Pics of my new ride...49 Chrysler

very cool, i just found the exact same car, but this one is rustier , supposed to be running though

 

If you can find a copy of "Rod Action" "Fat Fendered Street Rods" Volume 2, Number 4 Winter of 1992 there is an article by Wayne Powell. "Putting A Modern IFS under that odd rod" about installing late model MoPar front suspension on a 48 Chrysler coupe. He made everything bolt onto the original upper pick up points and an adapter to use later ball joints in the lower "A" arms with 76 Chrysler Newport upper A frames, spindles, ball joints and 11.75" dics brakes. This gives modern suspension with rubber bushings in the upper A arms and ball joint spindles. The only steel bushings would be in the lower A arms. He also used a mid 80s Z28 Camaro front anti roll bar in front.

 

A Plymouth flathead bell housing will bolt on to the long block engines. You will also need the flywheel from a Plymouth flathead. The Plymouth flywheel only has four bolt holes they will line up with four of the eight holes in the fluid drive crank. But if you do that Langdon is building a kit complete with special length input shaft T-5 transmission that you could just bolt in or any overdrive 3 speed from a Plymouth is a straight bolt in then.

 

Couple of items that might help, since you are having shifting problems and such and can only run 55 mph, could it be that the trans is not shifting into high gear. My 53 Chrylser could easily run 90+. Or might be the tranny relays or soleniod hanging/sticking. Fluid drives are three speed manual transmissions that are electricly shifted with a fluid coupling and a clutch.

 

I'm pretty sure I've got 4 gears with mine,but 2nd and 3rd are really close together in ratio.

 

Thanks for the reply's. It is running thru all 4 gears, its just that when I operate it without using the clutch inbetween 1-2 and 3-4 it rattles a lot before it mesh's into gear. If I use the clutch and let the RPM's drop to idle before I let it out it drops smoothly into the next gear. When I first got it running 4-5 weeks ago the trans operated smooth as silk....wind out the gear, let off the gas and once the RPM's came down it smoothly "clicked" into the next gear. As much as I would like to keep everything as original as possible, a 5-speed would be fantastic. I've seen a couple different T-5 conversions disussed, and once the fundage allows me to do so, I'll be heading in that direction. I also need to find out my rearend gear and see what I'm working with. I've thought that a lower ratio rear would help, but I don't know how much my acceleration will suffer trying to pull that lower ratio....and I think that a new ring and pinion set is no easy buy and replace deal.

Diamond Dave, I like that New Yorker. My cousin is in the process of restoring a 52 with the 331 Hemi, and my uncle (former Chrysler exec) has a 49 New Yorker with the straight 8....we're all MOPAR.

Chris

 

try changing the fluid. I can't remember what it takes. 10w or 30w non detergent in the tranny. I had to change it in my last one. something like 12 quarts of the stuff.
anyhow, I just got mine ready for goodguys columbus. painted my 58 Metzendorf trailer too. check em out.

 

Luv these cars!!