Featured Projects 1938 plymouth coupe project

Slant 6's don't fit in these cars very well. The 3.9 V6 would be better but no aftermarket support. Good small block Mopar will work as well as any. Don't need no stinkin Chevy in it! I look at a lot of old Mopars on you tube and for sale cars. If it has a Small Block Chevy-I scroll right on by. JMO!

 

especially with the quick-access gun storage:

 

bogey high sierra plymouth coupe - Google Search

he drove a Plymouth in High Sierra and a few other films

 

Great looking car! Rebuild the brakes and with a stockish engine you will be fine in todays traffic-as long as you drive within the car's rated specs. I have become a much better driver due to me driving my Model A with stock brakes. I make sure I know what other drivers are going to do before they do. Obviously, disks are better though and if you can I would.

Mike

 

I’d rock that flat 6 amd drum brakes.

 

To my mind, any time you do a swap, as in an engine/trans that wasn't stock or has bolt in access, it better be worth the effort. The slant is a good engine in a light weight car, but isn't a huge jump from a flathead six. For the same effort, you can put in a V8 and get similar MPG, more power, better resale.
It's not as supported for swaps, so it's actually a bit more difficult.

So quick, easy and satisfactory for many uses, flathead.
Step up, more gears in the trans
Step up from there, V8 auto
Step up, V8 stick
Further is modified V8s or more esoteric stuff for the wow factor.

 

It's only hot 3 months out of the year to the point where I would want a.c. and I just avoid driving it on the blazing hot days.

I'm going to run a 230 flat 6 from a 59 dodge truck. I will be keeping the stock brakes for now.

I've been working away on the fenders. I hate working with body filler.

 

Listen to Mr. Myrick. Keep it ‘30s/‘40s and get it low as possible in the rear.
And remember, real hot rods have 3 pedals.
Cool car by the way.

 

Nice find on the car. The flathead 6 is a good motor. Keep us informed on your progress.

 

that was a buddy's car. I installed a t5 and dual carbs on it. it was a fun car to drive.

 

SLIPPERY SLOPE!

Ben

 

What transmission you going with? The 1959 truck transmission may not fit in the 1938 chassis physically.

 

Wher ya located at. A friend has a 33 Plymouth flat 6 and trans pulled from a running car.
Complete set up

Birmingham Al
Ive got a desoto fmat 6 and trans

and there are overdrive versions for the 3 speed

 

Anthony, says So Cal.

 

‘38 Plymouth brakes are fine. My old ‘36 Ply sedan had them and stopped great.

 

Long way from bama

 

A fair piece, I reckon.

 

I had a guy in my neighborhood in the 50's who put a new 57 Cad dual quad engine in a 38 Plymouth coupe, he did it to fool everybody at the stoplight races. But when it's all said and done you are going to wind up with a 38 Plymouth which was never hotrod material.

 

^^^ must still be bitter about getting dusted by an old Plymouth

 

I think im going to go with bags in the rear. Lower the front to driving height and tail drag the rear when I want. Now the question is call nostalgia sid to lower my plymouth axle or go with a chevy drop axle.

 

Sid stopped doing drops full time
The Plymouth is a hollow tube
Might have to try the forged Chevy

 

Can you relocate perches , flip ontop of springs , fab up shorter bump stops . Might work !

 

Bummer. I really want to keep my front end plymouth. Id like to lower it 4 to 6 inches in the front. Got any ideas ? Chevy axle ends reamed to fit the plymouth king pin and spindle ?

 

Axle can't go on top of springs. Tube axle will hit the oil pan

 

Well, a friend of mine claims he used mopar spindles on a ford axle.
Those are transverse spring
I have seen a mopar with a ford style x-member and axle set up. But would probably need a front style spring to clear the engine. Just spitballing
Those can be bought reasonable and stretched
There’s other folks that drop axles besides SID

 

But then ya got this

screen shot from a video of a guy building a 38 Plymouth
Looks like a regular aftermarket tube axle. Those can be found with either ford or gm king pin options

 

I wonder if there might be dropped spindles available that could be adapted to the double-dip?

 

I know Butch's used to make quite a few pieces for 30's era Mopars but closed in 2022 after 37 years. It appears at that time the remaining inventory was sold to another business as noted here:
Hot Rods - Butch's cool Stuff | The H.A.M.B.

 

Things have escalated quite quickly by the looks of these pictures.

 

Dodge 1/2 ton trucks used a solid beam axle up through the 1971 model year. I have no idea how, or if a drop could be done, or if it would even be needed. Those 68-71 Dodge trucks had great drum brakes with the correct wheel bolt pattern.
Maybe just another option.

A dropped Ford axle converted to the parallel leaf springs may be a good option too. With those you could keep your Plymouth spindles.