1958 Dodge
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george joseph reid
Well-Known Member
58 Coronet for your viewing pleasure. For sale also.
FWDLK Frank
Well-Known Member
I have sold the 4bbl set up but have one dual four barrel setup left with correct rebuilt carbs.
matthon
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I could not get the distributor to budge one bit, not up, not left, not right.
Cleaned up all around it, sprayed it with penetrating stuff and let it sit overnight.
Today, still wouldn't budge, pry bar, nothing.
Put the plugs in it, battery, and after a few attempts it fired up!
I brought up the rpms a few times, hoping to get some oil moving, but shut it down quickly.
Valve cover was off, no oil up top.
Tried to get the distributor off again and it popped right off.
Pulled the cam gear, used a big extendable magnet, had to work it up and down to break the suction of some sludge, I think.
I had to make a primer rod as the one I have did not fit the oil pump.
Electric drill on it forever, began to see a trickle of oil dripping off the ends at the green arrows, and eventually coming out of the holes at the red arrows dripping down onto the lower springs.
No oil on the upper springs, or coming out of the upper shaft holes, blue arrow.
I noticed oil pooling above the oil pump hole at the rear of the cam, the hole the priming rod was going through to the oil pump.
I tried turning the crank and priming but no change. I'm thinking there should be more oil coming through the shaft, and ideally flowing down the springs, upper and lower.
I don't know the path the oil takes, but I'm thinking I'll pull the oil filter, big can filter, and replace it as I found a new one in the trunk. Then prime it again.
If that fails, I'll pull the intake, the valley pan, both valve covers, and oil everything.
Then start it and see if some heat will get it flowing.
Car sat for 32 years, guy never did anything to it, never tried to start it.
The oil in it is clean, not black at all.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Cleaned up all around it, sprayed it with penetrating stuff and let it sit overnight.
Today, still wouldn't budge, pry bar, nothing.
Put the plugs in it, battery, and after a few attempts it fired up!
I brought up the rpms a few times, hoping to get some oil moving, but shut it down quickly.
Valve cover was off, no oil up top.
Tried to get the distributor off again and it popped right off.
Pulled the cam gear, used a big extendable magnet, had to work it up and down to break the suction of some sludge, I think.
I had to make a primer rod as the one I have did not fit the oil pump.
Electric drill on it forever, began to see a trickle of oil dripping off the ends at the green arrows, and eventually coming out of the holes at the red arrows dripping down onto the lower springs.
No oil on the upper springs, or coming out of the upper shaft holes, blue arrow.
I noticed oil pooling above the oil pump hole at the rear of the cam, the hole the priming rod was going through to the oil pump.
I tried turning the crank and priming but no change. I'm thinking there should be more oil coming through the shaft, and ideally flowing down the springs, upper and lower.
I don't know the path the oil takes, but I'm thinking I'll pull the oil filter, big can filter, and replace it as I found a new one in the trunk. Then prime it again.
If that fails, I'll pull the intake, the valley pan, both valve covers, and oil everything.
Then start it and see if some heat will get it flowing.
Car sat for 32 years, guy never did anything to it, never tried to start it.
The oil in it is clean, not black at all.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
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Any progress on the oil situation? I'm wondering if you might need to pull the pan - maybe the pickup is sitting in sludge or otherwise plugged?
Ooh, I love the 62 Plymouth convertible! My parents bought a 62 Dodge Polara 500 convertible new. My brother inherited it. Don't know if he still has it because we no longer speak. It was quite run down last I saw it.
PS: took this picture a few months after dropping a 440 in it.
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matthon
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I pulled the oil filter, it points up, and primed it, sent oil everywhere, so the pump is working.
Then, pulled both valve covers and covered everything with MMM, then added a quart of Rislone which brought the oil level back to full.
I have a few video clips I'm going to put together then post.
Scamp Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Man, that car has style! Love it!
512Stroker
We are all here because we are not all there.
Is this car still for sale?
Thanks in advance
Yeah, 57 hardtops had a ledge above the windshield that acted like a small brake at high speed. It's why, as I remember, 57 Chrysler 300s weren't any faster (or maybe slower) up top than the 56's despite having more horsepower. Chrysler fixed that in 58, giving all hardtops the convertible windshield.
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george joseph reid
Well-Known Member
Not mine a Buddies I will ask him.
george joseph reid
Well-Known Member
Yes still for sale. PM me your contact info and I will get you his.
Demonic
Well-Known Member
Awesome that it runs and drives! Hats off to the videographer for putting up with the cold.
Runs well considering how long it sat. Seemed to idle a bit rough, but smoothed out with some rpm. Maybe just the exhaust making it sound rough?
I found it interesting to note the many differences between your 58 and my 59, even though they are the same basic car. What's the deal with the neutral button being used to crank the motor? I know that several makes back in the day put the crank switch in what today seem strange places. My grandad's 56 Buick had it under the accelerator (as I recall, been fifty years). My 59 just has a "normal" key switch start position. So does my 56 Plymouth. Wonder what years Dodge had the pushbutton cranking switch?
Way back you asked if 58 Dodges had build sheets. No idea about 58, but my 59 has one. Can't remember for sure, but I think I found it under the front seat. FWIW.
I found it interesting to note the many differences between your 58 and my 59, even though they are the same basic car. What's the deal with the neutral button being used to crank the motor? I know that several makes back in the day put the crank switch in what today seem strange places. My grandad's 56 Buick had it under the accelerator (as I recall, been fifty years). My 59 just has a "normal" key switch start position. So does my 56 Plymouth. Wonder what years Dodge had the pushbutton cranking switch?
Way back you asked if 58 Dodges had build sheets. No idea about 58, but my 59 has one. Can't remember for sure, but I think I found it under the front seat. FWIW.
70DartMike
Too many projects
The Neutral start was a weird one, my '57 Royal Lancer and my '57 Custom Royal Lancer both have it. It was only used by Dodge, only with a 3 speed Torqueflite. The 2 speed Powerflite didn't get it, it used the key. Plymouth, Chrysler, and DeSoto all used the key, no matter 3 speed or 2 speed.
Kind of a clever early neutral safety switch.
OK, my 59 Dodge was originally a Powerflite (62 Torqueflite now, operated by 59 Torqueflite pushbuttons). Maybe the Torqueflite equipped 59 Dodges had the neutral button start. I never thought to check the 59 Torqueflite pushbutton assembly I got off ebay for a start button hookup. Maybe it's there. ??
FWDLK Frank
Well-Known Member
Senior Chryslers and Imperials also used the start switch on the neutral push button
70DartMike
Too many projects
Any progress? I took my '57 out today for the first time this year.
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