Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Hi,
My name is Kerry and I've realized that I have become a Mopar guy. I've got a 354 hemi in my 31 Pontiac 5 window coupe, a 354 hemi in an early 60's Dragmaster I built, and now I'm tinkering with a 59 Plymouth Suburban.
I spent entirely to much on her as she was tired and rusty. In fact rusty again as she has had some sketchy body work and a quicky paint job.
I played with the old 318 for about a year till it became apparent the valve seats were shot and wearing fast. Instead of rebuilding the old stuff I got a donor 95 Dodge Ram 1500 and put it's 360 magnum in the wagon. I used an 89 Dodge D150 bell to adapt an A833 O/D four speed. It's a fairly high mileage engine but has gobs of power compared to the tired 318. It's great cruising down the interstate passing late models.
Now onto the body work. I've got the interior out and trying to address the rust. It's the usual floor pans, rocker panels, and eyebrows. Not sure what I'll find when I take the paint off.
Looking forward to learning from this group.
Kerry
My name is Kerry and I've realized that I have become a Mopar guy. I've got a 354 hemi in my 31 Pontiac 5 window coupe, a 354 hemi in an early 60's Dragmaster I built, and now I'm tinkering with a 59 Plymouth Suburban.
I spent entirely to much on her as she was tired and rusty. In fact rusty again as she has had some sketchy body work and a quicky paint job.
I played with the old 318 for about a year till it became apparent the valve seats were shot and wearing fast. Instead of rebuilding the old stuff I got a donor 95 Dodge Ram 1500 and put it's 360 magnum in the wagon. I used an 89 Dodge D150 bell to adapt an A833 O/D four speed. It's a fairly high mileage engine but has gobs of power compared to the tired 318. It's great cruising down the interstate passing late models.
Now onto the body work. I've got the interior out and trying to address the rust. It's the usual floor pans, rocker panels, and eyebrows. Not sure what I'll find when I take the paint off.
Looking forward to learning from this group.
Kerry
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Hi Kerry - Welcome aboard, the way you talk it sounds like we will learn a lot from you also. Great bunch of guys in this group with a lot of knowledge. Visit the Forum, almost any question is answered there.
Dick.
Dick.
Life is Beautiful! Sex, Beer & Mopars.
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Denver 59 Fin Convert
- Posts: 2139
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:57 pm
- Location: Arvada, Colorado
- Contact:
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Welcome Kerry! There are just 12 easy steps to the Mopar addiction and it looks like you have been hooked for a while!! 
I like you Suburban wagon! and the old School dragster! Nostalgia all the way!
What town and state are you out of?
Look forward to seeing more shots of the Suburban and the Dragster!
John Q.
I like you Suburban wagon! and the old School dragster! Nostalgia all the way!
What town and state are you out of?
Look forward to seeing more shots of the Suburban and the Dragster!
John Q.
John Quinn
Arvada, Colo
(NW suburb of Denver)
"Chrysler Corporation-Extra Care in Engineering"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56963213@N ... 457983491/
Arvada, Colo
(NW suburb of Denver)
"Chrysler Corporation-Extra Care in Engineering"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56963213@N ... 457983491/
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Thanks for the welcome guys. Gotta be careful about asking me for more pics. You don't know how many you'll get!! I'll start off easy. Here's one of my 31 Pontiac. It's got a 354 that I ran with 4 stromberg 97's before the 671 bug bit. I whittled the pulleys for the v-belt drive myself. Ran a best of 13.21 @ 102.3 with the Strombergs and a 12.10 @ 115.10 with the blower.
And here's the digger. It's a copy but not a pure recreation of a early 60's Dragmaster Dart. My only real concession to modern stuff is the shorty Turbo350 although I did beef up the cage in the back. I just couldn't afford what a good slipper clutch and bell cost. I've gotten down the track but not all that gracefully yet. Not trying to be competative, just trying to get some early sixties seat time. Got some bugs to work out. I'm addressing a couple of broken 1/4" pushrod adjusters now by having my rockers converted to adjustable (5/16 cup) and will make some 3/8 pushrods to length. The rockers hit the mail tomorrow.
I live in central Kansas and work in Hutchinson. Ironic that you live in Arvada. I have relatives up there we go camping with about once a year. I picked the Suburban up in Colorado Springs from a guy who had gotten it from Arizona. He was in way over his head. Now I am.
Kinda enjoying it though as long as I don't think about the bucks. Trying not to keep track but my dear wife is an accountant so I don't stand a chance!
