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1933 Dodge BARN FIND - HARLEAN'S COMEBACK


Sactownog

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I decided to mount the relay for the OD under the dash next to the Ignition coil.

it came out pretty nice, the screw holes if removed basically go away in the Mole Hair firewall panel and the screws are in the wood and not through the metal firewall so there is no ugliness in the engine bay.

 

I for sure did not want to have more holes in the firewall that were not original. 

 

Taking car to Trans Masters in Escondido CA for the engine tune and to adjust the Trans tomorrow. well see what other adjustments $$$$$$ need to be made. 

 

feel like I need to sacrifice a Goat in front of the car to make sure it works correctly, her name is Harlean after Jean Harlow but I may need to change the name to Cursed33. because she sure has given me a lot of hard times since deciding to rebuild all her parts. 

 

 

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1 minute ago, Sactownog said:

her name is Harlean after Jean Harlow but I may need to change the name to Cursed33. because she sure has given me a lot of hard times since deciding to rebuild all her parts. 

Hope all goes smoothly so that you do not have to rename her Cruella deVille.....

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8 hours ago, Sactownog said:

That actually is a really good name for this car, I will petition the wife for the Cruella name if it comes to that in the next few weeks. 

You may need some passengers....

dalmatian-puppies_u-l-pzkolo0.jpg

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so Harlean (33 dodge) is at Trans Masters in Escondido, CA getting the engine tuned, the transmission dialed in and the kick down switch figured out. I have not heard back from them yet, but am hopeful they know what they are doing and hope they will get it dialed in so I can drive her home. :)

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so I dropped off the car to the Trans Masters shop last week. I know they have not done anything to the car yet. not sure how long I should wait for them to work on the car. Tuesday will be 1 week. I am thinking 3 weeks max for a shop to have my car. Thoughts? 

 

They will be tuning the engine

wiring the power for the relay to the kick down switch

screw in the kick down switch

ensure transmission is shifting correctly. 

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Scary leaving your car in workshops, first thing that happens is everyone goes up to look at it because it’s unique and then they rub their hands across it and they say, god the paint work is beautiful. Leave scratches across it because it’s covered in workshop dust and the they walk away thinking nothing of it. 
Personally I would say if you can’t get to it straight away I’ll run it back when you can do it. Hopefully they can get it done for you in the next couple of days. 

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  • 1 month later...

Car is back together. shifts well and the OD works great. still have to figure out how to down shift in overdrive with the kick down switch while going up a grade. however the car drives and cruises at 65mph comfortably. 

 

I have been working on the steering and breaks to make the car as perfect as possible. 

 

I have driven the car to a cars and coffee (first pic) and then to a club breakfast (2nd pic) and she drove very well. 

 

the engine is tuned and runs smooth, sounds like a 230 flathead 6 bored 60 over with a reground cam and ported/polished heads. so it is taking a bit of getting used to after having the original motor not have to much power. but this engine starts well, idles great, and has torque that I have not felt in this car before. so I am off to a good start. 

 

going 65 down the freeway is a change, I can actually pass cars/trucks and feel like the car will want to go more. 

 

I have got the car up to 71MPH, kind of scared to go over that due to the skinny tires. but the car pulls and climbs very well in speed while going down the road. 

 

I am happy with the car and the rebuilt engine, transmission with overdrive, and the rear end being rebuilt. I am happy and hope to post more in the future. 

 

note: I post all my pictures to my instagram page @sactownog

first cars and coffee after rebuild.jpg

breakfast with car club .jpg

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1 hour ago, Sactownog said:

still have to figure out how to down shift in overdrive with the kick down switch while going up a grade.

Congratulations!  How the downshift is supposed to work for an electric-mechanical OD:  Climbing the grade in with OD engaged, floor it like you're trying to punch thru the toeboard, and the downshift to direct occurs, BUT it will upshift to OD again if you take your foot off the gas.  So the technique post-kickdown is to continue to give it enough throttle for the situation, never letting your foot off the gas, and it will stay in direct.  If the engine goes to idle or close to it, you'll get an upshift to OD automatically if you're above your trans threshold speed *unless* you use the handle and bring it back to direct.

 

As to encountering a sudden downgrade when OD is no longer appropriate, see my much-earlier post on the 1936 Pierce OD descending from Siskiyou Summit.

