Features The 1955-1956 Plymouth and Dodge Thread

I didn't see any in Canada, but there's several used ones here it the states on Car-Part.com that searches auto salvage yards for parts and compiles the listings for you. I've saved a screenshot with phone #'s and part#'s that may help. Sorry it turned out blurry. Good luck with your quest.

 

I will give it a try. Thank you so much for your help, much appreciated.

 

Wow! I am so happy I found this thread. I am totally new to these cars and looking to learn about them. I have ordered a shop manual but it won't get here for another week or so. I have some quick maintenance questions before I read through the whole 50 pages here. Any help is appreciated.

Firstly the car - I guess it is a little bit of an unusual bird for the US folks. It is a 1956 Dodge Regent 2 Door Hardtop. I could only find 3 pictures of a 2 door HT Regent on the web. Outside and underneath in excellent condition. The nice condition of the underside was a pleasant surprise. Engine bay needs cleaning up. Only engine choice for 56 Canadian Hardtops was the flat 6. I assume this is a 251(?). Single brake cylinders always make me nervous. I am curious to know what others are doing to improve the braking system. The car is in transit and I won't get it for another 2 weeks.

First job is I just want to clean up engine bay and refresh all fluids. I did some research on gas and oil for flat 6's and got conflicting info. Hopefully you guys that actually own the same car can guide me.

Feel kind of silly asking these questions but better safe than sorry......

Gas - what octane are you using? It's a stock low compression engine so I thought 87 would be fine but other were saying put in premium. I am in Canada so premium goes as high as 94 here.

Oil - I like Brad Penn oil as it provides a higher zinc content so no additives are needed. Is 10/30 Brad Penn fine for these engines.

Oil Filter - I've never owned a car this old before. What oil filter is in the canister? What filters does it use? Can I get them at Napa?

Transmission Fluid - What are you guys using or suggest?

Anything specific or special quirks I need to look at in the engine bay?

Thanks guys.....going to start on page 1 now and work my way through this whole thread. Time for coffee.

 

Kmrumedy- Your '56 is a beauty! Always love to see the Canadian versions of these cars, they have a nice blending of body lines with Dodge and Plymouth parts. I'll chime in with a little help if I may.

GAS: I run regular 87 octane in my '55 with the 230 flattie. It doesn't ping, and the car runs fine with stock timing. I think these are only like 7 to 1 motors. I think the 251 would be as well, but I'm not familiar with those specifically.

OIL: For your climate, I think 10W30 is fine. Brad Penn makes a good high-zinc oil, and if you like it I'd say run it. Its a little pricier if I recall, so if you wanted to step down to another brand you could if you toss in a zinc additive. That'll keep that cam protected. I get mine at Farm & Fleet and I run a house brand straight 30 weight since I've never torn the motor down and I don't want a detergent oil, but it probably doesn't matter.

OIL FILTER: If you have a drop-in canister style Mopar bypass oil filter setup, (pic attached) you will need a NAPA 1071 or WIX 51071 filter element. The 1080 / 5180 will work but that's for a full-flow setup, which these cars weren't.

TRANS FLUID: I read a lot of folks just run DexIII in their Powerflite and Torqueflites.

The nice thing about your motor is that a lot of parts are still available thanks to the Power Wagons running these for so long. If you ever need rebuild parts, you can find a lot at vintagepowerwagons.com

Also, if you need a shop manual in digital form, you can download one here. Happy wrenching!

 

Thank you for all the detailed information. I appreciate it. Here is a picture of the engine bay. It is not up to par with the rest of the car. ( Hey...I'm a poet and didn't know it! Lol!).

So the WIX 51071 will fit this canister? Would you know how many quarts needed for oil change? Not sure how big the pans are.

 

Kmrumedy , I just realized your car is the same one a buddy of mine from Bolton, ON sent me a listing to a while ago. Small world! Glad you got it!

 

That appears to be the 'other' style of oil filter Chrysler used, which was a sealed disposable unit. They would just chuck it in the trash every oil change and reconnect the lines. You can find them NOS, but I would get a new one from eBay, Roberts Motor Parts or (gulp) Bernbaum.

 

Yeah. I got lucky. A lot of people wanted the car. I think it was way under priced. At least for up here where prices are much higher for these cars. Apparently less than 2000 HT Regents were made and there are not many left around which is kind of cool when going to car meets. Nice to have something a little different. The car was owned by a very kindly farmer in Meaford Ontario. He also has a beautiful 55 Chevy.

 

Hi from B.C., Nice car, your car looks great.

