Projects Picked up a '53 New Yorker today

Well I picked up a '53 Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe today, factor 331 2bbl engine, power steering, fluid drive I believe. Took a few hours to get running but finally fired off, runs ok but seems to smoke pretty bad after you rev it up for a bit then let it idle down. I think i'll need to replace the valce stem seals if they don't soften up with some oil additive. This car had been shuffled around between a few different owners since the mid 70's and I have no idea when the last time it was started was but the plugs were new, the cylinders were oiled and the coolant had been drained by someone before it went into storage. The oil was clean and power steering/transmission fluid was full so I wasn't to worried about starting after all that time. Had to run off of a boat tank since the gas tank is full of varnish, ill drop the tank tomorrow and train it. The tires are all mismatched and falling apart but i''ll worry about those later when I do the brakes.
So I guess what I need from all of you in the HAMB world is pictures and and info for inspiration and motivation. This is the 1st early hemi and 1st chrysler I've owned so I have a lot to learn about these old things.

 

Very cool! Looks like a pretty well preserved old girl.
Get 'er running and drive it!
I love 50's cars like this, they get more rare every day!
I suggest keeping it as intact as you can, they stopped making them a while back ya know!
COOL!!!

 

In early 1964 I had that very model, a New Yorker Deluxe 2 Door post, and it was in superb condition but for the poor chrome from the Korean War era. So quiet at a stop sign you couldn't hear of feel it running. A really nice driving car.

But that Chrysler has always lingered in my memory. I only owned it for a short time as I was in the Navy at the time and we were shipping out to the Far East and a shipmate who was being transferred prior needed a car. Sold it to him, instead of trying to store it for 6 to 8 months.

Point is, they were great cars and I wish you much success and enjoyment with this one! The two door models, Newport Hardtop or post 2 door, are both scarce models. Good score!

Ray

 

in 2009 and 2010 there were about two or three of these that were great projects here on the Hamb. Done right and with the right dress up stuff they are killer looking cars. Lowered and with the right tire/wheel combo they have a great stance. See if you can do a search on here and see what turns up for either Chrysler or Desoto's of the same era (they share the same body)

 

I'll have to do a bit of rust repair to the floors and the interior is trashed since the squirels were getting in through the hole in the truck floor. Whole trunk was packed full of pine cones. I really dont know what I am going to do with this thing, would like to swap out the wheels and tires and lower the car a bit just for the look but its only going to be a cruiser. I do plan on swapping out the little 2bbl carb for a 4bbl if I can track down a factory intake, i don;t need any of that fancy aluminum stuff on this car.

 

My memory says there is a 4 barrel manifold for sale here in the parts for sale the other day so again do a search as I think that you maybe surprised what's out there

 

As I recall, only the '54 models had a 4 barrel option.........prior were all two barrels. The '51 thru '54 manifolds were "wet", meaning they had the thermostat housing at the front of the manifold itself and the heads circulated water into it. '55 and later models used a water manifold to house the thermostat and water pump and it bolted to the front of the heads. So, what I am saying is, you need a '54 only 4 barrel manifold, if factory Mopar...OR...an aftermarket manifold for '51 thru '54 models. They are out there, but used to be a bit pricey. Don't have any idea what the current market is.

 

Few more pictures.....couldn't figure out this new picture posting stuff.

 

Cool car, would make a great mild custom cruiser. With its above mentioned rarity I would keep it.

 

One of the coolest cars I ever saw was a similar car to that one. Restored on the outside, it was straight as a pin with polished black paint, with a fully built fifties style engine. Twin carbs, chrome valve covers, beehive oil filter, dual exhaust, the full fifties treatment.

That car was state of the art for 1953 performance, brakes, etc. The only change I would make is heavy duty shocks all around, with the front top mount moved to the frame.

Incidentally even in stock form they will really move. I suppose it is the heavy appearance that makes it so surprising. With the Fluid Torque drive, they are actually faster than later tailfin models with the Powerflite.

 

Pulled one of the door panels off since it was pretty well eaten and found out the car was originally maroon with a black top. Makes a little more sense with the interior being maroon and silver.

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WOW!!! Only 1,934 were built.

 

Really cool car, thats gonna make a nice cruiser.

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Be carefully,picking up a '53 New Yorker can give you a hernia!

Seriously,the car looks like it's in pretty good shape. HRP

 

Nice score! If/when you need engine info you can start with the HemiTech series.

.

 

Cool.....and what the Hudson's feared most....on track......just sayin'.....

 

"Cool.....and what the Hudson's feared most....on track......just sayin'....."
No fear Hudsons were the champions until 1954 and then Chrysler did take over from 1955.Of course by then Hudson had been swallowed by Nash and only had a year or so to go to be replaced by the "Hash".

 

50 dodge 4x4 and his son did some work on his son's '54 Chrysler on here about a year ago. Don't know how similar the two might be, but I was thinking you might find something useful there.

 

Ordered up some replacment floor pans and brake parts. Still looking for some pictures of these cars with different wheel styles. If you guys have anything lets see them, all im finding on google is stock wheels with caps ot the factory wires.

I am kicking around the idea of the 16" pickup wheels with a lower profile side wall and trim rings with spider caps. I've seen it on similar GM bodies just not sure how it'll look on this car.

 

If the cylinders were oiled for storage it could take a while to burn off. Some of the oil may still be in the exhaust system.

Get it running, drive it for 500 miles, change the oil, and see if it stops smoking. It may take a few thousand miles and a couple of oil changes before it comes back to running its best.

How is the oil pressure? How is the compression? If compression and oil pressure are decent, I wouldn't take anything apart before I ran it and tested it.

Except it can't hurt to take off the pan and clean out the sludge .

 

Love those Chrysler pods!

 

I hope it doesn't take a couple thousand miles.....a few hundred rpm above idle and it looks like a james bond style smoke screen. I am sure the old muffler is probably oil soaked but it is also rotted and ready to fall off. Once I get the brakes working and some good tires I'll buzz it around the back roads here and see if I can blow all the crap out of it. Oil pressue is at a steady 65-70psi on the gauge, the car starts and runs good, just seems to suck oil above idle.

 

Make sure the oil drain back holes in the lower corners of the heads are not plugged up with sludge and retaining oil in the valve covers which can get past the valve stems into the cylinders and/or the exhaust ports.

 

1954 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible Dash

 

Hey, thanks for the pictures.....keep them coming, I noticed that there really aren't many custom chryslers that are running anything but original, wires or those chrome smoothies.

These are the look I think im going to run for a while before I do anything to make the car nice.

 

seals on intake valves only.

 

George,
your sparsely worded reply cause me to wonder.....are you supporting the possibility of oil going by the
exhaust valve stems, or suggesting something else?

Ray

 

Does anyone know what axle might fit in the rear of this car? On my '53 dodge pickup I could have bolted in a Jeep XJ cherokee rear axle since the width was real similar, but I haven't messured the width of this chrysler axle and its storming outside right now so im not up for laying in the mud.