Just picked up a 41 plymouth coupe. It runs good but I want to maybe upgrade the exhaust manifold and a better carb..never messed with flat heads especially a plymouth..don't know where to go or if anyone might have some accessories for it..thanks
might be easier to upgrade to a later flattie six. Some of the Chryslers in the early 50s were pretty large, and there is some speed equipment available.
I have seen a intake manifold for 2 carborators in the parts part of the HAMB. I just decided to go with a modern V8 (360 Chrysler). Good luck on finding your speed parts. Exterminator
Log in over at the P15-D24 Site there is a lot of info there on the flathead Mopars. Langdon's Stovebolts he has dual carb intakes, cast iron headers. Edgy Speed Shop he has dual carb intake, finned aluminum head, and he regrinds cams. If you don't want stuff now, you can find vintage parts on EBay from time to time but they usually go for steep prices. A fairly cheap way to increase performance is to have your head milled. Your stock comression ratio is around 6.8, if you mill it 0.050 you will bump your ratio to around 7.5. Just make sure that you use some clay on top of valves first to determine how much room you have before getting it milled as the old head may already have been milled during a past rebuild. Look for a Borg Warner R10 OD transmission they were in early 50's model Dodges and then in the Plymouths starting around 53. It is a direct bolt in swap for the stock 3 speed. Then just add a few wires for the electrical controls and you are good to go. I have one in my 48 Plymouth and it made it a completely different car on the highway. Paul Curtis https://home.comcast.net/~pjplymouth/ has an adaptor to put an S10 T5 behind the flathead. Then find a good rearend with about a 3.73 gear. Now since you have built in all this extra speed check out Olddaddy here on the HAMB as he sells a pretty much bolt on kit to put disc brakes on the old Mopars. The extent of the "fab" work is drilling and tapping the spindle mounting holes to a larger size. Here is my 218 with the parts from Langdons. I will be swapping to a 230 shortly which will get all the parts from the 218 plus the new Edgy head. <!-- / message -->
Good to know...thanks for the info guys..the head on my 41 says spitfire. Don't know if they are stock or not but thanks for the links..helps alot..takes forever to find if you have no clue..always been a Chevy guy and especially a flathead...thanks again. Ill get started
Spitfire is a Chrysler engine. Should be 251 or 265 cubic inches. Measure the length of the cylinder head -- Desoto and Chrysler are about 25", Plymouth and Dodge are about 23". Speed equipment is available from George Asche for the Chrysler.
Also the starter zings alot when you try to start it..wont engage 2 out of 3 times..haven't looked at it much but did notice the flywheel is in good shape..a friend fought maybe take it out and clean it since its been sitting...sounds like he bendix isn't throwing all the way out..
You picked up that one huh? I saw it for sale on CL for quite some time, hope you got a deal on it, nice car!
All spitfire heads are 25 inch, there are no 23 versions...it is not any different from any other 25 inch head it was just a marketing ploy by chrysler to grab your attention.Happy days for you though the 25 is a good upgrade from the 23 motor!
The links I listed are for the 23 inch Plymouth's the 25 inch Chrysler's will be more difficult to find "speed" parts for. Edgy does make a new head for the 25 inch block. There are vintage intakes out there but don't surface often and are pricy when they do. You can also check with Olddaddy here on the HAMB in addition to the disc brake / shock relocation kits he also splits stock intake / exhaust manifolds. Moose also builds new intake / headers from scratch and does some pretty wild intakes http://www.manifoldsbymoose.com/manifoldsbymoose/D-P_Combos.html
The Carter W-1 574s (1946~1948) Chevrolet is a great upgrade; and can almost be considered factory, as Plymouth used them during the "Ball & Ball" strike in 1947. There is even a factory intake for the carburetor. Good for about 5 HP and at least 2 MPG (most report 4~5 MPG) increase over the Ball & Ball.
Slmlrd ya I picked it up..not as clean as the guy said it was for sure but I got it for a decent price and got it running and driving and registered ..im going to bag it this week..should be a cool cruiser.
Paul Curtis sells an adaptor to put a T5 from an S10 behind the flathead. May be a lot easier than finding the OD. I have the OD in my 48 and it is great. I had planned to go the T5 route until I stumbled on the OD with a running 218 attached for $225. Couldn't pass it up considering it was basically a bolt in swap. Sold parts that I didn't need from the flathead and in the end had the OD for free with a little extra cash in my pocket. Don Coatney over on the P15-D24 forum http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/index.php?referrerid=1152 has done the T5 swap behind a Desoto 25 inch long block in his Plymouth sedan without use of an adaptor. Drives the car all over the country and says he loves the T5. He has a lot of info and has said he is willing to share with anyone interested in doing the swap.
They are sweet sounding with set of duals. Good engine with a long history even old racers. I got my Dads 47 Dodge cpe. Super dependable and I actually got it up to 95 and it was still gaining, specially if its the bigger Desoto, Chrysler engine. An old floorshift Chrysler OD would really be a good addition.
A good buddy had a 49 plymouth with the 265 Chrysler 6 and 38 Chrysler OD floor shift. That OD unit is good for older cars as they have double the gear ratios so you can have low OD, second OD etc. They do show up now and then, gotta look for em.
Ive brought one of these, the crazy equal lenght one. Just waiting for my carbies from the states to arrive
Still looking for a borg warner r10 if any one has one...like to keep the 3 on the tree but might go with a s10 tranny if i have to...
If it runs good just enjoy it using bolt on and Mopar parts. Installing V8,s, T-5s, [disc brakes r ok], then rear end, front end, etc etc. makes it a whole new ballgame. You have the right engine even a 2 barrel carb would do a lot, or you can modify the intake manifold and put on 2 carbs. As I recall we just drove our old cars all over the place. Flatheads are good have plenty of torq, [esp that Chrysler engine] OD will make it a cruiser. I started driving my old mans 47 Dodge in 49, also his 39 Pontiac whch we came to Ca.[in 44]. Eventually the Dodge became mine in 56.
To broke at the moment to afford the exhaust side of things. Got a different fuel block then the one you sent (nothing wrong with it though) and a moon pressure gauge, got copper fuel line and brass fittings and both carbs have arrived. Just working on the linkage set up. Might have to cut the carb mounts off and turn them 90 degrees as our throttle is set up differently from the factory. Cant wait to get it on there though, piece of art. I take my hat off to you.
Thanks man, glad you like it. I miss that one. Drove it for two years on my 55. Good performer. I understand why you are out of money, shipping that thing to you was not cheap, huh? Rather than cutting carb mounts off, you might want to make an adapter bolted on top that will turn them. You probably have tons of room above the carbs under a 41 hood. I had to keep them low to go under the 55's hood. Good luck and keep with the updates
Wasnt cheap shipping it, but worth it. Yeah, not 100% sure how im going to tackle that just yet. But im sure ill work something out. Oh i have a 54. Ill send some progress photos to you, when it starts looking like something again.
Picked up a t5 out of a 88 s10...guess im going that route..also found a rearend out of a explorer its 59 1/2 wheel mount to wheel mount..with 3.73 gears so I should be cruzin on the freeway now.
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