Hot Rods 1937 Dodge Ol Bessy is Coming Home....redux

Awesome! Now the wrenching begins! Thanks for the update Hobo Jim

 

Inventory sat and sun. Call Dad. Finalize the plan and get wrenching. Prolly assemble all the remaining sheet metal and bracketry. Start laying in all the parts in Sept and assembly at the same time. I guess I'll start with.....who knows. But I hope to fire it in October and be driving it by Christmas. Not sure if I'll tell Dad. If i can get it done, I'd like to drive it from NC to VA on Christmass and throw him the keys Christmass eve or day....sort of a total suprise. But we will see.

 

That would be a Great Christmas gift I wish I was closer I would love to help you reach this goal.

 

I gotta locate and engine hoist here local. I'll get the engine stand from Dad. Once thats done, I think the hard part will be not scratching the paint.

 

So what is the modern motor and trans your pulling out? I may be interested. Please PM me the info. Gene

 

Likely pull the 2007 5.3 LS Truck engine and swap for a non computer, non steam, non pressure vessel, non 40Eleven electrical connector new motor with a warranty. Possibly also the 4l60e as to date, I've read the FiTech programming manual 7 times and I still have no idea which buttons to push to make the transmission work should I decide to retain it! (Basically, I need to call FiTech and if the controller doesn't have a standard shifting map already installed for a plug and play, I doubt my ability to make the driveshaft turn.)

 

Loaded and rolling at 1100. 5 hour drive may arrive tonight

 

Email to Dad.....


Dad,

Todays work.

Got her home and in the garage.

Front suspension springs are too long, bent and shocks won't fit up inside them.....I'll call Fat Man, may need shorter ones/cut down???....not sure, unsure if this is a screw up by the shop or just and incomplete assembly. Lower A arm bolt on the passener side rests snugly against the boot/end of the power rack.

Dash is scraped up and needs new paint, probably by the shop in the moving around.

Headlights are scratched, not too bad though.

Hood braces installed, hood aligned, hood pins fitted, hood handles adjusted/freed up to operate.

Door check straps installed, door hinge pins seated.

Running board brackets installed, running boards need drilled and fitted.

Headlight stands and trim installed.

Headlight buckets installed.

Headlight inserts installed (6 hours to figure it out!!!)

Front Wing emblem installed.

License plate installed.

Screws installed in dash to hold it on, all threads are stripped, will have to repair to hold the dash up.

 

I think its sitting high in the front and the front springs are too long.....opinions????


Springs look like ( ) - bow legged- and shocks won't go up inside the passenger side, it will go in on the drivers side but it rubs the spring.

Cut em? Shorter springs needed/available?

It has the weight of the v8 and trans on it but still looks too high to me.

 

Yeah I agree it looks high in the pics. Are you using a stock suspension or a front clip of something else? I am using a S10 front clip and I tried shorter springs. I loved the stance but I couldn’t get the wheel/tire clearance to work. I ended up going with stock height springs it looks good just not as good as it would have if I could have made the shorter springs work.

Hobo Jim

 

Mi2 suspension. 2 things to fix, springs and PS lower arm bolt is against the boot on the rack.

 

Email to Dad this morning....

Dad, this mornings work......off to mow and buy bolts to fix the dash attachment.
Installed the windshield inner trim, installed lower dash bolts (it won't fall out now), found steering column drop, installed rear view mirror, painted and reinstalled the license plate bracket (Silver), installed back seat hand straps and coat hangers, installed dome lamp and dome lamp switch, found and hung the dash plates that hold the light switches, throttle and choke, installed the full filler neck and grommet, located and installed the very poor condition front bumperettes.

 

Looking good

 

Dash is fully secured now, top and bottom. Top screws are stainless with stainless nuts and washers as the windshield opens for ventilation and is subject to water. I have three windshield drains to hook up. Running boards by Smoothie Fab are on. Pretty good fit for 82 year old car and lots of body work. Drivers side is a bit off but i still have front sheet metal to align. Back to front is where it needs to be and locked down snug. These are made for stepping on, top coat is black bed liner instead of the old style rubber mat.

 

I like the painted outside edge on the running boards I wish I would have thought of that on mine! Very nice touch! Hobo Jim

 

Windshield glass and rubber are good. Pulling the opener this week. Going to install it and the cowl vent.

