Hi folks. I'm in rural Arkansas, and am taking care of my great grandmothers 55 Dodge custom Royal for my mother. It is totally original. We have no mechanics near by that know a lot about this thing, and it is "250 dollaring" me to death just to keep it running. Mom would like to make it as reliable as a daily driver. What suggestions are out there? Can the red ram be converted to EFI? She has even asked about pickling the original engine, and having a modern 318 installed, and converting the car to 12V. Any help is appreciated. Outward appearance of the car is showroom beautiful condition, inside and out, but it just doesn't like to stay running. We take it and get it repaired, and two days later it won't start again. It's gotten old loading it on a trailer every ten days to take it to our local guy. Thanks in advance. -BW-
It's an old car.....a beautiful old car.....it is traditional. You are worried about $250 per repair event.....but you want to spend big $$$$$$$ to convert to EFI ??? Find a good mechanic who understands traditional vehicles and can effectively work on them and get the vehicle running dependably and reliably. I ran a Dodge 241 engine in a stock car in 1964 and have built/tuned several 270 Dodges later in life (and I am a diehard Chev smallblock guy). This is not rocket science.
Find a good mechanic, keep looking they are out there. You won't find them at anyplace convenient like Conrad's, wall art, ntb, and such. Ask around at old car events of other old car owners.
Thanks for the reply. We're interested in any and all fixes. I'm on year 10 of trying to find someone fairly local. They are a dying breed around here. Ultimately I'd rather take it somewhere and have it completely gone through I guess. Money isn't an issue, but the only local mechanic just keeps putting band aids in her, and she needs minor surgery lol
A little history on it: My great grandmother bought it new in '55. Interior is black and white, but she ordered it (I believe) with a pink headliner. It has 76,000 miles on it. She stopped driving in 1968, and it was parked inside my grandfathers farm shop, placed on Jack stands, and covered with a sheet, where it remained until 1989. It was then taken and buffed and the drivetrain freshened up, and it ran and drive fine until my grandfathers health declined and it sat in the shop again from '96 until '06. Since then, I have been fighting tooth and nail to keep it going. Fuel system issues mainly. Pump was bad, then lines were clogged, then accelerator pump came apart, then tank issues, etc. grandparents are no longer with us, and mom really loves to take it to town every couple days. When we can get it to start
Send it here then. I'll go thru all mechanicals top to bottom. 12 volt no problem, aftermarket TBI style EFI no problem. That was easy.
"Money isn't an issue".......that's why you can't get your car fixed. When you signal that you are willing to throw $$$$ at a minor problem, people are more than willing to take your $$$$ since it is not an issue. Start being an informed consumer and demanding that you get results for your $$$$. Fuel issues......clean the tank.....flush the lines.....install an inline filter.....overhaul/clean the carb. Problem solved. Just look at it as data coming into a network and needing a server to distribute it to users (the 8 cylinders of your hemi) ......what would you do in your everyday life ??? Think about it.
What tractorguy said. I have brought a few cars back from the grave, and for every one of them I would drop the tank and make sure there is no gunk in it, and every rubber line between tank and carb is replaced with new hose. It's really not that hard. Then I dump the points for a Pertronix unit. Sorry, but I do.
Even if you put a whole new fuel system in you can't let them sit much. Today's gasoline and ethanol doesn't hold up well. I bought a chainsaw recently that stated in the manual to "not use fuel more than three weeks old". Even if Mom takes it to town every couple of days, how long does a tank of gas last? Don't answer that, just think about it.
Bad gas will ruin brand new fuel system parts pronto. There are kits to convert it to electronic ignition.
The prior posts are correct.......start at the fuel tank and work forward. Also, they are correct about the fuel we deal with is lethal to the fuel system components when not used up rapidly. The fuel preservatives, like Stabil, do help and should be used in your Mom's Dodge regularly. Further, the use of NON-ETHANOL unleaded gas will help considerably. Locally, Wal-Mart sells non-ethanol fuel. Since Wal-Mart is everywhere, you might check out your local store and see if they have it there. If you start with a totally clean fuel system, put fuel in the tank in smaller amounts so it gets used up relatively quickly and/or drive the car regularly, it should perform just fine. As nice as that car looks, it deserves first cl*** treatment....it is a beauty.....tinted gl*** and all.....was no doubt a high line car when new and is now! Ray
Whenever you start driving an old car regularly after it's sat for awhile you can expect a steady flow of things going wrong, and that's it. This car is a prime example, it was used normally until '68 then parked. Fiddled with in '89 then parked until '06 when it's been fiddled with and driven occasionally. If you think about it, just about every thin rubber seal, every gasket, every rubber bushing, every hose, brake component, vacuum tube, every wire and every electrical component's insulation is degrading, etc, etc. is all now 62 years old (or as old as when it was replaced ). The rings in the motor are more brittle, the seals everywhere are hardening. Even when a nice old original car runs and drives great, as it's used, this stuff just naturally starts to fail, and will consistently cost you $300 at a time ( then $3k and $4k when motors and ******s go), until it might even out a little when you've hit the $10k or $15k mark, that's when most systems will be rebuilt. And then a lot of aftermarket parts **** so you can easily expect to do everything twice, really. Most people on HAMB consider fixing these old cars their hobby and look forward to working on them, so we consider the above a "positive". It's usually pennies on the dollar because we are just paying for parts, not labor. We like the process of learning and doing it ourselves. Some people here do it for a living. Most of our cars spend long times hibernating, waiting to be fixed. When my car dies on the side of the road I get excited, and figuring out how to get it going is fun to me. I try to explain this a lot to friends who like the "idea" of owning an old car and want to buy one, they think it's like buying a more interesting Honda, but it's just not. I'm not saying that you shouldn't keep your grandma's car, but it sounds like you need to adjust expectations. Even if you find a good mechanic, he can't magically fix everything at once, this stuff keeps happening at a steady trickle so you will be seeing him a lot. The "journey" is the interesting part, for us, actually driving around is just icing on the cake. Imho
