I'm excited,gettin new toy 1949 DODGE!

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I am learning..slowly! Ha I do have a FSM and the eng. wiring dia. refers to D29 or D30, etc etc. I did learn that refers to the eng. and has that stamped on side of it!!!
Yep wired backwards. The guy I got it from is my age or a little younger. He inherited it from his 95 yr old uncle. He tried to get it started, pulls pugs out and leaves the out for ?? how long. He wants to try to turn it over by hand but...... And... Not good when plugs are on TOP of the engine! ha It had been parked last 20 yrs or so, as the owner went to the nursing home. Running, driving some point prior.
I enjoy learning about new things that I can develop an interest in. IF anyone reading this has experience with flatheads, please let me know if a book on "how to rebuild flathead Fords" is worth the $, as it probably deals with v8s mainly but I have to wonder IF the Mopar strait flathead and Fords version of really much different?
I know, someone will say "drop a 360 in it!!!!! ha

As I recall, D29 and D30 refer to the models; D29 being the Wayfarer, D30 the Meadowbrook and Coronet. Engines are interchangeable; my Wayfarer has a D30 motor. Probably got replaced back in the seventies or so, when you could still order a rebuilt Dodge or Plymouth flathead long block from Sears or J.C. Whitney.

I doubt a Ford flathead book would be much help, as it is quite a bit different than the Mopar flathead six. I agree with above recommendation to visit the P15-D24 forum.

The backwards wiring reminds me of a non-running 49 Ford pickup I bought a few years back for the specific purpose of getting it running and then selling it. The PO had let some dufus work on it when it got to where it wouldn't start. Said dufus got a 12 volt starter relay, and a 12 volt coil, then wired it as a negative ground instead of positive ground. Needless to say, he never got it running. After I got the wiring sorted out, found out the original problem had been the starter. Fixed that and a few other things, then sold the truck for a nice profit (for some reason those old Ford pickups bring good money).

DSCF0358.jpg
 
I figured that D stood for a model, BUT the engine wiring dia. uses it for eng. underhood wiring. The eng has that D30 and then some nubers on side of block. The early Ply site on FB shows their car models as P15 etc.
I started trying to sort out the electrical today, then rain moved in and it sits outside under the "pine tree" shop!
I will have to get back to trying to register for the P-15 D24 site. Getting in Ft. Know would be simplier.
 
I am learning..slowly! Ha I do have a FSM and the eng. wiring dia. refers to D29 or D30, etc etc. I did learn that refers to the eng. and has that stamped on side of it!!!
Yep wired backwards. The guy I got it from is my age or a little younger. He inherited it from his 95 yr old uncle. He tried to get it started, pulls pugs out and leaves the out for ?? how long. He wants to try to turn it over by hand but...... And... Not good when plugs are on TOP of the engine! ha It had been parked last 20 yrs or so, as the owner went to the nursing home. Running, driving some point prior.
I enjoy learning about new things that I can develop an interest in. IF anyone reading this has experience with flatheads, please let me know if a book on "how to rebuild flathead Fords" is worth the $, as it probably deals with v8s mainly but I have to wonder IF the Mopar strait flathead and Fords version of really much different?
I know, someone will say "drop a 360 in it!!!!! ha
First thing i would do is stick a couple teaspoons of marvel mystery oil in each cylinder, hoping to get it loose. Dont use too much, excess will go past open flathead valves.
 
First thing i would do is stick a couple teaspoons of marvel mystery oil in each cylinder, hoping to get it loose. Dont use too much, excess will go past open flathead valves.
I filled it with mix of ATF and acetone when I got it home! Changing oil in it today.
 
What year is this?
That is a pic of the High and Mighty, a ply? or Dodge? Business Coupe not sure of exact year maybe a 49 or 50? It was the test mule for the Mopar factory engineer group that basically did all the testing for what was to become our muscle cars.
It is a 1 seater car. That is on my list for my next project. I have a couple spoted! ha
 
Here's the original Ramchargers' High and Mighty C Altered 1950 Plymouth business coupe, circa 1959-60. 354 Hemi power, the first ever tunnel ram intake manifold, tuned headers patterned after racing motorcycles. Rear wheels moved forward and engine raised (as well as whole car) for weight transfer and better traction with that heavy Hemi up front. Built and raced by Chrysler engineers.

1959_High_and_Mighty.jpg
 
Barbee -
It costs about the same to rebuild a Mopar flathead 6 as it does a valve in head 6 or 8. My ‘53 Dodge has its original flathead 6 (rebuilt). I’ve owned and worked on a few over the years. As good as it looks, I would strive for originality.

if you get stumped on something, contact me. I am located about 50 miles northwest of San Antonio and I have a shop manual.

Be aware that when you work on the rear brakes, you will need a good wheel puller.

If it is a Fluid Drive, you will have to make sure you have the E-brake working properly or you will get to chase it down hills.

The numbers on the driver side, high up on the block are the numbers it is registered under - unless someone changed the engine and failed to transfer the numbers. Every time I get my truck inspected the guys get a laugh out of that.

