Projects Want to put my fat fender on the road .... Need some info / advice ...

Bought this beautifully patinaed 49 dodge meadowbrook (save your 4 door jokes) that I want nothing more than to drive on old Rt 66 and document the journey .... and I have a short list of options to make this possible ...

Option one . Attempt to make the original flathead run ... I have shot oil in the cylinders , and spun the engine by hand . It's free . But every linkage , line and wire is corroded , frozen or otherwise just crap .... Seems counterproductive to my cause ....


Option 2 ... Subframe and some late model rear end swap .... Doable . I have tools , welder , torches , and a rudimentary knowledge of sticking shit together .... As well as a tow lot full of donors vehicles at my job .... Downside being time and less than 100% confidence in my structural welds .... As well as still needing to address the aforementioned wiring / brake and fuel lines , etc ..

Option 3 . Finding a complete late model chassis , running gear , and wiring harness (80's s-10 comes to mind) and sawing out the floors and setting the body on the frame . Again, I have donors at my disposal , this isn't the issue . I've never done a frame swap , but it seems like the easiest way out ....


I need advice from people who have been here , I want to drive and enjoy this car ... It needs to meet the mother road .....

 

Options #2 and #3 will get your posts deleted.
If you go with option#1, you will probably get some good advice on the original engine or a engine swap from the members here.

 

Dammit Bill, he's gonna think it's some kind of conspiracy!

 

I have done them all, option 2 is the best in my opinion with a newer engine and trans as well. Option 3 works but actually can be more work and fabrication than option 2. Get help from someone who knows what they are doing as needed.

 

Sometimes you just have to ask yourself...."what would Squirrel do?"

 

Option two and three seem counterintuitive to the whole Route 66 thing. The whole point of the trip is making it in an old car, correct? If not why not just take the trip in a S 10 or whatever donor vehicle and save all that work?

Best option....get the engine running or replace the engine leaving the car intact. A slant 6 might be a good candidate.

Corroded wire and linkage is no big deal. A compromised chassis is.

 

Another option would be to keep the existing chassis, fix or update the brakes, swap in a later motor, trans and rear end. No matter what you do you have to address the wiring and linkage but these era cars are pretty basic and logical so it is not that big a deal. Myself I like option one but if the existing drivetrain proved to be to far gone then I would do the swap route. I have seen several fairly high dollar cars ruined by sub framing or frame swaps. Frame swaps in particular are much harder than they look.

 

I'm kinda of where you are with my projects, but seems easiest would get what you got there running and go from there. Wireing and brakes will have to be done anyway you go. If the old engine is good why not run her? My 2 cents that aint worth much Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Butch's Cool stuff makes engine/tranny/brake pedal/rearend swap kits for the original frame: http://www.butchscoolstuff.com/ply-dodge-1928-1956/

 

Freeing up the linkage and re-wire would be the easiest of the options since youll be re wiring anyways - that leaves some sticky linkage.
The engine might run or it might not. Shouldn't take more than a few hours to figure it out, battery starter compression test. If it's got compression it will run.

You do what you want ,,,
but to me it's down to "A" sticky linkage and stock chassis rebuild
or
"B" an unknowable amount of work that you admitted you don't feel comfortable with, un countable expense and un estimatable time - requiring copious and unlimited amounts of time talent treasure of which you're limited.

 

Route 66 was built in 1926.
Hundreds of Dodges have traveled across it with those brakes and that engine.

Go with option one. Drive that old car down the Mother Road the way it did in 1949.

Sent from my LGLS992 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Option A, the parts you take off to clean will fit right back in place when you are finished with them. The car you bought will be the car you drive. Both style and class.

Option B, the measurements may be off, accessories may not fit, rear ratio may not jive with the engine, you may need to heat and beat something. The car will be a mix of a lot of stuff. where do you stop?

Option C, you've killed the soul of the car. its just an S-10 with an old body on it.

Just an opinion.

 

I'm also of the option #1 camp,rebuild or repair what you have,if all else fails stick a later model engine and tranny in the car. HRP

 

I am also to Fixing the Brakes & Wiring and Driving the Car
to see how it Feels.!
Before you Take a Trip down Route 66

Just my 3.5 cents

P.S. I put a Different Engine in my Car.

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

Welcome to the HAMB.
Great car.

Having done the options myself, I'd likely go with #1.
A chassis swap probably out of the question. Way to much work.

Like Post #7 above:
"Another option would be to keep the existing chassis, fix or update the brakes, swap in a later motor, trans and rear end. No matter what you do you have to address the wiring and linkage but these era cars are pretty basic and logical so it is not that big a deal."

In other words, freshen up the suspension with bushings, shocks, steering and etc. so it performs like new. Get the engine dialed in for reliability. I'd add seat belts. Redo the seat covers for comfort and hit the road.

This is cool. Keep us posted....................

 

What is your priority here taking a trip or building a car? We see this type of post fairly often, “ I’ve got a $500 car what’s cheapest/ quickest way to get modern brakes, steering ,engine, trans?”. If the trip is priority take the modern family car or buy an already finished old car. If you want build a car take your time and research how to properly modify the car you have.

