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another chop job

134K views 373 replies 32 participants last post by  knight hawk 
#1 ·
I know there are alot of ''chop'' threads and questions, but... I'd like to know if anyone has chopped a "48 Dodge 4dr post " with suicide doors,. I did a pick up once , so I know the basics. Question is, with the center door posts, I'm assuming the top can't can't be shifted ???
 
#254 ·
computor working today.... took the '48 on it's 'road test' yesterday... after dark, which wasn't too smart, lites started flickering, going off and on, engines dies , 1/2 mile away from home ...... luckily I had a spare battery in the trunk, used to jump iit earlier.......... any way found out later it was loose battery cables ! And also th ignition switch needed to be adjusted, as I had nothing on the acc side . Now, once again , everything appears to be working....... except for that right front camber adjustment ( car pulls bad to the left ).....that may have to wiait till for an alingment shop................
 
#257 ·
the electrical gremlins are back ! seems as thou I've lost power on the ACC side, but not cause of the switch !!!! Engine question here ......... decided to chacnge the oil filter in this used engine, found the oil is pretty black, so I'll change it also. Engine has only been run a couple hours, maybe. Anyway, what's the best way to flush this engine out ? Lots of cheap oil, or lots of good high grade oil, or even some with the high milage goodes in it ?????????????any comments ????????
 
#258 ·
electrical issues worked out. Decided to run a few changes of 'cheep' oil thru the engine first, cause I don't waqnt to run a strong cleaner and knock a lot of stuff loose all at once.. But, I don't think it's that bad anyway........Took it for a 2nd road test yesterday, everything was perfect ....except for the steering..... I think something is bent in the suspension,cause it pulls pretty hard to the left. I guess it's true what they say, never use any used parts when you build your car.....I just assumed the front clip was good from the other car.....Oh Well......... just means an alignment shop will be on the schedual.........
 
#259 ·
Torqueflites are supposed to pump in all gears and neutral but not in park. That's why the stick says to check hot, idle in neutral. A way to check if it's pumping in neutral is to check your fluid level in park, then do it in neutral and see if there's a difference. Level should be higher in park.....and that's a cool looking ride you have!!
 
#260 ·
I really need to get it registered and licensed so I can take it out on the blacktop and drive it. U'm working on the interior now, installing floormats, using the carpet or pad left over from the kitchen wood floor project,...perfect shade of gray, ( low budget build ) will get a picture when done....
 
#261 ·
Here are the pics knighthawk talked about.

" under $100 !!!!!!!! insulation : furnace duct wrap ( a kind of foil and bubble wrap ) floor mat : left over pad from the wood floor installation in the kitchen , (very tough !) , door panels : foam board from Hobby Lobby ( about 5$ ea, ) arm rests and controls from the '85....................car show this weekend !" Knighthawk.





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#263 ·
knighthawk said:
upon further investigation, it appears the oil is ionly pumped when it is in gear, not in park or nuetral. That would mean, no idleing at stop lites or train crossing with it in neuteral or park, no sitting with the AC on !!!!!!!!!!!
How far did you drive it? If not very far, the cooler may still be cool. Also if your engine is full of sludge, I don't like trying to flush it out because it just turns loose of all this junk and it circulates throughout the engine. Imo, it's better off to just let it be. Have you had the valve covers off to see how bad it is? And if your trans isn't pumping fluid in neutral, there's something wrong with it...
 
#264 ·
cranky, it apperars everything is working correctly ,now that I understand it all better, I am on the 2nd oil change (never really driven it much yet ) decided to flush it out kinda gradual like . Brew : Am I driving it to the car show ....YES ! ...............just got back from the 'car show ' about an hour ago, although it only was a few miles, was kinda nervous about how the car would run and ride, etc. Made it there (and back ) OK . Had a lot of people look at it , some for quite awhile, all positive comments , One guy wanted to buy it cause it was a ' one of a kind' , course I said it was "not for sale " , then got to thinking about, should have got an offer from him ..... but then I couldn't find him again ! Over all it was a exciting short drive into town and back, except when a lady asked me something about ' the spare tire '........I said ....oop's,.... I don't have one..... so I drive kinda slowly home
 
#266 ·
Another update from knighthawk:

thought you may like to see that it has been driven, longest run , about 50 miles ....notice I did get the nitehawk plate, after I ordered it,........ got to thinking...."NITEBRD'' would really look good..............maybe next time. Last photo shows a goodd side profile of the front. Got a little more done on the inside, kinda ran out of money, plus the other vehicles all of a sudden need attention ...............but ! another car show next week end , only about 20 miles away !








