NOS headpipe and tailpipe arrived today. I'm still looking for a muffler. In the meantime, I'll slip in a glasspack of the right length.
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phplwOSNSPM.jpg (83KB - 395 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-07-27 3:25 PM
My NOS headpipe and tailpipe arrived today. I'm still looking for a muffler. In the meantime, I'll slip in a glasspack of the right length.
Back in the day (1967-72) when I was in high school and university with my 55 Canadian Dodge with the "big" 25 inch long head Canadian 251 cu in flat-head six, I ran a Thrush (straight through, perforated center core) muffler. I sounded great (mostly) - might have been a little bit of "drone" on the highway, but I liked it. Loved the throaty sound of the straight six.
What makes me kick my butt now is I never converted the exhaust manifold to duals. Not necessarily Fenton but just a cut and weld job would have been in my budget.
Fenton:
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I put the new pipes in today. However, I didn't realize that the tailpipe was 2" but necked down to 1.75" going into the muffler. So, tomorrow morning I'll run to NAPA and pick up the appropriate adapter and finish it up.
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phpoCM937PM.jpg (99KB - 411 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I picked up a 41946 reducer at NAPA and finished up the exhaust installation. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Two u-joint kits arrived today.
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phpFBJOq2PM.jpg (76KB - 395 downloads)
php4kUJa1PM.jpg (96KB - 405 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The odometer in my car didn't work. I had purchased a spare dash panel but didn't know the condition of that speedometer. I took it to Carlisle and handed it over to D&M Restoration on Saturday and asked for repair only just to ensure the speedometer and odometer were working. I also asked them to set the odometer to match the reading of the one in the car. I cost me $200 to have them rebuild the speedometer, repaint the needle, reset the odometer, and give it a general clean up. I had it back by the very next Friday.
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Plaza speedometer.jpg (78KB - 408 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I decided to deal with switching the hard lines to and from the oil filter to flexible braided lines. This way, I can undo the filter when I do an oil change and pour it out. That way, all that dirty oil won't stay behind in the system as it does now. Unfortunately, as soon as I got everything apart, a thunderstorm blew in. So, maybe tomorrow.
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phpt4bgfzPM.jpg (154KB - 397 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I installed the braided oil lines to and from the filter. Where the fittings go into the block made for an extremely tight fit for the starter, but I got it in. I reused the 45-degree drain fitting, but I think I'll need to take that apart as that one is leaking. It was leaking before, but I hoped thread sealant would allow me to reuse it without issue. I'll have to dig around in Ebay and try to find new 45-degree fittings. I do have one more new 90-degree fitting and if I have too much trouble finding a 45, I'll use that.
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php8TyGvEPM.jpg (116KB - 378 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | A couple of different style 45-degree adapters arrived in today's mail. One of these, likely the black one, should be the ticket for finally stopping the oil leak where the filter drain enters the block.
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phpwHkQZpPM.jpg (114KB - 371 downloads)
phpg4vEVtPM.jpg (79KB - 369 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I finally had a chance to fix the leaking oil return fitting. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room to use the 45-degree AN fitting. I had to use one of the 45-degree brass NPT fittings and an NPT to AN-03 straight adapter.
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phpEiHx1DAM.jpg (97KB - 364 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I found a parking lamp lens that, while not NOS, is in better shape than what was on the car.
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phpRjAS7GPM.jpg (71KB - 380 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I had maybe 400 summer miles on my last oil change. So, I drained the oil. For the first time, no sludge came out. Looks like I've finally got the engine flushed out. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I misunderstood the Ebay listing. I thought I was buying an NOS turn signal lens, what I got was an NOS lens and an NOS housing. Not bad for $41.
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phpaVJhVeAM.jpg (126KB - 376 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | That's a great score. I like those a lot better than the '56 version. I am considering swapping mine out for those. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Replaced the speedometer in the 1955 Plymouth Plaza with the one from my parts stash that I had repaired. After 2 years of ownership, I finally have a working odometer and a steady speedometer needle.
