Thread: '50 Plymouth finally home

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Had to wait for a break in the weather among other things, to get my '50 Plymouth Special Deluxe club coupe home but it's here.

My plans are simple. Make it safe, make it stop and make it reliable.. It's currently registered and inspected but I think the brakes need attention. They stop as good as they should without a pull at all, but one or more sounds crunchy. The PO claims to have redone them but I'm not sure.. Scarebird front discs likely since the Lockeed dual cylinder setup on the front takes a special tool and is over complicated anyway. The rear's I'll just adjust and replace as best I can. There's a place local that can arc shoes and I guess if they are arced and fitted, the adjustment isn't as critical

Other than that, I'm going to put a seat cover over the seat ( rear is fine, front is tattered ) and just drive it.. No real build thread on this one. Summer daily driver and hit up some shows with it

Nice! Great cars; those old flathead sixes are indestructible. Mama Mopar used that same basic engine from the 1930's well into the 1960s in cars, trucks, and several industrial applications. Also, they run really well with a Holley 500 2 barrel and HEI conversion if you want to do a few modern tweaks.

Yeah, I want it reliable. I just had it out for a drive and it came home on a flatbed. I had my cell phone and a fire extinguisher, but no tools.. Points are fried, and the cap and rotor are caked with carbon. I can probably get it going with cleaning and gapping but I'm just going to get a new cap, rotor and points. There all on order at the local parts house.

That looks like a very nice, clean, and straight Plymouth. You definitely don't see many of them around.

Not too many. The rockers are pretty much gone, but the rest of the car is well kept and solid. It's just a nice old car..

The real gold was in the glovebox where I found old paperwork from the 1970's. Midas lifetime muffler ( replaced once it looks ). The most interesting is a bill receipt and a .020 over engine tag for a rebuilt engine from 1975. This car was run until 1979 when it was retired due to the lady breaking her hip and being unable to drive a manual any longer. So basically, the engine is fairly fresh. Not original, I do not care. I might even be lucky and it be a 230.

My first car when I was 16 down in Salma Al. my aunt sold it to me. Black shinny 50 Plymouth 4 dr. 3 on the tree. Couldn't afford a starter so when I parked it I always put the right side of car on curb. I got a set of recaps and drove the wheels off it that summer

Very cool; that’d be awesome to pull into Midas and ask for your lifetime replacement muffler in a 68 year old car.

I thought so too, until I found the warranty certificate that states, it's guaranteed to the original purchaser with her name filled in the blank. The replacement as far as I can tell has a date of 1979 and, it's still going

I love it and your plan for it !

If you don't have one already pick up an original service manual for it, you'll find it pretty handy.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-47-48-...JauAbC&vxp=mtr


If you've never dealt with it before you're in for a fun time getting the rear brake drums off (tapered splined hub/axle) get the heaviest duty puller you can buy or borrow and they aren't too bad though.



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Thanks, I stuck a bid in for it. If I loose it, I'll just get a better one. I have a Motors manual which should get me through most repairs but factory manual would be nice to have for sure. I've never dealt with the tapered drums so I know they'll be fun.

I came across this which will give you a pretty good idea on the right way to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrcm7MsQiXQ

Do not try to pull it with a puller that grabs the outer edge of the drum, you'll probably just ruin the drum.

I had almost forgot that the old Plymouths used lug bolts instead of studs and nuts (a real joy if you have to put the spare on at night and they are left and right hand.

If you need spare lug bolts and are having problems finding them, I found the best source was trailer supply stores.

Anyway have fun with it, their a neat old car.


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That thing needs a HEMI!!!!