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1954 Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe


Guest FloridaRust

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Guest FloridaRust

Im new here and only 22 years old but never had a new car all hand me downs and this makes my 4th car I have and owned just bought for 240.00 dollars from a friend that just wanted the engine out of it. It has powerbrakes, power steering, optional heater and decent interior. Paint is Mint green with glacier blue for the top. I checked the brakes (brand new and clean) Gas tank new and 20 gallon, very little rust being in Florida all it life which is a shocker. And No rats, mice in interior . All it needs is rear tail light lenses that seem to be harder to find than a 1941 Cord flip up fender light pieces. Also ran into the hard part of finding the New Yorker Deluxe rear emblems on both sides. I don't even care of condition cause I know lead, braze and several other secrets to body filling (No bondo!) Also here the greatest part It never been converted over to 12V

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Guest FloridaRust

So after all said and done what are the values on these cars? Hopefully better than 2 corvairs I owned lol

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Guest FloridaRust

Well im working on getting a engine for it hopefully it will mount up to the powerflite automatic without any bugs. Ill make this car my normal driver like I do with all my others I owned. Got to love the old ac crack the vent and louvers and hopefully not to many red lights lol

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Ha ha I thought "major score" until I saw the part about the engine.

First things to know, left hand threads on left side wheel bolts and 6V + ground electrics.

They were a great car for their time with the sensational Hemi engine, good brakes, smooth ride, and generally very well made cars.

The only reason I can think of to keep the Powerflite is because of the hand brake on the back. If you change to a more modern trans, you need to change the rear axle as it is the easiest way to get Ebrakes.

I believe any 318 or 360 will bolt up to the trans but they changed the length of the crankshaft in 1962. This may mean you need a spacer for the torque converter.

It would probably be best to use the whole engine/trans assembly out of a 360 powered car, van or pickup truck and change the rear axle. I am not sure what rear axle fits best, you would have to measure the width of the axle with the wheels off and go junkyard shopping.

That car with a 360 and overdrive trans would make a great highway cruiser.

This means changing to 12 volts as well. You would need to end up with a mixed 6/12 volt system. Engine on 12v, the rest of the car on 6 with possibly the lights also changed to 12v. This is a bit complicated but doable. I think the only part that is polarity sensitive (+ or - ground) is the radio, and this can be fixed by changing the vibrator which is not very difficult or expensive.

All in all quite a project but if you use your head and do the work yourself you can have a cool car for not very much money.

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Guest FloridaRust

Well have the crank shaft with tranny so my gut feeling about the 318 was correct about putting in here. But everything works on the brakes line side from the actuator pedal for main brakes to the rear hand brake lever, Just a simple engine placement and hopefully back up on the road, but knowing my luck on old cars there always bluffing when playing there game of poker lol

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  • 1 month later...
Guest FloridaRust

Just spoke with my friend who has the engine that was in originally in the car 331 with 2 barrel carb all original. And just doesn't have time for it now. So for nothing getting the engine back with tranny for the car on Monday. But tested out the car everything works from turn signals,lights low and high,radio which take 2 mins roughly to warm and the clock. The lighter work as well, and blower. So now have to wait to try my gauges, I know they light up bout it. But was wondering if anyone knew where I could find rear tail light lenses for my car? I search the web without avail and not paying 300 on up for them either.

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If the engine is a 331 with a 2 barrel carb then is is a plane New Yorker not the deluxe.

The deluxe had a 4 barrel carb and a slightly different trim package, but mostly the same car.

The power brake unit is a bear to get rebuilt and the car will stop without it without to much more foot pressure.

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Guest FloridaRust

The Top manifold was switched out to a 2 barrel possibly for better fuel efficiency.But my Car rear quarter panel has the Script of New Yorker Deluxe and this has more stainless trim than I ever seen on a normal car.Also don't have to worry about the brakes they were not to long ago redone,replaced and all new shoes put on.