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phpFGkYgfPM.jpg (71KB - 362 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I had someone on another forum express interest in buying the wagon. I went through everything I have spent on the car and realized I was into in for somewhere above $18,000. I was quite surprised. I would have guessed somewhere between $12,500 and $14,000. As I didn't believe the car to be worth $18K, I offered it to him for $15K. He passed as it was more than he wanted to spend. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Tried to run errands in the wagon today. It wouldn't start. The fuel filter was dry and wasn't filling. So, a dive into the parts stash for a fuel pump was in order.
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phpUhmGnDAM.jpg (127KB - 355 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, the weather finally cooperated and allowed me to work in the driveway to switch out the fuel pump. Not sure if the old one is worth keeping to rebuild it or if I should just trash it.
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phpqiaU2cAM.jpg (129KB - 346 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2018-12-18 1:28 PM
Not sure if the old one is worth keeping to rebuild it or if I should just trash it.
The repair kit for the 55-56 Plymouth 6 cyl fuel pump is 1450 023. There is one for sale on the internet:
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/albert-park/engine-engine-parts-tran...
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | he wants $50, I'm still finding complete pumps for that. Thanks for the part number. Gives me something else to search for. Wonder what Carter's number was for this kit |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | After changing out the fuel pump, a few days ago I decided to run errands in it but she refused to start. There's spark and fuel to the carb. I had too many other things to do to mess with it. I'm guessing either a stuck float or clogged needle and seat. It may be time to finally spend the money and get a new carb. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I took advantage of an unseasonably warm day to switch the carb. However, by the time I got the carb on and fished a wire for the choke, it was late, getting dark, and getting cold. Now, there's snow on the way. So, it's up to Mother Nature when I get around to trying an initial fire up.
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Plaza New Carb.jpg (100KB - 342 downloads)
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Plaza New Carb (8).jpg (89KB - 344 downloads)
Plaza New Carb (9).jpg (80KB - 323 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I needed a timing chain and gears. Finding American-made timing components for the Plymouth flathead is doable, but not easy. Fortunately, I saw the P24 stamped on the engine before I tracked down the parts as the timing chains changed for '55.
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phps8BhdcPM.jpg (81KB - 298 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The forecast for snow today missed the mark by a mile and it was sunny and reasonably warm (for February). So, I went outside to eye up how big a job the timing chain was going to be. I didn't see any way to do it without pulling the radiator. So, it can wait. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Let me know how well that carburetor works out. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I finally got that elusive combination of a warm, dry day where I wasn't babysitting. So, out to the driveway to try and get the wagon started. I pulled the fuel line off of the carb and put it in a plastic bottle then hit the starter. No gas in the bottle. So, on the off chance my swap meet fuel filter was defective, I swapped in a clear plastic one and hit the starter again. When I saw the plastic one start to fill with fuel, I put the hose back on the carb and it started right up. Just when I thought I'd fixed it, it died. No fuel coming from the accelerator pump, so I checked again and realized it wasn't pumping fuel. So, then I thought the "new" fuel pump I'd installed must have already gone bad, so I swapped it with another NOS one I had on hand. Still no fuel flow. Then, I did what, in hindsight, I should have done in the first place and pushed some compressed air through the line until I heard the fuel tank bubble. Hooked everything back up and it started right up and ran. Now, I'm thinking I need to drop the fuel tank and send it off to get it cleaned out and coated.
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phpAZGuKrAM.jpg (104KB - 302 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I took it out on Sunday and just drove it around and around the area near my house. I put about 10 to 12 miles on it. It drives nicely and I can definitely feel (and hear) a difference with the 2-bbl at WOT. Otherwise, other than having a working choke, it feels about the same as it did with the 1-bbl once warmed up. I'm pretty happy no longer having an oil-bath air cleaner. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I changed the oil today. Having the flexible braided lines on the filter housing paid off when I was able to pour out a half quart of more of old oil that would have otherwise remained behind. I had put 40 miles on it between October and today then put over 20 miles on it today. I'm trying to burn off most of the old gas that's in the tank from last September so I can give it an infusion of new fuel. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I installed an NOS piece of hood trim I bought from user Powerflite.
