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AdW13

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    New Gal, Old car (37 Dodge Coupe)

    in Dodge & Dodge Brothers

    Posted

    Hi Kim,

    Welcome. I look forward to hearing about your car. I am can relate. I have a 51 chevy that was my great Uncle's....and we have two travelers and a 55 dodge royal lancer (Pink and black and white....we call her pink lady). We also have a hotrod. Hotrodding isn't the end of the world. Go enjoy your car.....and I for one hope to see pics.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    You could be right about the "I" being omitted in the month code, but I have never heard that before.

    Does your car have an open driveline? I sure wouldn't change it. The only way I woould go besides stock, though is an LS motor.....I see them in these and like that setup. I think half the fun will be driving somethng that feels like it is from the fifties.

    That manual I linked to shows where to lube everything.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    You could be right about the "I" being omitted in the month code, but I have never heard that before.
    So Carlisle... You think it wouldnt be worth rebuildin the one she's got in there to keep 1950 with 1950? Even more so if it's "numbers matching?" Can't be that hard to rebuild for someone that had a lot of time and no money. I'm used to new stuff which is much harder. But haven't done much internal stuff

    It wouldnt be numbers matching if it wasnt the motor that came in the car. These are NOT CHEAP to rebuild. Even the rebuild kits are expensive compared to the common small block chevy. When I was reading about mine (has to have babbit bearings poured or machined for inserts so yours will b e less) was 2500 to 3500 even with the owner doing the assembly . I got the spare 216 in a deal with a55 dodge but he was only asking a hundred bucks. Hopefully you can find a 235 cheap too.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    You could be right about the "I" being omitted in the month code, but I have never heard that before.

    My 51 was jj... at least as far as I recall. My title had the motor number for vin. But it was also listed as the motor number on the paperwork from 1956 when it came into my family.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by AdW13 (see edit history)

    Interesting. I am almost positive I doublechecked the numbers ten years ago when I got it in my posession annd found original....and it was the vin of the car, too. I will check today. It has been in my family since 56 and parked since mid sixties. When I had oil pan off it did have the oil dippers. Perhaps the rocker cover has been changed but I kinda doubt that, too. It only has the 2 acorn nuts holding it on.

    Thanks for the info on the rockers. When I flushed mine they were all clear and oiling good. My car has 42,000 miles. I plan to drive it a year (maybe 250 miles) before restoring it. I have a spare 216 I picked up this year so I plan to rebuild it first and use until I get the original done.....from what I read they aren't cheap to rebuild.

    1987...its gonna have pushrods no matter what. New gasket was 7 bucks. I say u may be able to keep your old one but sometimes they get messed up.also there are new grommets for where the acorn nuts go that come with it. Mine were smashed from someone overtightening it so I was glad they came with it.

    My cover looks just like the one 1987 posted but has a different cap.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Cmon, man, post a pic. I wanna see this thing. Lol just kidding.

    I hear ya on the cold...we get that too. Normally Iwear coveralls and just deal with it but some days it is so hard to get motivated.

    Yeah, i think the marine stabil is the one guys use. My hubby has rsearched it and usesthe driven because it doesn't effect the octane ratio ofthe fuel...which matters in his high compression v8but these have 6 or 7 to 1 compression ratio so they don't need the higher octane his does. The stabil is cheaper overall. You will see some recent posts on it at chevytalk. If you just had carb rebuilt it may have parts that aren't so prone to the corrosion that others are...but it is still best to run something to keep the ethanol suspended. When it settlesit attracts moisture...which corrodes. The fuel pump is a different problem...the diaphram cant handle the ehanol from what I read.

    My car is a 51 business coupe. Been in my family since 56...all original except has a backseat seat in it where a business coupe would normally have a platform. You will enjoy getting to know these. They are pretty straightforward. That manual...and the pages of other manuals from oldcarmanualproject has pretty detailed info on most systems.

    There is one article on those manual that talks about driving one of these 90mph from san fransisco to portland, oregon on hwy 101...in 51. Can you imagine? I doubt i will ever have mine over 60...without pressurized oiling it seems that may be too much for my oil slinger and babbit bearings.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Mine has the oil filler in the rocker cover and it is a 216......stock for 51. maybe its the difference in trucks and cars...the other is an earlier truck motor. You should join at chevytalk....thex49-54 forum is one of the most active.....and a lot of smart, respectful guys.....and a few of us girls.

    1950's 235s and LEAD

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by AdW13 (see edit history)

    If it is a 216 10/40 oil is not good. These dont have pressurized oiling system...the 10/40 is too heavy to properly oil the top end. The 216 does have babbit bearings....thats why most switch to the 235...the bearings and oil system.

    Here is a link to the manual. The motor section has a lot of good info on how these work. You can buy this manual for 22 bucks at national chevy association...but same exact book is in the link. I like the book for quick reference.

    http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/index.htm

    Here is the index to the chevy manuals.

    http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/index.htm

    The oil filters can be found in the accessories manual.

    http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/parts/1929_54/index.htm

    I chose to add a fuel filter to mine, too. There is a procedure for it in the accessories book but I picked up the bent line from the fuel pump to filter and filter to carb....and the glass filter and fittings from NCA for 50 bucks.

    As for the ethanol...it will destroy your fuel pump diaphram and internals of your carb. Be sure to use an additive to keep the ethanol suspended....we use a formula called driven carb defender made by Joe Gibbs racing but others use a stabil that works for that.

