Projects Updates on my 33 Plymouth PD Coupe Build

It feels good to have made my goal of taking the '33 to Bonneville. Car worked well. REALLY stiff suspension. Needs softer rear shocks and maybe 1 leaf out of the front spring. Car goes dead straight at any speed. Brakes work quite well. Nothing broke or fell off. Gotta make and install some deadbolts for the suicide doors. Exhaust is a little low but I think it sounds killer.

Salt was amazing this year. Didn't even stick to the tires. Couldn't get enough salt on the car to even prove I had been out there. I did pull off the road to look at a '20's Dodge roadster pickup hotrod and when I pulled back up outta there crap started flying everywhere! Nasty sticky potash crap I guess, not sure why it was wet on the "ramp" back onto the pavement but that was the worst I got. Rinsed it off at home, then up on the lift and it was very clean underneath. Hosed it off just to got the road dust off.

Here are a few pics at Bonneville 2021. You can see the potash mud spots on the sides.

Was happy to see they put up a new Bonneville sign after some asshat stole the last, new one. This one looks pretty secure, hopefully.

Dave

 

Great job Dave! The coupe looks just right.

 

Thank you!

Dave

 

You're welcome! And thank you.

Dave

 

Who did your motor?

 

Hey Dave, did you have any problems with the pushrods after shaving your heads?

 

I hate you......look at me, look at me, my car was on the salt, salt was great this year......uh huh, just my luck, stuck here in canuckland, not allowed to cross into america. Seriously, car looks great, proportions are perfect, the style I like, glad it went well. Next year.....sigh.....

 

@dart4forte , I did the work myself other than machine shop shaving the heads and my son in law does my valves and seats with the valve grinder setup I gave him for Christmas. I measured the original steel shim head gaskets and measured the Best brand gaskets, then had them take .020 off the heads. He did the thicker head 1st, then cut the 2nd one to match. Engine is just a used stock '52 New Yorker 331 extended bell with 1954 331 Heads and intake. Non adjustable rockers. Lifters would clatter with original heads and everything. Sill the same after all the changes. In hind sight, I should have rebuilt the engine but.... it has rust pin holes in the lower block from setting for many years without liquid in it. Had antifreeze when it was drained in 1992 but it still rusted. Bars leak handles the problem so far. I've decided to run it as is and look for another engine down the road. I am hoping it clears up the lifter issue by using it and keep flushing clean oil through it but not holding my breath. Doesn't clatter at 1st but does after driving. Great oil pressure. I'll pretend it has solid lifters!!

Dave

@trollst , what can I say? I would have welcomed you in if it was up to me. Thanks for the positive comments! See ya next year.

 

Dave

I have the same lifter clatter with my 330. I’m using the 340 lifters. We’ve determined that the problem is the oil band. The 340 lifters has a wider band located lower on the lifter body. The OE Hemi lifter has a narrow band located near the top of the lifter.

when I start the motor my lifters clatter but after a few minutes they stop. The different oil band is not letting the lifter to fully pump up. If I drive my PU THE LIFTERS PRETTY MUCH STAY PUMPED UP HOWEVER IF I sit for a period of time they bleed down.

I’ve located several sets of used OE lifters which I sent to Oregon Cam Grinders to have them refurbished. I’m current gathering parts for a 241 which I will exchange with the 330.

John

By the way, cool ride

 

@dart4forte , mine is just the opposite. Good at startup but clatters after driving. Keep hoping mine are just gunked up.

Dave

 

Really? My kid's family just went to Canaduh on Monday, no problems.

 

I think they are allowing us to go there but we are not allowing them here, something about NAFTA maybe? Dave, have you tried Marvel Mystery in the oil? It has cleaned hydraulic lifters for me.

