i found a '57 Plymouth wagon....

Here's your small block, trans and rear.
http://medford.craigslist.org/cto/1342127866.html

Here's your more complete car for 1500
http://medford.craigslist.org/cto/1342422113.html

 

That van wouldnt be a bad plan but I have nowhere to stuff that sumbitch!!!!

 

Well, if you don't have room and don't have money, I hope desire burns deep!
Vans are locking mobile storage units too!

 

Well, Ive been looking into un-siezing a siezed motor.... it sounds fairly simple but can someone explain to me in detail how you fill the cylinders with PB, marvel, diesel etc... do you do it through the spark plug holes or take off the heads and fill through the top--- or both....

 

I have wanted a '57-'58 plymouth my whole life (or at least as long as I can remember). Especially a Belvedere 2 door hardtop. I'm extremely jealous however. That wagon is just pure BAD-ASS!! Doesn't matter what you do to that car cosmetically because they just look fuckin' mean from the factory. LOVE 'EM!!!

BUT-please please please.....for the love of GOD!!! Figure out how to put a Mopar powerplant in that thing. 318, 383, 361, 440.....a goddamn slant 6! Just keep that cool old Mopar...Mopar. It's what makes the car so cool to begin with.

 

Who says the trans is just a core now. They were hard core. I bet the trans is good, inless it was the reason the car was parked in the first place. The early poly 318,s there is still alot of cool intakes out there for them 2x4s 3x2,s 4 singles barrels etc i would suggest if you dont mind? pull the plugs put in some kerosen and trans fluid. every once in a while put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and give it a pull while you do other thingsto the car.99% sure the trans is good.

 

I'm with this silver-tounge dude all the way.

Keep the Mopar spirit in the ol' girl.

 

Alright guys, thanks for the kind words, the car will definitely stay all mopar at all costs. Im going to do what I can to save the OG motor

 

I don't think that's what Arnie would have done.

 

Dude, this isn't all about you.

 

Good point. Posts deleted. To the original poster, let me know if you're looking for anything, I have a line on most parts you may need except interior parts, which have proven next to impossible to locate.

 

Just depends where you look!

 

Where it'll probably need a rebuild, put it on a stand. Take off heads & drop the crank, pop em out.

 

I've read this whole thread...and it looks like "Stait-Edge" is still on the fence...

I'm no Mopar expert by any means...but it looks like there's plenty of guys here that would take that wagon off your hands, for a slight profit to you, should you happen to purchase it...

IF you have no means to keep it or build it, let someone else have it that will put it back on the street and KEEP it all Mopar...I sure as hell wouldn't have let this "I'm gonna buy it, no I'm not" go on for weeks...I'da owned that sucker in a matter of hours...!!!

My 13 cents worth...and you can keep the change...maybe it'll help with the purchase...

R-

 

You are kidding...aren't you? Please, tell us you're kidding! Please...?

 

That's why it says J/K... JOKE.

 

Man, if you were closer, I would GIVE you a 318 with a 904 tranny...
r

 

Thanks for the offer gotgas, Ill be sure to get a hold of you and you too rodhotz.... as for everyone else, Im getting the car, Im just waiting for the owner now.... as for the flat black comment, yes I was definitely kidding dont worry guys Ill treat this car right. Damn Raven, I wish I was closer!!!!!!

 

Just some images to let you dream
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/58-P...cks?hash=item518c407291&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

 

Thanks for the link brotha.... Nice car, but 4 doors???? Come on!!!! LMAO

 

Hey I have a four door wagon !!! So did you buy this yet ?

 

as soon as the guy gets back to me I am, no worries. Just playing the waiting game...

 

just another update, I went out and inspected it again to keep me interested in it.... I peeled up the rubber mat crap and poked around the floor, the fronts nice and stiff, the rear seat area is a little soft; also, there is no carb and the top of the dizzy is missing and its full of crap. What would you guys think about getting an engine from a wrecking yard or something??? Have any of you ever done it???.. One thing, I would have never guessed that these cars use lug bolts instead of lug nuts... hey gotgas, did you change to studs and nuts??? Where did you get the "kit" to do em???

 

Don't forget ! left and right hand threads on those lug bolts. My 59 uses the same set up. When I put the chrome reverse on I used the stock lug bolts. I found by pure accident, Volvo sells a chrome cap for lug nuts or bolts for some of there wheels. I ordered two sets, and they slip right over the head of my lug bolts and fit tight. One guy even asked were I got the lug bolts one time.They look great and are a inexpensive alternative. Here is the Volvo part Number 9139853, even comes with tweezer tool to remove them !

 

I dont want to reuse the bolts, seeing as how theres only 2 per rim... I know with wide 5 VWs they sell stud kits so you dont hafta use the bolts....

 

The disc brakes I have came as a conversion from AAJ. I bought their caliper brackets, bearing races, and instructions and bought all the other parts locally. It uses '70s GM Monte Carlo-type calipers and the rotors are stock replacement early 70s B-body Mopar rotors. http://www.aajbrakes.com/

My '57 wagon used the lug bolts all around (L and R hand of course) but my '57 Chrysler uses studs and lug nuts. We've covered the lug bolts/nuts before on the forwardlook site, but can't really come up with any definitive answer on which cars used them and when each make / factory cut over. In fact, I think we determined that there were no cars beyond '58 using lug bolts, but rob-redm's car blows that theory away. It's really weird.

 

If you change the rear to studs you will have to pull the rear drums and that will be another adventure for ya! you need to drill past the threads so the serations on the stud will bite into the hub. then you need to find studs with the right length and size shoulder to fit.

 

Yes, you could get complete, but consider the rarity. Why have what everyone else has, when you can get something totally different and probably worth the money to put into...if you have the desire!

 

To eliminate the rear lug bolts, put another rearend in the car. You pretty much have to because of the tapered axles, the drums press-fit to them and are a nightmare to remove. This was one of Chrysler's not really better ideas, and outdated by the late '50s design-wise. Not that it's bad or anything, just hard to work with.


The front should be easier, if running stock brakes you just have to swap the hubs for a 58 or 59 Plymouth/Dodge that already has studs. Or get a disc brake kit and go to entirely different hubs.

But you can get more lug bolts, if that's the problem.

I have to think I'd try to find if there's a later Mopar that the rearend will bolt into this car easily, that comes with a V8 and auto trans, and try and buy a $500 running beater of that particular type of car, use it to donate the motor, trans and rear, and part out the rest of it. Done right you can come out even money or possibly make a profit on it. Just as an example, a few years back I picked up a 2wd Ramcharger for the whopping sum of $50, and used it for a daily driver for a couple of months. With a 360 no less.

 

Ok so my options are, change to disc brakes, swap the rear end, try to change to studs, or get new lug bolts.... it looks to me like keeping the lug bolts is the way to go. You can get lh/rh threaded ones at a local parts store right???