i picked this up yesterday, seems to be pretty together.drove it home (about 75 miles).motor runs 40 psi of oil pressure but smokes on deceleration.still has 6 volt system & id like to convert to 12,any help ,info, ideas will be welcome.
51 plymouth...what to do?
- Thread starter wildcat
- Start date
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earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Nice! Congratulations Wildcat. You gotta give us some indication of what you have in mind first. If mine i would do very little to it and try to preserve the old car feel and smell! Maybe just WW's and great sounding exhaust. 
rockb1
Built For Speed!
Ya I wouldnt do too much to it. It looks cool the way it is. maybe a little refreshing and updating. Then just cruise it like it is.
Tripper
Older and more rusted every day!
What he said but I'd put Moon's on it! Run heavier oil & see if that will stop some of the smoking prob!
BoB
Gastrick
One of the Dirty Dozen!
It's got a nice tough look to it. I'd be tempted to just make sure it was in good mechanical working order and drive it as is for a while. It kind of reminds me of a moonshine hauler for some reason......all business.
BruceR&C
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult!
Nice looking B-coupe, wildcat. Great candidate for a period rod. There's some performance parts available for that flat 6. In addition to the Moon disks, a set of lake pipes would give it the right look.
sixtall
Well-known member
I like it. One used to run around this area that was dark blue with narrow whites and baby moons. I can see yours with blackwalls and white rims, or am I just crazy ?
buckeyedon
"Perpetually Greasy"
Good buy wildcat. Would be a good daily driver. But those business coupes
just scream gasser to me.
just scream gasser to me.
BigIrish
Well-known member
I used to have this '50 plymouth with the same 6v set up. I did some research on converting it to 12v, but ended up selling it. Anyway, you need to swap the generator to a 12v alternator (I'd get a 1-wire and scrap the voltage regulator setup), the coil, all the bulbs, the horn, and gas gauge electrics if you want that to work. The starter will handle 12v no problem. I added it all up and decided I didn't want to spend the $$ but it would be a great upgrade.
I really loved that flat six though. I just put a $20 cherry bomb glasspack on it and it sounded pretty tough!
I really loved that flat six though. I just put a $20 cherry bomb glasspack on it and it sounded pretty tough!
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sixtall
Well-known member
BigIrish, I love that '50.
rustbuilder
Active member
Man thats cool!If it wasn't so nice i'd make a the ramchargers 51 HIGH AND MIGHT.The car that scared people because it lifted the front tires on the track!But yours is to nice for that.
donsrods
Well-known member
You don't see many of the coupes, so I would just leave it alone and fix some stuff to make it more dependable. The smoking on deacceleration is generally valve guides, the oil gets sucked in. They sell some oil additives to stop smoking and I would run that and some straight 30 wt oil and see what happens. Lucas makes some good stuff, maybe try their additive.
I'm a whitewall kinda guy so that is what I would put on, it would take away some of the Grandpa flavor, if you know what I mean. That and some neat hubcaps.
Very cool find.
As for the 12 v conversion, it would be a nice upgrade.......faster cranking and better headlights. Bulbs and starter are no problem, standard 12 volt bulbs will fit right in and the starter will handle 12 v as is. The radio, heater, and gauges are going to need a voltage reducer and that will be your major outlay, Speedway sells two types, a cheap one and a more expensive one. Buy the better one for each component, they last longer and work better.
Don
I'm a whitewall kinda guy so that is what I would put on, it would take away some of the Grandpa flavor, if you know what I mean. That and some neat hubcaps.
Very cool find.
As for the 12 v conversion, it would be a nice upgrade.......faster cranking and better headlights. Bulbs and starter are no problem, standard 12 volt bulbs will fit right in and the starter will handle 12 v as is. The radio, heater, and gauges are going to need a voltage reducer and that will be your major outlay, Speedway sells two types, a cheap one and a more expensive one. Buy the better one for each component, they last longer and work better.
Don
rainman
Rough Rodder
Thats odd, the very first thing I thought of was, "Moonsine Hauler"!!!
You need to decide what YOU want!!
BUUUUT since you asked, if it were mine!!
I would put a later model drive train in it, get it as reliable as possible, lower it a little in the back, find some nice caps, or moons, and drive it daily as hard as I could!!
rainman
Rough Rodder
NOPE!!! Never looked, but good advice today would have been good advice then!! ha ha ha
darn it..I didn't look either..nevermind
sgtpontiac
Older, Wiser and Still Buildin'
Gotta say.....
AT LEAST I DON'T FEEL SO BAD NOW.....LOL [cl
AT LEAST I DON'T FEEL SO BAD NOW.....LOL [cl
