Register now to get rid of these ads!

33 Dodge Coupe Build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Fat47, Apr 8, 2010.

  1. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Trying again
     

    Attached Files:

  2. jammersspeed
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 346

    jammersspeed
    Member
    from herman mn.

    your off to a graet start! they are have nice lines to them..... good looking car!
     
  3. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Put the front clip back on and the car just sits too high. The JW Garage Rep told me when I bought the set up that you couldn't used dropped spindles (see my earlier post). It didn't make sense to me but, what the heck, I thought they knew better than me. Anyway, I called them after installing the kit and said that I didn't see why dropped spindles wouldn't work. Different story this time. Told that the rep made a mistake. They only suggest that you don't use dropped spindles at first. If car isn't low enough, then they will take the stock spindles back and send a set of dropped ones. Oh, well. I am going to try a set of lighter springs first.

    I can't really do much about it now anyway. I have the stock rear out and am going to install a 74 Mavrick 8" I was lucky enough to find. It didn't have the yoke, so I had to locate one. Finally found one on Craigs list. But another month gone by on parts search. Now, I am looking at the stock leaf springs and trying to decide whether to leave them as is and use lowering blocks or have St. Louis Spring Co. make me a set with 3" lowering built in. In any event, I have to get the rear back to gether and see how it sits and then get back to the front end.

    Also, I am a little unsure about the location of the front wheels in the wheel wells. They look like they sit too far forward to me, but the measurements are right on with where the stock front was. Once I get the car back down on all fours and the rims/wheels I am going to use on it, it might be OK.
     
  4. rockable
    Joined: Dec 21, 2009
    Posts: 4,429

    rockable
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Subscribed. Cool Build!
     
  5. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I got sidetracked finishing a 48 chevy pickup, I promised my wife I would have for her this summer. Just need to install the exhaust to put it on the road. Will finish the interior later. Now I am back on the Coupe.
    DSCF1028.jpg If you have questions on the truck, PM me so I can keep

    DSCF1029.jpg this site for the coupe. Thanks

    DSCF1030.jpg

    DSCF1041.jpg
     
  6. WZ JUNK
    Joined: Apr 20, 2001
    Posts: 1,848

    WZ JUNK
    Member
    from Neosho, MO

    Looks good Walt. I will see you in about 3 weeks.

    John
     
  7. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I did work on the 318 from time to time while trying to finish the wife's truck. Most of the problems with the rebuild were described in previous updates. You can see how the use of the HEI required moving the engine forward about an inch. This was accomplished by moving the attachment of the mounting tabs on the engine from the back of the frame mounts to the forward side of the mount. I had to weld a plate on the tranny mount to extend it further forward, but this was a minor issue.

    The next problem will be the radiator. Even if I had used the stock dist. and left the engine where I originally had it, I would not have had room for a mechanical fan. So, moving the engine forward didn't cause the need for an electric. The bigger issue is that the stock radiator extends back into the engine bay. I need to get it further back into the grill shell. I would have to do major surgery on it to accomplish this, and I would still have an old radiator. While I don't want to spend the $$$, I think a new custom radiator will be the easiest/quickest/best way to go. I am going to mock one up today and will post pictures later.
    View attachment 1314401

    View attachment 1314402

    View attachment 1314403

    View attachment 1314404
     
  8. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Hope these attach this time. You can see how far the engine build came from the original piece of shit I started with.
    DSCF1022.jpg

    DSCF1023.jpg The brackets on the front are for the AC compressor and the Alternator. A friend is building a 51 Plymouth wagon with a 318 and he made a set of brackets, ala Alan Grove, to mount the compressor and alt. I had some parts he wanted and he made an extra set of brackets as a trade for the parts.

