Finish the coupe!!!!!

My son is dealing with an original frame and suspension on a 57 Dodge wagon. If power steering is, or will be in play, do a Dakota clip. The original power steering is an unusual system that only fits a few years, and has little road feel. If you car has manual steering and you want to add power, you will have to deal with the original setup.

This day and age, finding a good Dakota donor that can still be converted to 5 bolt wheels (88-96) is getting tough, and depending on your motor choice, you really have to watch the motor height for hood clearance.

Fortunately, there is a lot of documentation right here concerning these cars. Read up, it can get pretty complex. Gene

you really have to watch the motor height for hood clearance.

Neat project, (love the color).


If interested I do have a spare pair of original V8 57-58 Dodge and Plymouth frame mounts. The round motor mounts the V8 cars used are still available, but the “cans” that go on the motor can be hard to find and are different than between the Poly/Hemi motors and the B/RB engines.


SANYO DIGITAL CAMERA by M Patterson, on Flickr


If using the original frame/suspension, you will need a 57-58 center sump pan and pickup is you use a Poly/first gen Hemi.




If you go B/RB and can’t find an early passenger car pan, a later B/RB pan will work if going the Big Block route, but it may need to be notched to clear the front crossmember.


I’ve done front disc brake conversions a couple of different ways on the 57-58s. 70’s A body Disc brakes were a popular swap 15 years ago (before their were kits using the original spindles). The spindles bolt on, but the tie rods and sleeves need to be shortened and the steering stop modified. I have also used late 70s C body brakes but that is even more work and requires modification to the spindles. I’m using an old AAJ disc brake conversion on my 57 Plymouth’s original spindles and am happy with it. I not sure if AAJ is still in business, but I think Scare Bird has a similar kit.


“…….If power steering is, or will be in play, do a Dakota clip……”

I absolutely agree with poorboy. If I was just starting to build my 57 Plymouth (or the old 440 powered 57 Coronet I used to have) now it would definitely be getting a later modle front frame clip.


The original steering boxes, both manual and especially power boxes suck on these cars. The way the box mounts and oil pan/torsion bar clearance issues make adapting something else (rack and pinion/modern steering box) very difficult is not impossible. I’m currently trying to adapt a 605 Saginaw box into my 57 Plymouth and if it is even possible, it’s going to be a lot of work.

In addition to the steering box issues, a couple of other shortcomings include:

The upper control arms are a 57-58 only item. They use very small control arm bushings that don’t like heavy engines (first gen Hemis or B/RB motor). Usually the bushings only last about 40-50K miles and are not pleasant to replace. They are also currently getting a little harder to find…..cost can run anywhere between $20 to$50 each (and you need 4).

The drag link is also a wear item due to having joints on the outer ends. You can still find these rebuilt, but they are not real cheap.

Old Ray,When I moved the motor & trans back on the Dakota frame in my coupe, I bolted in a 1/4" thick plate to the frame (on each side) where the original motor mount bracket bolted to, and then drilled holes and bolted the motor mount brackets to the 1/4" plate.

I think an FMJ clip would be and absolute nightmare on one of these cars. The track width would be petty wide, and you would have to cut everything ahead of the firewall off. At that point, you might as well do a Dakota clip and get a more modern suspension.

Gene

Guy said it worked absolutely awesome and he had done a half dozen of them with the FMJ front crossmember, said it was THE way to go. The guy who did it had tried Dakotas under these cars. He said the FMJ conversion was much preferred ...?

.....if it's that great why is it for sale ?

Well then I must be doing the right thing because that is exactly what I am doing. Mostly by accident, the only plate I had that was big enough was some 1/4 inch. I did the pass side this morning, drivers side tomorrow, did you gusset or put any extra reinforcement on, especially on the drivers side? There is one extra threaded hole on the drivers side that I will use as well. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

CrAzYMoPaRGuy, I suppose there may be advantages in cutting everything off the front and building mostly new. It can't be much worse dealing with the obsolete FMJ crossmember then its getting to be dealing with the 25+ year old 1st gen Dakota.

I was surprised how few choices of some parts (like brake pads) were available for the 5 bolt Dakotas a few weeks ago, when I bought the stuff for my new project. Gene