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Plaza Hood Trim.jpg (99KB - 385 downloads)
Plaza Hood Trim (2).jpg (77KB - 377 downloads)
Plaza Hood Trim (3).jpg (62KB - 380 downloads)
Plaza Hood Trim (4).jpg (87KB - 353 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | That looks great on there. I'm glad you are putting it to good use. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I took it in and had new tires installed. There's not much selection in 75 series anymore. I read that if a tire doesn't have a DOT date code, it's older than 1990. My tires had no date codes.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2019-04-17 12:34 PM
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phpUU3ClRAM.jpg (95KB - 341 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-17 9:31 AM
Today, I took it in and had new tires installed. There's not much selection in 75 series anymore.
I'm running 235/75/15s. Look similar to yours. What brand did you use?
What is your disc brake conversion?
I didn't realize the difference between 55 and 56 Grills:
55:
56:
Edited by 56D500boy 2019-04-17 12:54 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | They're Hankook. The only tire the place I used had in 215/75-15. Cost me $382 out the door, but there's supposed to be a $70 rebate. Disc brake conversion is from Scarebird. Cadillac hoses, Probe rotors, S-10 calipers. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-17 9:58 AM
They're Hankook. The only tire the place I used had in 215/75-15. Cost me $382 out the door, but there's supposed to be a $70 rebate.
Disc brake conversion is from Scarebird. Cadillac hoses, Probe rotors, S-10 calipers.
Thanks Terrence for both answers. I've been finding lately that I *am* getting some rubbing of my 235/75/15s on my 56 Dodge on the inside of the front tires (frame and tie rods ends) and the outside of the rear tires (on the rear wheel well lip - even I trimmed a bunch of metal out of there before the tires were installed back in the fall of 2016). So 215/75/15 would be a good alternative for me.
I asked about the disc brakes on behalf of George B. who does visit the forum and is interested in a brake conversion for his 56 Dodge with 11" drums.
I will pass the info along.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | '56 knuckles should be different than '55. The disk brake conversion process will be the same, but the caliper mounting bracket, rotor, and caliper might be different. A lot of the specifics of my conversion are back on pages 2 and 3 of this thread.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2019-04-17 7:43 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-17 4:40 PM
'56 knuckles should be different than '55. The disk brake conversion process will be the same, but the caliper mounting bracket, rotor, and caliper might be different. A lot of the specifics of my conversion are back on pages 2 and 3 of this thread.
Thanks for the reminder about your earlier work. I went back and reviewed the photos and the text. I captured the brake related stuff and created a WORD doc if you want a copy for your files.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Too bad, I could have sent you a Word doc as I wrote up the conversion for the Chrysler Product Owners Club of DC newsletter. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-17 6:44 PM
Too bad, I could have sent you a Word doc as I wrote up the conversion for the Chrysler Product Owners Club of DC newsletter.
Never too late for a better document (than what I pieced together). I've pm'd you here at the forum with my email address.
Going back to page 3 of this thread, which Gabriel shocks did you use for the rear? These ones:
Edited by 56D500boy 2019-04-17 11:06 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The rear shocks are the same application as later A-body rears. I think they were 81469. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-18 8:24 AM
The rear shocks are the same application as later A-body rears. I think they were 81469.