    DSCF1024.jpg

    DSCF1040.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2011
  9. captainjunk#2
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,420

    captainjunk#2
    Member

    man i dig the engine pictures the rusty dirty lump of iron became a great looking clean mill
     
  10. Looks great Walt. I found a aluminum crossflow radiator that fit like a glove inside the support of my 53 Dodge truck and also found a supplier that built a custom shroud for it too. The shroud is only 2 inches deep. It all misses the water pump pulleys by about an inch and a half. Looks like you have the same HEI as I do. Stay in touch, Bud
     
  11. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    DSCF1050.jpg Questions on moving the engine forward via the motor mounts. The engine has two ears cast into the block at the front of each side. The motor mount slides up into these ears, one side on the inside of the ear and the other side outside the other ear. By putting the front of the motor mount on the outside of the front ear, so the back of the mount is inside the rear ear, instead of the opposite, you can move the engine forward about an inch.
    DSCF1049.jpg

    DSCF1052.jpg
     
  12. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    DSCF1054.jpg Worked on the radiator issue yesterday for awhile. The fill opening is at the top of the stock radiator, through the cap on the top of the grill shell. The top of the stocker has a reservoir, on the back side, that extends about 2" beyond the actual cooling core. To accomodate this top extension the body/cooling core of the radiator originally was positioned behind the grill shell or closer to the firewall. See picture 3.

    DSCF1055.jpg With the 318 installed there is not enough room in front of the water pump pully to put the stock radiator back in or to use a mechanical fan.

    DSCF1057.jpg I mocked up a radiator from some cardboard and some styrafoam. Compounding the problem is that the mounting brackets on the sides that attach the radiator to the grill shell are slanted with the top bolt hole closer to the radiator than the bottom one, that is the radiator side is straight but the grill shell widens out from top to bottom, and there are two mounting brackets, one on each side at the top.

    DSCF1058.jpg I am going to my local NAPA tomorrow and look through their radiator book. If I can find a close fit stocker, I think I can make side mount adapters and probably have a radiator shop add the two top mounting brackets.

    DSCF1059.jpg Note how low the engine sits compared to the radiator. This should give me room to put an electric fan covering most of the radiator core.
     
  13. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Looked through the radiator book at NAPA Monday morning. Nothing close enough to use, I am going to option 2 which is having one built. As indicated in earlier post, I have a mock up constructed and will take it and the stock radiator to one of the aftermarket radiator builders when I get a chance. As far as I know no one in Indianapolis does it so a little traveling is in order.

    In the meantime, I decided to tackle the rear end install and get the 33 back on the ground. I was hoping to find an A-body mopar 8 3/4. Supposedly they fit the stock dimensions. But after looking for the last year with no luck, I ran accross a 72 Mavrick (70-76 should work) which will slide right in. Spring pads are same distance apart as stock 33 rear and the wheel mounting surface is only 1/2 wider. Will go with the stock leaf springs and see how it rides.
    DSCF1037 (2).jpg

    DSCF1026 (2).jpg Swap meet purchase for $100. Gears are 2.79. Would have liked to had 3 to 3.25 but will start with this and see how it works. I also found some 10" U-bolts at the swap meet for $5. Will start with 2" lowering blocks.

    DSCF1027 (2).jpg Started cleaning the housing with a wire wheel

    DSCF1042 (2).jpg I need to make some mounting brackets so I made a visit to the local steel outlet and picked up two 6" lengths of 3/8" angle iron, 6" wide by 3" side. Will lay this out and drill it tomorrow.
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2011
  14. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Forgot to mention earlier, that if you want AC and PS on these engines you have to find a 4 groove crank pulley and a 3 groove WP pulley. I am not using power steering and thought the set of 3 and 2 groove pulley's I had would work but there was no way to get a set of belts to work given the angles I had to work with. So, swap meet find saved me. You can see this on the engine pictures.
     
  15. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Took the radiatior and my mockup with me to the NSRA midwest nats over the weekend and left them with Portel radiator shop out of Desota, MO. Gary said he should have it ready in a month or so. In the meantime, I will finish cleaning up the 8 " rear, paint it and rebuild the brakes so I can get the 33 back on wheels. Will run brake and gas lines and hopefully start wiring. I will post more pictures later.
     
  16. noboD
    Joined: Jan 29, 2004
    Posts: 8,458

    noboD
    Member

    Fat47, could this coupe have been at Carlisle for sale about 8-10 years ago? If this turns out as good looking as your truck it will be excellant. I love the early 30's Mopar coupes.
     