Your wiring will probably be old and crumbly. Beware.
 
And when on the P15-D24 forum, check out the truck forum. There are several guys there that are close to you that know a lot about the flathead Mopes.
 
Barbee -
It costs about the same to rebuild a Mopar flathead 6 as it does a valve in head 6 or 8. My ‘53 Dodge has its original flathead 6 (rebuilt). I’ve owned and worked on a few over the years. As good as it looks, I would strive for originality.

if you get stumped on something, contact me. I am located about 50 miles northwest of San Antonio and I have a shop manual.

Be aware that when you work on the rear brakes, you will need a good wheel puller.

If it is a Fluid Drive, you will have to make sure you have the E-brake working properly or you will get to chase it down hills.

The numbers on the driver side, high up on the block are the numbers it is registered under - unless someone changed the engine and failed to transfer the numbers. Every time I get my truck inspected the guys get a laugh out of that.

Your wiring will probably be old and crumbly. Beware.
Thanks I do have the FSM. It is a manual, and yes I do need a good puller for my darn early B bodies also!!! I bet will be asking you some questions.
 
I found a good article at hotrodsandhemis on tapered axle mopar brakes. I have it bookmarked, but i dont know how to share it here. I googled the miller brake puller they recommend and it came up there too. Miller tool universal wheel puller c844.
 
It's not just the tapered axles in the early (pre-60) Mopars, but also those dual leading shoe brakes. They aren't self-energizing and don't work worth a crap if not adjusted/aligned correctly, and there are two adjustment points on each shoe. There's a special tool for adjusting them. You don't absolutely have to have it, but it does make it easier to get them right. When right, they are very effective (for drum brakes). I eliminated half the problem by putting disc brakes up front.

Then there are the ball and trunnion u-joints, the fluid drive unit (have fun filling that), the funky external band emergency brake (if that doesn't work, you'll need to carry a wheel chock around with you to keep the car from rolling away when parked, as the fluid coupling just lets the car roll - that's one of the main reasons I converted to straight manual trans). All stuff that cost more to produce and supposedly worked better, but seventy years later are much more difficult to service than the stuff we're used to (and can readily get parts for).

No center link; instead you have one long and one short tie rod. And the shock absorbers connect the upper and lower control arms, instead of lower control arm and frame. Not real effective.

And you'll get comments on the single brake light in the middle of the trunk lid, like "do you know only your central brake light works?" and you say, "yep, that's the only one that's supposed to work." Or you want to turn left at a four way stop, so you put your arm out to signal a left turn and no one today knows what that means, and they can't believe you don't have turn signals.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Wayfarer, but it's a whole different world than the sixties stuff.
 
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I got rid of the fluid coupling by swapping the input shaft and cover plus flywheel from a 55 Dodge. It has a real long input shaft to take up the space formerly occupied by the fluid coupling. It takes an extra long release bearing (still available new). Then you have the problem that the original crank isn't drilled/machined for a pilot bushing. I managed to rig something up with the motor in the car. If I ever take the motor out, I'll swap the fluid drive crank for a truck crank I have that is machined for a pilot bushing. Below: original 49 trans top, 55 Dodge trans bottom. Gears and main case are the same.

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It's not just the tapered axles in the early (pre-60) Mopars, but also those dual leading shoe brakes. They aren't self-energizing and don't work worth a crap if not adjusted/aligned correctly, and there are two adjustment points on each shoe. There's a special tool for adjusting them. You don't absolutely have to have it, but it does make it easier to get them right. When right, they are very effective (for drum brakes). I eliminated half the problem by putting disc brakes up front.

Then there are the ball and trunnion u-joints, the fluid drive unit (have fun filling that), the funky external band emergency brake (if that doesn't work, you'll need to carry a wheel chock around with you to keep the car from rolling away when parked, as the fluid coupling just lets the car roll - that's one of the main reasons I converted to straight manual trans). All stuff that cost more to produce and supposedly worked better, but seventy years later are much more difficult to service than the stuff we're used to (and can readily get parts for).

No center link; instead you have one long and one short tie rod. And the shock absorbers connect the upper and lower control arms, instead of lower control arm and frame. Not real effective.

And you'll get comments on the single brake light in the middle of the trunk lid, like "do you know only your central brake light works?" and you say, "yep, that's the only one that's supposed to work." Or you want to turn left at a four way stop, so you put your arm out to signal a left turn and no one today knows what that means, and they can't believe you don't have turn signals.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Wayfarer, but it's a whole different world than the sixties stuff.
There are many reasons why people change these old period cars over to more modern drivetrains!!!!
MY first car was a 49 Chevy, circa 1964, so I am aware of the funkiness somewhat!
Mine is a manual, and yes I do not LOVE column shfters. I bet there were decent when new?
Oh yes the trunnion, like in my 62 Lancer, and the 2 64 Belvederes and the 62 Dart!!!!
I am lucky I drive in rural Tx. No one here gives a turn signal anyway!
 
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