As usual I'm always late to the party but I just now found your thread and have read it all. Just got to tell you how much I've enjoyed it and that you're doing a fantastic job. Really quality workmanship. What initially drew me in on your project is that my dad had a '46 Dodge coupe when i was a kid, around 1960 or so. I loved that car and ever since then always liked the post-war Mopars. But yours, with the suspension mods and the 440 6-pack, well it's just killer. I'll continue to watch this one.
Thanks again. I'm not convinced that the stock location for the shock is the best possible one, though you can get away with a much softer shock and still get good damping at max compression, as the stock geometry provides a rising rate. (You lose that advantage with the Ford bracket trick.) In the coil, it'll require a stiffer shock and the shock itself will have to provide the rising rate. But the shock will be closer to the lower inboard pivot, and thus a much greater portion of it will count as sprung mass. As we all know, high unsprung mass is bad for handling. Lower unsprung mass improves suspension response. The whole wheel, tire, hub, brake, uprights, and roughly half the suspension arms, and 1/2 the spring itself, count as unsprung. That's a lot. Now lighter wheels and tires make a big difference, but any reduction in the weight of moving suspension parts will help, and the farther from the car centerline the weight you remove is, the greater the effect. Moving the shocks inboard some more would be good move IMHO.
A lot of the 50s Mopars had silver engines. Just doesn't blook that good to me. Paint mine black. If you want "silver" Aluminum actually looks better, silver tends to look too gray when it drys.
Also sorry to hear of the "explosion". But I really like your plans for the new motor. Should be a lot of fun on the street and looks really cool.
I can't believe I just found this thread...That is one very cool Dodge. The workmanship is very nice, and I'll bet it's a blast to drive.
The body on my coupe was painted by the PO in a satin white from eastwood....it looks pretty good and is a bright white, too.
I think so, too....the '50 will look good white, maybe with a little something to break it up. I may've gone a little overboard with mine.
Couldn't believe it when I heard you blew it up. New setup looks good though, I'll have to come out and check it out again.
Sorry to hear you lost the beast but the streetability of the new motor will be nice! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I have a 52 biz coupe that I plan on putting air ride on and your build will help me out enormously with that thanks for the build pics and run down Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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