And here's the digger. It's a copy but not a pure recreation of a early 60's Dragmaster Dart. My only real concession to modern stuff is the shorty Turbo350 although I did beef up the cage in the back. I just couldn't afford what a good slipper clutch and bell cost. I've gotten down the track but not all that gracefully yet. Not trying to be competative, just trying to get some early sixties seat time. Got some bugs to work out. I'm addressing a couple of broken 1/4" pushrod adjusters now by having my rockers converted to adjustable (5/16 cup) and will make some 3/8 pushrods to length. The rockers hit the mail tomorrow.
I live in central Kansas and work in Hutchinson. Ironic that you live in Arvada. I have relatives up there we go camping with about once a year. I picked the Suburban up in Colorado Springs from a guy who had gotten it from Arizona. He was in way over his head. Now I am.
Kinda enjoying it though as long as I don't think about the bucks. Trying not to keep track but my dear wife is an accountant so I don't stand a chance!
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
For a time back around 2002 I owned a 6-pass Sport Suburban- came from Eastern Washington. Every panel had some sort of dent or wrinkle and the storage floor was rusted. The 318 was tired, and the rear main seal leaked. I tried to fix the seal a few times. Guess I didnt know what I was doing. The car had swivel seats, and of course STYLE, but it just needed more than I was able to give her. Ended up selling it to a Nevada man who cut it up for parts.
I'd like to find another, better example one day.
I'd like to find another, better example one day.
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Denver 59 Fin Convert
- Posts: 2139
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:57 pm
- Location: Arvada, Colorado
- Contact:
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Kerry, stop by the next time you in Arvada! I hear you on the "wife is an accountant" part my wife was an auditor for De Loitte, she keeps a tight rein on the Dineros in our family! 
John Q.
John Q.
John Quinn
Arvada, Colo
(NW suburb of Denver)
"Chrysler Corporation-Extra Care in Engineering"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56963213@N ... 457983491/
Arvada, Colo
(NW suburb of Denver)
"Chrysler Corporation-Extra Care in Engineering"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56963213@N ... 457983491/
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Hi Kerry,
Welcome to the forum!! For panels you should contact John Fowlie (Big M), he helped me with rust free quarter panels a few years ago. Fair prices and you can trust him 100%.
If you want to share some more pics please send them to me by email. I will make a page for your car in the Gallery showcase http://www.59plymouth.net/59gallery/ You can find my email address by clicking on my username and click on email Ron Keij. If it doesn't work for you I will send you my address in a PM. And of course I will add some pics of your other cars too, or maybe even some video from the drag strip!
Ron
Welcome to the forum!! For panels you should contact John Fowlie (Big M), he helped me with rust free quarter panels a few years ago. Fair prices and you can trust him 100%.
If you want to share some more pics please send them to me by email. I will make a page for your car in the Gallery showcase http://www.59plymouth.net/59gallery/ You can find my email address by clicking on my username and click on email Ron Keij. If it doesn't work for you I will send you my address in a PM. And of course I will add some pics of your other cars too, or maybe even some video from the drag strip!
Ron
Cars are to be Enjoyed, not Admired...
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Kerry,
Are you running the fuel injection? Or did you switch to a carb? I used a 1990 Dodge pickup up as a donor for my '59 Suburban. Mine is a 360 throttle body set up with overdrive.
Dave
Are you running the fuel injection? Or did you switch to a carb? I used a 1990 Dodge pickup up as a donor for my '59 Suburban. Mine is a 360 throttle body set up with overdrive.
Dave
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
I got an air gap performer style intake and have an Edelbrock AFB. I used an 89 Dodge D150 bell to adapt a 70's A833 O/D manual transmission.
How hard was it moving the wiring harness over for the FI? I wanted to keep it simple so the carb was my answer.
Take Care,
Kerry
How hard was it moving the wiring harness over for the FI? I wanted to keep it simple so the carb was my answer.
Take Care,
Kerry
Re: Hi folks, another 59 Suburban owner
Kerry,
If you look in the forum, my build is there. The wiring was not a big deal. I just used the entire harness and cut out what I did not need. It actually made my life much easier because my car was only a shell when I got it. The harness from the pick up was long enough to wire the tail lights and everything else including the heat and A/C.
Dave
If you look in the forum, my build is there. The wiring was not a big deal. I just used the entire harness and cut out what I did not need. It actually made my life much easier because my car was only a shell when I got it. The harness from the pick up was long enough to wire the tail lights and everything else including the heat and A/C.
Dave