  17. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I bought the coupe out of the Joplin, MO area. The owner had died and his family decided to sell it after a couple of years. A friend found out about it and contacted me, knowing I had been looking for an early mopar.

    Thanks for the comment on the truck. The exhaust is installed and I am working out a few kinks via some road testing.
     
  18. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    DSCF1074.jpg Had to wait on weather to get a dry day to blast the rear end. We have had two months of mostly rain and severe storms here. Blasting bigger items needs to be done outside the shop on the parking pad. I lay down a tarp so catch the sand when blasting, sweep it up in a pile when the pot is empty and screen it back into the pot so I can utilize it several times. Would have liked to have done both Mavrick rears at the same time, but I was lucky to get one done between downpours.

    Carrier was seeping gear oil at the bottom to the housing, so I removed the brakes (shoes are good and will reuse them), pulled the axles, and removed the 3rd member. I had already blasted the housing, so no sand in the carrier of axle bearings, but I was able to remove the backing plates with the axles out and blast them in the cabinet.

    DSCF1079.jpg The breakdrums were easier. Also used my blast cabinet. Had them turned at NAPA first, masking taped the turned surfaces and then blasted them. So, much moisture in the air here, I had to do them 3 days in a row. Finally got smart and POR-15 em as soon as I took them out of the cabinet on the last try.

    The rearend had obviouisly been apart prior to my buying it. No copper washers under the nuts that tighten down the carrier on the studs on the housing. Purpose of the washers is to seal around the studs to prevent fluid leaks, so that is where the gear oil was seeping. Problem was finding replacement copper washers. NAPA, O'Rielys, Fastenall, don't carry them. Finally found some through the local Ford dealer. The parts manager found a dealership about 50 miles south that had some. Ordered 20 of them today. Supposed to go into the mail tomorrow. Hopefully will have them by the weekend and can get the rear in the 33 and get it back on some wheels. Already have the break rebuild kits.

    Interesting discovery at NAPA. Wheel cylinders for these rearends come with two different break line seats. One allows for brake lines to come straight out the back of the cylinder, the other is angled. Same exact dimensions, but the angled ones are found in Mavricks with a V-8. I had these in both rears. But, the angled wheel cylinders are double the price of the straight out the back cylinders. Since, I am bending new lines, I took the cheaper cylinders.

    Will try to post picture of all the rearend parts laid out and ready to reassemble in the next day or two.

    Radiator should be done in the next week or two.
     
  19. looks good Walt. We won't waffle about a "Ford" rearend in a "Mopar"....LOL
     
  20. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Sorry for the delay in build updates, but not much to report. Summer is always a slow shop time for me with all the mowing and help needed with the wifes horses and the last couple of months have been unusally problematic with weather from Hell, a termal cancer case in the family, cataract surgery on both my eyes, and, of all things, a infestation of fleas in the shop that I didn't think I would ever get rid of. But, I should be able to get back on track this month.

    I did get the 8" Ford rear cleaned up, apart, painted and set in the coupe. Third member is reinstalled and will try to get the axles in this week. Finished making the lower shock mount/u-bolt pads yesterday and hope to finish cleaning up and repainting the sides of the stock rear springs today so I can reinsert the axles and put the brakes back to gether.

    The new radiator arrived last week. The promised 4-5 week build streached out to all Summer, but didn't really hold me up, given all the other non build issues.

    I will try to post more pictures on the above progress later in the week.
     
  21. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    DSCF1079.jpg POR-15 on all the disassembled 8" parts.

    DSCF1139.jpg reinstalled the hogs head with a new gasket and the copper washers. Tough time locating the copper washers. Finally found a Ford Dealer south of Indy that had some. Bought enough to do the other 8" in the shop as well as this one.