Can vent window wing glass be set in urethane rather than tape? If so might save me breaking 17 pieces of glass trying to rebuild the vents.

 

Dad, tonights work.
- Glass inventory. Three cars worth will yield 8 near perfect sections of glass of the 11 pieces needed. We'll buy 1 drivers window, and 2 vent wings for the front doors. Savings will be about $700.....don't worry, we'll spend that on rubber!
- The window crank mechanism in the dash is cleaned, lubed and the zinc gears in near new condition. I have a spare mechanism for parts, and this part is not available at any price!
- Windshield in good shape, I'd replaced it in 91, and the rubber is still soft and plyable, no cracks, so, cleaning it up and it'll go back on the car this week. Located every screw needed, those hard to find 8x32 dome top tapered bottom screws.....at least the shop kept them in jar in the box, in the trunk!
- I properly installed the cigarette holder and cigar lighter box, seems the shop forgot the bolts.
- The cowl vent is rebuilt with its bug screen and ready to install.....However, rather than remove the hinge bolts under the dash, they cut the damn things off. I'll soak them in PB blaster and see if i can drill them out from the underside. If not, i have to remove all the upper dash bolts and rotate the dash down and back out of the way. Galls my ass they did such good work on the car and got lazy with two bolts.

 

Dad,

Tonights work. Rubber for trunk, opera windows, vent windows and cowl vent should be here Saturday.

I'll start buttoning her cabin up snug, back to front like all the work. So, the first piece of glass is restored. Drivers side rear seat vent window. Frame and paint good, glass tight and the latch is now polished again. Compare to the Passenger side on the right. I have spare frames to replace the missing hardware so they'll stay open when driving.

Will probably also build the original trunk shelf this weekend.

And, buttoned up the dash for the last time I think. Here on the underside is the passenger side cowl vent hinge mounting point. they cut the studs off, no way to get to them from the top, but loosening the dash made enough room for the drill the studs came out. It'll be a 3.5 handed job to get the bolts and nuts back in there through the hinge, but i think duct tape and a drop of superglue on the wrench will make it go smooth in such a tight space.

Finally, the windshield is coming along. I should be ready to prime and paint it in a couple evenings and then hopefully install it this weekend.

If i get the cowl vent and crank open windshield done sunday, I'll let you know that the innovative MOPAR Bug Induction System is back up and running!

 

Dad,
As I work on the 37 Dodge, I continue to review the theme, what you might have done with her in the late 50s to mid 60s.
I think back to your original set up with the flat head six, though you always wanted a V8. Your set up of the six was bored, shaved, split dual exhaust and twin factory 1 barrel carburetors....with that set up, you won a lot of races against more powerful cars.
Uncle Mike, your brother, did similar things with his Fords.
So....since the computer controlled engine and transmission is coming out, I'm going to try getting us back in line with the agreed upon original theme.
Pending some fitment questions from the manufacturer, the photo shows your potential new fuel system. Something an 18 year old could have done in the 1960's. Dual 2 barrel GM carburetors on an original look adapter, because of course, why have one boring 4 barrel carburetor when you can bolt on more!

 

That looks really cool nice change

 

Yep, just trying to figure if it'll clear a large cap hei with vacuum advance Sent em a message. Don't know if there is a non computer small cap hei, I suppose from Accell, but don't like their stuff. . Would prefer a gm product.

 

Rear vent windows rebuilt, installed and working properly.

 

Trunk rubber seal installed and Ram Air On Line....

 

Dang you are really knocking this assembly out!

 

15 work says to retirement. Then I'll be on it daily. I want to be installing the motor by Thanksgiving and driving on Christmas day.

I have to set the opera windows. Already cut the first rubber to short!!

I put in a message to fatman to try to figure out the front springs.

 

Last night I learned the back glass is smaller than the opening. To fit the seal without a gap the rubber has to be cut to fit the opening....not the glass.

 

Well at least you don’t have to modify the glass. Much easier than modifying the rubber

 

Man you're kickin butt.

 

I think all the "small cap" HEI's are aftermarket......

 

Dad....Opera windows are in....harder than I remember.....arthritis fingers...but still doable as a one man job.....trunk shelf is next and gotta buy more rubber for the doors. And just like the old days, Bessy's license plate gets cocked at the drop of a hat.