'40

Car: 1940 Chrysler Windsor. Engine: 383 Chrysler big block. Trans: 727TF stage 2. Rear diff: 8 3/4".

So, parts are slowly coming in to get my car up driving again.
Today I got my new LOKAR nostalgic shifter installed (had it out o the box and centered before UPS even left). Only problem I found with it is the linkage (15" threaded rod) is about 6 inches too short so I will have to find a longer one tomorrow.
I also started building new brake lines, I now understand why engineers get paid good money to figure out how to make this crap work. Having to run the line for the pass side between the frame and lower control arms to keep it away from the headers. Definitely using bolt down clamps. For the rear, only issue I am having is that I can't find my vent bolt. Which seems to be a hard to come by part around here.
Hopefully, my heads and oil pump cover will be done soon so I can get it put back together.

 

Pics,?

 

Got the front and mid plates trimmed and new brake lines ran.

This pic shows the Dolphin gauges that I made in place of the original panel.

Installed a Lokar shifter. I have already had people confused on if it is a manual or automatic.

I built a bolt in cradle for the rack and pinion. I hadn't installed the spacers on the pass side yet in this picture. It is level now.

I had to get bushings welded into the steering arms to allow use of the Omni tie rod ends. Had to relocate the tabs for the brake lines in order to keep the lines away from the headers.

I am keeping the original master cylinder, until I upgrade from drum/drum to disc/disc. When I do, I will probably end up doing a firewall mount or under dash mount power master cylinder.

I fixed the spot where the bondo that the prior owner had put in. The metal is actually in very good condition with minimal damage. I think they just used it to fill it out a little. I will run it through an English wheel in the future to get rid of all the uneven spots so I don't have the bondo there anymore. I also need to do a little bit of lead work on the original body seams once I strip the paint.

I built these side pipes using 4'x3" pipe. I welded in a 12" auger style muffler into the end of each, there is also a 12" auger style muffler in the header collectors which are 3.5". I welded the turn downs so that they will be at a 45* angle once I get them welded up to the headers.

I used the same style mount that I put in my Tacoma. I installed a cut off on the ground side, that way I wont have to pull the cable in order to disconnect the power. Both pos and neg use a thru-panel terminal.

 

A couple more pics. Still waiting for my oil pump cover. Ended up designing one to be milled out of a piece of billet. He got it wrong the first time, but it will work once he does the fixes I pointed out.

Don't mind the finger, had to block out sun glare. Side pipes installed.

Fabricated an alternator bracket since no one makes something that would work.

 

Gnarly!

 

Her new stance. Running and driving now. She sounds great, kinda like a pair of Harleys.

 

Very nice, don't see too many pre-war Mopars. Just too many old Hemi's in Fords.

 

yeah buddy! thats great

 

Been having problem after problem. Carbon center broke out of the dist cap while driving. Replaced cap and rotor, and still ran like shit. So, replaced the ignition control module. Still ran like shit. Did a gm hei conversion, still ran like shit.
Then I wired it up to use the Mopar ignition module with a brand new MSD 8226 coil. This got it running a little better but with a pretty nasty miss. Replaced the Autolite plugs with NGK and it is running a lot better with only a slight miss. Now the problem I have is the brand new (10 miles) coil is boiling. How the HE** does an e-core coil boil?

 

Stripped the paint and all the bondo off. Now I can see what needs to be worked and what will need lead. I was surprised with how lazy the previous owner was with the body work. Stuff that will be easy to clean up with an english wheel and planishing hammer had a thick layer of bondo on it instead.

 

On a side note, the trim hadn't been removed since installed at the factory. Had to break every last one if the clips because they were rusted and brittle. Shoulda seen me laying in the trunk and then on the back seat using vice-grips to crush the clips.

 

As she sits now.