Being a newby to the HAMB,you have done what MOST newbies do...Where are you located???Rural Arkansas?All Arkansas is rural..Some member here may live I mile from you and never know you need help..For God sake,put your location on your profile page...and STOP taking it to the mechanic that has you on a yo-yo string..HAMB members are very helpful folks given the chance
A good fuel and ignition system is key to keeping our cars running. If a new tank is available, buy one and if you're handy and have tools, its not a tough job. Some radiator shops used to clean them, but those are becoming fewer. Then comes the issue of the float and sending unit in the 60 year old tank. I like to add a filter between the tank and fuel pump, I have some old Holley units that I can drop the element out of, a plastic one would do, keep it away from heat and I do not like them under the hood. Will the car take a Holley carburetor? I like to use them since I'm familiar with them and parts are always around. I also agree on the Pertronix conversion for the distributor, you'll always have a good spark and they're very reliable. Lastly, the car needs to be driven more. If you are close by, you could take it for a spin a few times a week. Maybe someone here could find a good local shop for you to take it to.
Bringing an old car back is in many ways similar to turning the water back on in an old house. You turn the water on and the biggest leaks show up first. You shut the water off and fix those then turn the water back on. At that point the next series of leaks show up and those are fixed. The water is turned back on and the drips and leaks are tackled. Before long the entire system is leak free and now finally under full pressure. Then the old pipes burst. At this point it's realized that the entire system could have been replaced easier and cheaper.
Might be a wise idea to see if any Hambers would take a paid trip out (hotel/food) and fix it correctly if it's been too long and hard to find someone. Do it once, maybe twice, but not over and over. Might cost a bit, but over and over seems to be costing you more. Just an idea.
At the very least I'd hook up electric pump to recirculate the fuel in the tank through a good filter for a few hours to hopefully catch the bulk of the loose ****ola. Kind of like a dialysis machine.
A detailed list of what has been done might help. I'd agree that the band aid method of repair isn't doing any good though. I agree that if the fuel tank hasn't actually been removed from the car and properly cleaned that is an absolute must to do. Fuel filter in the line between the tank and fuel pump as several suggested. Another must have on old cars as they save fuel pumps. Has the carb been rebuilt and does the choke work properly? I'd expect that your mom drove that car or a number of similar carburetor equipped cars in the past and remembers how to go though the starting process as I figure she is close to my age. I'd still say the best thing is to load it up on the trailer and haul it to a shop that knows the older cars and works on them daily and doesn't consider them a time consuming headache. Then the whole thing can be sorted out at one time and she will have a car that should start and go when she wants it to. Last but not least find a station that sells gas without ethanol in it. Keeping those Nebraska corn farmers rich costs the rest of us in sick running engines.
Brannon, first of all, that car has family history, it looks like a real nice car. It would be well worth it to replace the entire fuel system from tank to carb IF, IF that is the issue. As far as the conversion from 6 to 12 volts, why? Go over the entire system and especially the grounds. When cars sit electrical connections start to oxidize. A small br*** wire brush will clean all the connections. You may need a new battery, but by looking at your picture its a very nice car and worth getting running. Are there any car clubs near you that you can connect with for help? Obviously your "local guy" might not be the person you keep taking your car to. Can you supply a list of what he has been done? For example if he has rebuilt the carb but the tank and lines are full of crud he is wasting your money.
Unless you want to spend $50,000 and ruin the car don't think about installing a different engine, EFI etc. What you have is fine. If you really want EFI, new engine etc just go buy a new car it will be way better and cheaper. Now how to keep your 55 running like new. First thing you need is a factory repair manual. They can be bought off Ebay and from spe******t book sellers for $50 - $100. Worth its weight in gold even if you don't do the work yourself. Today's mechanics have no idea about a car that old. Very few have even dealt with carburetors and non electronic ignition. So, you need the book that has the information you and they need. See if you can find an old gray haired or bald headed mechanic or somebody who is used to working on that kind of car. Are there any antique car clubs, cruise nights or car shows you can go to? Talk to a few owners of cars similar to yours and find out who they recommend. Now the question I should have asked in the first place. How many miles on the car, and has it been maintained regularly over the years? If the answer is 30,000 miles and it has at least had regular oil changes and grease jobs then a good mechanic can have it purring like a kitten. If the answer is 120,000 hard miles with hit or miss maintenance that is a different story. I am familiar with the model and they were a tough well made long living car for their day. If it has not been beat to death or neglected to death it should not be impossible to bring it back to life. But, it may require an investment of time and money. A good mechanic can inspect the car and give you a list of things that need to be done. They don't have to be done all at once but at least you will know what you are up against. And, it will be better and cheaper to fix what you have than to tear everything apart and try to turn it into a 67 Camaro.
