Picked up the new drive shaft today. Trying to squeeze in time to finish the wiring and get an exhaust installed between all the work Spring brings on here.
Trying desperately to get this coupe on the road for the Frog Follies at the end of Aug. Still working out some of the wiring issues, but I did get the exhaust installed. Will be gone to the KKOA in Salina later this week and get back on it full time when I return.
Still trying but probably not going to have the 33 road ready by Frog Follies next week. The exhaust came out pretty nice. Picture above also shows the sway bar I installed yesterday. I had originally bought this bar for a 48 PU but because of some frame reconstruction I ended up having to do it wouldn't fit the PU. Because of the placement of the brake line block/rear end vent, seen on the right side of the 8" axle housing, just below the right cheery bomb muffler, I had to install the U bolts from the top so the sway bar hangs under the rear end instead of on top. Fortunately the arms were long enough to reach the mounts I installed on the frame. The front sway bar, from JW Garage, had to be mounted on the back side of the front of the lower A-arm instead of the front side. The install was really tight. The bar just barely fits between the air dam below the radiator and the manual rack.
Suthunman, progress is temporarily halted. When I came back from the Frog Follies discovered a flea infestation in my shop. Waiting on the exterminator's schedule to clear so he can bring in his death ray and get me back in there. Since I don't have any dogs or cats in the shop I have no idea how this happened.
I love these old Mopars. I have my 33 Plymouth on the road. Still a lot to do but medical problems have stopped me. Hope to get back to it soon.
You probably brought the fleas back home with you, considering the company you kept at the Frog Follies. John
Haven't done much on the 33 project this Fall. Trying to get back on it a little at a time. Finished the trunk insulation, cab floors and inside of the cowl. Jumping back and forth between this and the 49 Buick doesn't make for ideal progress on either but at least it's not boring. I also managed to get back up lights installed. They are hidden from view just under the rear pan to the inside of the exhaust tips.
The PO had removed the glove box interior and jerry rigged a radio in that space. Since I plan to upgrade the sound system, relocating it to another spot, I had the option of re-establishing a glove box. I had some 22 gauge sheets in my metal pile so I cut a piece and hand formed it to the inside shape of the glove box opening. I cut another piece out and free formed a back, bending 1/2" tabs for mounting purposes. I pre-drilled all the holes for the pop rivets that would hold the main box together and the back to the it. I also pre-drilled the mounting machine screw holes and welded nuts to those that would be a problem to get to. I added a tab on the side that will rest on a ledge where the inside cowl mates to the cowl side. This will give added support. Once I had everything mocked up and test fitted I primered the pieces prior to riveting them together to make sure I had paint under all the overlap joints. Backside view
trying to get the old tail lights with real red glass lenses to light up bright has always been a problem. the antique bike riders paint the inside white or what I do is put aluminum foil inside. it does make a difference. if the bucket is deep enough a halogen bulb can be used if you keep the glass. plastic lenses will melt.
Slowly going through the list of remaining things to do to have the car on the road. I did finish wiring the car. The turn signals took some time. Mating a United Pacific turn signal to a EZ wiring harness resulted in three different answers on how from the turn sig. mfg., the harness mfg., and the rod shop that sells both. Bent a new gas line from the pump to the carb. Don't have the art-deco heater ready to go yet so I ran a loop from the pump to the intake for the time being. I had a GM alternator on the shelf so I made a bottom mounting bracket and did a little rebending on the top adjusting bracket I had from a mid 80's GM 350. I had to make some spacers to get it out where it aligned with the crank and water pump pully's. I used a NAPA 7465 belt. It's the 13/32 thick 47&1/8th belt. There was no hole in the valve cover for a PCV valve so my initial plan was to drill one in the circle part on the front top of the valve cover. I didn't think I could use an existing breather/oil filler hole in the valve cover because of the thickness of the cover and the holes required breather with locking tabs that held it down in the hole. Luckily I mentioned this at my local NAPA. I am fortunate in that this is one of the highest volume stores in the country and about half the staff are long time former mechanics or body men. One of them said Ford had a PCV valve holder that resembled a breather. You can see it on the front of the driver's side valve cover. It's NAPA part # 703-1691 So, gas lines are hooked up, wiring, I hope, is complete, cooling system is plumbed. (added six qt.'s of water yesterday checking for leaks). I'm still concerned with the proximity of the tranny cooling lines to the exhaust pipe on the driver's side but will go with it for now. I needed to install the speedo gear before I added tranny fluid but waited until I had a speedo cable to hook to it. Rusty, an alliance member, at speedoservice.com, here on HAMB made me a cable that I received yesterday. Two day turn around. Great service. I will install it this weekend and add some fluid. Hopefully I can get it running next week.
One of the problems with putting a mopar in a mopar, at least the 318 and 904 I used is everything is on the driver's side: brake pedal and master cylinder; starter; tranny cooling line ports; speedo cable; linkage for the Lokar shifter; kick down cable and the exhaust. Trying to get all these stuffed in between the engine/tranny and the narrow 33 frame and keep everything far enough away from the heat of the exhaust pipe was a pain in the ass. When I went to install the original kick down bracket on the tranny (Lokar doesn't furnish a new one in their kit) the floor shift linkage rod was in the way. As depicted in the accompanying picture, I had to cut the kick down bracket into two pieces then weld a spacer in it to get it up above the linkage rod. Since I angled the spacer I had to trim off some of arm so the distance between where the bracket mounted to the tranny and where the kick down cable mounts on the arm would have the same amount of play. The reworked kick down bracket is at the bottom center of the picture and you can see how it now goes up and over the linkage rod. The kick down cable is not attached in this picture but you can see the hole in the end of the bracket where it will fasten.
To say I'm slow would be a gross understatement. Just realized I started this post seven years ago. Well the 33 is now running and I am spending the rest of the month working out the small bugs, getting the front end aligned and doing minor adjustments. Intend to finally drive it to the Frog Follies in late August as the first distance trip. This will be my last post on this project. I did have an interesting conversation with an Edlebrock technician last week. I called about the manifold and carb combo I was using. I had an Edlebrock 1406, which is their electric choke model. He told me with the LD 340 intake and the cam I had I should be using the 1405. I had always thought the only difference in the two carbs was one had an electric choke and the other was manual. But he said the 1405 was the performance model. On his advice I switched carbs. I can't tell any difference but I haven't put it on the road yet. Thanks to all of you who followed this thread and made comments along the way.
I have followed this thread from day one. From what I see you did a fine job. Wish I could see it but not planning on any road trips this year. But u never know! Good luck
Good job. It is amazing what a guy can get done if he sticks with it. It has only taken me 15 years to get mine on the road. I bought my car just prior to the trip that you and I took to Bonneville. You probably can not remember that far back. Happy motoring. John
Been following this thread for the e past couple of years anticipating the time I begin work on a similar project. A labor of love to make a rod out of my father's first car - 33 Plymouth PC Coupe with a rumble seat. We have the frame off and the Mustang II front end installed. This is our first attempt at such a project so I hope to benefit from the wisdom and experience of the group.
The Jalopy Journal