    DSCF1140.jpg

    DSCF1151.jpg Finished the spring/shock mounts. As you can see, I cut the angle iron down on the shock side after I decideed on position of lower shock mount and drilled the hole for the mount. Shock mount is set forward of center of mounting pad about an inch to give shock more clearence in front of the axle housing so I can set the shocks closer to verticle (will try for about a 20-25 degree forward slope from bottom mount to frame mount). I will wait to build/install the top mount on the frame until the coupe is back on wheels on the ground. I will probably just box the frame abote the rear axles and drill the box plate for the shock mount. Hopefully, I will still have enough clearence between the frame and axle housing to avoid C-notching the frame above the axles.

    Set the housing with carrier in the Coupe. Wire brushed the springs and will repaint this week and install axles and reassemble the brakes (have all the parts now) so I can get the car back on wheels and check the stance

    DSCF1152.jpg Test fit the new radiator yesterday. Clearence should be OK, but will have to run an electric pusher fan on the front side. It doesn't appear that there will be room for a puller on the engines side of the radiator.

    GOOD NEWS: sold the original drive train for $1,500. Buyer picked it up this morning. Along with the $400 for the stock front axle and suspension sold last Fall, it provides some help in covering the build costs. I had met the buyer five years ago when he sold me some steel wheels and I noticed some 33/34 Dodge parts in his storage building. Turns out he has two 33 Dodge trucks and another 34 almost complete. Disassembled, but in great shape. Before I bought the coupe I tried for several years to buy one of the trucks. He was having a hard time deciding whether to part with one. So, I gave him a call to see if he was interested in a stock drive train and after a couple of months of thinking it over sent me a down payment. So, the drive train will hopefully live again and I will keep touching base with him on buying one of the trucks.
     
  22. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Finally getting back on the 33 build. I need to stop jerking around with other projects in the shop.

    I think I last left off with the radiator finally arriving. Portel did a great job, just a little longer than I had hoped for.
    DSCF1152.jpg

    Set it in the grill shell. I am going to have to figure out a fan location. Not enough room for a mechanical. Water Pump is too close to the radiator and even if I could get that distance the blades would hit on the front cross member. Electric is the answer, but will have to decide on pusher in the front or puller on the engine side.
    DSCF1162.jpg Room is tight in the front, between the radiator and the grill, especially if I stick a condenser in there. Engine side is also tight, given only an inch between the radiator and the WP pully. I think I might cut into the air deflector pan located at the bottom of the grill so I can angle the radiator back from top to bottom. That would give me more room between the radiator and the WP pully and I could set the fan in the engine bay.

    DSCF1156.jpg I also got the rear end installed and the car back on wheels. I used 2" lowering blocks in the back, with the stock springs. Remember M-II in front with stock springs. I like the stance, but am contemplating setting it a little lower. Maybe 3" blocks and either a set of dropped spindles I removed from my aerosedan or cutting a 1/2 coil.

    OPINIONS?????????????
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2011
  23. Von MoPar
    Joined: Jun 4, 2006
    Posts: 359

    Von MoPar
    Member
    from Australia

    I would like to see the front dropped at least 2"
     

    Attached Files:

  24. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    VonMopar
    Thanks for the response. The installation of the stock M-II dropped the front about 1 1/2" so far. In every other one I have done, it normally settles out at about 2" after driving it, but this car is a lot lighter so I'm not sure how much more it will settle. A 1/2 coil would drop it another inch or two. Probably will drive it a little to see if it goes any lower, but I agree it needs to come down some more.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2011
  25. farmer12
    Joined: Aug 28, 2006
    Posts: 7,717

    farmer12
    Member

    This is one great ride, but I do agree that the front needs to be lower. Great build!
     
  26. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Put the engine in almost a year ago and I need to get it running so installing a fuse panel is the current priority. But, as always seems to be the case one job creates a bunch of others.

    DSCF1235.jpg Before I set the fuse panel in, I wanted to insulate the firewall and the area behind the kick panels. The previous owner had put some type of tar based coating on parts of the metal behind the kick panels and the fire wall and then glued some foam rubber to that as his idea of insulation. Once I ripped out the foam not all the metal was covered with the tar substance and what wasn't had surface rust. So, now I have to remove all that shit and reinsulate before I set the fuse panel in.

