Features The 1955-1956 Plymouth and Dodge Thread

Been a long time, but since this is the definitive 55-56 Mopar thread, I'm bumping this. Also, because I may be getting a 55 Dodge, and I figured there's been a few more owners of these cars that have popped up on the HAMB in the past 3 1/2 years!

 

yeah starting to see more of a following for sure..i have two 56 plymouths, but finding them and parts is a bit ruff..

congats on your score of the dodge

 

don-vee,,,,,,I can tell you that EVERYONE you meet will tell you their dad had a '55 Dodge.

 

Hahaha, I bet! I had a '50 Dodge Coronet a few years ago, and had the exact same reaction!
I'm hoping this deal goes down, but if it doesn't, I'll just keep lookin'. I plan on a pretty severe chop. I saw one in a magazine once, but that's it. I have never seen another chopped '55 Dodge. Are there any on the HAMB that I missed?

 

Question will the suspention off a 56 desoto bolt ot on a 55 plymouth?

 

Looks like mostly not, Dodge Plymouth the same Chrysler Desoto the same. I have a parts manual that does all models for Canada and US. PM me I could scan some pages and you could check it out. Rear springs are different and lower front a arms different have not checked any further than that.

 

I have to ask. If I was to pickup one of these, and build a nice driver out of it and leave the suspension stock, where would I find suspension parts for it? Can you still get ball joints, tie rods, gear box, control arm bushings, etc for it?

 

What are you looking for?

 

I think that Rock Auto, Bernbaum, Kanter, Roberts motor parts may have em.

 

Cool. Yeah, I'd like to get into one of these cars and I'm trying to figure out if I'l have to sway the front suspension to a more modern design do to lack of mechanical support. But if the parts can be had, then I'd much rather leave it and add sway bars, and bigger brakes.

 

I got front end rebuild parts from Kanter and from ebay. Wasn't lucky at the local auto. But I've gotten tune up, gaskets, etc all from the local store.
For brakes I went with a front disc kit from AAJ and a Master CYlinder and proportioning valve from a Volare.
Just recently I did two motor swaps, from 6 cyl to a 277 and then from the 277 to a 1964 318 and pushbutton torqueflite and and 8 3/4 rear.

Anyone on here need a good trans that was behind my 6 cyl. It's free to be picked up in NJ.

Nick

 

But my dad really did, honest.
It was a Royal Lancer model, three-tone paint; lavender sides, black top and white middle (hood and trunk). It looked much better than it sounds. Wish I had pics of it. When I was a kid I loved that car.

 

I've got some of my fellow Lead Kings CC members coming over this Saturday to put a 318 police motor in the 56. Anybody have pics of motor mounts you've made?

 

My 56 Plodge (6 cylinder) had a front sway bar. Really skinny. But I am sure other models would have had them as well. "heavy duty" suspension option?

 

No pics right now, but on my poly and on my buddies 360, we used brackets from here.
http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/page4.html
and then used the universal cushion mounts and bolted them to the existing engine mount tabs. We had to drill new holes so we plated the bottom of the original engine mount tabs for support.

 

There was no heavy duty suspension option on the 56 dodge/plymouth, but the bar is the same shape as 56 imperial and the imperial is thicker. I think it's 3/4 and the stock is 1/2....I would have to measure to recall exactly. I have the imperial bar but haven't put it in yet. I'm also mocking up to install a rear sway bar from a camaro. They are plentiful and cheap and the boneyard and should fit well.

 

hi!
are there big modifications for swap from 6 cylinder to 277 v8?
i have the powerflite transmission
thanks for the answer

 

It depends on your definition of big. There are no mounts in the car for the v/8 engine, so I cut the stock mounts out of a v/8 car and welded them in mine. THe v/8 cross member is in the same place, but it's a different cross member. I also had to get that from the parts car and the steering linkage is different. I has an idler arm and different arms where the tie rods attach. The holes are already in the frame for the idler arm. I sourced all that from my parts car also.
The spindles on a v/8 are different in that they run a top bearing instead of a bushing in the kingpin, but I left the 6 cylinder spindles on since they already had a disc brake kit on them.
THe last thing would be sourcing a v/8 radiator that fits. I wound up changing my timing cover to a later model v/8 with water pump outlet in a different spot and then rad a 60 mopar radiator.
So the only real modification are the mounts, the rest of the stuff is just changing parts.

 

thanks for your answer
do you have a photos of the frame 6 and v8?

 

fenders....good grill pieces

 

Hi all,

Been a H.A.M.B.er for several years, never knew this thread existed! I bought this '56 Custom Royal Lancer out of a barn in Michigan 2 weeks ago. 30,447 miles, runs and drives. Paid a serious amount, but it's a real one owner, parked it in the barn in 1964.
Looks like it has rust, but it is totally solid everywhere. Only surface rust on the outside, where the barn wasn't real waterproof. Still has wide white 7.60-15 spare in the trunk, along with the jack.

I'm trying to decide whether to paint it or just wax it real good. Interior is perfect appearance, including that fabulous white steering wheel plastic, but the windshield rubber is shot, so the rug will be history soon if I don't find a replacement rubber seal. Also need a cigarette lighter knob and a radio pushbutton. Everything else is there! (if anyone has those, send me a pm).

Has new brakes belts, hoses, but it's all old brakes. Seriously considering the ECI front and rear brakes. Anybody have advice on adjusting the shift cable, speak up. I got info off the forward look and a literature copy from the Chrysler owners site, but it appears to be alien to my thought processes this week.

 

hello
are there anyone who have a photos of the frame 56 plymouth, dodge with straight six and v8 ?
thanks for the answer

 

What a great survivor! Try a little premixed concrete cleaner on an inconspicuous spot of surface rust. I did on my '42 parts car's fenders some time back...took rust off and left the paint. Worth a try!
Btw...your car's the same as mine was originally.

 

I'd second that suggestion. Here's a post on another message board with pictures showing how a guy cleaned up a '59 El Camino with CLR and a Scotchbrite pad. (Here's the thread that post is from.)

 

56 Belvedere , The frame on a dodge 1956 is the same for 6 or 8 cylinder cars, the only difference is the steering.

Sigge

 

thanks royalbopper
i have the v8 car but the body need a big work
i found another one with the straight six the shape is better
i would like to buy it but i need more informations for swap engine

 

The engine mounts on the frame is the same too, you can use the same steeringbox too just replace the pitmanarm , maybe i can find a picture in my service manual! of the diffrences

 

I have a 55 Plymouth Plaza, can anyone recommend a cool steering wheel Mopar related that will fit? Im missing my horn ring and my wheel needs to be restored. I like my stock wheel but im curious what steering wheels stand out to you guys?

 

My kid brother had a 56 belvedere 2dr hardtop with the V8 and an aftermarket tripower and a Powerflite 2 speed.

My 312 powered STOCK 56 Monarch would run and hide from that lump.
He'd have his way with me for about 300 feet, and then that Monarch would take a deep breath and and then all he'd see was a turquoise streak going by...
If I had the a/c running, he'd still lose, but at least he'd have time to flip me off before he lost sight of me.

That Plymouth looked real good, but he was all show and no go.

He tried and tried to tune it, but he was no wrench, and I wasn't about to help..haha.

 

before and after