Thanks Terrence. I chased Gabriel 81469s at Rock Auto and then went back in and pretended my car was a 68 Dodge Dart 340 (which would be okay to have ) and got this result:
(Screen Shot - not a live link):
Edited by 56D500boy 2019-04-18 3:08 PM
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WhatRockAutoSaysAboutAlternativesToGabriel81469RearShocks.jpg (147KB - 373 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I took it out for a ride and it seemed to be suffering from the ignition breaking up and fuel starvation. I pulled the fuel filter and was quite shocked by how much rust came out of it. After putting on a new filter, I pulled a couple of plugs. On both, the electrodes had been hit by the valves and the gaps had closed up to about .020 (should be .060 with HEI). I looked down in the cylinder and saw a nice shiny circle inscribed on the valve (at least the valves are rotating) by the plug electrode. So, I've ordered a set of indexing washers. That should fix that problem. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The electrodes after being hammered almost closed by the valves.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-30 4:39 PM
The electrodes after being hammered almost closed by the valves.
So I would say, either your cam is too high a lift or your plugs extend too far into the head, i.e. they are too hot and you need "colder" plugs.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I finally got up the nerve to tackle replacing the cracked driver door glass. It wasn't too bad of a job. The worst part was, after getting the unbroken glass on to the regulator, I had trouble getting it to sit square in the door. I finally realized that a regulator roller had popped out of a small length of channel attached to the inner door skin. Once I popped that back in, it went fine. Even getting the vent window assembly out wasn't difficult. Now, I have to get new window channel.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2019-05-01 9:09 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 298
Location: Kalispell, MT USA | That style Champion plug ends in Y or YC. It is the extended reach version. You may need to use the standard reach version. Same heat range, but the tip is flush with the shell. |
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Veteran
Posts: 298
Location: Kalispell, MT USA | This is a flathead engine correct? The champion listing for this is a RJ12C (592). Are those a RJ12YC? They extend too far into the chamber. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | These are RJ18YC6 plugs. It's what I was sold as the correct plug to work with the HEI. It's painfully obvious the tip length is not compatible with my flathead. I'm going to try indexing washers first. |
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Veteran
Posts: 298
Location: Kalispell, MT USA | Those are heat range 18, 3 steps hotter than stock. Y= extended reach, C=copper core, 6= .060 gap for HEI. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I'm hoping these will solve the problem.
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Location: Kalispell, MT USA | Yes, if you can index the side electrode to face away from the valve these should help. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I regapped the plugs and put the .050 washers under the plugs. I reached out to Langdon's for a non-extended-tip plug recommendation and they suggested RJ18C6. A plug that, as far as I can tell, doesn't exist. I plugged that number into an online spark plug cross reference and it suggested ACDelco R46SZ, Autolite 847, Accel 198. I'll have to get a look at those plugs and see if any would work.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2019-05-03 10:57 AM
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Veteran
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Location: Kalispell, MT USA | Looking in the NAPA catalog, the only one of these without the extended reach is the AC R46SZ. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | I just ordered 6 of the R46SZ plugs. |
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-04-17 9:58 AM
They're Hankook. The only tire the place I used had in 215/75-15. Cost me $382 out the door, but there's supposed to be a $70 rebate.
Apparently those tires have been discontinued.
That said my local tire shop found some locally (in a wholesale warehouse). CDN$700 for four out the door (mounted, balanced, taxes, environmental levies, etc. in). US$382 is about CDN$512.
Hmm....
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Try 215/70-15. it's a more common size and may be less expensive. Probably a closer match to the original diameter of the 6.70-15 they originally came with. |
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2019-05-03 6:10 PM
Try 215/70-15. it's a more common size and may be less expensive. Probably a closer match to the original diameter of the 6.70-15 they originally came with.
6.70-15 maybe on your Savoy, not my 56 Dodge D500. 7.60-15 at least.
(in a previous thread, I determined that my stock wheels were 5.5" wide which implied either 7.60 or 8.00 wide tires):
Edited by 56D500boy 2019-05-04 2:59 AM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Eventually, I'll swap the champions out for these.
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Location: Kalispell, MT USA | Of course those don't look like the photos on the NAPA site. I hope they are enough shorter to make a difference.. |
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Veteran
Posts: 298
Location: Kalispell, MT USA | Of course those don't look like the photos on the NAPA site. I hope they are enough shorter to make a difference.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I have a feeling I'm probably just going to resign myself to using indexing washers to buy the clearance I need. Not a big deal. Langdon's told me they think my head was shaved at some point. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | Don't worry, it'll grow back.
