41 Plymouth SB Mopar Engine Swap

I've got the body undercoated and the trunk area. It's not worth posting pictures of undercoat.

I've got to strip the chassis down this weekend and paint all the areas that I burned the paint off of - so nothing new there.

I did mock up a gauge panel but I'm not ready to show it off yet.

Also, I've bead blasted a bunch of pieces but I haven't painted them yet. Again, not worth posting pictures of. Also, I build a battery box/mount last weekend.

It seems I've been bouncing around a bit. I hope to put the body back on the chassis Labor Day weekend.

 

Howdy, Looking good
Do you have any pic's of the front sway bar installed?

I sure do enjoy fallowing this thread.
Thanks
MobilDave

 

It's funny how you do all these things that need to get done, but then you look at the project and it doesn't seem like you're making progress.

I'm around labor day weekend...let me know if you need a hand putting the body back on the frame.

 

I'll post some pics of the sway bar installed in a few weeks. I mocked it up and then took it off. No pics.

Dan, Thanks for the offer. I'll give you a call if I can't we'd you. Both of my boys should be home that weekend.

 

I'll post some pics of the sway bar installed in a few weeks. I mocked it up and then took it off. No pics.

Dan, Thanks for the offer. I'll give you a call if I can't we'd you. Both of my boys should be home that weekend.

 

Painting chassis pieces this weekend. Uuuuggghhh. Did I mention I hate painting?

 

Ok. I worked hard yesterday and today. Yesterday, I re-assembled all the painted pieces onto my chassis. Today, I put the body back on - by myself - in about 2 hours. Most of that time was dismantling the roller hoops that allow me to turn the body over. Here are some pictures.

I only had one issue. My rearmost muffler mounts will not work and I had to cut them off. I'll have to figure out another mount after I get the exhaust on. That will come later.

Now, I will get down to body work and start removing bondo and lead and straightening smoothing some of the areas that need help before paint. Also, I have to fit all the panels and latches and etc, etc.

It's like eating an elephant. You do it one bite at a time.

 

Part 2.

 

Wow you sure must feel great about how it's all coming together...

MobilDave

 

Great to see everything is coming together! All the hard work is slowly starting to pay off, it must be very satisfying to see you've come this far. I think you're right, patience is the key. Great work, Rock.

 

can you make me one ??that looks awasome

 

One what? Exhaust system? No.

Thanks, Guys! Yes, it feels good to start bolting stuff on and making it look like a car again. It also is nice to have all that shop space freed up. A chassis plus a body on the roller take up a lot of room!

 

no just the short piece on the drivers side comming from the manafold. I also love the hangers you used looks awesome any gas tank issues with the pipes ?

 

Yes. I hung the tank yesterday and I'm going to have to do some serious headscratching to figure out how to do the pipes. I may have to just turn them out behind the wheels but the leaf springs complicate that, too.

That "short piece" was a real female dawg to figure out. I tacked it up several times before I got it just right for my car. It was build around all the other stuff that is situated there. If I was going to start over, I'd seriously consider another transmission that had the starter on the passenger side. It sure would free up some space.

 

I wonder if you could move the gas tank more towards the center of the trunk without any complications with the fill tube? lookin good rockable, I like your body stand, thats pretty slick. Did you build it?

 

Looks great! hope my 50 looks that good when I shoe-horn in the 440

 

I could have moved it If I had re-engineered the trunk. It's too late now. I'll think of that next time. This is my first hot rod build.

I did build the roller. Here are where you get the plans. I wouldn't do a car that comes off the frame without it.
http://redwingsteelworksplans.com/buy-plans/

 

Thanks for the link. I have the trunk floor in my dodge cut out right now. I'll have to do some mockups to see what will work. I wonder what is deemed a safe distance from exhaust to fuel tank?

 

I don't know but I would think 1" would be more than adequate. By the time the exhaust gets back there, it's cooled considerably. That's my .02 dollars worth, anyway.

 

1/2" clearance between the exhaust and the gas tank is plenty. You need enough clearance it won't rattle and drive you crazy. There is not enough heat left in the exhaust to have any effect on a steel tank or the gas inside. The effects of exhaust heat on fuel lines (even steel lines) is a different story, its best to have as much clearance as possible between the exhaust and fuel lines. Exhaust heated fuel lines causes vapor lock. Gene

 

No pictures this weekend. I did a lot of head scratching and some college football watching. Despite all that, I felt really good about the outcome of what little I did accomplish.

I have been really concerned about how I was going to route my exhaust. A buddy, Randall Yow, came over this afternoon. I had the gas tank installed in the original location and was commenting on the problem I was going to have routing my exhaust. He said, "Why don't you just move the tank over about 3"?" I said, "Because the sending unit comes out over this hole." He said, "Well, move the hole over 3"." DUH!!

Long story short, I did some checking and sure enough I can make this work. After at test fit, I got out the die grinder with the cutoff disc and opened up the hole into a rectangle. I'll have to make a new cover but it's an easy piece to make. I now have about 4" of space down the left side of the tank that will allow me to have my exhausts symmetrical and run out the rear. Just what I wanted.

I also mounted my fuel pump and routed the plumbing to it. I put the fuel pump on the PS and am running the plumbing down that side. This is opposite from the OE side but away from the brakes, clutch, etc. This also happens to be the side the carb connection is on.

I'll post some pictures next weekend.

 

I can imagine you're happy. Some solutions are that simple. Some of us (me included) often overlook things, complicating the process. Nice one Rock!

 

Make sure you post that over on the p15 site for all us smart guys who have been bitching about how to squeeze the dual exhaust past the stock located tank!

 

Will do! Thanks, Guys!

 

Thats good to hear. At least you won't have to extend the filler tube alot.

 

I understand how you want symetrical duals out the back. The filler tube will be a small issue, but you can fix that too.
I decided that my lil 318 would breathe just fine thru a single, so that's how I went.
Will look closer to stock too!

 

Great weekend! My football team won, beating Auburn! Go Tigers!!!!!!

And..........I got the rest of my exhaust fitted up. It really wasn't that hard..........or I'm getting better at this. The exhaust exits symmetrically on each side. The DS has to be trimmed a couple inches after I remove it. I have about an inch clearance all the way around it in the tight areas.

Here are pictures that show the DS. I'll post PS pictures, too.

 

The PS is tacked up. All I have to do is remove it, weld it and grind the welds. All in all, I'm really happy with the way this turned out. I'll probably put some SS or Chrome tips on them to finish it off.

The Walker band clamps work well for this because they allow you to twist the exhaust a little when you need to. You also can cheat the length a little, too. I'm pretty glad I decided to use these.

Also, I used the Red Snapper type mounts for my exhausts. I've still got to add another one between the rear axle and the rear of the muffler but that's a piece of cake.

 

It's not easy, so you're getting better at this! Looking good Rock.

 

Thanks, Eric! My productivity will slow some now that football season is here.