Projects Updates on my 33 Plymouth PD Coupe Build

Thank you! Maybe a little too much collection but I love it and I get people from all over the world stopping to look and chat. Where in Oregon are you from?

Dave

 

I've been working on the engine cleaning it up inside and stripping it down to paint. Installed new timing gears and chain. Gary (@73RR) stopped by and dropped off a jig to tap the crank to 1/2-20 so I got that done. Pulled the rear main to set up for full flow to a modern oil filter. Removed old valve covers and cleaned up rockers. Ordered PCV valve and grommet, fuel pump and adapter from HotHeadHemis. Got the timing parts and spark plug tube rings and a couple other things from T.R. Waters.

Most of the engine is now painted and partially reassembled.

Got extra holes in one side of frame welded up, need to do the other side too. Keep dodging rain storms and having to tarp it up. Hope that nonsense is about over!

Here are some engine pics. I kept the chain hoist hooked to the front of engine for extra safety margin!

Dave

 

It has been a series of twists and turns but the Hemi is nearly done! Still need to clean up and paint the pulleys and water outlets, pull the distributor and prime the oil pump, paint motor mounts and install them and the engine will pretty much be done.

I have a few more extra holes to weld up on the drivers side of the frame, then paint it and start reassembly. I'll try to get some chassis pics in a day or 2. I may actually get this thing running before Bonneville.

Here's more engine pics. Ignore the tools and all the parts and crap laying around. I picked most of it up when I finished for the night.

Dave

 

Finally got good enough weather to pretty much finish up the frame. Won't be long now until I can set the engine and tranny in and get everything plumbed in.

Dave

 

Dave, are you planning on driving this coupe to Bonneville this year?

 

You get any black paint spots on your head like Rocky did when painting his frame

 

Won't be driving it TO Bonneville, plan is to trailer it behind my pickup and camper. Then have it for my driver while there.

Dave

 

No one has said anything like that yet but they may just let me walk around like that! Mostly I just skin my shins and bump my head on things!

Dave

 

Lookin good Dave!

- EM

 

I'm looking forward to seeing it! I'm trying to get my lil camper done so I have somewhere to stay....

 

Thanks Guys!

I have a '62 Lancer as well. Was my brothers car that I inherited nearly 40 years ago. Had a really fast slant 6 until I wore that out. Has a 340 now that I need to freshen up as I have put a lot of miles on that one too.
p.s. I don't do chevy.

Dave

 

Although I am a died-in-the-wool Ford body/Chevy engine freak, I have always thought the '33-'34 Mopars, especially coupes, were as badass-looking as their Ford counterparts. If one ever becomes available, I'll be on it like bees to honey. I have one question about your frontend setup. That cool wavy tube axle is like any tube axle in that it is rigid. You have hairpins locating your axle which work with I-beams because I-beams flex but cause rigidity in the front suspension. I wish you would look into a 4-bar linkage to replace your hairpins. What you have now is a rigid setup that puts undue stress on the frame brackets as well as the axle brackets. Remember when Pete and Jake designed their 4-bar units ? Jim Ewing of Bell axle fame, brought out his Super Bell tube that worked geometrically with Pete and Jake's unit. No stress, no flex, and the ride was as smooth as old cars can produce. I just wanted to inform you that your existing frontend is not safe because of potholes, railroad crossings, and uneven road surfaces that stress the entire frontend assembly with every bump. Good luck with your project. I'll be keeping up with your build.

 

Well crap! There's some nasty food for thought! Thanks for that info Gary, I will study on that. 4 bar setups don't seem very traditional, when did they 1st appear? It would be an easy change over, pretty much just different frame brackets and the bars themselves. There is not enough flex in the rubber bushings at the aft end of the hair pins and the twist of them as well? They seem pretty flexible.

Dave

 

Looking Great Dave !

 

Anyone else have any opinions/recommendations on this tube axle with hair pin situation? I don't want to run something unsafe but it seems this has been done for years and years and tube axles with hair pins are still readily available new today.

Dave

 

How about going back to parallel leaf springs up front? Axle on top would get it lower....looks like you have plenty of frame kick up for clearance.

 

Look, tube axles and hairpins aren't safe, not criticising your car, just the facts. Hold your arm out, bend your elbow up and down, you'll see that your wrist travels in an arc. So does the hairpin, as its mounted solidly on the frame, an I beam will twist enough to avoid breakage, but a tube WILL NOT twist, transferring the load somewhere else that will break. Having an elephant on top of it compounds the problem, to answer your question, it may never break, but I'd rather not take the chance that it may develop a crack somewhere and let go at hiway speeds, again, that may never happen, but years of work, and kicking your ass for years if you live through it aren't worth it, go with a four bar if you want to keep the axle.

 

trollst, I don't take it as criticising at all. Facts are what I need. Wishing someone would have pointed this out 3 years ago. @volvobrynk said he preferred parallel leafs back then but no mention of unsafe. I think this is going to make me unable to take it to Bonneville this year but there is always next year right? I'll take something else. Now just have to decide, 4-bar or parallel leaf? Is 4-bar traditional? When did they start? I'm just not crazy about parallel leaf front springs on a fenderless car. Wouldn't be too hard to do though. What do you guys think?

Thanks for your opinions!

Dave

 

Scott, does your yellow coupe have parallel leaf front springs? It looks good in your avatar pic. Would like to see a large pic of it.

Dave

 

I think you could pull off 4 bar with no issues, cheap fix and been around long enough to be considered traditional.

 

4 bars look like crap, a great way to ruin the looks, which is the main reason for using the tube axle, except for the "Mopar axle on a Mopar car" aspect of it, which is cool. But if you're going to mount it Ford fashion, than you're already compromising that aspect. You could stick with what you have, there are about a million hot rods with tube axles on hair pins running around that have not broken. For one thing, the hair pins themselves will offer some flex; for another, you're only talking about what, 3" or so of travel. As an alternative go with an I-beam. Or, if you really want to run the Mopar axle, and you don't want to use the hair pins for safety sake, go back to parallel leaves. Personally I'd run the hair pins and wouldn't lose sleep over it. You know how many blown BBC T-buckets are running around out there with hair pins on tube axles? Think about it.

 

Im a mopar guy but was never fond of the parallel leaf set up even if it rides and handles better.I ditched mine in favor of a 33 ford axel set up.I had to make a custom cross member to make it all work.I wasn't to hard to make it work.

 

Yes, it has parallel leaves over the axle, my sedan has them under the axle.
Sorry I don't have any good shots of the coupe front suspension.

 

Dave, you certainly think for yourself. But as close as you are I think I would continue on to make the deadline and change it after you get back. I am sure you said you are trailering there. So you only be putting on a FEW miles. Wish I could meet you there. You do know the Montana Boys are now from the rainbow state? At least Pedro is. Make sure you remind him for me.

 

Burl, is that a '28 128 fast 4 coupe or a Standard 6? I like it!

Dave

 

28 fast four. Running a hopped up ford banger. I think this car has an identity crisis with all the different pieces


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Thought so! Looks perfect. Nice proportions.

Dave

 

Hawaii Doug?

Dave

 

Californication. I told him I need a new crew shirt but I ain't wearing anything with a rainbow on it.

 

I had never heard that expression Doug, so I googled rainbow state and it said Hawaii! That would of been quite the drive to Bonneville.

Dave