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1934 Dodge Full Body Off Restoration


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Ian, I bought the car from a club member who lives in PA in 2008. I think he had it for 10 yrs. He bought it from still another club member who is now past. He lived in NJ. I tried to contact the family to see how he got it. I was only able to talk to his daughter who is on in years. All she could tell me that she always remembers her father owning that car. I asked what her father did for a living, thinking he might have been a wealthy person who worked in AU. and had the car shipped to the US, but she told me he was a "rocket scientist".

That's as far as I got. I understand that a lot of car records were destroyed in a fire down there so I'm at a road block at this point to research any further.

Joe C.

PS: Is your gas pedal in between the brake and the clutch?

Edited by Joe Cozza
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Hi Joe,

Interesting sorry and there always seem to be a gap when you trace things back unless it's been in the family since new.

My gas pedal is on the far right side then the brake then clutch. there is a support bracket that the metal toe board attaches to and they are the same on both sides. when the right hand drives were made the moved the accelerator linkage after modifying it, steering and swapped the glove box for the instrument panel.

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good suggestion. I'll give it a go........if I stuff it up I'll blame your crazy idea....haha

Ian

I gave it my best shot, looks better than the piture shows but I will still hit it with some steel wool to see if it will shine up a bit more....used black marker, then sand out the high spots , fine touch the lettering areas, then clear coat it.

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Edited by knobless
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Hi all,

The Dodge Plate sure looks a lot better once done, thanks for the resto idea.

I cleaned up the side parts that sit beside the toe board that the side upholstery panels sit in. This isn't a dodgey paint job but rather the rust pitting once there were blasted. They are still in reasonable condition so decided to keep and use them.

Also finished the front floor timber panel. When I did a trial fit it was slightly out so if I widen two of the holes it should sit properly. I attached weather proof felt around the outsides and because there is a bigger gap on the long side I used some left over bonnet cord which actually looks really good once in.

I also posted a few photos of the pedal arrangement for the RHD cars. In the last photo you can just see the rod where the top of the accelerator pedal joins to.

Cheers

Ian

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Okey Dokey another update.

Finished the floor, toe board and the two upholstery panel side parts and installed all of them today. Its actually nice to be able to move around inside the car without falling through the holes.

I am missing one small metal thread only because when I was doing it up I dropped it and it slid into a totally inaccessible spot so I'll have to get a few more tomorrow.

Other than that another job off the list.

Cheers

Ian

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Okey Dokey another update.

Finished the floor, toe board and the two upholstery panel side parts and installed all of them today. Its actually nice to be able to move around inside the car without falling through the holes.

I am missing one small metal thread only because when I was doing it up I dropped it and it slid into a totally inaccessible spot so I'll have to get a few more tomorrow.

Other than that another job off the list.

Cheers

Ian

two upholstery panel side parts / or "kick panels" as we call them here....haha...also a "flex shaft magnet" is great for dropped nuts and bolts,,,

As always Ian your work looks great....is that birch plywood you used one the floor board???

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two upholstery panel side parts / or "kick panels" as we call them here....haha...also a "flex shaft magnet" is great for dropped nuts and bolts,,,

As always Ian your work looks great....is that birch plywood you used one the floor board???

Yep, birch 12 layer ply so hopefully it will give a bit of strength. Have a look at the toe board under the pedals. No its not a dodgey paint job but rather years of rust has eaten into it. Held up pretty well so after blasting I had it powder coated but you can still see it. Never mind !!!

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Still plodding along.

Picked up the garnish moldings from the blaster and he's done a great job again. Dropped them into my painter and will shoot a grey acrylic primer on them then off to the woodgrain guy.

Also been filing back the sun visor brackets to get them ready for plating. Fiddly job this one. Still sanding back the front windscreen frame. They are getting there but slow process to get them pitting free !

Cheers

Ian

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Hey all.

Made up two new pieces of wood that sit under the seat supports. One of mine was missing and the other had a crack in it so I used a piece of good ole Aussie Hardwood.

Sorted out the seat runners that I cleaned up and painted. Stripped back and etch primed the rear seat hinges and stay. Painted the hinges black and installed in the car to get them off the shelf.

Cheers

Ian

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Guest Kelsey

Looking good Ian.. Nice work!!

Hood corners?? I have gotten tons of rubber parts from ALL of the rubber "guys" .. I have come to the conclusion that Steele rubber's quality is unmatched.. they are also usually much more expensive .. but I find it worth it because it just fits better and is a better quality of material..

