Custom Mopar ????

[Torchie]

Thanks friends.
Taking the day to travel over to have a planning lunch with the daughter and the future in-laws.
As a retired Chef I have been involved with many events over the course of my career , so this will be interesting.
So far the date and the venue are set in stone. Everything else is up for grabs.
Here are a couple of pics of the Venue. Lots of Great Lakes history in their area so why not take advantage of it.
Wish me luck.
The father of the Bride. Formerly known as Torchie.

 

[Torchie]

Torchies one man band....

First part of my day. Every mud bogger has to have a winch. Right???
The last 2 pics shows my custom sitting at the same rocker panel height as the supposed stock donor car. I think the donor sits lower then stock (smaller profile tires for sure) but until I crawl under it to see the suspension was modded we will call it good.
So with me as scale you can see the difference a 3 inch chop and a 3 inch section makes.
That's it for now...
Torchie

 

[soltz]

@@[P@@

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Good luck with the wedding.

I've been anxiously awaiting a look at the donor frame and now, the suspension. [P

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[Torchie]

Good luck with the wedding.

I've been anxiously awaiting a look at the donor frame and now, the suspension. [P

.

Thanks Crank. I told them they already have done the 4 hardest things. He asked. She said yes. They picked a date and have a Venue. The rest is gravy. [ddd
Me too on the suspension. I looked at the tires and they really aren't that much (if any) smaller then stock would be. I was thinking weak springs but if so they sure got weak pretty evenly front to back and side to side.

OK. Not many pics as I was doing this in the pouring rain, which will soon turn to pouring snow.
Custom is turned sideways on carts at the back of the shop.
The donor is in as well. Plenty of room for me to work and plenty of room for the daily.
Tomorrows plan is to get back into the shop and do some more organizing. I want at least most of the bench available to work on.
That's it for today. I''m Knackered.
Thanks for looking in.....
Torchie

 

[bob w]

The boat was interesting but this is better. Looking forward to a winter of watching and learning from you.

 

[zzrodder]

Looking good! Yep, big height difference for sure, seeing them both in the same pic really shows it [P

 

[Torchie]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_Drive

For those of you that are so inclined.......
A few posts back I elaborated on the different variations fo the 49 Dodge's.
Here's some more. As many transmissions as there are stars in the night. sky.
My Dodge came with a "Fluid Drive" trans. Its a basic 3 spd manual with a fluid coupling instead of a Torque converter. You shift it just like a regular 3 speed but you can come to a full stop and take off again with out using the clutch. But if you take off in high gear you won't win any races..
You still have to shift and use the clutch to go through the gears or into reverse.
These trans are different from the so called semi- automatics that Mopar also offered.
The donor Dodge has the "Gyro-matic" ( available as a option. I think) emblem on the side which is supposedly a semi automatic. If that's the case then I will switch it over to the one from the Custom.
And just to make things interesting, at one point Mopar called all their trans Fluid drive. Semi automatic or otherwise. Because they all use a fluid coupler.
here are some pics of the customs trans.
Mired in minutia .......
Torchie

 

[BillM]

Thanks Torchie - you are a constant source of education for me!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding too.

 

[Old Iron]

Yep, good luck with the wedding. My oldest grandson is getting married tomorrow, wedding starts at 4 pm.

 

[Torchie]

Looking good! Yep, big height difference for sure, seeing them both in the same pic really shows it [P

I really wanted to get a side by side shot ZZ but the monsoons had started and I was already soaking wet. Heavey rains all night and a 4 hour thunder storm to boot.

Thanks Torchie - you are a constant source of education for me!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding too.

Thanks Bill. I've always loved learning about things(even though that would not have been reflected in my public school education.[ddd )
I"m going to pull the trans and from the rotted frame incase I can run the stock flat 6 and need to make a. swap.

Yep, good luck with the wedding. My oldest grandson is getting married tomorrow, wedding starts at 4 pm.

All my best to them OI. AS the song goes...."The beat goes on"....
Mostly going to take it easy today. At least for the morning.
Keep on keeping on....
Torchie

 

[kenny c]

Good luck with the wedding. looking at the two cars that close together, you sure took the homely out of the custom.[P[P[P

 

[Torchie]

Thanks kenny.
There will still be plenty of Dodge left in it.
As fore seen, not too much done today.
I finished cleaning off the part of the bench that's not stacked up with wood working tools.
Moved a few other things around and then started a new trash pile. My little winch that could has finally gave up the ghost. As well as my high priced shop vac.
I chalk that one up to the boat. So that's like 3 or 4 tools I killed working on that bottom. Most of my tools are old and while well maintained time is catching up with them.
Keep on keeping on..
Torchie

 

[DozerII]

Your getting it sorted out very well, tools crapping out never happens at a good time.

 

[Torchie]

In between outdoor chores I have been imagineering the Dodge Dash.
Since the custom has been sectioned 3 inches the dash will have to drop down 3 inches around the steering column. The pics show what that will do.
My thoughts at this time are to relocate the gauges so that there is enough space between two to fit the column in there. 2 to the outside of the column and one between the column and the radio grill.
Then I will have to deal with the chrome trim strip that runs across the bottom of the dash, Connects to the radio grill and continues over the the PS side.
Any and all thoughts welcomed as always.
Here's the rub.....
I don't want a tilt column.[ddd
Torchie

 

[Torchie]

More TBD. Tedious. Boring and Dull.

I know some of this stuff is just plain TBD but posting it helps keep me motivated. Ignore at your discretion.[ddd
Clean out the custom body. Don't want a indoor leaf fire.
Another interesting Dodge feature. The hood springs are spiral style springs.[S
Duke told me he is sure that there were at least one , maybe two, dead bodies in this trunk at some point.[ddd
Thanks for looking in.....
Torchie

 

[Burgerman]

Also appreciate the mopar trans education. Bummer on the tools giving out.

 

[bob w]

Shop dog checking it out.

 

[kenny c]

Don't let Duke talk to the police.[ddd

 

[Torchie]

Thanks gang.
By DNA my buddy Duke is the ultimate hunting machine. Half German short hair and half Blue Tick. He scents and tracks. He points and flushes and he trees and Retrieves.
He was never gun broke though.
Making a trip into town for supplies today then hunkering back down. Numbers are really up in my little county. PT has been canceled for the next few weeks.
Interesting times we are living in.
Keep on keeping on.....
Torchie