Good to see you have had it on the road and are enjoying it. Have fun at your next run.

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#267 ·
just got back from the second car show with this car, lot a people looking and taking pics ......... on the way home ( about 20 miles) it developed a bad vibration, and pulling to the left, stopped on a side road, to check the lug nuts, they were tight, but discovered the lug wrench did not fit all the lug nuts ! Boy, would I have been in trouble if I needed to change a tire ! Then , after sitting a minute or two , while I looked for the problem , decided to drive it home the last 4 or 5 miles, slowly,.......... it was fine ! Put in the garage checked the front end ...the left front brakes was locked up ! I guess after it sat along side the road a few minutes, the pressure drained off, then after driving it home , and using the barakes, they locked up again !..Therefore, as long as I used the calipers directly off the donor car ('85) I will assume the left caliper is bad ???????? which means I will have to buy 2 new calipers .........
 
#270 ·
after tghese 2 short runs to the car shows, a few things will needed to be redone ... first,before I could leave for the show Sat. , the gas tank was leaking, at I seam where I cut the tank open and soldered it.. The brake problem, which by the way, the pads are now burnt and junk, and the suspension is not right, I guess I misfigured the wieght load when I "designed" it. So.......first, I guess I got to get some pads, calipers, and rotors cut, and of course they are 1 piece hubs, so it's a little more work.........plus maybe another set of seals........
 
#271 ·
found the brake problem... the brake pad was worn unevenly, one end was wore down 1/8''more thanthe other end, and when the caliper piston comes outward under pressure hitting the uneven pad, ***** the piston and locks it up. Then after a short while after pressure is released somes times frees up, other times stays tight ....after installing new hubs/rotors, calipers and pads, and a road test, all is fine !,,,.........now..on to the suspension........
 
#272 ·
thinkin'

when I first 'lowered' the car, I raised the rear spring schackles about 7'', by reshaping the the rear frame at the shackle mount. ( should be some pics somewhere in this thread ), figureing the axle (and wheels) would be raised 3 1/2 ''.....well that part was correct, it did lower the car, and retain all the original suspension. Problem : not enough suspension or travel clearance. Ais shocks helped, but made it too stiff. I only way to solve this ( I thought) is to section the frame rail for more bumper clearance and raise the floor pan over the drive line. As this part of the car was already done, I decided it would be easier just to lenghten the rear shackles by about 2'' , and it should raise the car enough. After modifiying the shackles, (longer) they won't clear the sheet metal behind the shakles, more changes there, also now thw longer shackle won't clear the bumper brackets, more changes there, maybe it will effect the shock travel, and maybe the sway bar mount..... then of course 1/2 way through all this, I ran out of cutting gas..........never is as easy as it looks!!!!!
 
#274 ·
good news; the suspension changes really helped, got a new carb...Carter 2bl from '69 Fury vintage, runs great ! At least it dii for a while, took it out for a test run today and to show off how good it was , Shut it down about 6 miles from home, wouldn't restart, had to tow it home. No spark ! I got the ECU modual and breakerless dist from a '72 Ply vintage, changed control unit, coil, still no spark. I heard now the the pickup unit in the dist goes bad ! Can't get a new dist til Fri (lifetime warrenty).............has to be at a car show Sat !!!! So, is it really worth it to use this electronic ignition stuff ????????? I'm thinking if I had regular points in it, it would be on the road already !!!!!!!!!not too happy right now, thinking of ripping it out, putting in the old stuff.................any suggestions ????/
 
#275 ·
went to a car show yesterday, put on about 100 miles, car ran great, the ride was pretty good, no breakdowns. BUT the speedometer quit working , checked it out last night I think it's just a dirty speed cup in the head itself ( I hope). Next issue is the steering....just doesn't feel right no freeplay , maybe too tight.. Have to find the correct factory method to adjust the sector.... I know with power steering it's different proceedure ?????????
 
#276 ·
still getting all the bugs out from using all these used parts ( still , total cost is about $4000 ) now the electric wipers, I was going to convert it over to the '85 (donor car) system, but I don't think there is enough room under the dash . So, as ling as the 6 volt motor appears to be usable, I think I'll just convert it to 12 volts using the proper resistor. Problem ; I don't know what size resistor,or where to get one, so I'm going to post this question in the ' electrical' section.................see what happens
 
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