41 Plymouth SB Mopar Engine Swap

Hey Rock, I also didnt like the way the frame stub put my wheels close to the front fender wells.. I also moved the center line back 3/4 ''.. I also cut the core support out and relocated it.. Now I have a centered wheel in the wheel well... In my opinion it looks better.. Nice work..

 

Hey Rock, You have been busy, i love where the front wheel is sitting corrected in the front fender now, very cool. Kenny.

 

i better get out my tape measure,, i never noticed that my front wheels are not centered in the opening.,,

 

Hello Rock, I have a question about the horn.. I read you used a limeworks horn adapter.. Do you have a website? I also want to use my original steering wheel and horn button.. Any help would be great..

 

http://limeworksspeedshop.theshoppad.com/#/

You may have to call them or PM limeysteve.

 

Rock, I guess I missed why you went to a FATMAN frame clip. Was it for better looks or better function with the manual rack, etc.? I have been fighting the same problem with my 48 Ply with a 354 Hemi and have considered many times to do what you did. I just recently installed a reversed (tie rods behind rack center) Cavalier rack with modified tie rods, but still not totally satisfied.
You are doing one fantastic job. I wish mine is half as nice as yours when completed.

 

All of the above. Mostly, I wanted to make trips in this car when it is completed and I wanted to make darn sure it drove well. The Fatman setup just gives you more room to work with and looks better when you're done, too.

I haven't posted a picture but because I was trying to utilize the stock floor with a minimum of modification, I had set up my engine fairly low originally. Since I had to keep that engine height or change a lot of other stuff, I elected to retain the engine height which forced me to cut a section out of the cross member that lowers it about an inch. It is still way beefy enough that I'm worried about it but it was a lot of extra work.

If I were starting from scratch and hadn't already done everything else, I would have just made a new floor and gone from there.

 

This thread holds a lot of interest for me. I've always wanted to marry-frame my 47 Plymouth, but have instead kept the mechanicals basically stock all these years.

Your project has really reawakened my interest though.

Many thanks for all the effort to post it all up.

 

awesome work

 

I have followed along with all of your mods on the Plymouth frontend and reread it about four times. I thank you for all of your thoughts and work you put into it. I dont understand why after all that work and as close as you were that you didn't even try it first. Now you and we will never know. Your choise and your build. Hope the best for you. As for me, I am going the way you cut off. Staying all MOPAR

 

I have another car that I had all kinds of steering problems with and I decided that I was not going to have those problems with this car. If it won't cruise COMFORTABLY and predictably through the mountains and with cross winds at 70 mph, I'm not going to drive it. This car will be driven on trips. That was my reason.....plus I just didn't like all the u-joints required to make the Cavalier rack work. That's just me.

I'm getting ready to finish the body work up on this sucker in the next couple of months.

 

What is that spool motor mount? I have found a few but not that quality.

 

That was a standard Mopar mount form napa.

 

I'm getting close to finished. Here are some shots I recently took.

The clips that hold all those grill pieces on are no a. Had to use Auveco clips and drill 92 holes! I already have 2 days of work in that grill and am waiting for more clips.

 

Beautiful!

Ray

 

No one could appreciate how much time and aggravation went into this grill. The front end is assembled and I hope I never have to do that again.

I used a 40 Desoto bumper with some filler panels I made to give the front end a better look. I don't think the 41 Plymouth bumper works well with this car. What do you think?

 

Looks GREAT.....like it was intended for the Plymouth!

Ray

 

The bumper is sure a nice addition to your build. Great looking Mopar!

- EM

 

Fitting chrome is simetimes a real pain...but it sure is pretty. These bezels have too much plating in the I.d. and the trim rings won't fit inside them like they should. Probably going back because I'm afraid I will screw them up. Sigh.

 

Finally go the 360 buttoned up today after some high anxiety yesterday. I was priming the oil system and noticed I wasn't getting any oil to the PS rocker shaft. After partial disassembly and no results, I got online and discovered that SB Mopars route the oil to the rocker shafts through the camshaft and that it alternates flow to each side as it rotates. Since I was using a drill and the camshaft was stationary, I was only getting oil on one side. After reassembly and installing the distributor, I rotated the engine with the starter and got oil on both rocker shafts. Lesson learned. Whew!

It's now buttoned up and, hopefully ready to start tomorrow.

 

Dang! I'm learning about Mopar idiosyncrasies the hard way. After pouring 4 gallons of coolant into the system, I discovered leaks around the front and rear exhaust studs on each side. Apparently, the penetrate into the cool and system and must be sealed. Aarrgghh!

 

Permatex #2 is your friend.

.

 

Went with Permatex high temp thread sealant. This was complicated by the fact that I had put anti seize on the threads of the header bolts. Had to use lacquer thinner and a round brush to clean the threads AFTER draining all the coolant out.

I replaced those 4 header bolts with studs. I don't want to have to drain the coolant every time I have to remove a header.

 

that's it!

 

Trying to think of other SBM stuff that might bite ya...

There should be a silicone bypass hose available. It will be longer lasting than a standard rubber type hose. Since your A/C compressor is covering the hose, put in the long lasting one now...
I see what looks like a chrome t'stat housing. every chrome one leaks at some point. If it's SS, don't worry.
Use the sealer on the WP bolts too, especially on the ones holding brackets and the alt. pivot.
Get a modern direct drive starter from a good source. Easier to swap and stronger than the old gear reduction ones, although they don't sound the same.
The alt. output wire looks a bit undersized if that alt is more than 35 amps (I didn't go back through all the build pages).

Best of luck on the startup!!!

 

Thanks

 

Well, startup didn't happen today. I have a Mopar distributor with gray and black wires (hall effect) and that won't trigger my MSD 6AL box. They said no need one with an orange and black wire. So, I ordered a Summit 850003-1. Hope it works.

 

MSD is particular about power and grounds. If the instructions say a dedicated wire away from charging system RF, they MEAN it...

 

Got the engine running and had to go to high octane fuel to tame the preignition. The Summit distributor vacuum advance is supposed to be adjustable but I can't get it to move, so they are sending me another. Full mech advanvce is set at 33 degrees. The engine has about 16-17" of vacuum at fast idle and is really torquey. I think it will run like Jack the Bear when I'm done breaking it in.

I'm running an Edelbrock performer intake and 1406 carb. Any tuning suggestions?

 

Get a calibration kit for the carb.
https://www.autozone.com/fuel-syste...pollution-controlled-motor-vehicles/41210_0_0

In my experience, Edelbrock carbs are not set up right to just bolt on. Most are too fat, a few are too lean. Obviously, this depends on the engine they are bolted on, but let's just say that tuning will most likely provide a rewarding experience.
Glad to hear you have a vacuum gauge. You will be able to see and chart results of making changes.
More initial timing tends to smooth and increase the idle (and vacuum), but will detonate as soon as the throttle is opened. It's all a balancing act. Make sure the carb idle screw is out enough to not expose the transfer slots. That will make adjusting the carb mixture difficult. You can open the secondaries slightly if needed to increase air flow at idle. This will allow the primaries to close so they are pulling fuel only from the idle openings, not the transfer slots.

After break-in, the engine should run smoother and hopefully not require the high octane. Pop both valve covers and make sure they are oiling, everything is in place and working happily together and there is no junk.