Just kidding of course.
Edited by Powerflite 2019-05-07 5:33 PM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | While I found it impossible to get an exact measurement, it looks to me that the AC plugs protrude about .045 less than the Champions. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I was having a devil of a time setting the timing. Eventually, I realized the 0 I was seeing was part of a 10. So, I finally took some sandpaper to the pulley and found the "DC" marks hiding under years of rust and crud. I hit it with some brake cleaner then some white model paint and wiped off the excess with my finger. That made it easier. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | I drove it from Frederick to Hagerstown yesterday for the weekly cruise in at the Valley Mall. First I've had it over 50mph since last summer. It pulled pretty well for such an old girl. I was able to maintain the 70mph speed limit even on the long grades. I may have to pull a little timing out of it as it detonated just a little near the tops of the biggest grades. Now that it's gotten good and hot, I may do a comprehensive lubricant change again (engine oil, transmission, differential). |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | At Middletown, MD's Vintage Vehicles in the Valley on 8 June 2019.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I realized that the spring I fitted to my wiper arm, while a significant improvement over what was there, just wasn't really strong enough to pull the blade firmly against the glass. So, I installed a pair of ANCO adjustable arms. While I'm not thrilled with the appearance, it's a worthwhile trade off to have functional wipers.
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Location: Frederick, MD | At Carlisle 2019
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Location: North Australia | This car gets better every post, good work Terrance. It must be like going back in time driving this one. Steve. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Honestly, we're starting to think about selling it and buying something else to fix up. I'm kind of torn. I just don't have room to park another car. So, to get something else, I have to sell something. Although, I have so much time and effort in this one, I'd hate to see it go. |
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Location: Georgia | I understand completely. She sure has come along way.
She's begging for a big road trip, though!
Pete |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | When I'm not doing daycare for my grandson, I've been consumed with sorting out the wiring on the '71 which will hopefully go for paint soon. It's been apart for over a year and a half. I've barely touched the wagon. I need to start it and drive it around a bit. I don't think it has run since Carlisle.
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Location: Frederick, MD | We drove it to the Mopar show at Miller's in Martinsburg, WV today. A couple of people said they were interested in buying it, but quickly disappeared when I let them know I'd sell it to them.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I took it to a Chrysler Product Owners Club show at Clarksville Commons, Clarksville, MD.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I got tired of looking at the holes in the door for the spotlight. So, I dug out the old non-working spotlight and sawed the part that goes all the way through the door short and remounted it. The shaft and shaft jacket were both bent anyway and I didn't have the handle anyway. However, with the shaft and jacket cut, there was nothing holding the head of the spotlight up. So, I drilled and tapped the jacket and put in a set screw.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Yesterday, I took it to a charity car show.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I ordered a parking brake band, window channel, and window sweeps. I'm hoping that my Charger will be going to paint soon and free up a garage spot so I can bring the wagon in and work on it without having to worry about the weather.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Got my shipment from oldmoparts.com. Now to get around to installing all this.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I hadn't driven it in almost a month, so I decided to take it to the grocery store today. I have to say, this car has a really good heater. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | That's really nice. None of my forwardlook cars have good heaters. Some might, but I have been too afraid to hook them up to try them. |
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Veteran
Posts: 298
Location: Kalispell, MT USA | Powerflite - 2019-11-13 1:26 PM
That's really nice. None of my forwardlook cars have good heaters. Some might, but I have been too afraid to hook them up to try them. :laugh:
Not an option up here in the "GREAT WHITE NORTH"
My car is parked until spring. Maybe I'll go over the heating system next year. I do remember as a kid it seemed to work OK... in 1975... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I delivered my '71 to the paint shop today which freed up a garage slot for the wagon. Before parking it in the garage, I decided to take a drive around the neighborhood. That backfired as the fuel line clogged. I changed the fuel filter on the side of the road and it restarted. Since it was running again, I drove past my house to make one more circuit. Of course, as soon as I created the hill it died again. Some helpful folks gave me enough of a push to coast home and I pushed it into the garage. I'll blow out the fuel line tomorrow.
