Hi all, I would like to know if is good idea to buy a 1950 Dodge coronel apparently in good condition. Are there parts, where? Specifically transmission, engine, brake and suspension parts. Also, but in less priorities body and wheels. Is it "easy" to repair? What important test I should to check if is in real good shape especially transmission , engine? Thanks in advance.
Probably not a good idea. Car is nearly 70 years old and obsolete, better buy a new Toyota. If you are crazy enough to buy a 1950 car, the Dodge is a good choice. They are a well made car and many of them survive. Parts like brakes, engine parts, etc are easily available and not expensive. Body parts not so much, new body panels no longer available, but there are some used parts out there. Most parts are simple and easy to repair, brakes can be a little tricky to adjust after rebuilding, but only have to be set up once, after that a simple adjustment every few years to take up wear. Engines are very simple compared to today's cars and parts are cheap. 2 things that trip up vintage Dodge newbies: the wheel bolts on the left side are left hand threads, and the battery is six volt, positive ground. That means the battery goes in backwards to new cars. As for wheels they have a standard 4 1/2" X 5 bolt pattern, same as old rear drive Plymouth, Dodge, Ford, and many other cars and light trucks. The only difference is, they use bolts instead of studs, and they have a pin on the hub and a matching hole in the wheel. Non Dodge wheels need a hole drilled which can be done in a few minutes. There are a million things that could be wrong with a car that passed its Best Before date in the Eisenhower administration. You could have a mechanic check over the brakes suspension etc and do a compression test on the engine. Main thing to me would be that the car was completely stock with no missing parts or modifications. Any alterations or missing parts are a red flag, they wouldn't necessarily stop me buying the car, especially if the price was right, but would demand close inspection. They don't have any obvious or notorious flaws. You should keep in mind that the life of a car was about 80,000 miles back then and they required a lot more repairs and maintenance than modern cars. But on the good side, they are easier and cheaper to fix. You can have a lot of fun driving a car like that. Keep your speed down to 60 and avoid real meat axey traffic for best results.
Thank you for reply. What about the transmission, is it easy to fix, are there parts, how can I tested if is in good shape? I didn't find a website that have parts especially for this model, like Ford vintage cars and trucks have. Where I can find literature like shop manuals?
Depending on the model you could have a conventional 3 speed manual transmission, a Fluid Drive plus 3 speed manual, or Fluid Drive plus M6 4 speed semi automatic. All are ruggedly built, reliable, and usually trouble free. The Fluid Drive plus M6 is the most complicated but any problems are usually simple and cheap to fix, like frayed or broken wires, low on oil, or needing minor adjustments. Most parts can be bought from your local NAPA store or Rockauto. If you want a specialist try Andy Bernbaum or Vintage Power Wagons. Old Dodge Power Wagons used the same engine as your car and VPW has a lot of NOS engine parts. Like brand new pistons for $65 a set of 6. The M6 requires a special driving technique that is easy to learn. I have covered this before if you do a search for Fluid Drive.
I wouldn't worry about the transmission so much as the engine. They can be foolers, they continue to run smoothly with no bad bangs or knocks even in an advanced state of wear. Best way to tell engine condition is to look at the oil pressure and do a compression test.
I don't know the exact model. But I have some pictures. Just I want to be sure that is "easy" and affordable to fix the transmission, engine, suspension, etc. Also, to be able to find chrome or ornaments.
I would love to see you get the Dodge, but if easy and affordable is what you are looking for, maybe a 1950 Chevy or Ford is better for you......Dodge parts are scarce and there is virtually no aftermarket compared to Ford and Chevy.....there is nothing easy about restoring a Dodge compared to the other two brands.
I've got a 1950 Dodge Coronet and I love it. Easy to work on and easy to get engine parts for at local parts stores. Mine has the standard 3 speed manual transmission with fluid drive. Only problem Im having with it is the seals for the fluid drive unit can start to leak. Finding a place to rebuild the fluid drive unit has proven tricky for me. I just fill it up with type F transmission fluid, theres an access door on the floor and you can take a crow bar to turn the fluid drive unit over until you get to the the fill plug. For chrome and body panels etc I have had alot of luck at swap meets finding parts.
There's a 50 Coronet in a junkyard near me. It appears to be nearly complete. Let me know if you purchase the car and need a specific part.