Having said that.. Metro (MMP) does have some nice stuff

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Hey all,

Cleaned up the horn workings. A resident electronic genius at work tested them and replaced Capacitors on both of them. A few more bits to clean up on the horns and the body can be reassembled.

Also mounted a steering column cover plate ( I think its in right ), then the rubber grommet, checked the dimmer switch and cleaned that up too. I kept dropping screws between the body frame and the inner cowl so instead of using my daughters skinny fingers I made up a rubber block that fitted nicely in the gap.

Cheers

Ian

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Beautiful work you are doing, keep it up. One comment, one question: I think the collar on the steering column goes the other way, I think you have it upside down. Let me see if I can scrounge up a photo of an original installation and send it your way. On the seat tracks, beautiful work. Why did you paint them black? Did they seem to have been painted originally? The set on my 34 Plymouth PE convertible are identical, right down to the handle, and they appear to have been bare metal (perhaps cad plated) originally. I just wired brushed them and flushed out the grit/etc. from the inside and then sprayed them with clear. Look great both ways but I wonder which way was original? Probably came both ways. SMB

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Ok, I checked and cannot find a photo of an original installation of that collar. I just seem to recall removing it on my 34 (granted, 34 PE Plymouth, stateside) and it went up, not down. I think it was designed to hold that rubber piece in place, over the rubber as opposed to under it. It may be that your installation is different, don't know for sure. I am attaching a photo of the seat tracks, as found originals on my 34 PE, on an original floor board with original wood under the tracks, with the tracks in some sort of cad plate. Again, who knows. SMB

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Hi Scott,

You know I struggled with that collar for ages trying to work it out. If I put it up the other way around there is a big gap between the two pedals. Hopefully someone on the forum will have a clear pic for us. I tried the rubber steering shaft thing under it and it didn't sit down at all. I'll email Ken Sobel and see if he can shoot me a photo. I agree with you, it just doesn't look right. If I get a photo I'll post it here.

My seat runners had the remains of black paint on them and a bit of rust. I just cleaned them up and painted them which I thought was how they came but perhaps being under the seat they didn't bother.

I've also started to fit my finished pieces to the bonnet sides. The stainless steel vent trim pieces are tricky to get in place. I'm having a few problems with the other side as two of the mounting clips are missing and I'm trying to make two and get them in place without completely stuffing the trim piece up. I also picked up the garnish mouldings from the painter so now its off to the wood grain guy. My windscreen guy dropped in the other day. I couldn't find any rear 1/4 wind out window rubbers. The originals were vulcanised to a metal fram. One side of mine appeared to be brass and the other steel. The steel side had rusted and the rubber completely perished. The guy who made my new glass took both away ( nervous about doing that as I can't replace them ) and said he made up a wooden frame and coated it with beeswax. He then injected Polyeurathane into it let sit for 5 days. He pulled the mould apart and cleaned it up as good as he could and the result is in the pictures. The one on the left is the original. Considering that I didn't have anything on the right one to start with it came out pretty darn good. I just hope the window fits. He said if I wanted to he could come back and "adjust" it if need be. I'm just happy to have it back. I've been looking on the internet for these and they are either rotten or are on good cars so happy with that one !

Cheers

Ian

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Not really a Dodge but thought you might be interested.

When I dropped into the painter he was working on this 1928 Rolls Royce. Have a look at the bolts on the diff. The front spring are also covered in this material and the grease pumped into them.

This was stripped and made into a ute for the war then given back to the owner with the ute body still on it. After 3 other owners it made its way back to the original family ( just by chance ) and there it will stay.

Also note the horn. I originally didn't have horns for my Dodge and bought 2 from different vendors at a Swap Meet. Look familiar ??? The owner of the Rolls is going to have a look at them but one has an identical mounting bracket as that on the Rolls.

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Hey All,

Started work on the operating mechanisem of the rear 1/4 vent wind out windows. Found that I was missing a small steel block that housed the pivot for the bottom of the window. I found one but one was missing. Got a friend of mine to get me small piece of steel and ten I drilled one hole then drilled and tapped the other hole. Found a spare counter sunk metal thread and cut it down to suit so should be ready to see if everything fits together in the car soon.

I also was able to just get a rivet in the top of the ignition switch mounting bracket ( only just as the bracket sits close to the top of the inside of the dash ) that was cut out at some stage, so now all I have to do is mount the bottom feet of the bracket and that will be another job done.