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Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I worked on replacing the window whiskers and window channels. Long, long overdue.
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Location: Frederick, MD | I finally got around to swapping the parking brake band. Now I should be able to park on an incline.
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Location: So. Cal | Wow, that's really worn out. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I still have to get it adjusted. There are no instructions in the service manual for replacement of the band, but there are instructions for adjusting it. It's supposed to be 65 degrees on Saturday, so I will probably get to it then. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I took advantage of freakishly warm weather and adjusted the band as best I could. I'll give it a few miles of driving around to kind of bed it in before I climb under and recheck the adjustments. I found that my fuel line was not clogged and that I'd made the mistake of believing a 65-year-old fuel gauge and was simply out of gas. So, I dumped a couple of gallons in it from the mower can and drove it to the gas station. Unfortunately, I've now lost my gas cap. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | A couple of my cars has fooled me like that too. Seems to be one of their favorite pranks. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I started replacing the window sweeps and window channel on the passenger door. I got as far as getting the interior trim off and the vent window assembly out when I decided I was tired of being cold. So, it can wait 'til another day (or week, or month).
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Location: Frederick, MD | Got back on it today. Getting the curve using the new pieces to match that of the old pieces is not easy.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I finished screwing the outer window fuzzy to the '55 Plymouth passenger door and decided to pull the window regulator to see why it's so hard to wind up and down. I found corrosion on the steel channels in which the guides slide and that the regulator itself is a little out of whack. The large gear was cutting a groove in the plate to which it is mounted. I tweaked it a bit and cleaned and greased everything before putting it back in. It didn't even require any substantial cussing. It all works much better now.
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2020-02-22 4:36 PM It didn't even require any substantial cussing.
Sorry. You must not have done it correctly if there wasn't any substantial cussing.
Suggest you redo it again and report back.
KIDDING!!
Good job. I am still shocked to see two guide tracks on one window. The 4 dr sedans (like my 56 Dodge) only have the one.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I wonder if the two-door window is wider and heavier. There are three guide tracks. Two on the window and one mounted to the door. To get the window out/in, the window had to cranked up to the point where the guide comes out of the door-mounted track. The hard part of doing it alone was during installation, trying to hold the window up and align the guide with the door-mounted track while slowly cranking the window down.
Edited by 71charger_fan 2020-02-22 8:58 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I installed the inner "cat whiskers" onto the upper passenger door molding. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a chance to reinstall that and the door panel.
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | .
I would be worried that your screw heads will scratch the glass. No such worries with pop rivets.
Edited by 56D500boy 2020-02-24 10:06 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | The screws sink deeply enough into the the material that it's not an issue. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | .
OK. There might be an issue with the threaded bit not allowing the inner window frame to sit down properly on the door. Maybe.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I was worried about that, but figured if that became a problem, I could just Dremel the ends of the screws off. However, I didn't have to.
Today, I put the door panel and the upper trim back on the door. Before I did that, I decided to make a pattern to replace what appeared to be a missing panel over the large access hole in the door. I assume the original was probably cardboard and didn't survive the years. Unfortunately, only three of the four clips were still with the car. I used coroplast to make the new panel.
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Lower Mainland BC | .
Well that is good news Terry. I wasn't trying to be negative, just flagging potential issues as I saw them.
As for the "hole" in the door (panel), in my 56 4 dr Sedan experience, each door had a door panel and beneath
that, tight against the door, was a thin(ish) cardboard/paper "liner" (?) that was glued to the metal of the door,
covering all openings, big and small. Three of my four were trashed by water and I replaced then with 6 mil poly
taped to the door with "Tuck" tape. The fourth (and last) door I did was fine, close to perfect, so I left it as it left the factory.