I highly recommend buying the car. Guys like myself, Rusty, and Frankie can help give advice and possibly help you find parts. I am more into the 1930's, but I restored a 1949 Coronet and know them well. I have extra Transmissions kicking around and over 30 spare flatheads available for parts.... Keep us informed. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hi. I purchased a 1950 Plymouth Deluxe 4 door last year & have replaced the gas tank, new wheel cylinders, brake shoes, new bias look alike radial tires, found a rebuilt original radio, and am now just finsshing up a complete engine overhaul including new pistons, cam, rod & main bearings, overhaul oil pump, etc. All parts were easily attainable except new fron brake drums. Still looking for a set of those. It had been painted & new interior sometime in the past and that is ok. Once in is back on the road I will replace bumpers & bumper guards as chrome is bad there. It has the same engine as your Dodge, a 217.8 flathead. To of my main sources were Kanter auto products - wwwlkanter.com and Roberts Motor Parts - www.robertsmotorparts.com . Both have online and paper catalogs. I found some parts on ebay. Jimmie
Atlas Obsolete in Temecula may have your Drums. Otherwise I got a number to a guy in Kansas that may also have them. PM me... Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you are just getting into old cars I suggest something a little newer from 1957 up, or maybe from the sixties. Such cars come with 12 volt electrics, more modern brakes, suspension, more powerful overhead valve motors, automatic transmissions etc. They are better suited to modern driving conditions but, more complex and expensive to fix. If you really want a 1950 car Dodge has certain advantages over Ford or Chevrolet. Parts availability maybe not quite so good but not bad. PIECRUST&RUST automatic trans fluid not recommended for Fluid Drive, tractor fluid TDH, ISO 22 or ISO 32 grade is better.
Fech the car you show in your pics appears to be fairly decent but shows some modifications that could be red flags. It appears it has been crudely converted to 12 volts, which could cause problems, and someone has messed around with trim and upholstery. 9 chances out of 10 the car has problems the owner can't solve. Not to say they can't be solved but probably not by you. I would ask if the owner saved the old generator and any other parts he took off or "improved".
Tell ya what, those 4 door 50 Coronets are ugly as hell in stock form. That was my first old car. Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Rusty, Could you explain what kind of problems probably occur, are them fixable? I am not a car savvy, but this car in theory is an opportunity to buy. The car is abroad and will stay there, so If they need parts, I have to export from here, and customs only allow new parts to be imported with receipt of payment.
If you change a car to 12 volt you have to either change everything to 12 volt which is practically impossible, or run some things on 12 and others on 6 volts. This can be done but you have to know what you are doing. Unless you know something about cars and electrical systems I don't think I can talk you through it. If the owner kept the old generator and all the other original parts it may be possible to change it back but that is nearly as big a PINTA. Don't be so vague. Overseas where? You are where? The problem is what? Why can't you buy parts? I thought you were getting in over your head, now if the car is in some foreign location where parts, mechanics etc are not available I am sure of it. Don't buy the car.
Personally the red flag for me is the reoccurrence of the word “easy” from the OP. Thirty-five years of working on and driving old cars has taught me nothing is “easy” in this hobby imo. Listen to the sound advise and pass. Randy Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
For respect to the owner of this car I don't mentioned more details. I will take the risk if they sale the car for a good price. Thank you again Guys!
No place am I going to single out the 1950 Dodge. All old cars fall under the same story line. Maintaining an old car is not easy, even if you know what you are doing. That is the reason why every make has their own set of repair manuals. To help those knowledgeable in auto maintenance know how to fix a particular car. If you are not knowledgeable in auto maintenance, I suspect your going to discover that very little about auto maintenance is easy, the correct word is more accurately going to be "difficult". The old saying is : If it was easy, everyone could do it. The fact is, most can not. Easy is buying a new car, and taking it to the dealership when something goes wrong. If you desire owning an old car, get one your favorite mechanic likes to work on, then have him look at what you find before you buy it, and get his advice on its purchase. He can help you more then we can. Gene
The car may have had a Voltage Limiter installed to utilize the 12v upgrade and keep the 6V lights and guages. The horn and starter will work fine on 12V. Fluid drives require 10w non detergent fluid. Can be mail ordered.... Let us know if you decide to buy the car... Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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