1937 Dodge D-5 4 Door Touring Sedan

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad,

Good progress on the final electrical bits. Finish it tomorrow and start working the go pedal.

New cigar lighter is in place, and as you recall, Bessy comes with a storage area for a pack of filter-less Camels just above the lighter.

Stereo, heater switch, power tap and fast/slow USB ports are installed in the glove box. Just awaiting speakers to install and wire up. I'll call you from the car as soon as I get a battery.

To the left of the instrument panel, the failed brake warning lamp is up top and the programming switch for the gauges is under neath it.

And finally, down on the lower right of the steering column is the gauge pod for the inbound Tachometer and sandwiched between the gauge pod and the dashboard is the microphone for hands free cell calls.

I installed the one gauge positive battery cable, crimped and soldered the terminals. I'll run the one gauge negative cable tomorrow morning. We'll be maintaining the battery in the factory location, under the drivers side front seat in the floor. I'll have to make a non-conductive lid with a seal but the cables run neatly and tight against the underside of the floor, up over the frame and transmission to the starter and ground on the passenger side.

Routed the neutral safety switch wiring over the inside of the firewall and down to the floor pan as we'll be using an above the floor mount shifter. Ran the other lead to the start terminal of the starter solenoid.

Probably get the go pedal installed tomorrow or Monday, then it'll be time to plumb the oil cooler for the trans. Then, we set a date in February to start it. Still won't be able to drive it but first ride ain't real far off either.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Small delay. Finished the wiring for start up. Disassembled front seat tracks to get em working and low and behold we are missing a number of body mount bolts. I'll finish the seat and then get the body properly secured!!!
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad,

Brake pedal in a poor location for the accelerator, all compounded by a recessed firewall and a giant hump in the floor. Additionally, Ruger indicated that I'm taking entirely too long getting his Hotrod up and running. Pressing forward.....good news is the front seat now moves back and forth.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
So....after fiddling for weeks to get power steering hoses to fit Ol Bessy, I ordered a length of hose and 2 fittings. If it goes together as easy as it looks I'm go na be really irritated.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Ok. Making and installing a custom power steering hose is the same ass pain as fiddling one that's supposed to fit and almost does. So, a brass insert shy of completion because, Naturally, i had the wrong brass fitting on hand!

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad, very simple firewall bracket for a cable throttle. Other 2 photos are the days work getting the transmission downshift cable at a better height and adjusted. Success. Cut up a bracket, make a leg and it worked out fine. Gas pedal next and that may mean cutting the floor. We'll see.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad,

For seeing backwards. I never liked the clip on mirrors for the doors. Decided to go with a bolt on style that looks pretty good, or at least period style.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad,

Sorry, been down with the flu for a week. Just got to feeling a bit closer to right today so hooked up the throttle cable and managed to rough in the gas pedal without cutting the floor. Still might need to clearance the floor for carpet but at least its in and functional, I'll start plumbing fuel and transmission cooler now.

 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad. 16 ft of stainless steel fuel line in. Pre and post filtration and ready now to clean and final install the fuel tank.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dad,

Looks like the only leak is around the bolts on the thermostat gasket. Just one small weep so far, looks like everything else is sealed up, so, great news. I'll drain it down and change it out this week but for now, off to finish up the fuel tank.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Dad,

Looks like the only leak is around the bolts on the thermostat gasket. Just one small weep so far, looks like everything else is sealed up, so, great news. I'll drain it down and change it out this week but for now, off to finish up the fuel tank.

Did you use a gasket, silicone, or combination of the two? Straight, red, high temp will provide the best seal without warping the housing has been my experience. Just have to be sure with the bead and circle the bolt holes. Also doesn't hurt to put a dab on the bolt threads as they go into the water passage of the intake.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
gasket with indian head shellac. Looks like a nice crack in the mid point between bolts but leak is at PS side bolt head. An o ring housing is inbound. I believe intake is blind holes....had to find shorter bolts. Had real good luck with o ring housings in the past, so will give her a go. For now, out to clean the fuel tank. Just put the last of the lines in. Hope to have that done by tomorrow then off friday to look at a 56 210 sedan for a daily driver and deer getter in retirement.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Ok. Flat stat housing works well with high temp rtv. Also, put my hand on my double flare tubing tool. Now, we can get the lines done with the swell for fuel and the double flare for brakes. Have brackets for brake light switches and miscellaneous pieces for other things.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Gonna be a bitch putting a bell on that 3/8 stainless fuel line....but it just needs a little bell on each, here's hoping!


Prolly mock that steering bracket in light steel tomorrow am ..
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
A shout out for BigTen, THANKS!

Good day, and productive, spent together working on Ol Bessy.

While I drained the antifreeze, fixed a lousy completely soaked and saturated and ruined leaky china made paper thermostat gasket (by replacing with an o-ring housing) he muscled his way completely through the fuel system. Took off all the new stainless steel lines and swaged flares on the ends to help retain the rubber hoses, then got it back together. So, we can now pronounce the fuel system from filler cap to carbs, "Ready for First Start." (Note to self: No more stainless steel fuel line...its a bear to bend, broke my tubing bender, and must be a heller to flare given the smoke coming off his hands trying to cinch down the flaring tool!)

