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Does anybody know if anyone makes a disc brake conversion kit for my stock '39 dodge d11 suspension? I would rather go that route if I could, instead of putting a crossmember in my car. It drives good, but I would like to put discs on it if I put a V8 in it. Someone said that some other spindles might interchange allowing me to use disc brakes.
Do you have a pic and some measurements of the axle end and the kingpin size??? I'm not a Dodge guy, is a '39 a straight axle????
dave they use a king pin BUT have upper & lowwer control arms....joe
disc brake kit
I haven't pulled the hubs off yet. 1939 was the first year for IFS. One guy said he heard something about spindles from a 2 wheel drive Jeep Cherokee would interchange, but he could not remember where he heard it. I saw something on the net about a guy used spindles from a "72 Monaco, but I can't find that again either.
Ply Do sell conversion kit for it to chevy spindles the 40 i bought had them already installed from them and they look great i have just bought a rack& pinion kit from them and will be mounting a chevy cav. rack this winter when i finsh getting all my parts gathered up . If you need some pix and a phone for pyl-do let me know Bud
Thanks for the info. I would very much appreciate the phone number, and website if they have one. I am also interested in your photos. What engine are you running? Did you have to cut the firewall? Did you use the original steering column? Did you have your original suspension rebuilt? If so, where did you get the kit? I called fatman fab. and they said I should use a frame stub, not a MII crossmember. This involves cutting my frame, and I don't really want to do that. Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated. This will be my first attempt at this. It is not as easy to rod a Mopar, as I am sure you know. I have nothing against the other brands, but I want to stay as much Mopar as I can. Thanks again!
Trent Plydo's # is 1-304-475-3245 The kit comes either standard or dropped 3 inches which i used also they have a Disc Brake Kit to use either Gm Calipers and chrysler rotors or you can gm rotors if want i did because i used a camero rear end out of a 81 you can use a b-body chrysler product if you want to go the other way. around here for some reason they think the older chrysler parts are made out of gold. i'll try to post a couple pixs of the front end can take the front tire of so you can get a better look . it has a 74 318 out of a Dodge Dart can get bolt on kit from plydo for the engine they also have them if you want to go with a chevy motor. Havn't cut firewall yet but will have to take the humps out. have bought the stainless to do it. will do after i get the rack put in then i can take the engine back out. also if you go with a mopar motor you will need to put a truck oil pan on it for the clearance . as for the steering columun i plan on either a chevy van columun if i can find one or a flaming river if i can't. will try to attach a couple pixs if i can .The plydo people are really good to work with but no web site.
The Second picture
:D Thanks Mr. Bud!!! I appreciate all your trouble to help me out. You answered many of my questions. It looks like a pretty slick set-up. I may have more questions for you later on, if you don't mind. I noticed you live in Indiana also. I live just off US50 west, about 14 miles west of Bedford. I may try to post a picture of my car as it looks now, if I can figure out how to do it. Not sure it will end up on this site, if it makes it. Still haven't gotten all this computer stuff down yet.
Your Welcome will try to keep you updated as i go .Still gathering parts will start in a month or so on the rack. Still need to pick up a set of seats and columun then start Hope i helped Bud
Trent one more thing before you start read all you can find and look on amazon.com for How to Build Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge Hot Rods by Tex Smith/Rich johnson very good book. old school and older parts but you can get the sizes you need and can adapt them to some of the newer stuff Good Luck and remember to always mearsure 10 times before you cut and make sure everything is square and level !!!!! Bud.
Number one son and I are at the same point with our Dodge. We dismantled the front suspension this weekend and cleaned things up. We are using the Fatman dropped spindle uprights, Cavalier steering and Disc brake kits. Ply-Do has supplied the upper and lower shaft bushing kits. I bought "sway bar end links" supposedly for a 40 Dodge off ebay but I can't see where it would hook up. I made the mistake of getting a 2003 Cavalier PS rack. It doesn't fit. You need an 89 to 2001 which are available from AutoZone. Silke's auto Parts in Jacksonville FLA has hooked me up with NOS parts for the front suspension. We have decided to go with the Chevy hub/rotor assembly (also new from Autozone) and new calipers. We will use Chevy Camaro IROC wheels 15 x 7 with 4" backspacing if it will all fit. Chevy Nova 10 bolt 3.08 gears since its a cruiser with no overdrive on the 904 tranny.
Glad to hear you are working on something similar. Thanks for the rack tip. I called plydo, waiting on new catalog from printers to arrive. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck on your project. Photos?
