Wow, that is a eautiful rare coupe. Hope you get er bought. Looks like a car to keep orig, kind of a sin to hot rod that baby. Best of luck. ~sololobo~
Going over there in an hour to scrutinise it and possibly fall in love a little further. Surely postage wouldn't be too bad from US to UK could be worth it! hopefully the guy hasn't sold it to anyone else, fingers and toes fully crossed!
I pulled the stock motor from my 1931 plymouth,4 cylinder The motor is stuck and about 90% complete I think it has a starter on it .if you cannot find one let me know THATS A COOL RIDE!! It may interchange Joe
For a thousand squid that things a screaming bargain - think what you could get Model A Ford wise for that money - how does nothing work for you?
Hello, I went, I saw, the guy wasn't about! However I did take some pictures as I thought perhaps some of the more experienced of you could identify certain aspects? Either that or just have a look at what I'm planning to get my greasy mitts on! Can you gleen any information from a Serial Number? Or perhaps this number on the engine block? I'm guessing the odometer has been round once already!! Is this stock original parts for the window winders? So its definately going to need ALOT of work, but the ch***is is solid and whoever covered it with ten tonnes of paint has done me a favour because its preserved quite alot of it! I took the Mrs along and now she's sold on it too, BONUS! Cheers all, I really appreciate all your help and time! Dudley
1) That is almost certainly the original mileage. Cars had a shorter life back then. To go over 100,000 miles was almost miraculous and the car would be a lot more worn out. Typical life of a car, 50,000 to 80,000 miles and would have had a motor job or rebuild every 20,000 miles or so. 2) It is in excellent shape and very complete. Buy it and get it under cover NOW. 3) The engine is not original. From the casting number it may be a 1953 model. Positive ID is by the serial number. Look behind the generator, at the left side of the engine block, at the front, at the top of the block. A few inches from the front of the block there will be a raised pad. On it will be the serial number. It will be something like P240000. Give me the number and I will give you the make, model and year of the engine. 4) I don't think it needs much work. If I had it in my garage, 9 chances out of 10 it would be running and driving around in a few days. Don't go tearing things apart. Take it easy and fix one thing at a time. Start by cleaning it up and ***essing what needs to be done. 5) Be sure to ask the seller if he has any extra parts, books, manuals, spare keys etc. Now is the time to get them if they exist. After all what good are they to him once he sells the car? If it is an early 50s Plymouth or Dodge motor you are laughing. They are an excellent motor with modern features like full pressure oiling and insert bearings. No trouble at all going as fast as you ought to in a car that old. The original engine was similar in configuration (flathead straight six) but more "old fashioned" looking, sort of rounder, with updraft carburetor.
Cheers Rusty, I'm not able to get out there now to check as its late evening here but as soon as I do I'll take you up on that offer to ID the engine. Its like I said to my dad after reading your post, if I was keen to restore it, as it was, the fact the engine was different would bother me but seeing as I'm looking to rod it I'll take it as a bonus.
Since the engine is not stock that give you the opportunity to put something better in it. If you were in the US I would say a small block chevy. But I dont know what is available in the UK.
thats a steal, very nice car and hard to find... Great place to start looking for parts is Andy Bernbaum Auto parts. www.oldmoparts.com
It's OFFICIAL!! I am now the proud owner of 1930 Chrysler 66!! Went there this afternoon offered the guy £900 and seeing that it'd go to a good home he duly agreed we shook on it and sorted the log book. I got a picture of the serial on the engine block, see below, so Rusty O'Toole (or anyone able) could you let me know on the background of the engine? Looks like P2411316? Its a very exciting time, I just wanna get it goin and cruise the streets!
I'd seriously advise you to restore that car. It looks like a very solid base and would be easier to restore than to hotrod and worth a lot more money when finished. Restored that's worth 30.000. The later Mopar motor is all it needs to make it enjoyable. You stole that car - was worth 6 grand any day. Don't worry about shipping. Log on to www.bongous.com and subscribe for $15 a month. Send all parts you order in the US to them and then they consolidate your orders and forward them by air to you for about half what it would normally cost. I use them about twice a month. That car looks very complete and will be a pleasure to restore. Don't rod it, it's not a Ford so won't fetch a premium when rodded. Ed
Nice one mate. What's your plan for this ? Restore ? chop and drop ? Looks like a nice complete car. If only the starter is missing i'd be tempted to restore it and sell it to Beaulieu afterwards
P24= 1953 Plymouth, 218 cu in or 3.5 liters.100HP developed, 27.34HP taxable by AMA rating. This is a very good engine, no need to think of changing it. Too bad the old engine is not with the car. Measure the length of the engine at the cylinder head. There are 2 different Plymouth engines, US made is 23" long, Canadian made is 25" long. I don't think that car should be hot rodded or restored. It should be preserved. Just one opinion.
That is the starter motor standing in front of it. If I lived on your side of the pond I would think that a starter motor would be the least of your problems with an old car.
Good score! I think you stole it at that price. Great, now I have another thread to watch. Congrats man!
You Mr. Dudford are a thief - you absolutely stole that car! There should be some speed equipment available for that engine - Eddie Edmunds produced some and you're in luck - Earl Edgerton has some trick stuff for those engines www.edgyspeedshop.com Here's a couple of appetizers from his website - do this and you'll have one cool and valuable ride....
Now those bits would look puckin' amazing! Great shout thanks. I had a fairly extensive look at it today after I bought it/stole it... whichever, the engine is obviously not stock as others have so kindly pointed out on here (gra***ude for your help all) and to add to that the guy who imported this from the US in 1990 whom i bought it off used to work for Rolls Royce and has put a Rolls Royce steering box and column in (see bottom left of picture below) So with these few mods in place I think i'm leaning toward some modification but then preserving it to some degree, who knows its early days isn't it. I'm sure you'll all inspire me as well with ideas, which is great and i would like! So pile on your ideas, i can take it... Dudley
CONGRATS!!!! You just got a great deal on that!! In my opinion, the 218 is a better deal than the original anyway. I say get it running and put some of the cool, little speed parts on it. Keep it all MOPAR. Short of someting major, I'll bet you can get it going without much effort. I've had a handful of early to late 40's Plymouths and always just ran the stock motor except for one 48 business coupe that I put a 283 in. Kind of wish i would have just warmed up the stock motor. Great find and have fun!! Keep us posted!!!!
The serial number that you show means the car is actually a 1930 Chrysler CJ6. Here are the serial number notes...read the very bottom of the second paragraph.
Whatever you do, don't write off the flathead six without a fair trial. A 100HP engine in a light car is a sweet ride. Too much HP in a ch***is that old, is unsafe and not much fun. The flathead six in good fettle is a smooth powerful motor with bags of torque where you need it. All parts are available at reasonable prices by mail from the US. Thousands are still in service around the world in cars, trucks, agricultural and industrial applications and boats. In addition to the good engine Chryslers all came with hydraulic brakes no matter how old. If the FO installed Rolls Royce steering I can't imagine what kind of brakes it has now but should be interesting. Did you ask the seller what happened to the starter? If someone took it off for a rebuild it might be on the shelf at a local auto electric shop. You never know your luck. I see the distributor has been removed too. Ask them for whatever parts and books they can dig up.
I agree with das858 keep it Mopar powered, its only right. By the way das858 I grew up in Raymond Nebraska in the 60,s. I sure miss that little town.