Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4
Re: How to make a early Hemi a good cruiser ? [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2802679
07/29/20 09:56 PM
07/29/20 09:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Doc, if you want to play with 30s & 40s Mopars with a Hemi, you have to part with some money. Even building them yourself from a pile of parts is expensive.

The 50s Hemi motors have the same bellhousing bolt pattern as a small block Mopar, but the issue is the tail end of the crankshaft sticks out about 3/4" and the flywheel or flex plate bolts have to thread into the crank. Any adaptor needs to space the trans back, and still leave room to thread the bolts through either the flywheel or the flex plate and into the crank. Then, they have to provide a way to hold a starter and keep it in the proper position. Then, after all the design work, they have to get the thing made so they can sell it to you and still pay their bills.

If you don't want to spend the big bucks to have that Hemi, you can always drop in a small block. It only takes about $20 G to build a nice small block 30s or 40s Mopar, if you can do everything yourself. if you have the experience, the equipment, and the knowledge to do it all yourself, and you can work on it 40 hours a week, you may be able to get it built in a year, but probably closer to two years. If you have to hire it out, expect to pay someone's wages for those two years, and pay an up charge on the parts.

its nearly always cheaper to but an already built car and make a few modifications to suit your needs. Gene

Re: How to make a early Hemi a good cruiser ? [Re: poorboy] #2802710
07/30/20 02:05 AM
07/30/20 02:05 AM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,117
Mesa, Arizona
D
dart4forte Offline
I Live Here
dart4forte  Offline
I Live Here
D

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,117
Mesa, Arizona
Originally Posted by poorboy
Originally Posted by dart4forte
I have an empty engine stand just waiting for an early Hemi.


I had an early Hemi for a while, that better be a really good engine stand.



Old Lakewood, gusseted and braced. Bigblocks are the only engines that’s been on that stand.


“So if it’s on the internet it must be true”

Abe Lincoln
Re: How to make a early Hemi a good cruiser ? [Re: poorboy] #2802822
07/30/20 11:22 AM
07/30/20 11:22 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,253
Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline OP
The village idiot's idiot
dIc dOc Deity !  Offline OP
The village idiot's idiot

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,253
Florida STAYcation
pb .. thx for the efforts ... WHERE is the Major expense here ? .... PROVIDING all the hard parts are there ? .... now HONESTLY... it’s been a while since I’ve built a ground up motor ...

Re: How to make a early Hemi a good cruiser ? [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2803112
07/30/20 10:13 PM
07/30/20 10:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
The big expensive parts are about 1/3 of the pile of parts you will need. Its the small stuff that kills you. The stuff you used to be able to pick up at a local parts store now has to be ordered. 10 years ago, $20 could buy you a big box of parts you could hardly carry out of the store, now $100 buys you a hand full of stuff.

I'm building a 49 Dodge pickup, its on a Dakota 4x4 frame and I'm using the 318 from the Dakota. I needed to replace the motor and trans mounts. Cost me $120 at Rock Auto, the cheapest place I could find. The local parts stores were between $50 and $75 each piece, + tax, + a shipping charge, and it would have taken 3 days to get them. We have 4 major auto parts stores here in town, all three had the same prices within a dollar or two of each other, and all of them required sales tax and were going to charge a shipping fee. 3 replacement brake hoses, Rock auto, $100 (tax + shipping included), locally, $50 each (+tax & delivery charges). Add new steel brake and fuel lines, and another $100 bill bites the dust. By the time I get the rebuilt calipers, the new rotors, the new master cylinder, the new rear brakes and drums, I'm going to be another $500-$600 into the brakes (maybe more). it just keeps adding up. New glass for the truck is $722 (the truck had no glass). Weatherstripping to hold the glass and seal the doors, $555 more. New cab to frame rubber mounts, $150. Hell, the gallon of Rustoleum paint, brushes and thinner to paint the frame was nearly $100!

I started with a running, driving Dakota with a rotted out frame (44,000 miles!) I bought a good 4x4 frame, and the 49 truck with all the sheet metal present except the tail gate. I can get a new tailgate for only $475, but I'll build one for a lot less. The metal has heavy "patina" but nothing rusted through. It cost me $600 to get the 49 and the good Dakota 4x4 frame to my house(on top of what I paid for the truck and frame). It cost me nearly $300 to get the title in my name. I'm moving everything from the running driving Dakota onto the good frame, and adding the 49 sheet metal. By the time I have a running driving 49 truck, I'm going to have very near $10,000 in it, and that will be before paint, and with a very minimal interior, certainly nothing show quality, just a reliable driver.

Pictures: First two, the day I got it home. 3rd, mock up on the good Dakota frame. 4th Actually in process. Good frame painted, 318 & trans installed, cab going on for 1st fit. I'm about 3 weeks into the actual build, the 49 has been here since mid April 2019. Gene

P1010065.JPGP1010068.JPGP1010119.JPGP1010261.JPG
Re: How to make a early Hemi a good cruiser ? [Re: poorboy] #2803307
07/31/20 02:15 PM
07/31/20 02:15 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
moparx Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"
moparx  Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"

Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
another item to consider is your fab skills and equipment needed to exercise those skills.
there are few projects that can be built as "kits", and to my knowledge, mopars are not included.
i know there are body and chassis kits available for a couple 33-34 dodge coupes and pickups [?], but i believe there are fab skills still needed for completion.
then, what about those aggravating things like linkages and stack-up tolerances that prevent things from coming together like they should ?

if a guy wants a cobra, T-bucket, FAB 5 kit, etc, you can put together in your garage piece by piece, one nut and bolt at a time, these are for you. but then again, there are a ton of those already out there.
also, i'm not even mentioning paint, upholstery, and glass. these are skills unto themselves, and may, or may not be doable for joe average.

i'm not trying to come across as a "debby downer", buy a guy has to plan, think, and analyze more than one thinks when going after a mopar street rod.
Gene is the go to expert when it comes to using "stuff at hand", and his advice is spot on and well worth listening to.

my own experience playing with "cars" over 50yrs consists of three street/hot rods [my 33 dodge humpback panel truck 40 year unfinished project, a 47 plymouth sedan, and a 38 plymouth coupe] my charger i have had since 1970, and around a dozen or so ford and chevy street rod builds for friends. i am also a machinist by trade with over 45yrs experience, which helps tremendously.
my point being, i STILL can't get my projects done ! laugh2 all self inflicted i'm sure.

grab all the advice, knowledge, and help you can from others, and don't let old whiny geezers like me discourage you from your dreams ! up boogie
beer

PS, keep us updated on your progress please. that serves as motivation to myself as well as others. drive

Re: How to make a early Hemi a good cruiser ? [Re: moparx] #2803408
07/31/20 07:08 PM
07/31/20 07:08 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,253
Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline OP
The village idiot's idiot
dIc dOc Deity !  Offline OP
The village idiot's idiot

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,253
Florida STAYcation
You .. an old whiny gEeZeR? ... I thought THOSE in puttsylvania were jsta around Pittsburgher??!!

Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4






Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1