Customs 1956 Chrysler New Yorker Custom That’s Been 30 Years in the Making

It needs a fade paint job Matt!

 

Did you try starting it up with the belts removed? Might help narrow it down

 

Following! The story is great and the car is fantastic!

I agree with the fellas, do some more investigating before you yank the motor. If it had good oil pressure then a few moments at 240 shouldn’t kill it. Probably should do an oil change and cut open the filter… wait I don’t remember if 354 hemis have filters?

if there are chunks in the filter and the oil looks glittery that’s bad

 

I am afraid you're right Jeff. i have the fade in my mind sorted out already. Just need to spray some test panels when the times right

 

Great idea! I will give that a shot this weekend. If that rules things out, amazing!

 

Thanks Dan! Definitely going to trouble shoot before yanking the motor. Oil pressure is at 60 psi. Going to do a compression test and see what that tells me as well. I changed the oil, it was dark but nothing metallic. It has a Hot Heads screw on filter that takes the Fram PH8A. Good idea cutting it open

 

Lots of controversy, but FRAMs rep has taken a beating for a decade or so. I use the Wix 51515 filter

 

If the oil looks good it’s probably fine, but cutting open the filter will help you sleep better at night.. yes use a WIX.

 

This id just awesome, everything. Outstanding chrysler

 

Most excellent!
I agree with the guys 240 for a short time shouldn’t kill the engine I would change t stat and the water pump.
Dan

 

I used to have a daily driver that I put 200k miles on and it used the PH8A filter and that's the one that's easy for me to remember. So I went into NAPA asking for the Wix equivalent and they told me they do not carry Wix. I went with the Napa filter and ordered some Wix filters online and plan to use those.

 

I opened the filter and it's dark and has materials in there...not shiny but kind of darker in color

 

Thanks so much!

 

Planning to pull the t stat and check the water pump. Have not had much time in the garage this past week. Should have some time this week though. Need to get this figured out so I know if I pulling this motor or not.

 

NAPA's house brand, is made by Wix. Here O'Rielly has Wix.

 

I was able to get into the garage tonight. Pulled the belts off and fired it up. The squeak was still there. Quickly shut it off. Going to pull the engine out and drop it off with Roach. Hopefully next week. I want to get it back on the road ASAP


While the engine is out, I plan to clean up and repaint the fire wall and inner fenders. Going to paint the bottom side of the hood too while it’s off.

 

Slightly off topic, but still related, my mom just picked up this Desoto over the weekend. It seems like a nice survivor. Runs and drives.

 

Something about “Mom just picked up this Desoto” is just too cool!

 

Yeah, my mom is a rare one. She enjoys old cars and helps my dad working in the garage. Growing up, we were always driving out to some random place to pick up some old car.

My dad has a 34 Dodge truck that's finished and a 34 Studebaker project. The Desoto is here car. She plans to keep it as is and fix what ever breaks when it breaks.

 

Love everything about this. Old Mopar - check. 354 Hemi - check. Long-term family car brought to life - check. CA to TX upgrade - check. Beautifully sculpted custom - check.
Excellent work brother.
My first (running) car was a '65 Polara 413. Loved that car. On my paper route when I was a kid there was an old Mopar with a hemi in it and once while collecting (giant monthly PITA) the car had its hood up. That made an impression. AND, just this year I got a 30+ year mid sixties project car of mine on the road with the pledge "get it on the road ASAP, no more futzing around! I'll paint it when the bugs are sorted." And I did. Mission accomplished. That fugly but great lines, low stance, raspy sounding idle - the car gets compliments every drive.

 

Love it! All the custom touches are spot-on. Can’t wait to see this one in person. I’ve got a ‘57, also in Texas.

Your mom’s Fireflite is outstanding too. Always loved the shifter on the dash on the ‘55 Mopars.

 

Nice! The old Mopars are definitely a different bread of car when compared to the others. Some were ugly, but cool and others, a work of art!

I bet that was satisfying getting your project on the road. I am pulling my motor next weekend and am going to get it back in ASAP so I can keep putting miles on it.

 

Thanks! I have seen your thread and saw your car in person for the first time at the Round up. Amazing car! Your thread has me contemplating a switch from a Th350 to a 5 speed stick. It all depends on how hefty the bill is to get the 354 sorted out.

 

Getting ready to pull the motor out this weekend. Planning one dropping it off to the engine builder next week, then I head out of the country for work.

While to engine is out, I plan to paint under the hood and freshen up the engine compartment. I am debating swapping out the transmission from a TH350 to a 700R4.

Does anyone know if the trans swap will change the transmission mount locations and if I need to shorten or lengthen the driveshaft?

Also, does anyone have suggestions on where to grab a new/rebuilt 700R4 from? I am looking around and it seems like $2,800 is the likely cost for this swap

 

You will have to move the mounting point and if i remember correctly, you have to shorten the driveshaft just a tad.

 

I wonder if the distance from the trans mount to the end of the transmission is the same between TH350 to 700R4. Or another way to say this, if I move the motor mounts forward and keep the transmission mounts in the same spot, if that would work. The motor has space to move forward a bit and since we put a Trans Am clip, the stock motor mounts on the frame were not used. I need to dig in and search for transmission dimensions and see what is the best option here

 

"External dimensions of a 700R4 are the same as that of a THM350 with a 9-inch tail housing as found in the GMC long wheelbase truck/vans."

If you have a typical short tail housing on your TH350, then you'd need to move the engine forward 3" to keep the end of the transmission in the same location. That is a LOT, and off the top of my head I can think of a lot of systems that might need to be modified (exhaust, wiring, cooling, steering, fuel, throttle, etc.).

Reconfiguring the crossmember and shortening the driveshaft might be easier, but it's up to you.

 

thanks for the info. A modified trans mount and driveshaft seem like the optimal path.

Still debating the trans swap. It does have a rebuilt metric TH350 that works great and doesn’t leak. The 9” rear has 3.73 gears. I have not driven the car on the hi way yet. My brother took it to Santa Maria in 2012 and said it did fine cruising at 65mph

 

OD is key to happiness. Did a belly*****on and 4L60e swap on my ‘72 wagoneer. Went from stressed at 65 to pleasantly moseying down the fwy at 70.

 

yeah, I know I will be happy with OD. I’m letting the cost of the engine determine when I throw an OD in. If the bill is big, I’m keeping the TH350 in and driving it as is until I can spend $3k on a trans swap. My main aim here is to keep this on the road as much as possible and avoid any further hibernation events.