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Old 03-20-2007, 11:21 PM
Moparbob 68 Moparbob 68 is offline
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Default Sub-frameing '53 Windsor

Ready to take the plunge!! Sick sick sick of 6 volt, 6 cyl. "Fluid-Drive", undependable, overpriced parts. Want to sub-frame car with small block Mopar, Slant 6, more "modern" front end , disc brakes, automatic tranny. Will stock rearend be beefy enough? Any suggestions on year/make of donor car? Anybody in So.Cal. who can help? Too many questions? AM I CRAZY??!! Bob.
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Old 03-20-2007, 11:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Moparbob 68 View Post
Ready to take the plunge!! Sick sick sick of 6 volt, 6 cyl. "Fluid-Drive", undependable, overpriced parts. Want to sub-frame car with small block Mopar, automatic tranny. Will stock rearend be beefy enough? Any suggestions on year/make of donor car? Anybody in So.Cal. who can help? Too many questions? AM I CRAZY??!! Bob.
haha too bad I moved far away from you over the summer 'else I'd like to be part of that.

Good luck, I've never seen anything like this idea before.
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Old 03-22-2007, 01:35 AM
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Stock rear end would be a pain to mess with, axles with keyways, related to an 8 3/4 but most parts will be obsolete. I'd try to swap something later for a rear axle. I think Fatmans has a kit to put a stub frame with modern a-arms and rack and pinion on a 53. I thought about checking into it for my 54 which I'm fairly sure is the same, though the years for the Fatman kit only go up to 53. Or you could swap in a F-Body Volare type front end, I know the mid fifties F-100 Ford guys like that swap and I expect big post-war Chrysler frame rails aren't that different than a truck.
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Old 03-27-2007, 03:39 PM
dougsoldcars dougsoldcars is offline
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I have a Fatman stub in a 56 plymouth I am building. It's a nice set-up but not inexpensive and you will want to get a sway bar and braided brake hoses from them which are in addition to the kit. You will need 15" disc brake wheels from a mopar or ford product to clear the rotors. Based on my experience many years ago blowing up a rear with a little 277ci V8 I went with a DTS Dana 60 axle. Again this is not inexpensive.

This car will be a driver and I will keep it a long time which may justify the expenditure. Hope this helps.
Doug
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Old 03-27-2007, 05:33 PM
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Ray Bell Ray Bell is offline
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The stuff you guys have available to you in America... I am constantly amazed!

Here we would most likely see a Holden HQ front chassis section grafted in... in fact, I think the guy who goes by the name 'plymouth cranbrook' on the moparmarket.com forum has exactly that. It comes with disc brakes, but not rack and pinion. Don't know if he went that far. And, of course, wheel bolt pattern would be different.

For my money, I'd probably stick with the original front end and adapt discs to it. Go right through it, new everythings, it then should be good for at least 150,000 miles.
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Old 04-02-2007, 11:07 PM
Moparbob 68 Moparbob 68 is offline
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Well, I've certainly stirred up a hornet's nest on another site over this one! After some thought, I've decided to rebuild the stock front end and maybe add disc brakes and dropped spindles. The electrical system will be upgraded with a 6 volt alternator, and the HEALTHY flathead will be treated to some intake and exhaust mods. Thanks for the help, guys, Bob.
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Old 04-03-2007, 02:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moparbob 68 View Post
I've decided to rebuild the stock front end and maybe add disc brakes and dropped spindles.
I'd be interested to hear of that! I know my old 54 New Yorker I had after high school was one of the smoothest riding cars I've ever owned, despite the obsolete technology. I'd prefer to keep as much of my original suspension on my current 54 Windsor Deluxe, if at all possible.
Congrats and keep after it!
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Old 04-03-2007, 09:43 AM
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Obsolete technology?

The obsolescence mostly comes from the need to keep prices down, I think you'll find...
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Old 04-03-2007, 08:09 PM
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Obsolete technology?

The obsolescence mostly comes from the need to keep prices down, I think you'll find...
I'm not one to knock Mopars of any vintage, but kingpins and 50's era brakes generally aren't considered high tech, as well as the 6 volt electronics that just have to go. However, if my 54 was in better shape and an original Hemi car instead of a flathead 6, believe me I'd be alot more hesitant about making changes.
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Old 04-03-2007, 11:04 PM
Moparbob 68 Moparbob 68 is offline
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Well, yes, it IS a matter of economics. Regarding the 6 volt alternator, find the inliners international page and Fifth Avenue Auto-see what a guy named Randy is offering, also 6 volt pusher fans. Very interesting read. Fatman offers disc brake kits, I THINK, and dropped spindles. PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks, all- Bob.
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