Because I have one, I know that 1956 Canadian Dodges, in a cost saving effort where actually Plymouth's with Dodge front sheet metal. (The best of both worlds). And then of course Mopar had to confuse things further because some of the Royal models were rebadged Plymouths and some were imported from the USA and were “real” Dodges. (Bolt on fins and different taillights).

You might want to look at a forum that is for the “Forward Look” cars ( 1955-1961). The big fin guys don’t like us small fin guys for some reason.

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/category-view.asp

 

Thanks Ray. Yes, I joined the Forward Look forum. I haven't posted on there yet. Seems like a bunch of great guys. I wish the forwardlook forum software was more current....the search function is a little cumbersome when you are trying to research topics. I have basic questions and having some difficulty searching the site. But the info on there when you find it is amazing.

Excuse my ignorance - which big fin guys? Our side or the Chebby guys?

 

Mopar side.
Maybe because the '55-'56 was two years only and kind of a separate model or they just like their big fins but there is not a lot '55-'56 information or discussion. Probably just me, I'm old (and cranky?)

 

Oh...that is kind of surprising. Mopar guys normally stick together pretty thick.

So the late 50's Big Fin guys are like some of the E Body guys of the muscle car era?

 

Wow. I didn't know that. I looked it up and it seems these are supposed to be disposed every 5000 miles. That canister looks really old! Does that mean the oil filter hasn't been changed in decades? What can I replace it with that uses filters I can purchase at Napa?

 

Gidday from oz.......that canister filter is a By-Pass style filter, supposedly filters finer particles but only partially filtering the whole oil system at a time, but certainly works o/k to use.....I had a 41 Plymouth Coupe, it was an older restoration when I got it but being a hotrodder I couldn't leave it alone so it ended up with an oil filter....a Beehive Oil Filter(came with a list of Nth American available filter canisters) as pictured and this was the engine I intended to use but ended up selling the engine and car...........your car being Canadian SHOULD have the Desoto/Chrysler sourced 25" long engine, 250.5 or 251 cubes.......measure the head front to back.......if its 23" long then it has the US Plymouth/Dodge engine.......hot up gear was available for the 25" engine such as twin/triple intakes & headers, also finned heads..........check with Earl Edgerton, Edgy Speed Shop as he makes heads & intakes, also Tom Langdon at Stovebolt Engineering does headers and HEI dissys ........... like the car.......do a search for 1957-62 Australian Chrysler Royals to see where some US sheet metal ended up......lol........and Dextron 3 auto trans fluid or the equivalent is what I use in my 1940 Dodges 318 Poly/Cast iron T/f ..........regards from Oz.........Andy Douglas

 

I recently parted out a 56 royal and 56 belvedere both hardtops and will be selling all the trim,dash parts, lights, grilles
send me a message with needs or
email
dualghia@hotmail.com
palo alto, cal

 

Thanks a bunch for this info Andy. I get the car tomorrow afternoon and everything you posted here will be very helpful. Thanks again. John

 

Everything you mentioned was on the car but the balanced and there was more than enough room for one thankfully.


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Swede, looking at the pix of your 318 poly install, very nice. I just dragged a 55 Belvedere ht into Ohio from Iowa and had intended to use Butch's Stuff. they ain't there no more. sent an email last week, heard nothing so I drove the whole 10 miles to the shop today, it's empty. don't know where they went or when they left but they left me bumming for advice. did you happen to save the sheet that had instructions and measurements? did you use the set with the 1 inch offset to the right? any advice or thoughts sincerely appreciated, Paul
UPDATE: Terry at Butch's was just out of town when I stopped by earlier. I have been in touch and am off to see him for parts today. 09/12/2017

 

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This is kind-of an odd-ball...


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Love this car. Do you have anymore pictures of it?

 

Sorry, no... that was the only photo


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56 Furys are among my very favorite cars. Great to see one preserved like that.

 

https://flint.craigslist.org/cto/d/1956-dodge/6258264569.html

Someone might be interested in this?


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Nice catch, might have to take a ride out there when I go to Frankenmuth Autofest...if its still available...

 

If I had more room I'd probably already own it!


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Tech question: when I have 4 or 5 people in my '56 CRL, I get a nasty low speed vibration right from take off...more throttle makes it worse, drives fine with 1 or 2 people. It's not load on the engine (if I take off with some brake resistance, it's no problem), so I thought it must be a u joint...removed the driveshaft, u-joint looks fine/moves freely, not loose). Is it possible the small change in driveshaft angle with the weight in the car is the problem? I'm perplexed!

 

Perhaps worn out leaf springs & the extra weight might be throwing the pinion/driveline angle off?


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New springs or air shocks might help. I put air shocks on my '56' Savoy. Very easy to do.


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