I did clean and paint the inside of the door with anti-rust primer/paint so I think that it will be fine for the next 64 years.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Since I had an entire season and then some on the gear oil, I took advantage of warm weather and crawled under and drained the differential. I was happy to see it come out looking like gear oil instead of sludge. It wasn't even very dirty. I would have changed the transmission, but I didn't have enough gear oil. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I somehow lost the return spring from the parking brake when I put on the new band. Today I found this spring in one of my junk bins. I think it's from a junked washing machine. Works. No more looking for the missing spring.
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Member
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| Hi
My 56' Savoy needs to have the park brake bands replaced too. Where did you find new bands,and how did you fasten them ? Rivets,or maybe glue of some kind ?
Thanks |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Oldmoparts.com sells the band's with lining attached and ready to install |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Great ! Thanks for your help
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Today's parts score.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Scraped off one of the stickers that was on the glass when I bought it and replaced it with one to make my grandson happy.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | When I took the seats apart to redo them, I misplaced the knob for the seat adjuster. Yesterday, long after I gave up on it, I found it while looking for something else.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | Today, I finally got around to adjusting the driver door. I was very happy to not snap off any of the hinge screws.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 5006
| i used the nickle copper brake line, its a little soft but works well installing it. I didn't need the pliers.
but the brake pedal feels better than my modern Chevy truck... brakes are amazing with 4 wheel disc. ton of work though.
I cut them on the car with a dremel cutting wheel.
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Frederick, MD | I can't see myself using anything but no-copp for making custom lines. |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Hi
I've been following this tread all along,but is hasn't happened much for a while,so maybe you don't have the car anymore ? I have one just like yours,far from finished,but also a 56' Savoy in very nice condition. I've done a front disc conversion like yours on this one,but went for the set from AAJ brakes. Like you, I have had (and have)severe problems with a spungy brake pedal,even though I think I have tried all the tricks in the book bleeding the brakes,incl. the reverse method.Question is,did you ever find out what the problem was on your car ? I see you have replaced several MC's,but was this the solution ? The AAJ set up,uses mostly Mopar parts,think the rotors and discs are for the 68 - 70 Charger..? between the inner pads and calipers there are supposed to be some kind of triangular clips,that prevents the inner pad from ratteling inside the caliper. My new setup came without those,so it took a long while to find out where that anoying rattle came from alright...anyway,I'm thinking this ratteling may also cause the pad to move away from the disc when driving,and cause lower pedal ? Impossible to find these clips here in Norway - so fare...
Regards,
Geir
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I still sometimes have a soft pedal and have gotten used to pumping the pedal to make it firm. As of now, the car's been for sale for quite some time. I've had a few nibbles and one firm offer. Although the offer is quite a bit less than I thought I'd be willing to take, I may change my mind as I don't want to store this car outside which is what its fate will be when my Charger comes home from body and paint. |
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Member
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| Ok,I see..then I just want to thank you for creating this blog,your work with your car has been a huge inspiration for me,and I guess other owners of these cars. It's much more difficult to restore these cars than a tri - five Chevy,or Ford,for shure,so we need all the help we can get,you know,expecially when you live in my country,where,as far as I know,my 55' Suburban is the only one in existence..
Good luck with the sale !
Regards,
Geir |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Just wander if you can answer a couple of questions..just now,I'm busy,trying to patch up the lower tailgate,it's just so rusted,it really should have been replaced,but what is the chance of finding one ? But,I know you were lucky to find one,but I wonder,where did you find the rubber/weatherstripping for it ? And since you have the flat head six,have you had problems with vapor lock in the carb ? I have that problem with my 56' Savoy,the engine just gets so hot,even on short road trips on a rather cold Norwegian summmer day..