 

Use a later engine trans (I like the slant 6 idea, MOPAR auto trans) ford 8"rear on the original springs new shocks, look for a disc brake conversion for the fronts, run a new Master cylinder/brake booster on the firewall (reinforced plate) rewire, re-core radiator all new brake lines, fix interior, use a voltage drop on the gauges ( I believe the original is 6V) make sure wipers work and all lights function properly, add radial tires all around and then you will have reliable transportation for that Route 66 trip. While you may get the FH 6 running I would not want to take an extended trip without a trunk load of replacement parts. I bet it would be a real PIA looking for a generator or fuel pump somewhere in Nowhere USA on Route 66. Just my opinion. This would be Option 1A without the worry of your welding abilities. raylloyd suggestion to look at Bruce's cool stuff is the way to go.

 

Option 4. fix/modernize the brakes as you see fit. Swap in a newer motor trans and rear end, buy a rebel wire harness and wire up the car and cruise it.
no need to hack the frame itll do just fine as is (unless theres massive rust we cant see in your pics)

whatever you do. just don't do the s-10 frame swap.

 

I'd go through the suspension/brakes, upgrading to front discs, Later model engine , trans, and rear. That would enable you to drive highway speeds reliably, and parts would be far more available. Leave the rest of the car stock.

 

Thanks for the replys (even the not so helpful ones !) . I am dead set on some sort of modern motivation , (hey ,the Chevy 350 is modern ) as the top speed of the old FH was around 80mph , fully wound out . That and I don't feel like learning all about a FH that I'm not too keen on anyways . I too am worried about parts availability in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road . With a modern motor and brake system I can go into just about any parts store for a replacement part . I'm not looking for the most comfortable ride, I'm looking for something I can enjoy tinkering with while my show car is down getting rebuilt without worrying about a rock chip , scratch or errant possum in the road . I don't want to throw $10,000 into a $3000 car . I love the patina, I love the rust, I love the car.

 

Was really hoping to network with somebody who has done this on the 49 or 50 dodge .... Oh yeah, and I've looked at Bruce's hot rod parts I see all of the swap pieces that he has .....but I'm not sure that's the easiest way out it's certainly not the cheapest

 

^^^These right here!^^^

Put a newer engine and transmission in it, and if you feel it necessary a new rear end as well. But there is zero reason to put it on a different frame or put a different front clip under it. You will have more time screwing around trying to get the new clip into the car than coming up with motor and transmission mounts.

That's my 2 cents on the deal...

Good luck with wherever you end up.

 

Ouch ..... If I wanted to take the trip in an s-10 , I'd rent a Kia Soul .... You missed my point I think . The underpinnings don't determine the car , the view over the dashboard , out that double windshield and over that long curvy hood do ...

 

That is one cool Mopar, no matter what you decide to do with it. Four doors are cool, too, IMHO.

 

Check out the P-15-D24.com forum. There is a member cruising a 1951 Meadowbrook, "Me and my Meadowbrook." Also a member documenting trips in his 1953 Chrysler. Lot's of experience specific to old Mopars.

 

I am on there . But the mentality of those folks is 100% stock or gtfo ... They actually sent me this direction because I want to mod it ...

 

Stick with the stock frame. There is less chance of an abandoned project going to the scrapyard. If you want to stuff in a 350, on the driver's side, find a rams horn exhaust manifold that tilts the outlet back so that it just clears the steering box. Swap in a different rear end otherwise you won't have an emergency brake. Recore the radiator. The old one isn't adequate. If you want to use the original temp gauge, drill and tap the intake manifold for 12" NPT hole between the last two mounting holes on the left side so that the bourdon tube will reach. Have fun.

 

True, the P15-D24 members encourage old Mopar purists just as this site encourages traditional. You apparently didn't read very far on the threads and posts because all of your questions have been discussed there at some time in addition to engine swaps, wiring, brakes, rear ends, transmissions and all the other repairs you'll need to make your Dodge roadworthy. No one is going to make your decision for you.

 

Wasn't asking someone to make up my mind for me , I was asking advice from people who have been the direction I'm heading , explaining my own limitations, and trying to figure a direction.... I want tradional , but not so tradional that I'm running a flattie and strombergs... I still need some semi modern creature comforts and ease of repair ..... And FYI , I did in fact search , but nothing pertaining to 49/50 dodge popped up ... Geez , lighten up a bit , I never caught this much hell from the lowrider folks when I asked a question , and I built those for over 20 years .....

 

JMO, but Im thinking 350/350, a rear from a 65 to 66 c-body Mopar, rebuild the front suspension, relocate the front shock upper mount point to the frame, and move the coil spring plate to the bottom of the lower control arm. Install some discs on the front and re-wire the car. I have to admit, I have not done one, but I have a 48 Plymouth I am looking at doing that too. Minus the drivetrain changes. I want to keep the flathead 6, but thats just me. I had a friend who 30 plus years ago did all those mods to a 49 Plymouth, the hardest was getting the exhaust manifold to clear the steering box/column.