For looks, I always stay away from any column that has the key in it. The're bulky, and just look out of place in a car that originally had such a simple/basic column. For a column shift the 70's/80's vans are pretty clean, for a floor shift, a 67 to 72 chevy truck. These both leave the key in the dash, and set you up for "plug and play" with an aftermarket wiring harness.
Thanks for the advice the chevy coulmn shouldn't be that difficult to find. here's the pics Note what looks like welds on both sides of the U-Joint
Looks like a typical backyard cobble up weld in column. I presume you still have an original Plymouth steering box that someone added the GM tilt column to. The bad news is that if that is still the original steering box, someone cut the shaft off to add the tilt. On the original box, the shaft went from the box to the steering wheel. It would have had a housing with the shaft inside. They cut off the housing and then cut the shaft. That original shaft is hollow, the horn wire ran through it. Then, rather then locating a proper u-joint that fit the shaft, they found something that was close and welded it on. Then, rather then matching the tilt column, they welded that end as well. By looking at the picture, I have to wonder if the u-joint even works. I see the bushing at the end of the tilt column looks to be worn and the shaft is at an angle to the column. The shaft should be straight in the column and the change in direction should take place at the u-joint. You have a pile of crap waiting for something bad to happen, but maybe it can be made acceptable, maybe.... I would round up a helper to turn the steering wheel while you watch what is happening with the column, steering box, u-joint alignment. I suspect everything wobbles and flops around a lot. You want to know how much the shaft in the box is moving or wobbling around. There should be no movement other then a turning motion of the shaft. If it wobbles, the box is near junk. If the box is still good (I'm not even considering how much free play the box has right now), which would supprise me, you need to see how much of the shaft is above the steering box. You will need to cut off the welded on u-joint and still have enough room to install a correct joint (which will probably need welded on as well. The existing u-joint is junk for sure, and the tilt column needs at least a new bushing at the bottom, but probably a lot more. Figure out what condition your stuff is in before you make a decision on what you want to do. If your box is junk, I'd do a rack & pinion steering long before I'd invest in another original box. That said, I have an original box and complete suspension for a 48 Plymouth available..... Gene
One thing I've found about these cars is with the gas tank filler located like it is, little kids just love to take off the cap and put things inside the hole under that cap. Rocks, gravel, dirt, weeds, grass, and most anything you can think of fits nicely in that hole, they can put stuff in there for hours and not fill it up. Watched my son put stuff in the hole under the cap on an old parts car once. Didn't matter how often I caught him and tanned his hide, it was just too much of a draw for him to avoid. I think he was showing his friends when I wasn't around. When I stripped that car, I couldn't even lift that gas tank, and there wasn't any liquid in it. What your hearing may not be rusty crust. Gene
this plymouth looks nice, keep up the good work man, I know the struggle sometimes with these old mopars... on year 8 with my 40 plymouth and I can't take it around the block anymore (wrist pin) Its a labor of love and it looks like you have a great start. I look forward to your progress.
dodge4x4: Thanks for the advice, I haven't gotten to get back into it yet, but I do believe you are correct, at this point I'm thinking about opting for the rack and pinion, now the search will begin for a cheap rack and pinion from the junk yard, but worse case scenerio it looks like for around 4 hundred I can get ahot rod column and a r&p from speedway engineering. I got the tank cleaned out, and hung back in the car. I looks like most of the crust was possibly old gas that had turned to varnish and had hardened in the bootom of the tank years ago, then was knocked loose last year when they put new gas in the car, it was a pain in the a$$ but I'll put some gas in er' tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks for the support!
I'm Looking for some old 40's plymouth pictures for a little direction, I'm stuck on a shine runner look, or an old drag racer look, not necessarily a gasser, but I wouldn't rule it out. Any help would be awesome!
I think you should have put POR sealer in that tank, you might end up in an neverending story with that crust clogging your filter. Been there done that, twice... Anyhow a nice project, Fatman sells RP kit for these around $200,- if I remember correct.
If this is the stock gas tank it has a bronze filter on the pickup tube inside the tank. After I dropped my tank and cleaned it good I had some issues with this filter. Once I had knocked the crud loose in the tank all the fine particles started to clog that filter. Put an inline filter before your fuel pump, I used the see through plastic versions because they were being replaced fairly regularly and they allowed me to see when it was gunking up. If the filter in the tank gets loaded up with the silt it will be like you are running out of gas. If you shut the engine off and there is no suction from the pump some of the silt will fall away from the filter and you can drive a short distance until the suction loads the filter again. This will let you limp home if you have to, been there done that. Once you get to a place with some compressed air remove the fuel line before the inline filter and blow low pressure air back through the line into the tank. With your gas cap off you can hear it bubbling in the tank. This will clear out the filter and you are on your way again. I went through this for a while with the time between blowing out the filter getting longer each time until the fine particles were all collected by the inline filter. I started to keep a can of the compressed air used to clean off computers in the trunk for roadside repair if needed but only had to use it once. It has been about a year since I cleaned out my tank and have not had to blow out the filter in about 6 months, so I think I am good to go now.
awesome thanks for the tip, I have already purchased a filter to put before the pump, I'd rather not have to eat that holley pump (even though its over kill)
2 filters through and still pulling out junk, but it hasn't died yet. I did the compressed air through the line trick and I think it did some good.
