My new to me 1959 Dodge Coronet

[Finsinthemirror]

Pictures complement a car. My car is pretty banged up too. One fin has bondo and the color match looks bad now. Also the drivers front fender or door must have been damaged because you can see an attempt to blend the paint which has orange peel. I rubbed out all of it and it looks ok but the hood is the thinnest of paint.

Agreed that they are a great resource but was wondering does that place still have a pulse?

It does have a pulse, admittedly some members are advancing in age but absolutely everyone who owns a forwardlook era car should sign up to be a member there. There are quite a few experts there second to none. I have found it as a primary valuable resource for my cars and I absolutely would encourage anyone with a forwardlook car to join.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Yep, I agree....the fowardlook era site is good. Sometimes responses are slow and there seems to be a lot of arguing sometimes between members, but definitely worth posting too. I've been posting also on that site with my Coronet. I never did post about my Belvedere but maybe in the future.

 

[Finsinthemirror]

Yeah as with every other historical object opinions may be served and challenged but the facts are usually weeded out pretty clearly there. I have no doubt they'd love to check out your Belvedere too, I know I can never get enough!

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Today I removed the valve covers. Top end looks pretty dirty...not sure how often the oil was changed...but the car has been sitting for 48 years. I used a mallet to bang the valves and all moved/were free. I was also able to rotate all of the push rods. So I feel like the valve train is not the sticking issue. I also removed the starter to rule that out. The accessories are also unhooked and all move freely. I filled all the cylinders with a 50/50 mixture of diesel fuel and ATF. Also poured some into the valve train. Will keep my fingers crossed the engine breaks free.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Good morning everyone. I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Yesterday I added more diesel/ATF fluid mixture to the cylinders and top end. I did notice that several of the cylinders had completely drained all of the fluid out so that's good news that those rings are breaking free. I've also got a big breaker bar on the crank bolt under pressure to help. I'm taking my time as it's only been 2 days of soaking the engine. Will probably try to paint the floor and trunk this weekend and reinstall the interior. At least that will make it feel like progress is being made. I also bought a new master cylinder, brake lines, bearings and wheel cylinders so will get the manual brakes up and working. Step by step it gets better and better!!!

 

[57fury440]

Sounds like a good plan. Hopefully you will get the engine rotating and started.

 

[Bucket]

Glorious , are you going to leave the Patina on it ?

 

[57fury440]

It's a nice car, it deserves a decent paint job.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

The weekend was busy. Got the interior floor finished and painted. Also did some temporary patch work on the trunk and got that painted (I know it's not the best but just wanted something to keep any fury critters out for now until I can do a better job at a later date). Need to install the interior next.

The engine is still stuck...but one thing that has me confused....if I use a prybar on the flex plate teeth from under the engine and try to rotate the engine counter clockwise the flex plate AND crank pulley will rotate counter clockwise about a 1/2 inch....BUT ONLY if someone is pushing on a breaker bar (on the crank bolt) and going CLOCKWISE. Makes no sense to me. If no one pushes on the breaker bar, I can't move the flex plate at all. If someone pushes on the breaker bar in the SAME direction as I'm prying the flex plate...nothing happens. Can't wrap my head around the fact that 2 opposite direction forces get the crank to move. Any ideas???

 

[1970cat]

the crank bolt is probably tightening like it normally would when turned clockwise.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Just an update for everyone. I got my new borescope and inspected the cylinders. They are rusty as expected...so are the valves. However, they were not as rusty as I expected... given it has sat for 48 years with no plugs in it. However, I can see a few small piles of what I would imagine is diesel/ATF soaked piles of rust by the piston head/cylinder wall. Wish I had blown out the cylinders prior to soaking them....well, lesson learned for next time. I've also tried more prying of the flywheel and using a 3/4" breaker bar on the crank (hitting the breaker bar with a 3lb sledge)...but nothing has moved. I'm starting to realize it might be time to pull the intake/heads. But...I may try a mixture of 50/50 acetone and ATF....what have I got to lose at this point!!!

 

[furious70]

If there's that much crud in there even if you do break it loose the heads are going to have to come off to vacuum up the junk.
I'm guessing you're going to be breaking the pistons out of it to get to the rings

 

[rapom67]

Glad to find another 59 dodge owner. You should check out the “only the 1959 dodge” Facebook group also. Lots of 59 dodge owners and support.

I saw a 59 coronet at a show about 15 years ago. I searched on an off for about 12 years. Found a black one owner custom royal lancer just 70 miles from my house.

These are amazing cars and get more attention than even my 68 charger that I used to have.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Wow...beautiful car. Gives me inspiration to keep working on mine!!

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Finally threw in the towel on the original engine and decided to pull it. Another member here offered me a good long block engine so planning on just dropping that in. I may rebuild the original engine at a later date. Someone on another forum said I should install a 383 and torqueflight. Is the 383 a drop in replacement? I have a 1965 383 2 barrel already that is in great condition and never really considered it as an option.

 

[Imperialist67]

Got the floor pans cleaned up today. There is surface rust but not one single hole in the front or rear floor pan. It's a labor of love that's for sure!!

View attachment 661204

View attachment 661205

labor of love, but it's a '59 Dodge, a highly worthwhile labor of love, too...........

 

[rapom67]

Finally threw in the towel on the original engine and decided to pull it. Another member here offered me a good long block engine so planning on just dropping that in. I may rebuild the original engine at a later date. Someone on another forum said I should install a 383 and torqueflight. Is the 383 a drop in replacement? I have a 1965 383 2 barrel already that is in great condition and never really considered it as an option.

A newer torqueflite will not work with your push buttons unless you buy a kit from Imperial services. “I think”
Not sure about the 65 383 but I’m pretty sure only the earlier ones will work with your original transmission.

If you do a search on the forwardlook forum, most answers to your questions are there.

There are several ways to swap engines and transmissions and maintain your push buttons.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Was able to pull the intake, distributor etc today. Tomorrow will pull the heads. Looks pretty gummy in the engine...especially the exhaust cross over. Definitely best I'm pulling the engine.

 

[Tire Whisperer]

Agreed that they are a great resource but was wondering does that place still have a pulse?

Yes - unless all the good members were tempted to move the discourse over to that Sodom & Gomorrah known as Fakebook, and bots moved in and took over the Forward Look forum, creating fake accounts.

That is precisely what happened to Igor Sushko's Automotive Forums. There, bots post generic sounding inquiries such as

"What is the best 4x4 to buy"

or this gem:

"How much space is available for storage under the seats?"



I have talked in private repeatedly to their admins and to Igor himself, and there are currently no plans to update the forum engine(the software A.F. runs on, C-body runs on Xenforo for instance), to something that may be more bot-proof.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Got the heads pulled today. Cylinders look better than expected. Don't see any major scoring, rust or ring ridge. Still could not get the engine to turn over. Valves look a little rusty.