    DSCF1231.jpg Removed the seat to give me some room to work. Old style valour, but in good shape, so I will leave it alone. Like siting on one of those pictures of Elvis on black velvet.

    DSCF1232.jpg I knew the front floorboard was plywood and am planning to replace it with steel. Seems the area under the seat is also plywood, so not much holding down. Four bolts into plywood. May have to replace this also, but will first spend this weekend with the multi-tool, wire wheel on the 4" grinder and some 50 grit on the disc sander cleaning the underside of the cowl and the inside of the firewall so I can POR-15 it and add insulation.

    Subconsiously, I have probably been putting this off because I knew what a shit job I was in for.
     
  27. lstwsh
    Joined: Jun 4, 2008
    Posts: 440

    lstwsh
    Member
    from Dayton,Oh

    Car is looking good.The tar substance is probaly what is left of the factory insulation,Mine had the same stuff that i took out.Looked somewhat like tar paper.What we did to replace the plywood was build a framework out of 1/2 square tubing and then covered that with 16 ga steel.Very strong and brings the floor back up to the stock location.We also built an inner framework for the firewall to mount everything on.It was built out of 1/2 tubing and covered with 16 ga steel.It bolts in on the lower sides where your firewall supports stop at the bottom and we made a strap that bolts into the cowl vent support.That made it easy to mount everything without messing up our painted firewall.You can draw where you want to mount everything unbolt the inner firewall and weld nuts to the inner firewall on the bench.My car has the Fatman stub with 2 inch dropped spindles.It looks like the botom of the grill shell will be about 4 inches off the ground with the lower a arms level.Hope this helps.Keep up the good work.
     

    Attached Files:

  28. Fat47
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,454

    Fat47
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    lstwsh,

    Thanks for the pictures. I am doing the same thing with the front floor pan. Already have the box tubing and the 18 guage and have the original plywood floor cut for a pattern. I bought a bead roller last year and figure to get some use out of it on that part of the project.

    The firewall idea is interesting. I will give it some thought. I removed the angular (45 degree) piece that runs from the firewall to the floor next to each kick panel on each side this afternoon. Held in by 2 rivits to the firewall at the top and and welded to the body to frame mount at the bottom. Die grinder took it them out in a couple of minutes and will make it lots easier to finish cleaning the sides of the cowl area behind the kick panels and I can just bolt them back in at the top and reweld them at the bottom. But first I will think through the firewall idea.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2011
  29. lstwsh
    Joined: Jun 4, 2008
    Posts: 440

    lstwsh
    Member
    from Dayton,Oh

    The 2 rivets you are taking out is where the bottom of my inner firewall is mounted on each side.You can see the tabs welded on the bottom.I am running a 2002 Dodge 360 Magnum converted to a carb.My trans is a 518 or Chrysler overdrive.My emergency brake is a Lokar that is mounted on the pass side of the shifter.It mounts to the Lokar trans mount bracket.I did have to add an 1/2 spacer on the brake handle mounting to clear the pressure switch on the 518 trans.The switch controls the overdrive and lockup convertor.The 45 deg supports in my car were rusted at the bottom so we made new ones and replaced them.The cover you see on the rear panel is for master cylinder access.I bought a Master Power pedal kit that came with a 7 inch single booster and Corvette style cylinder.It bolted up to the xmember.The booster and cylinder now sit where the stock battery used to sit.I understand MP brakes only sell a dual 7 inch booster now.Any questions i can help with just ask.Thanks Dave
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2011
  30. lstwsh
    Joined: Jun 4, 2008
    Posts: 440

    lstwsh
    Member
    from Dayton,Oh

    I forgot to mention i am using the serp belt setup on my car because it is shorter than the vbelt setup.Mine will be close with the serp belt setup.Yours will be really close with the vbelts.You can convert yours to the factory serp belt but you must use the newer style front cover and water pump.You will also have to change the cam to the style without a fuel pump provision and run a electric pump.That would be a lot of work unless you find the parts cheap.I believe it is 1 1/2 inches shorter.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.