I supervise a crew on a big construction project in Portland. One of my best laborers got sick, some sort of spinal meningitis, he can barely even walk using a walker. I went to visit him on Saturday at home. Sitting in his driveway is a 1937 Chrysler hump back, been in his family for 60+ years, hasn't run in over 30 years. I checked it out, looks like no significant rust, and pretty much complete. He told me that he was planning to get it running when he retired (he is in his late 50's). I am sure he will not be able to do it on his own, and no chance he can afford to pay someone else to do it. What to do? Get it running & driving for him, (without paint or new interior), so he can take one more ride in it??? Mopar is not my thing, I am not sure what parts are even available for a Chrysler that old (ignition, fuel pump, carb parts, seals, gaskets) I have a pickup, trailer, and big enough garage with tools to do the work... but the project only has about 6 months left, then I will be transferred to another city...
i can tell you that unlees somebody steps up the vehicle will never provide the last ride he desires. my uncle suffered the same illness and it is terrible. unless you organize a 'HAMB SLAM" with some of the locals i would back away without help. great thought though.
don't know how much help i can be with my current schedule, but i am in portland and know a lot of people. let me know if you go for it and need help locating parts, etc.
I'm fairly sure that the venerable Chrysler flathead six was in use in 1937. Good thing about that is, it was available in EVERYTHING from cars to tractors to industrial equipment and is easy to get parts for. They are stone-reliable too, so it shouldn't be a big deal to get it running ***uming there isn't something catastrophic wrong with the engine. I think it would be a nice gesture to do that for a friend. Might really mean a lot to him to know that someone is thinking of him. Probably one of those things you'd really be glad you did later. Good luck-
I'd try to get it running. It doesn't have to be super fancy/expensive. Even if you don't it'd help him mentally at this difficult time.
You can probably get most of the engine stuff you need from EGGE. <CITE sb_id="ms__id99">www.egge.com/</CITE>
Where does the barn find part of the ***le come into play ???? It was sitting in his driveway right? Why does everyone feel the need to have a "barn find" ??? Anyway, i would help him out and get it going for him.
Actually it was sitting outside next to the barn in Montana, they pulled it out because a tree starting to grow into it... I think you aren't really getting the point of the post...
Cool, that is more of the answer I was looking for, I will get a better look at the engine next weekend.
Before you commit get all your ducks in a row. MAKE SURE your help is available and just as committed as you are. If you do it...its a great feeling and I recommend anyone to just do it. You won't regret it...but it needs to work out fast and you need to go in with both eyes open. Local Hambers...give him a hand and you'll never regret it either.
The only thing I can add is to follow the doctor's creed: "First do no harm." What I mean is that you will do him no favors by getting into a situation where you are nowhere close to completion, and are transferred, leaving him with a non-running, partly dis***embled vehicle, and no clue as to what has been done...or not done. I think it's a great idea and a way to help out someone who's been kicked around by life lately. But take a long look at the car, and your personal life, before you make the commitment. Then if you decide to make it....MAKE it. From the sounds of things, you've done a fairly quick ***essment and think it's doable. Go back and take another look...you'll find more things wrong. Take a look at the gas tank, because it surely will need to be pulled and cleaned, at best. Is it going to be a major h***le? Are the straps/brackets unidentifiable m***es of rust? Are the brake lines the same? From the sounds, it's sat outdoors, over bare ground, for years. The underside may be a horrible mess. After you take that second look, think about it again...then decide. I wish you both the best of luck. I believe, as Gotgas said, the flathead six was being used at that point in time, and again it was even used in combines...so if nothing else parts are relatively easy to find.
Understand that there may be other sources...I don't know much about Dodge truck parts....but you could try these guys. It won't be particularly cheap...my guess anyway... http://www.oemgl***.net/index.html Might want to ask this in a thread by itself, rather than in this one.
I work night shift, so I had some time to think about this some more. More questions: 1. Brakes: I ***ume hydraulic, but didn't look. What about the brake shoes? 2. Ignition: I ***ume points, what plugs?
Disregard the years shown, these guys are all Mopar and extemely helpfull http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/index.php
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