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Guest FloridaRust

Well got the motor Monday.Over looked the engine and oil,tranny fluid and radiator fluid in the block all good.But found out some old timer fooled me on blocking off 2 of the barrels with a very old epoxy sleeve. Making me think it was a 2 barrel. But here is what she looks like

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Guest Bob Call

Rusty:

Look at the top surface of the block at the front of the lifter valley, between the water pump pulley and the front of the intake manifold. The engine ID is stamped on that flat surface. Post that ID and we can tell you exactly what engine you have. The original factory paint color for these hemis in passenger cars is silver. So, someone has painted this engine as the valve rocker arm cover should be silver and the spark plug wire cover along the center of the rocker cover should be black.

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And the fen should be black

It is good that you have the power steering pump. These are a bear to turn without it. There is a rubber coupler on the back side of the generator that can crumble with age. You may want to check it out while the motor is out. ( easy part to make }

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Guest FloridaRust

The rubber on the back is all good and malleable/flexible and the ID stamp on the engine is C542-8-5319. I checked the whole engine over twice and cleaned it up. Just putting it the car now and will have pics soon. And I kinda had a feeling it was repainted.

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Guest Bob Call

Fla Rust

The engine ID breaks down as follows: C = Chrysler; 542 = 1954 New Yorker Deluxe or Imperial (should have a 4 barrel carb); 8 = eight cylinder (Chrysler still offered a 6 cylinder in 1954); 5319 - production number, this was the 5319th 1954 Chrysler V8 engine off the production line.

Parts are readily from NAPA, Hot Hemi Heads Research and Racing (www.hothemiheads.com), Egge Machine Company, Northwestern Auto Supply, and others. Oil filters for power steering are stocked by NAPA and other nationwide chains. PS uses 10W non-detergent motor oil. If not available at your local parts, tractor/farm supply or Walmart is it available online at about $ per quart. If your car has a Powerflite automatic trans you can use Dexron/Mercon ATF. If it has the fluid drive with the M-6 trans, 1954 was last year and Chrysler called it Torque-Drive, it uses 10W non-detergent also and between the torque converter and trans holds about 12 quarts.

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I have a 1954 Chrysler with power steering. I use modern power steering fluid. have been for years and the system works just fine. I just got a new power steer filter from napa, I can get the # for you if you want.i do not believe any Chryslers still had the fluid drive, or the m6, but dodge or Plymouth still did. dex 3 is fine in the powerflite. good tranny's too. I have all the manuals for these cars if you need any info. my first 54 Chrysler was a Windsor convertible back in 1966. I have owned about 6 of these cars and currently own a 1954 Windsor deluxe convertible. I am probably the biggest fan of these cars, maybe the only one. never see any at the car shows. the 331 hemi is a great engine. smooth, reliable and plenty powerful. my flathead 6 is great too, just not a lot of power. good torque at low end and the powerflite tranny and it is still a good driver. I do 60 to 65 all day on the interstate. capt den

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I too liked the mid 50's Chryslers. My 54 New Yorker was one of the most comfortable long distance road cars I had. It was better riding than the 1953 Imperial and I liked the interior better than the 1955 Windsor's black and lipstick red seats and dash.

I had to whack the bottom of the dash of the "54 to get the vibrator to work in the radio.

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Guest FloridaRust

Well got the original cloth wiring cleaned up and the 6 volt pos to ground and such done but tried it out and seem to playing ghost voltage with me. Does anyone have a 54 wiring diagram for these cars? Im using a 51 diagram and it helped some but not a a lot.

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Guest FloridaRust

Ok I have a mystery problem. I started off looking under the dash and one lead was unhook from the horn button and only connecter I found to attach to was to the Panel switch. Well got that working and had a sparky on the speedo cable and found this under neth. Could anyone tell me where this attaches to under the dash, I cant find and bare spots anyplace except a small arm thing on the steering column.

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And this where it leads in the engine compartment.

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I believe the "arm thing" on the column is the ground connection for the horn ring on the steering wheel. it has 2 screws that hold it into the column, and if you remove it you will find a small wheel on the other side that rests on the steering shaft and transmits the ground feed to the horn ring. often that area gets dirty and the horn will not work or works intermittently. cleaning the wheel and shaft area can get the horn working properly. capt den

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