 

I’m finding these hemis have these little quirks. Probably something simple. Second on the Marvel Mystery oil

 

@noboD and @dart4forte , yes, I have tried Marvel, Seafoam, ATF, VOODOO, thick oil, thin oil, you name it. 50w oil seems to be best so far. I will keep changing oil and flushing it. It's mostly done for this season except when ideas pop in my head. Getting things ready for the trip to Springfield MO for the '40 Ford meet Sept 24-25. Always more than enough work to do!

Dave

 

Nice thing about those old motors is that they seem industructable even after sitting for years. Hopefully I can get up to Yakima to get my 241 before winter sets in

 

Thinking about ditching my 47 ford for a 33 plymouth coupe...this builds tipping me over the edge

 

Finally! After at least 10,001 hours of lubing, pushing, pulling, grunting, cussing, hurting nerves and crap in my arm, etc. we finally got the windshield T rubber installed in the '33 Plymouth w/s frame! Wife helped me over and over again with this dang thing. I assume there must be better fitting stuff but it's in there anyway. Cleaned it all up and installed it back in the coupe and we took it for a drive. Way quieter inside without all that wind blasting past the w/s frame!

Installed a new lower bushing and a new king pin in the left front. Upper is a needle bearing. No more floppy left front wheel!

Here is the w/s installed.

Dave

 

And you did too, except it turned out to be a '33 Dodge. Keep at it Oliver

Dave

 

Thanks! Yeah i have to clear the bays over here so i can start working on it right! That rubber looks like itd definitely cover my gaps. Glad you finally got it in

 

Nice work Dave!
I could never understand why these cars had a flip out windshield when they also had a cowl vent? Seems redundant...

 

Yeah seems crazy, my 36 coupe is the same way

 

My '29 sedan has both. Had a goldfinch fly in under the windshield and hit my grandson in the head. Hard to do with a cowl vent.

 

My '39 Ford coupe I drove in high school was the same way. Never had to vacuum it out. Just open the vent, the w/s and roll down the windows. Put on some shades and haul butt and blow all the dust out!

Dave

 

Dave, outstanding build and documentation of it. I have a question, maybe I missed it earlier. Whatt are you running for the wheel/tire combo, it looks great and I want to go with it on my project. Thanks! Mike

 

Mike, wheels and hubcaps are '40 Plymouth 16". Tires are 215/70R16 front and 235/85R16 rear and are all Dextero tires from walmart. I have had great luck with them and have them on MANY of my cars. I am looking for a slightly smaller 16" for the front or if I could find some narrow 15" wheels that the '40 caps would fit I might go that way.

Dave

 

I have complained about the really slow steering on my '33 using the GM 525 steering box. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a P&J 7" pitman arm to replace the stock 5.25" arm. Had to heat and bend that beast to get everything where it needed to be so now it is closer to 6.75". I didn't get to road test it as traffic was stop and go both ways but I did drive it around our loop driveway and I can really tell the difference! That's where it was really a problem was turning in and out of driveways and garage and parking spaces anyway. I will road test it soon and report back but I can already say I like it! I did notice I need to put a washer or two under the spindle stops cuz now it turns enough to just rub the hairpins, at least on the left, don't know about the right one yet.

And as per usual, I did it up on the lift outside and didn't take any pics. Sorry.

Dave

 

Pics or it didnt happen.....jk, awesome man!

 

Still no pics @oliver westlund but I did drive it yesterday morning and it drives great now!

How's yours running?

Dave

 

Oof.....low blow dave! Mines behind the shop. I realized i need to finish the stuff inside the shop and make some room so im wrapping up the jeep hopefully within the next 2 months and freeing up a bay!

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself! I've been slaving on my '32 Fordor. Check out that thread. Also been getting the newly acquired race truck ready for playday at the circle track this Saturday, provided it doesn't snow.

Spent yesterday moving cars and trailers and fences etc so I can mow and grade the gravel under the upper row of cars. Gotta finish up today.

I like having multiple projects going at once. Allows me to work 'til the money runs out, then switch to the next that needs more work than cash.

Dave