Projects 49 Plymouth Business Coupe update

Lots done today. I got the rest of the stuff Im not using stripped off the motor. The plan is to go without A/C or PS. It looks like it will work fine, I'm just going to have to make a bracket for the alternator that will adjust the belt. The belt tensioner was part of the PS bracket so no good there. I had to grind a litte notch on the inside of the five speed bellhousing so that it would bolt up to the motor but it was a piece of cake after that. So I've got it sitting between the rails and its got a few issues to work with but nothing too drastic. It's going to need a little firewall surgery so that the motor will go back a few more inches. Right now the oil filter will hit the steering box. I may try to come up with something to relocate the filter altogether; got to do some thinking on how to accomplish that. Shifter placement looks good, np problems there. The tie rod is dead center on the oil pan so the pan may need some notching, and it looks like custom headers will have to be built. Im going to try and alter a set of factory 3.8 Mustang headers and see how that works. Fun stuff, though.

 

This is looking better; I cut out part of the firewall to move the motor back. I'll box it in once everytning is where is going to stay. I took the oil cooler off and I could just screw a filter there and be ok, but I think Im going to use a remote mount so as not to have the oil filter right above the starter. Drivers side wiill definitely need some fabrication on the header. This is right where I want it to sit so now it's time to build motor and trans mounts and figure out how the oil pan will have to be cut for tie rod clearance.

 

I really like where you're taking this project, kudos to you! Impressive work!

 

Yeh, some of us "old falconvan build watchers" are still around following his progress !!! Go falconvan, go !!!! C***, alias littlemo...

 

Awesome progress!!! Great job.I like the way it's coming out.

 

The 3.8 mustang headers will work but will require modifications....

 

Yeah, I saw a guy put one of these motors in a Mustang and had to rework the flanges to make the headers work. Luckily he took a bunch of pictures so I'm hoping it'll get me in the right direction.
BTW, I was looking at the pics of your 49 Poncho, that thing is gorgeous!

 

Can you buy some space by doin the Cavalier R&P conversion?

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It's a sound idea and I thought about it but all of the steering componants are new and tight so Im planning on sticking with the original. The car drove really nice as it was.

 

I hear ya...if my box wasnt shot I probably wouldn't even consider it. Im actually looking for a manual R&P...cost twice as much as a power!

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Be sure to check the rack travel. Had a friend put one on a 49 Buick, it had a big turning radius. He made longer steering arms to fix this.

 

Shorter steering arms would be needed to solve that.

 

My bad, I know something had to be changed. Thanks for the correction.

 

I did the Cavalier rack on my 48 but havent got to try it yet. I dont get why the manual rack is twice the price, either. Some of the Pontiac versions had manual steering so you'd think it'd be the same price.

 

said the guy who got here in 2012......

He's keeping old iron on the road for ****s sake!

 

I need some advice; I was planning on going with a hanging pedal ***embly but the more I look at it I hate to fix what isnt broke. It has a nice new underfloor conversion with a dual MC for the brakes. Is there any problem on a hydraulic clutch with having both the pedal cylinder and the slave cylinder at the same level and just running a remote resevior? I dont want the fluid from the slave to run back to the pedal cylinder and cause problems. If I can make it work I'll just make an adjustable bracket for the pedal cylinder to mount up to the underfloor clutch pedal. Any thoughts?

 

I believe I've seen that done before...I don't see why that would be a problem! But what the hell do I know!

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If A/C might ever be in the plans, now is the time to plan for it. You don't have to install the compressor etc but keep the brackets and figure out where it might sit. Hot summer days have been known to make the "no air conditioning" plans change, especially in dark colored cars.

 

I don’t know,..... but it’s going to be tough to bleed, a hydraulic clutch system does not use a residual check valve so the fluid (or the air usually) gets trapped in one location and the air will just move back and forth, ........unless you can pressure bleed it?

 

A/C looks like a no go as far as stock compressor location; but no biggie. I can take it or leave it.

I think I figure out a way to put the clutch cylinder about 4" higher than the slave using the under floor pedals. More to come on that.

Got motor mounts built today; not the prettiest things but it's solid and level. Once I grind a few ****py welds and throw some paint on them, they should be fine. For insulators I used the rubber biscuits that were the trans mounts for the flathead; worked out great. Tomorrow I'll build a crossmember for the trans and then the drivetrain will be self supporting.

 

Slow down...your makinge feel lazy...er

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Nope; get er done! Finished the crossmember and got it back on its feet tonight. Now I have to notch the oil pan for tie rod clearance, build some headers, and figure out how to mount the clutch cylinder.

 

Looking good!

 

Is that how you made your trans crossmember on your other cars? Mine is made the exact same way and its got some twist to it now. Im going to run another piece of square stock from the frame rails back at a 45 to the crossmember to reinforce it?

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Pretty much although the last one the trans mount sat right on the crossmember and this one I had to put a mounting pad to move it back. I may have to do another brace; we'll see once it gets moving.

 

This was much easier than I thought; one wedge cut and the steering clears fine. No internal interference as far as oil pump pickup or dipstick; all I have to do is find someone that welds aluminum to patch in the notch for me. On another + note; it's really clean inside and looks like it was well taken care of.

 

I have floor mtd pedals, power brakes and hyd clutch with a remote cylinder and there is no problem and was easy to bleed

 

That's great news, Bert. Dennis did a nice job on the brake setup so I hate to change it. I'll just have to see if the MC he used will work with 4 wheel disc.

 

While Im waiting to get my header flanges back from the water jet guy I decided to address the fuel supply. Both the SHO tank and the Plymouth tank are the same depth so to simplify things Im just going to transplant the fuel pump from the SHO tank and fit it with the Plymouth sending unit. I'll also put this baffle from the SHO tank in the bottom. Today I took the SHO fuel filler with the overflow line and shorted it up so it will fit the Plymouth tank location; and I'll change the tank inlet to match the size.

 

Looking good!

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