Projects my first project thread, 52 Desoto

I am not going to use it but I am really confused by the tranny that was in this thing, there is a clutch pedal but the trans has a converter and a clutch? with a fork like a normal manual

 

Looks like a really cool DeSoto... Don't see many left, especially in NH! Hope that motor works out for you...

 

Pm Rusty O'Toole he knows em inside and out.

 

That's the "Fluid Drive" tranny, a hermaphrodite clutcherfuck. It would be worth the expence of buying an adaptor fron QEC-"73RR" & bolting in a 727 vs that one. (T R Waters, Hot Heads, Wilcap make them also) Same adaptor as the 392 uses.

 

Got passenger side brakes torn apart this evening

 

Go man, go!

Love these old DeSotos.

 

I'm in a similar state with my stuck 413....still soaking and digging further. Glad you're keeping it Mopar! Keep those updates rolling, as they're very encouraging.

 

got the front brakes completely off, spindles and all, it was fun taking the spindles off without a spring compressor, the sway bar launched a beer bottle against my garage door when i undid the 1st spindle

 

...be careful...unlike a salamander we can't regrow missing body parts...

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after getting everything apart and cleaning as best i could until i get some oven cleaner i am shocked by the condition of all the rubber bushings, they are like new!

 

You better spend some time talking to people that specialize in trans adapters before you trash any parts from that original tranny. Seems to me that your baby hemi has the long tail block... part of the bellhousing is actually cast into it at the back. They are a lot harder to find adapters for than the bigger Hemi's.

 

there is no bell housing cast into the block, i have removed the trans and set it aside, no plans to trash it, if anything sell it once the build is complete, there was however about a 3/4 inch plate btwn the block and bellhousing which the starter bolts into

 

You might want to do some checking before commenting. The only hemis with the long tail was 51-3 331 Chryslers and some of the 54 331s. And I don't think you'll find many who prefere an early tranny vs a modern one.

 

No market for the OEM tranny except for restorers. The spacer plate matches up with the starter/ring gear on the OEM set up, varies between engines/starters/ring gear over the years/models. I'm a big fan of "73RR"(QEC)s adaptors & 727s behind my 331s.

 

Got my spindles all cleaned up with some easy off and a wire brush earlier, getting them ready to send to charlie to get drilled and tapped for disc brakes

 

My front sway bar is broken and I am wondering what other years will work? Also wondering if I need to find a whole set of connecting rods since I had to cut one or if I can just replace the one I had to cut?

 

I've heard that some Jeep sway bars are fairly close - not sure which Jeeps - still needs sway bar links adapted to fit.

 

50-54 Chr & DeSoto probably all the same. The guy who has "Big M" Mopar junkyard is on here, I believe under that name, and is on www.forwardlook.net under that name, probably can fix you up. Jeep ones may be a bit narrow for those years.

 

I drove a tiptoe matic 1952 DeSoto Firedome V-8 through 4 years of college in Chicago and a year traveling all over Pittsburg and Muncie for Westinghouse. It never stranded me. The tranny was great! The clutch was a god send during cold winters! You could use the clutch to keep the revs up just like a stick. When you wanted to get away fast put the gear lever in the normal 2nd gear position let the clutch out and hit the gas, when revs peaked let off on the gas pedal and the trans would shift to actual second gear get on the gas and when speed was still legal push in the clutch and move the shift lever to the high gear position and cruise. For normal driving Put the shift lever in 3rd gear position and let out the clutch, putting the trans in 2nd gear, give it some gas and drive away lift the gas pedal shifting to high gear. When you stop at alight for instance just push on the gas pedal no clutch needed. Reverse requires the clutch. Push the clutch in and move the shift lever to the normal reverse position. Put the shift lever in either "2nd" or "3rd" let the clutch and drive away. You could drive in "3rd" all day with using the clutch pedal, if you don't back up. Enjoy your DeSoto, I still miss mine.

 

If you're going to put a small block in it you should run a 318 or 360, that would be kool. Nice score on the car being a sportsman too, super jealous.

 

Got the spindles back from charlie a few weeks ago and finally got all the parts for the disc brake conversion and got one side minus the caliper put together this evening, charlie makes a great kit and super easy to install so far!

 

Any install photos?

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got everything installed on both sides, went very smoothly, had to enlarge the notches on the castle nut with a grinder to get the cotter pin in otherwise everything else bolted right on, still need to swap out the master cylinder to a dual resivor and decide if im gonna mount it under the floor still or put in a swing pedal and mount it on the firewall

 

Cool build! I like it!

 

With all the talk of engine swaps why didn't anyone suggest another 276 hemi motor?
I recently bought a 291 that turns over for $400. It is caked with 1" of grease (if not more) but that might be why it never seized. I am not sure what I will do with it but after degreasing it should run. How long will it run without a rebuild? Who could say.
I suppose I could take all the caps off and inspect them. What would be the cost of an oil pan gasket and a complete set of STD bearings? Yes, the oil pump or timing chain might hand grenade before you get out of the driveway but for $700 investment that isn't bad. Send you original heads out for a rebuild $800 when you have the money. Rebore and rebuild the original block if the "new" 276 makes noise, smokes or blows up.
I know everyone would advise to spend the money to do it right or don't do it at all but money is always an issue for most of us.

 

well after not a whole lot of progress lately I got a brake booster and pedal assembly out an 84 trans am at a local yard and have it all ready to go basically, had to cut out the original studs from the booster and need to get some longer bolts to mount it the way it needs to be, I was surprised how easy it was to drill the holes in the firewall, metal was surprisingly thin

 

You might need to add a reinforcement plate to the firewall for your pedal/ booster mount. I was surprised how much the booster moved while I was bleeding my system without one on my 55. With the way your firewall is shaped it may be ok. Just watch for it once you get it all together with some pressure in the lines.


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Got the booster and pedal completely installed today for the most part, just need to get/make a little extender piece for the pushrod

 

Ordered my cam bearings yesterday! Planning on taking the block down to Dana at Custom Automotive Machine Co in Weymouth on Sat or tues to get the stuck pistons removed and get it bored and cleaned as well as cam bearings installed, im excited to get started on the motor

 

Dropped my block off this morning, getting stuck pistons removed, bored 30 and new freeze plugs as well as painted!