Like I said above. The only cure is a new tank or put a sealer into old one. Anything else is just a temporary fix.
Been really busy around the house lately, probably be back to working on the car next week I've got a pretty good idea where I want to go with it for the time being. I found these pics on the net and I really dig this car.
Well long time since an update. I've got to admit I haven't paid much attention to the car since September, but motivation is quickly returning and hunting season has only about 7 days remaining. Since we last spoke I've dropped the rear (with the previously installed shackles) about 2 inches. Managed to remove the bind from the steering column, and the gas tank is leaving monday to be stripped and resealed! I'm still going to change out the column at some point, however I haven't decided what I'm gonna do yet because the tilt makes a big difference in driveability. I'm starting to investigate a R&P set up with junk yard parts, so any advise would be helpful. I'm also in the market for a floor shifter of some type. I'd love to get a Genie shifter, but I don't have that kind of scratch laying around so I guess I'll have to settle for some type of used Hurst or B&M if I can dig one up somewhere! So hopefully more updates to come soon!
Ok...Back at it again. I took your advise (finn) and dropped my tank, sent it out, had it cleaned out and sealed. I've been scraping the old paint and under coating off the out side, and coating it in a Rustoleum rust encapsulator. There was very little rust on the tank, so I ground it off and sprayed the rustoleum just to be safe. My question now is what should I paint it with? I would like to use something textured because the tank has several small dents...I'm thinking undercoating, but I don't like using that stuff so I'm open to suggestions.
What's wrong with just leaving the Rustoleum on it? Semi gloss black would hide a lot of imperfections. Most of the time, these tanks rust from the inside outward, not from the outside inward. The gas tank probably won't be visable from behind the car with the bumper in place. Another option may be a can of the "hammered" spray paint. Its available in several colors, hides imperfections, and adds protection that will last for years. I'm not a fan of spray undercoating. Have you made a decision about a rack & pinion yet? Several years ago, I did a rack instalition on a 39 Plymouth coupe (same frame & suspension as the 46-48 Plymouth has) that was on the HAMB, should show up if you search "Rack & Pinion" Gene
I haven't made a final decision on the R&P but I have printed off a copy of your build. I think I'm gonna go with the same set up. Good write up by the way! I was looking at the hammer tone paint last night I think there is a good chance I'll be going with that look...I know no body can see it but I figure while I have it apart I should do it right. I agree I hate spray on under coating! I would like to come up with something to spray all my random suspension components with so they all match and I think hammer tone would be cool!
OK as usual nothing goes as it should. All I wanted to do was throw the tank back in the car so I could start it up and move it around the driveway to work on the garage so I could get back to work on the car! I hung the tank with a couple new rubber strips between the tank straps and the tank...No problem...yet! When I dropped the tank off to be cleaned and sealed the guy pulled out my fuel line which threaded into the tank and handed it to me. I looked at it and put it on my work bench when I got home. Of course I purchased a new piece of 5/16 fuel/brake line brought it home and threaded it into the tank...here in lies the problem...The line threads right in till it shanks out on the hex head, and I can still slide the fuel line back and forth about a quarter inch! I put the old line back in and it does the same thing! Does anyone have any idea what my problem is! I didn't see any gaskets or ferrulls fall out of the tank. When I look into the hole I see the threads end and then there is a gap between that point and where the nipple on the opeining is...Am I missing something?
thats wierd if the old one does it did you try both ends of the old one, if the line has fittings at both ends im puzzled on this small item
I seem to remember some fittings when I worked at NAPA that were just like a regular compression fitting but they had about an extra 1/4" coming out the end...I'll have to look for those tomorrow!
There is a ferrule which fits in the tank where the fuel line threads in. Without it you will not be able to get the fuel line to seal. Here is a picture of the ferrule with some measurements shown. Stole this photo from Shel over on the P15-D24 site.
Recks, backward threds-got to love em. I had the same problem when I dropped my tank. I went to hook the fuel line in and it went straight threw. Blew my mind. I was 100% positive I only pulled the same line off. I went to old school parts store about 15 miles down the road and they gave me a 5/16 fitting with a copper ring that seals as its tightened. Then you thread you fuel line right on in. Been working with no leeks for about 8 months now. I wish i had a picture for you. Good luck with the car. Subscribed! I for sure am not the best car guy on here "not even close" but I have torn the same car you are down and put it back together many times. If I can help just ask. Rick
Bigrick I've looked at you build stuff before I like what you are doing! Thanks for the advise. I managed to get it together tonight with a fitting and a hose barb...but I want to find one of those ferrulles so I can put a hard line to the fuel pump, and another all the way to the carb! Any one have any idea where I can find one?
on those plymouths they have left hand threads on the lug nuts on the drivers side front and rear , basically all the lugnuts tighten towards the front of the car , should have an L stamped on the end of the lug nut bolts , make damn sure you tell the guys at the tire store this info to !!
Fourtunatly for me all the lug nuts have been replaced! Of course I didn't know that the first time I took them off so I tried to tighten them to get them off...
The Jalopy Journal