Meantime, I was fiddling with the wonkey, wobbly steering double u-joint and second support bearing (fiddling...taking the dayum thing off so I could potentially drop it all in the spare parts bin, thats another story) he managed to nicely convert a late model Chevy Truck brake-light switch and bracket to fit an aftermarket under dash brake pedal system in a 37 Dodge. So, instant on brake lights instead of the slow wind up to brake lights provided by the old style hydraulic switch. While he was under there and in the time it took me to remove 3 bolts in a steering bracket, he also mounted the brake pedal and got it nicely set up at a comfortable position and slightly higher than the gas pedal for safety.

Somewhere in there I did the really hard job though, (not right to give all the harder jobs to your pals)......So, I shoved a 1/4" vacuum tube in place to hook up the transmission modulator. Glad I got the skills for that but did have to jack up the car a bit since its sitting at ride height and the running board snags my gut on the way under and back. Car might be too low.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
BigTen,

Didnt get any work done today. Drove a couple hours to test drive and look over this 56 Shoebox.....


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But wound up making an offer on my Ol Man Dream car.......03 TBird in Torch Red with two tops. This one has heated seats for my tired azz. (prolly cant get my fat guts under this one any better than I can on Ol Bessy!) I'll have bits of all the major brands now. A Ford and a Dodge with a Chevy in it.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Did the deal. Bessy has a Ford Coupe to chase her around. Pick it up next week after the papers flow and the final prep is finished. Some sort of ceramic boobgloss for the red paint to sweeten the pot. Should make her shinier and I don't have to do any work to get it that way. I think Ruger is gonna like riding in his own seat with the top down. 8 speakers ain't bad neither! Be good to get my hat back too. Left it in the car and my head is cold.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
BigTen,

Once again, thanks for coming on board and over to lend assistance and professional advice. I have a few days delay while i settle up on the Tbird but, Sunday and Monday I should finalize the transmission plumbing.

In the meantime, as we discussed, the steering hook up has been my nemesis so far. The new borgeson single steering joints came in along with another section of DD shaft. I lad it out on the car and confirmed, the current set up is a bit steep at the center. On removing the second support bearing and the center double u-joint, I installed a single joint in the center and some new shafting.

With that huge double joint out of the way we have all the room in the world to do as you suggested.

1. Straighten the shot from the rack to the firewall by bringing inner end of this shaft upward and inward. We can make a near straight shot to the belly of the rams horn manifold above the doughnut seal.

2. Install a single joint in the center and we'll be able to shorten the shaft out of the steering rack thereby easing the angles on both of the other joints. (It won't be a straight shot from rack to column like Dads 47 Chevy truck but it will be a lot straighter and no interference as the engine rocks on the mounts.)

3. Remove the rear steering support bearing as it will no longer be needed.

4. The forward support bearing can be moved from inside the frame to outside and mounted on a very simple flat steel bracket.

Overall I think we can come up 1/2 to 3/4 inches and in at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch with a much simpler set up. I'm on it. Thanks.


Dad,

Get busy thinking on when to come here. We are 6 hours and two exhaust stub outs from having you turn the key and starting your car! Come sooner.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
BigTen,

Once again, thanks for coming on board and over to lend assistance and professional advice. I have a few days delay while i settle up on the Tbird but, Sunday and Monday I should finalize the transmission plumbing.

In the meantime, as we discussed, the steering hook up has been my nemesis so far. The new borgeson single steering joints came in along with another section of DD shaft. I lad it out on the car and confirmed, the current set up is a bit steep at the center. On removing the second support bearing and the center double u-joint, I installed a single joint in the center and some new shafting.

With that huge double joint out of the way we have all the room in the world to do as you suggested.

1. Straighten the shot from the rack to the firewall by bringing inner end of this shaft upward and inward. We can make a near straight shot to the belly of the rams horn manifold above the doughnut seal.

2. Install a single joint in the center and we'll be able to shorten the shaft out of the steering rack thereby easing the angles on both of the other joints. (It won't be a straight shot from rack to column like Dads 47 Chevy truck but it will be a lot straighter and no interference as the engine rocks on the mounts.)

3. Remove the rear steering support bearing as it will no longer be needed.

4. The forward support bearing can be moved from inside the frame to outside and mounted on a very simple flat steel bracket.

Overall I think we can come up 1/2 to 3/4 inches and in at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch with a much simpler set up. I'm on it. Thanks.


Dad,

Get busy thinking on when to come here. We are 6 hours and two exhaust stub outs from having you turn the key and starting your car! Come sooner.

Cool. We'll get it done. Looking forward to helping to get you guys in a running, driving, from the past fun ride! Gonna tickle me to see your Dad in that car. I can envision him turning the key the first time in years and hearing that beast fire up. Gonna be EPIC!
Photo worthy to see his face. Thank you for allowing me to be a tiny part of your journey.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I'll call dad tonight to see if he can get moving this way. Couple hours to run out for a battery and flex pipe for a temporary exhaust and a couple hours work and I'll be done. All that will be left is to install gas and prime the engine and reset the dizzy and motor to TDC.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
BigTen


Dad cant make it for 2 or more weeks but he said start it asap.

How's your schedule look for sat sun or monday?

I should be ready to go by then. Roll it forward and kick the motor into life.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
What is sweglok? We are just belling the ends for rubber hose and clamps.

Google “swagelok”.

It may come in handy on a project for you sometime. Not cheap, but easy to work with. We use them on gauge piping and sometimes for seal water lines. Pretty fancy looking when it is all done.
 
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