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Need info: 1925 Chrysler Model 50


Guest zeke5551

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Guest zeke5551

I have been thinking about buying a '26 Model 50 (50 or 52?) for a few years and finally took the jump. AACA has been the only source of info I've found, so here goes. The car hasn't seen the light of day since 1951, stored in a garage in Pasadena CA. The paint went away, so there is minor surface rust, but absolutely no rust through, The body is perfect, except for minor damage on the fenders. The interior is entirely intact (brown mohair I suspect). The engine turns over freely. The only missing parts I can find are the distributor rotor, air filter and the left rear bumper. The tires are most likely 60 years old, but look like new, hold air and have only minor surface cracks. The oldest cars I've owned have been Model A Fords and there is tons of parts and info availible,so I'm in a new area of the hobby. The first question I have is the engine a Maxwell or Chrsyer and which years/models are similar? Where do I go to start replacing the missing parts? Is there any manuals or info on the engine or chassis? The body is made by Fisher if that helps. I would appreciate any info or parts sources. I will uncover it this weekend and try to post some pictures. I plan on doing a total service on the brakes and engine. Getting the car in as good of mechanical condition as possible, but leave the cosmetics anone for a while. I will be getting the paperwork on the car soon with a complete history. Supposidly, it has been in several movies in the 40s or 50s...way fun! I really appreciate you guys and keeping the hobby going. This is number 10 for me, it might be closer to insanity for me. I'm addicted to rescuing cars, bring them to a point someone can enjoy them, though I think 10 most likely is too many toi have at once!

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Welcome

Most early Chrysler 4 cyl parts will inter change these were Chrysler motors which was an improvement over the Maxwell design .

Bumpers were optional and many cars had aftermarket pumpers installed.

The air cleaners for these cars were a joke. They were made to spin the air and fling off dust.

Check the rear of the drive shaft instead of a U joint there is a rubber flexible coupler. Over the years this may have become hard and rotten, it is made the same as old tires were.

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Guest zeke5551

Yup, all the battery mounting stuff is still under the drivers seat. I will put the battery back where it belongs. I'm really worried about the metal coated wiring. I haven't checked it with a meter, but I would assume it would be real easy to have a short to ground. I most likely will rewire the car before installing a battery. Any thoughts? I believe the car was blue, unless the green faded to blue. Thanks for responding, I'm pretty much in the dark about this car. I've built a few Model As and dozens of 50s and 60s cars. This might be a challenge. I will pull the pan before I start it, but if the bearings need attention where would I go to get the bearings repoured?

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It certainly looks like a straight and solid car. How is the structural wood? The doors seem to hang straight so the door posts are probably in good shape. Those 4- cylinder engines were low rpm, low stress and very durable. I would say you got a really good car.

Don

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Guest zeke5551

Yes the wood is excellent and the doors/body are very sound. I will do the mechanics and then decide whether to tear it down and do the paint/interior. I'm still not sure of the value of a good driver type restoration. I do stripping, body work and rust repair myself. As far as I've seen the car would only be worth about 12 to 14 k with fresh paint and interior. I just spent 10k alone on paint for my 65 Nova. I might have to enjoy the patina for a while!

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Your master cylinder reservoir tank seems to be missing. Mine is located on the driver's side firewall. Biggest problem I've had with my 26 Model 50 has been the brakes. Since the mc is located lower than the wheel cylinders, I have found it necessary to pressure bleed the system in order to get pedal. The bands are quite difficult to adjust correctly but I think I finally have it down. These are neat cars. I have a touring model.

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Guest zeke5551

unfortunately (or maybe not) my car came with only rear manual brakes (non-hydraulic), from what I can figure out the hydraulic were optional??? My car might even be a late 25. The person I bought the car from has not sent me the title, which could be wrong anyways. My car has a body made by fisher, instead of briggs. Do you know where the vin number is located? All I can find is a body tag on the firewall with a body serial number and order number. This does not match the vin numbers I have seen published

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Hi,

I don't think the 26 model 50 was offered with hydraulic brakes. As far as I know hydraulic brakes were only offered on the model 52 late in 1928.

I had a model 52 and found the easiest way to bleed the brakes is to fill the reservoir tank on the firewall, leave the "T" handle off the reservoir and then go around the wheel cylinders one at a time and let the air out, once fluid runs freely out the wheel cylinder lock the bleed screw. Let gravity bleed the system. Then slowly push the brake pedal up and down a couple of times with your hand to get air out of the line to the reservoir, next put the "T" handle back into the reservoir and screw it down. You should have brakes. If not repeat the above, I found it works.

I also found the brakes got soft after a lot of use, best fix, release "T" handle, press brake pedal up and down slowly as above and relock "T" handle.

Regards

Viv.

Your master cylinder reservoir tank seems to be missing. Mine is located on the driver's side firewall. Biggest problem I've had with my 26 Model 50 has been the brakes. Since the mc is located lower than the wheel cylinders, I have found it necessary to pressure bleed the system in order to get pedal. The bands are quite difficult to adjust correctly but I think I finally have it down. These are neat cars. I have a touring model.
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The car seems to be a Model 50 of 1927. According to my books, the 1927 Model 50 was the one with the four wheel lugs, no kick plates on the splash aprons and no front brakes. If the wheelbase is 106" and the tire size is 29 x 4.75, it is a 1927. The books say that the serial number is on a plate on the front of the dash and on the left frame side member at the rear spring horn. The number should be between 1001 and 32813. The engine number should be stamped on a boss on top of the chain case.

post-37352-143142655024_thumb.jpg

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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This is obviously a base 1927 Model 50. You can see from the pictures that it has two wheel brakes, which will be mechanical not hydraulic. The pic of the body plate has only the body number. The serial number is probably a FEDCO number on the dash up near the windshield. Because it has a Fisher body it is probably an early one built in 1926 because I think Chrysler bought out the Fisher body plant that was supplying the bodies sometime in 1926 and didn't use Fisher body plates after that. The Model 50 was standard with mechanical two wheel brakes with four wheel hydraulics optional.