Thanks,
Geir |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | A retarded ignition can make the engine run hot. Check the timing on it and check that the mark on the dampener is correct first. Giving it a little more advance than what the factory called out might be a good idea too. |
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Expert
Posts: 1739
Location: Alaska | On the flathead 6 behind the water pump is a water distribution tube that runs the full length of the block and can rust away. If it does the engine can run hot because the water is not carried to the rear cylinders. Just a thought. |
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Member
Posts: 30
| I have pulled the water distribution tube,and it was brand new,and so is the water pump. I have also flushed the engine and radiator,and installed a new thermostat. The engine seems clean inside,no rust or sludge coming out of it. I havent checked the timing ,since it fires right up,and runs ok when it's cold,that is. I will check the timing though. Took out the thermostat before the last drive previous summer,but made no difference..
Thank you guys for valuable tips ! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I think you should just buy my wagon and I'll throw the tailgate that came off of it in the back. You can steal the NOS one off the car and put the one that came off of it back on.
I haven't had any overheating problems and have driven it for extended periods in hot weather. |
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Member
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| Hehe,great idea,and that shure would have saved me a lot of work,and probably money at the end too,but I am not to give up on my wagon,after all,we go over 40 years back together...hmm,must be some kind of record..?
The overheating six in my Savoy,is a mystery,but now when the snow is dissapearing,I can get it out of winter storage,and start troubleshooting,first thing,checking the timing.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | I believe it's sold. Won't be official until I have the money. Wound up breaking even on the car and just writing off the money that I put into it. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | 71charger_fan - 2021-03-15 9:01 AM. Wound up breaking even on the car and just writing off the money that I put into it. Sounds like normal to me . |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | At least I learned a lot and had fun with it. What I'm losing is less than I would have lost on depreciation on a new car over the same period. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | Very true. These are small beans compared to losses you experience with new purchases. Even a 7yr old car can easily depreciate by $6K in 3-4 years. |
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Expert
Posts: 1739
Location: Alaska | Isn't that the American way? "buy high on impulse and sell low" |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Loaded her up with spares today as she should be off to a new home tomorrow.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1172
Location: Georgia | I'm glad she's found a new home. I must say I've enjoyed following your progress with her in this thread. Good work on a cool car.
Sadly, we've been conditioned by the Barrett-Jacksons and the Barn Find Hunters to believe the hobby is about deals and big profits.
The reality is, however, just as your journey with this '55--a mostly enjoyable experience with a cool old car, which, I think, is a way
better reality than trying to bank big money.
So thanks for sharing this with us! Please pass the forum information to the new owner so we might see what's next for this wagon.
Pete |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Off to her new home. Overall, it cost me about $9500-$10000. But, as I've said, I enjoyed it and learned a lot.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9894
Location: Lower Mainland BC | 71charger_fan - 2021-03-19 10:54 AM Off to her new home. Overall, it cost me about $9500-$10000. But, as I've said, I enjoyed it and learned a lot.
Terry: Sad to see but I am sure that you have more project cars to "learn on" (like a 71 Charger?).
I've enjoyed your posts because many of the issue that you've had, I've had with my 56 Dodge, e.g. the broken cowl vent hinge. While my solutions were not always the same as yours, the photos that you posted definitely helped me figure things out. There's only a few folks here with one of the 55-56 King Pin Orphans that post a lot. You're one. Nathan (Powerflite) is another. (I guess I am too). It all helps.
My latest issue is discovering that my heater core isn't happy so I will be going back through your thread looking for photos of your core when you had the fibreglas housing off. (At least I hope that you do).
Thanks for your help.
/Dave F. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | Wish I had known yesterday. I threw an extra heater core in the back of the car because I had no reason to keep it. I would've been happy to give it to you. |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Hi,I know you have sold your wagon,but I am still struggeling with mine. Currently workng on my terribly rusted lower tailgate,seeing the end of the patchwork now,so just looking back on your tread to look how nice a NOS tailgate looks ..O'well..but,where did you find the rubber seal for it ? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
Location: Frederick, MD | If I recall correctly, it was just door weather stripping glued to the tailgate. |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Ok,was it weather stripping for the 55 - 56 Plymouth ? It looks to fit just perfectly.. |
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