    Here is a pic of my valve covers on my 51 216...and the fuel filter I speak of above.

    IMG_20140110_203729.jpg

    AWD vs. 4WD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Starting in April we are going to autocross our vw phaeton. It weighs 5400 pounds and has AWD. I will know more about accelerating an AWD in corners after that. We just missed one last weekend that was in six inches of snow. That would have been great fun but we didnt read about it until yesterday. I sure wouldnt want 4x4 for that.

    How much snow do you guys consider a lot on the roadway?

    AWD vs. 4WD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I agree with what someone said earlier....If I am going to get hit by the other idiots driving two wheel drives with bald street tires I want to be in my full size truck.

    People keep mentioning about slowing down. I think the compression brake feature of the tow/haul on the allison tansmissions DOES help thos out when driving in combination with 4x4. I have driven in freezing rain and just put it in first and tapped tow and crawled down a pretty scary hill....more than once. Same as the starting in second gear....you don't lose traction like some of the older 4x4 did. Our biggest problem is the wide track of the dually....When we go on roads not plowed we have only a small space sometimes to drive in and that fat butt of our truck don't go in the geo tracks very good...lol

    Clearance is a consideration around here....even our dually 4x4 isn't high enough sometimes. Luckily our vw has a feature to raise the ride height electronically.....we sometimes get lots of snow.

    AWD vs. 4WD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I KNOW that AWD/4WD only helps you accelerate, and braking and handling are the same as a 2WD car, but I have to admit that my Audi allroad was perhaps the finest winter warrior ever conceived by the mind of man. With snow tires, it was completely unstoppable in any weather conditions and remains undefeated in our parking lot play times after a heavy snow fall. I just picked up a new Cadillac CTS wagon with AWD and while I haven't had any problems moving through the heavy snow this year, it ain't the Audi, either. The Audi always felt like it was searching for more traction, whereas the Cadillac feels like it's only reacting after the fact. "Oh, some slipping happening back there? Better see if the front tires would like to help out." It always feels a half-step behind and I know I've been in situations where the Audi would have been unshakable but the Cadillac was a little hairy. On the other hand, knowing how to use AWD properly can make it a huge advantage. Just the other day I was going down a spiraling snow-covered off-ramp and started to understeer as I braked. Feeding in some power allowed the front wheels to pull the car back in line, something that wouldn't have been possible with 2WD, and it probably saved me from at least having to call a tow truck, if not a trip to the bodyshop.

    Now more to the question, I think AWD is probably superior in normal driving situations for regular drivers. 4WD (implying no center differential) means that it's good for low-traction surfaces only, as tire slip is providing the relief to the driveline when the front and rear tires are spinning at different speeds. While I can't argue with decades of off-roaders and Jeepers going into deep doo-doo with their 4WD systems, if you're driving in the winter, I think a smart system that apportions traction automatically and uses a center differential is going to be superior. I've gotten in jams with my Dodge 4x4 pickup simply because road conditions wouldn't allow me to use 4-wheel-drive (some dry areas, some icy areas) and by the time I need 4-wheel-drive, it's too late to activate it. So for routine driving, I think AWD is superior because it's always ready to spring into action. 4WD is probably better for all-out traction in slippery conditions, but with its limitations, I think the AWD system will be more effective more often.

    What's the old expression? The only thing 4-wheel-drive lets you do is get farther off the road before you get stuck?

    We just got a VW Phaeton...I know what you mean about the traction. It seems when we put studs on it next winter it will go anywhere...But you do feel the torque steer kinda feeling in it. And even with the air ride it feels rougher in the frontend to me. The caddy likely has much less technology in the traction control system than the audi does.

    I think if I had to choose 4x4 where you had to actually shift it...like our old chevies, I would prefer AWD any day. ince 97 our trucks all have had the push button 4x4. It is an actuator on the dash and shifts into 4 high on the fly....up to 60mph. So it works great when you get to those slick spots. Also, the tranny tow option being a compression brake also helps a lot. You don't have to use the brakes coming to a stop or going down hills. Also, it has an option of allowing you to start out in second gear if you are losing traction in first....this isn't the case with a lot of automatic trannies.

    I raced VW rabbits averaging 60MPH on a quarter mile banked oval I know all about hitting the gas to bring the frontend down, lol. The RWD cars had to slow down for corners....me I could mash the gas mid corner and be sucked to the bottom....loved it.

    AWD vs. 4WD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    The key is to slow down...even in 4x4 and a lot of idiots don't. Our truck and car will both go about anywhere we want to go. Many times we are passed by people in the snow....sometimes we slow down below the speed limit....we go by what we feel the safest speed for the conditions are.

    We are new to the car market, having just got our VW Phaeton last month, but I would also thing there is a cost difference. Since the AWD is always engaged, you would likely get worse mileage. Also, the cost of maintenance. If it is always engaged there are more parts that are always working....so more chance for failure. We engage our 4x4 a few times in the summer....a mechanic friend told us that keeps it lubed. We don't use the 4x4 much in winter overall, either really. Only when the roads are slick. We put our truck in 4x4 on washboard roads, too. It makes a worlds of difference.

    The ride is the biggie for me. In our Phaeton the air ride takes out a lot of the roughness....but I have been in subaru legacy's that you could really feel it in the ride....like when our truck is in 4x4. I'm spoiled on the push button 4x4...our last 3 trucks have all been it....such a great feature for the NW cuz some times roads are clear then all of a sudden snowy.

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