There is some info re FEDCO plates here - http://forums.aaca.org/f145/chrysler-65-identification-help-303829.html They are easy to decipher as long as they are not too worn.

I wonder if crazycars 1926 car is a Model 58? As Keiser pointed out the 50 uses four lugs on the rims, the 58 has six. The 58 has the same 109" wheelbase as many other Chrysler products of the era. The 50 was the only one on 106". Chrysler did change the number of wheels lugs several times on the bigger 70 models which adds to the overall confusion.

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Guest DavidCa

I currently have a '25 Chrysler model 50 4 door touring car for sale at Playtoysclassiccars, 32300 Outer Highway 10, Redlands, CA. I will be there this Sat. (Aug. 9) around lunch time installing a new battery. You are welcome to stop by & chat. Mine is totally original except converted to elec fuel pump, so you can see how everything looks & works. It has the 2 wheel rear brakes. They have a web page if you want to see pictures.

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In the U.S. Chrysler purchased a body plant on Kercheval Avenue (the one with the large "Fluid Drive" sign in the 1940's and early 1950's) across from the East Jefferson assembly plant.

In 1926 GM purchased all the stock in Fisher Body and announced Fisher Body would no longer supply bodies to non-GM auto manufacturers after 1927. It appears Briggs Body was the company that stepped in to take over from Fisher Body in the U.S.

Chrysler of Canada, though, acquired a Fisher Body plant located at Edna Street and St. Luke in Windsor in 1927. This plant was used until the new plant on what is now Chrysler Centre was up and running in 1929. Chrysler would use the former Fisher plant for storage from 1938 through 1945. The Fisher Body plant on Edna Street was built to the north of the Chalmers assembly plant which faced St.Luke. The Chalmers planr burned to the ground in 1917. When news of the fire hit the press the papers announced it was believed the fire was deliberately set by a group of "Huns"/ In other words, sabotage by a group of German spies. Canada had been at war with Germany since 1914 so most everything was blamed on the "Huns" back then until the truth was sorted out.

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Guest zeke5551

Well, looks like I have a 1927 Model 50. 106 inch wheel base and 20 inch 4 lug wheels. Good to know. I still cannot find the engine or vin #s. I looked the dash over and cannot find anything. There is a small brass Chrysler emblem on the dash (about 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches) I couldn't find the numbers on the engine timing chain case, dash or the numbers on the rear spring perch area. I anyone can give me a more detailed location of these number location, I'd appreciate it. I was originally told the car was a 1925 by the original owners. They told me the paperwork got sent back due a wrong address...we'll see...standing by the mailbox!

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Well, looks like I have a 1927 Model 50. 106 inch wheel base and 20 inch 4 lug wheels. Good to know. I still cannot find the engine or vin #s. I looked the dash over and cannot find anything. There is a small brass Chrysler emblem on the dash (about 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches) I couldn't find the numbers on the engine timing chain case, dash or the numbers on the rear spring perch area. I anyone can give me a more detailed location of these number location, I'd appreciate it. I was originally told the car was a 1925 by the original owners. They told me the paperwork got sent back due a wrong address...we'll see...standing by the mailbox!

The Chrysler tag on the dash IS the FEDCO plate/number. Look closely for the numbers and letters. Examples...click on the images a few times to enlarge. You will see the numbers and letters along the top and bottom. First one says, "CW273H" and the second one says, "LH422L". You may have to shine a light on it from different angles in order to see them better. Can you supply a close photo of your Chrysler dash plate, please?

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post-37352-143142668418_thumb.jpg

post-37352-143142668421_thumb.jpg

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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Guest zeke5551

Wonderful! I don't think a picture will do it justice, the first letter is very hard to read, but I'm sure it is"FW033H" which makes it effeminately a 1927 Model 50. Now I'll be able to accurately register the car. I also fount the missing distributor rotor when looking for the engine number. I really appreciate the help. My wife and I are addicted to murder mysteries. This car fits right in, without the dead body! I would still like to find the stamping on the rear frame horn area. You guys will see on here many times before we hear it run. With all the problems everyone seems to have with the hydraulic brakes, I'm glad this has manual rears only. My model A has modern brakes, so we won't be driving this much on the open road. Much thanks

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  • 5 months later...
The car seems to be a Model 50 of 1927. According to my books, the 1927 Model 50 was the one with the four wheel lugs, no kick plates on the splash aprons and no front brakes. If the wheelbase is 106" and the tire size is 29 x 4.75, it is a 1927. The books say that the serial number is on a plate on the front of the dash and on the left frame side member at the rear spring horn. The number should be between 1001 and 32813. The engine number should be stamped on a boss on top of the chain case.

Just been looking back at a few threads and see the last point from the original poster was not answered; re the frame number on the rear spring horn. That can only be found when the body is removed from the frame. See the pic in post #22 of this thread - http://forums.aaca.org/f230/1925-chrysler-speedster-363367.html

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 years later...

I just bought a very low mileage 12000,  1926 Chrysler Model 50., 4 cylinder , 4 wheel hydraulic  brake , last plates 1976 Montana. been in a private museum  since then. Motor number F98971 ,Dash plate 710. Museum lost title 30 years ago. 

 

Question Do I have a 1926

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