If your local mechanic can't get it to run for more than a few days, either he is a bum or you refuse to pay to have it fixed right. I would start with a compression test and oil pressure test. If the rings, valves, and bearings are good then I would take it the engine is good. Now it is time to tune it up and get it running right. If you need everything, meaning rebuilt carburetor, ignition etc this could cost hundreds of dollars. Plus as others have pointed out, if the gas tank is dirty and rusty you are wasting your time until you replace it. If the engine is good, and tune up right, it should start and run like a modern car for at least 1 year. Because it has points ignition it should be checked and adjusted once a year but once the car is straightened out this is an easy and cheap thing to do. If the engine is shot to blazes then it is a waste of time tuning it up. But that is another story.
Not quite $ 50,000 on the EFI upgrade. This unit goes whereever a 4bbl goes and You could put a 318 under this unit and run it on the ground as well as drop it on to the 270 red ram and hide it under an air cleaner. There will be 12 volts and fuel system upgrade to do. Even if you wanted to drop in an ugly *** late model 5.2 with all the OEM electronics and be under full ECM control its not going to be horribly expensive. Could easily do a 5.3 LS swap and have enough left out of the $50,000 to go get the nicest 67 Camaro you can find.
As stated above , a complete go through of everything that goes away with time to make the car 100% pull tank , clean flush / replace all fuel lines and brake lines , all new rubber hoses, including flexible brake hoses, new shoes, rebuild or new brake cylinders and master, new or flush radiator, new fuel pump and water pump, inspect/ replace all suspension wear items, new tires .. Anything with brakefluid, coolant or gas has a chance of corrosion , anything with rubber will decay after time the rest of it is just wearing parts after time from sitting or the 60k previous miles Remember 60k miles is low to us now but 100k was very high back then for a car In the long run it is way cheaper to go through the whole fuel system or the whole brake system than to just replace one defective part as they go out, especially when your paying someone
With a car like that, I would go the full fuel-system swap and do a Petronix upgrade. Might consider the FI setup, but it's just a new "can of Worms", as long as the the rest of the fuel system isn't up to scratch. And more pics would be nice, they will show us if it's well maintained, if the wirering is a rats nest, and the radiator looks like it's about blow. But there is a whole series that should be changed/checked/upgraded before it bites you in the ***; Rubber in brake-system Radiator Hoses to radiator Water pump Ignition Carb Batteri Fuel system Tires And if you want to go totally fail safe, I've seen old firetruck that has two 6v batteries, hooked up so you get more cranking power (12v to 6v starte only works if your ignition/carb is A-okay) for the cold morning, and 6v for the rest of the car. And consider this; www.evanscoolant.com/
Guys......with all due respect. This person is looking for some simple, yet lasting solutions. My personal opinion is that when we start throwing out Petronix.....EFI....electric fuel pumps.....full 12v conversion etc. etc. we are just confusing someone who is already perplexed. If you can't properly find someone to do a very, very simple fuel system cleaning, carb overhaul and tune-up/plugs, points etc., how can you ever begin to know how to modify the fuel and electrical systems. This vehicle is a family heirloom......it loses that status when it's turned into a restomod. Find someone who knows what they are doing......fix the car and drive it.
PLEASE do not let my 61 Dodge hear you say that. the last time I pulled it out of the garage was 3 months ago, and before that was probably a year ago. the freaking battery doesn't even go dead. I have no idea when the last time I put gas in it was.
Lmao - Without any respect at all.... Go read the original post and see who's idea and who's looking for suggestions on what ideas. Get back to me
Yes, thanks for the reality check. I did re-read the post and see that some of those "extreme" ideas were actually brought up in the original post. I will, however stick to the larger point I was trying to make......fixing everything original is not that far out if you find the right person. I was also paying attention to the problem that already exists with the never ending $$$$$. Modern horsepower just helps you find the next weakest link.....trans.....rear end.....brakes. Our country is filled with skilled craftsmen who could bring this vehicle back to a very reliable life in STOCK condition. And our country is filled with skilled craftsmen who could modify it beyond the imagination (and maybe do it on TV!!). I still believe in the less is more philosophy in this case.
Lots of VERY good advice here. Tell us your approximate location. I know a good guy in rural Ark who will help but wont add to your problems. You may be near him
Even if your real rural, the has to be some car shows/rod runs taking place fairly close to you, go to a couple and talk to folks that have cars there, (some of them may be willing to help fix the problem as well.) and let them turn you on to a couple of good/trustful mechanics Then go and talk to one guy and see what he recommends, and if it isn't a through fuel & electrical check, as stated above..... go see the second guy.
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