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1 hour ago, Grimy said:

Congratulations!  How the downshift is supposed to work for an electric-mechanical OD:  Climbing the grade in with OD engaged, floor it like you're trying to punch thru the toeboard, and the downshift to direct occurs, BUT it will upshift to OD again if you take your foot off the gas.  So the technique post-kickdown is to continue to give it enough throttle for the situation, never letting your foot off the gas, and it will stay in direct.  If the engine goes to idle or close to it, you'll get an upshift to OD automatically if you're above your trans threshold speed *unless* you use the handle and bring it back to direct.

 

As to encountering a sudden downgrade when OD is no longer appropriate, see my much-earlier post on the 1936 Pierce OD descending from Siskiyou Summit.

 

Ya sorry bro, dont understand what you are getting at. 

 

I have been told that when going up a grade, when the car boggs down, I am supposed to push the gas peddle down, then push on the kick down switch, let off the gas peddle, then push on the gas peddle again, then let off the kick down switch. 

 

not sure if this works, but I am still learning it. 

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39 minutes ago, Sactownog said:

I have been told that when going up a grade, when the car boggs down, I am supposed to push the gas peddle down, then push on the kick down switch, let off the gas peddle, then push on the gas peddle again, then let off the kick down switch.

Fill me in, please, on what you're using--the factory-style was a plunger switch under the accelerator pedal.  Sounds like you're using some kind of dash-mounted switch like a toggle.  In the latter case, go by whatever instructions you got with the switch if it was designed for that purpose.  The factory-style gets the kickdown but can be released without causing an upshift (i.e., part throttle OK to stay in direct), but when you get completely off the gas it will upshift to OD if you're above the threshold speed.

 

WAG (only) here:  With a non-factory switch, give it some significant throttle (not necessarily burying it), THEN trip the switch.  I don't know whether you have to flip the switch the other way to return to OD.  Is that a momentary contact switch, or does it remain activated by itself?

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Its been years, but I had the toggle on the dash on one of my plymouths.

It just takes a bit of getting used to.

One thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to descend steep hills with the over drive pushed in as you will have very little if any compression braking.

And the service brakes will pay the price.

So with that in mind, its easier to take it out of OD when climbing than descending as you need the electrical part turned off and the revs up to speed in direct mode to pull the lever.

Confusing I know but you will figure it out.

Fun stuff.

Edited by JACK M (see edit history)
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  • 1 month later...

Well I am back and I will let you know right off the bat the car is now on the road with a rebuilt 230 flat head 6 bored .060 with a reground cam and a ported and polished matching block, intake & exhaust.

 

The stock 1933 three speed standard transmission was switched out for a George Asche 1939 Plymouth three speed with an overdrive, new clutch, and a resurfaced pressure plate.

 

The shifter and  E-Break is in the stock location! 

 

Oceanside driveline rebuilt the rear end and custom built the drive line to work with the new transmission and rear end. 

 

I removed and installed the entire drive train with help from friends in my garage. (I have great friends when I need them) 

 

The engine was tuned by Transmasters in Escondido California and they also did a little custom work to the transmission shifting links to work with the stock 1933 Dodge brothers shifter.   

 

I will remind those who may have forgot that I found this car in December 2017 in a Barn in Lincoln, CA. (All credit to my Dad for the find). 

I purchased this car for $12,000, per DMV Record (provided by AAA) I am the 2nd owner, the original owner and his son told me the paint and interior are original and that the only thing changed in this car is the engine block from a 1953 Dodge 230 flat head 6.

 

The car and I have come a long way, I started this project with the mindset to get it running and drive it to the San Diego Del Mar Good Guys hot rod show on 4/2018 and I did it. Then I did a few things and the goal was to have the car driving even better and have it done by the Good Guys show on 4/2019 and I did it. then again, I did some things to the car with the goal of having it done by 4/2020 and to be honest I would not have made the show and since Covid19 hit, well it gave me a bunch of time to work on the car especially after getting laid off. 

needless to say, no goal is needed to meet now that the goals have been met, no shows are happening. 

 

so that said, I finished the car (never really done) and now do what I think many forget to do, I enjoy the car! I drive the car to Temecula with my wife and enjoy the winery's, we take the car for the good ol cruise down the 101 next to the ocean. It is a car I can now enjoy and treasure. 

 

so now I will stop talking and just post as many pictures as I can on this thread and if you get time, go follow my build on instagram @SactownOG and youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/RALPHIEKAKES

 

Thanks for following my build, not sure if I will sell this one or buy another and have two cars. but time will tell. 

 

 

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