Hey Shaggy's Dad, I forgot to tell you something. I just got a catalog from Kanter Auto Products and also from Pro Antique Auto Parts. Both have everything you need to rebuild your stock front suspension, from individual parts to complete rebuild kits.
Well, I'm new to forums so bear with me a bit. I just purchased a 1942 Plymouth Business Coupe. It's an old story "Like I had in high school". I also want to add disc brakes and drop it down some. I have been talking to Plydo and also Lee Damon at Custom Rodder magazine. He wrote some articles on brakes and suspension for his '51 Plymouth in Rod & Custom a year or so ago. The brakes article is in the September 2004 Rod & Custom, and the suspension is on the Rod & Custom internet site. I was able to reach him by e-mailing Rod & Custom. Nice guy.
I'm trying to decide if I'm going to keep the flathead or put in a small block. Everyone has an opinion. Anyone want to express their's while I'm still in the deciding stage? The car looks pretty good and the little motor runs nice. The one I had in high school had the six and could bark the tires going into 3rd, if I hit it just right. I had 14 inch wheels and an Ansen's floor shift. Wish I could find that linkage again...
I also have a Kanters catalog. I have nothing against them but I wanted to support Plydo because they're the little guy and without them us Mopar rodders would be SOL. Yeah, they sell the Fatman kits and some other stuff that they get from somewhere else but they are the ONLY place for specialized brackets, mounts, etc. I'd rather pay a few extra bucks than not support them and wish they were still in business a year from now. Their customer service is excellent and I get their parts within 48 hours to my door.
As for the flathead vs V8 power, the gas prices and intended use should be considered. If our rod was just for me and my wife, I'd have kept the flathead and hopped it up. The car actually is a father - son priject with my 17 y/o so he has a preference for V8 power. flat black rat rod style, etc.
Parts are surprising easy to get for the 218 flathead. Stock horsepower of about 85 can be doubled with some reasonable and available mods: Petronix ignition and 12V conversion, split exhaust (3 into 1), dual carbs and higher compression, custom cam grind. This will give you a torquey efficient motor perfect for the street and with very good fuel economy. I'd probably swap the rear for a higher rear like 3.73 instead of the 4.10 that is stock.
All you need to worry about is what YOU want. As for me, I prefer a small block mopar, and would love a 4 speed. I want a fun driver. I am not worried about air conditioning and big stereos right now. I just want something different and fun to drive that the whole family can enjoy.
Trent P. and Shaggy's Dad-
Thanks for the input. I noticed a link to "RustyHope", has anyone dealt with them. He's giving me some ideas on a master cylinder/power booster that will work with my stock pedals; both the brake and clutch. If it works, that would let me update to discs and worry about whether I keep the flathead or move up to a small block later. Right now I'd just like to update the brakes, get some dropped spindles, shorter coil springs and maybe just put some 3-inch blocks in the rear with my stock differential. It seems like that might keep me busy enough for the winter...
I'm new to the forum, but glad I found you guys! Just bought a '39 Dodge Business Coupe in what appears to be pretty amazing shape. I'm wanting to do some of the things you all have been talking about (disc brakes, dropped, V8). Since these posts are 7 months old I'm wondering how the projects are going?
Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated; I haven't picked up a cutting tool.......yet! Thanks in advance.
Progress? We bought a new house and my son is getting ready to go across the country to attend college. The Dodge has been sitting on two tires and a mover's dolly for six of those months. This is a father- son project that is supposed to be 50- 50 rather than 90 - 10 like the last one. I have the new FatMan dropped uprights installed with NOS upper and lower control arm links. I bought the wrong year cavalier Rack and Pinion-- 89 to 94 works, 98 does not. The frame is prepped for the motor and tranny mounts but I didn't want to place them until I have the car on all fours so I can level the motor with the new front rake. I have a GM 10 bolt rear 3.08 (can you say $3 a gallon?) and the GM front discs. I'll adapt the GM to the stock rear springs with Plydo's spring pad. I bought 4 Camaro IROC 15" rims for $160 at the boneyard. Once I glass bead them and clear coat them they'll be mounted on 265/75 15 Yoko Avid SUV all-season tires (whites in of course) for the rear and 225/70 15 Conti tires for the front. Anything wider won't fit. We have black leather Cadillac Deville seats with the seat belts in the seat. That solved a big problem since the door post is too flimsy to mount a serious belt anchor. The only thing I don't have is time to work on it. I'm thinking it will still be here when my son graduates from college in four years!