Featured Projects Rickybop's 1931 Plymouth Business Coupe build

Thanks guys.

Hey, what might this be?
Under the dash. One on each side of the cowl.

 

Rick, just a WAG but they may be where cowl lights bolt on.
Man, that body looks like it's in good shape. HRP

 

Looks like a stud or a bolt to me.

 

Calling...
@marfen
@RMR&C

 

What’s on the other side of the studs? Maybe something to do with dual spare mounts?

 

There's nothing on the outside of the cowl adjacent to these features.

 

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner! this is a photo of a Plymouth PA sedan with a spare tire mount, it appears to be in the same area of the cowl. HRP

 

That's it! Thanks a lot, Danny
and Budget36!

That's certainly what it is. Yet on my car, there's no hole through the side of the cowl. So the provision was added to every car, but no hole put through the cowl unless the car actually had side mounts.

Thanks again. Now I don't have to worry that I'm missing something important.

 

I'm not sure what that brace inside the cowl is for. Or the bolt?
Edit. Looks like you got your answer above

 

I’m not sure when Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler became “Mopar” but many similarities and interchanges in those days.
My PU only has one on the passenger side and has the fender “cut out”.

Notice it only holds the outer rim and tire. I’d thought it was specific to wood spoked wheels that the outer rim/tire had 4? Bolts holding it on to the inner wheel.

 

Yup. Thanks, @RMR&C
Got my answer.
Per usual on the HAMB.

I better buy a bunch of chicken dinners and put 'em in the freezer.

 

I'm a Southern Boy and I love me some Fried Chicken! HRP

 

I know that's right. LOL
I'll bet Brenda can make some wonderful fried chicken. I'll bet you can, too. So can I. For a few years as a young girl, my mother lived with relatives in Chattanooga Tennessee. She was influenced and passed some of it on to me. That's why I know how people got the idea of putting honey on chicken. Cuz ya gotta have homemade biscuits and butter and honey with fried chicken. And the honey naturally gets on the chicken. Just like the pancake syrup gets on the bacon.

Man, I'm gettin' hungry.

 

I put the grill shell on there to see how much room I have for the 440 engine. Dang... it looks like I might not have to move the firewall.

And I'm sorting through some parts.

The previous owner passed a few years back and his son was selling the car and didn't have loads of interest in it and didn't always have answers for my questions. So it's up to me to figure out exactly what we have here.

I have to give credit to the previous owner. Tom was his name. He did things that saved me some work. He disassembled the car and had the body shell sandblasted and coated with some kind of rust inhibitor.

But it also seems that he got a few parts chromed. The headlight bar. The headlight bezels, although they may be reproduction judging by the fit being off just the slightest. The radiator support rods. And what appears to be the hardware for the windshield. All chrome. Thanks, Tom.

 

The chrome (or nickel) on the grill shell is in rough condition. But that's okay. The shell has a nice smooth rounded shape like the grill shell on a '32 Ford. So I think I'll prefer it to be painted body color anyway.

 

Do you have the lens for the headlights and that headlight bar is nice! HRP

 

No headlight lenses, Danny.
But of course I might likely mount a pair of Guide headlights on the original headlight bar.

 

I seem to recall reading in Don Bunns book, the shell on my Dodge is nickel plated.
But the plating isn’t in good shape either.

 

My heart isn't set on Guide headlights.

I've always liked the large original headlights on a nice curved chrome headlight bar. Looks like granny glasses. LOL

A modern headlight bulb can make 'em bright

 

Rick, take a measurement, I have a set of lens and know they are Ford but I will have to check for the size.

I think the 30/31 Plymouth is 9 5/16 X 8 1/2. HRP

 

@HOTRODPRIMER
I measured the diameter. Looks like you're correct at 9 5/16

What is the 8 1/2 measurement?

 

I like the original large headlight look although some of the light visibility lost from modern bulbs. I had halogen bulbs but original reflectors not so good. I added a set of Macs halogen reflectors which fit the fords and with some trimming put them in my lights and made a huge difference . You can see differance between light that’s been done and originsl

 

Cool. Thanks, @notaford1

 

I don't want the front wheels so far outboard. That's dumb.

I'm going to have the local fab shop narrow that front axle. I did some good measuring. Narrowing the axle so that the holes in the axle line up with the perch pins on the springs will put the track width exactly back to original.

As far as I can figure, you can't mount an axle meant for 1.75" wide springs on 2" wide springs. But with some simple 1/8" spacers, I believe I can mount this axle meant for 2" wide springs on the Plymouth 1.75 wide springs. Or as I mentioned before, if I want to raise the front end, the adapting can be incorporated into the spacers.

 

The Model A headlight lenses are 8 1/2". HRP

 

I get detailed with my plans in the interest of sharing, but also to give you guys the opportunity to say something if you see me heading down the Primrose Path. Walking backward toward a cliff.

 

Man Rick, you are living the life!
Narrow that Ford axle, its going to be mostly hidden under the fenders, not many will know its not original.
Should be a wild ride with the multi carbed 440 4 speed! The 440 is probably shorter, front to back, then the original flathead 6 was. The hood sides may be an issue, but you will want to show off that multi carbed 440 anyway, so keeping the top and loosing the sides will be OK.
If you gave a set of glass rear fenders, might as well plan to use them. Your going to have to widen something to clear the big wide rear tires your going to need anyway.

 

A frnd of mine had this coupe. All suspension was updated. ie

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/32-ford-fiberglass-fenders.1305340/
don’t know if they’ll work but the price is right
Dan