Ian

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Ian--Well I finally found the steering column bracket for my 34 Plymouth PE and it is mounted with the open end up--I marked it with an arrow when I took it off. Attached is a photo and, while it is a different style than that on your Dodge, one can assume that the installation was similar. Looks like yours is mounted correctly. They really don't fit well, particularly with the rubber seal in place. SMBpost-89602-143142516065_thumb.jpg

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Hi Guys,

Did a trail fitting of the right side wind out quarter window.

Seems to fit ok so I inserted the pivot while the frame was upside down, then the steel bar that holds the pivot in place turned it over and tightened the retaining screw and the frame is ready to go in. New screws and also some polyeurathane to seal it in and tightened everything up.

I'll wait to it dries before shutting the window and everything was greased properly before assembly.

Cheers

Ian

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hey all,

Cleaned up the horn workings. A resident electronic genius at work tested them and replaced Capacitors on both of them. A few more bits to clean up on the horns and the body can be reassembled.

Also mounted a steering column cover plate ( I think its in right ), then the rubber grommet, checked the dimmer switch and cleaned that up too. I kept dropping screws between the body frame and the inner cowl so instead of using my daughters skinny fingers I made up a rubber block that fitted nicely in the gap.

Cheers

Ian

Hi Ian

This may be the piece you are missing, fits under the columb and has area for brake and clutch pedal shafts and 2 screw holes that secure to firewall, notice small indent on both sides fits floor board..

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Hi Ian

This may be the piece you are missing, fits under the columb and has area for brake and clutch pedal shafts and 2 screw holes that secure to firewall, notice small indent on both sides fits floor board..

I have also started making block off plates, all types if any one is looking I am doing these on the cheap exact copies, unpainted or primed up to customer I have as yet to determine costs but they will be cheap, they include block off for steering colmb, plate,( right or left hand drive ) under colmb blocking plate,( as pictured here, as well as e- brake block off plates, along with other needs. let me know if anyone needs .

I also do wood working as in roof frames, Have patterns for both 33 plymouth 2 door as well as 34 Dodge 4 door again they will be cheap in price but not quality, Thanks

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Edited by knobless (see edit history)
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what's the one in the third picture for ? I don't recognise it.

I have to check the one under the steering column to see if it will fit but from memory mine looks off centre.

ill take some shots over the weekend if it looks different.

Ian

The third picture came with parts from 33 plymouth coupe, sold the original pcs. and just made up some spares, I'll have to see , I know it has the same floor board bend as the rest of them so it is a block off for something...the guy who bought it knew. I should have ask ed him,,,oh well more research.....

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Ian

The third picture came with parts from 33 plymouth coupe, sold the original pcs. and just made up some spares, I'll have to see , I know it has the same floor board bend as the rest of them so it is a block off for something...the guy who bought it knew. I should have ask ed him,,,oh well more research.....

It looks to fit the Starter area as a block off?? still checking around, a few more plates...

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what's the one in the third picture for ? I don't recognise it.

I have to check the one under the steering column to see if it will fit but from memory mine looks off centre.

ill take some shots over the weekend if it looks different.

Found it Ian,,, it the block off plate for 33 plymouth steering columb.......

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Edited by knobless
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Hey all,

Haven't been slacking off, just doing about 10 different things at once. Started feeding the wires through the headlight stalk as well as the horn wires. I pulled apart my headlight, cleaned up the bolt support brackets, got my repro horn brackets I had made, put a new grommet in and installed both headlight buckets. Happy with the result and even used a few flannelette pillow cases to protect them which fit perfectly.

I'm making a new floor plate that goes around the handbrake lever that Steve ( knobless on this forum ) was good enough to sent me a picture. Again mine was non existent so don't know what happened to it.

Cheers

Ian

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Hey all,

Haven't been slacking off, just doing about 10 different things at once. Started feeding the wires through the headlight stalk as well as the horn wires. I pulled apart my headlight, cleaned up the bolt support brackets, got my repro horn brackets I had made, put a new grommet in and installed both headlight buckets. Happy with the result and even used a few flannelette pillow cases to protect them which fit perfectly.

I'm making a new floor plate that goes around the handbrake lever that Steve ( knobless on this forum ) was good enough to sent me a picture. Again mine was non existent so don't know what happened to it.

Cheers

Ian

While you have the steel out Ian, maybe a few new splash aprons too....finished the tough one just the easy one left to do, a little filing and fine tuning, some primer and paint them up.....

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