'40 Plymouth Gasser *Update* "River Valley Shaker"

I haven't worked on this project in a long time since I took on the '31 Plymouth sedan...well, since the '31 has been stripped down and is being parted out, it's back to work on the '40 Plymouth...the "Shaker" got a heart transplant via the '31's old drivetrain, a Pontiac 400/TH350 combo with a Lokar Nostalgia shifter, and now that the motor and trans are in place I figured I'd throw a few crappy pictures up here to let you guys know I haven't completely given up on cars...so here she is as she sits right now, nose high and stuffed full of Poncho power...

 

and yes, my shop is that messy all the time...I can't seem to keep it clean for more than 20 minutes...oh well...the future plans are to remove the trim support bars from the grille and rivet in some stainless mesh in their place, fill in the rest of the trim holes and replace the floors/rocker panels and do some other minor bodywork...this thing will be a bit underpowered the first year due to money problems, but I promise you in the years to come that poor little 400 will have some serious upgrades, or possibly even be replaced by a more period correct motor...I'll post some more update pics next week if things to as planned this weekend...stay tuned...

 

...I like it,...see if you can roll it outside for better pics sometime. Those Plymouths have been overlooked for too long. Good luck with it.
...I would leave the orig. style grille in it also.

 

Love the car, love the stance and its going to look great when its done.
I know its your car and you can do what ever you want but , the stainless mesh idea kinda made me cringe.
The Grille bars could easily be straightend and new grille assemblys arent to hard to find.Just my 2 cents.
Ive got a 40 plymouth convertible project thats been sitting in the back corner for about 12 years now

 

Pontiacs make bitchn' hot rod motors.

Get a dual quad and some pre-mulett velocity stacks and you are set.

Here is the motor in my old Henry J.



-Abone.

 

I'm almost positive I'm ditching the stock grille, and I can't roll it outside because my driveway slopes too much and I'd never get it back in the shop...intake-wise for the poncho, it'll either be a tri-power, dual quad or have a blower...but that's all years away...

 

The upgrades that WILL happen this year will be a swap to my '61 Pontiac posi rear, ladder bars and coil springs, cam/lifters, better carb, fenderwell headers and trans shift kit...

 

You should rename it the Centurion:

 

I don't get the similarity...in other words, whatchou talkin bout Willis?

 

This help?

 

NOW I got it...hahaha...unfortunately the Centurion is a Roth car, so that name is off-limits...sorry

 

Gladiator?

I think a Cal Custom barefoot gas pedal painted red would go good with the scoop.

 

I haven't decided whether I'm keeping the scoop or not (see my thread on scoops and spark arrestors), and I have a no-name Eelco/Moon style drag pedal I might use...the kind that looks like a bootprint...

 

It also reminds me of ...

 

johnny......lookin good man....but do us a favor......go buy a friggin camera and stop usin your phone!!!!!hehe

 

I'd love to Todd, but you seem to forget that I have no job and no money...so just feel lucky I even have a phone to do any of this...

 

Damn bro you set that mill deep, (uh it is a long way below the fender tops?) gonna be a real bugger to change the plugs.

Looks good from where I sit.

Ya don't gotta build fast just steady it'll get done when it gets done.

 

Do the blower...you will LOVE it.

57Poncho. Yes, I built those headers. I use a box of misc bends from Speedway and just make em however I need. Holler at Groucho, he converted a set for his shoebox, they looked killer.

-Abone.

 

Benno, the motor placement was on purpose, weight transfer is what it's all about...the plugs will be easy to change after I hinge the front clip...

 

Ben, those engine compartments are really deep. My first car was a '40 Plymouth coupe that had a 283 in it (built by a guy in Raytown back in '76...I bought it in '78) and I remember having to lean WAY in to reach the carb, and decided that it was easier coming in from the bottom for the plugs. Cool car.

(I sold mine to the crew chief of our funny car back in 2002 so's I could make house payments and it's still sitting next to his garage in Topeka.)

 

yea, my dad has a small block Mopar in his 40 Dodge, it sits real low too.

 

I as just rattlin youyr chain bro seein' if you were awake.
I just came back from jugglin' the B/RB around in the Stude. Had to lift it another inch for oil pump clearance, looks like my crank center is going to be around 20" before all is said and done. Makes 'em a little hard to stop but it should lean back on its haunches real well.Anyway back to yours, it rocks bro. I wouldn't wast a lot of time makin' it show perfect, you have real potential with that mill make it stout and loud and have a good time with it.
Nitro I'd like to see you get that old coupe back. You no doubt have seen the Dodge ( I think) from up around St Jo with the Big Block MOPAR in it?

 

Today I finally removed the rear bumper and trimmed the bottoms of the rear fenders to match the decklid edge, relocated my rear leaf spring shackles and made a new 2"x2" frame crossmember that went between the bumper brackets, the original was torn by someone hooking a chain to it...the new crossmember has been drilled with 92 1" holes to lighten it...

 

sweet car! looks awesome. ya you dnt see many early plymouths built as gassers such as yours and mine. awesome man. p.s lik the motor. my car is a 1937 plymouth so ya not much of a diff. happen to have any spare gasser parts?

 

I got a complete '30's mopar round tube axle, some Cragar SST's that've seen better days and maybe a few other odds and ends like a ratchet shifter, etc.

 

Well, after watching Shakey Puddin on tv twice today it was just the right kick in the pants I needed to get back to work on this monster...today I mounted my brake pedal/master cylinder assembly, fabbed up a trans mount and got that bolted in, removed the front sheetmetal and started planning how to put the steering box in...whew...

 

That car would be bad ass with a tunnelramed 440 in it
that just my opinion Ron....

 

It'll be even badder than that with a blown Poncho motor and a 4 speed...that will never happen, but someday it will be injected and probably run methanol...

 

Well, maybe today won't go as well as planned...I just spent the past hour filling out job applications online...I can't seem to find ANY work in this area, and I can't afford to move...what a sucky day...maybe doing some cutting and welding on the '40 will cheer me up...anyone wanna come over and watch me do as little as possible?