1939 Chrysler
 

hi guys,here's a few pictures of the 39 Chrysler i'm building.i have a 67 Impala wagon,a 72 Cheyenne Super big block truck i bought recently but it's in Utah and the border between Canada and the U.S is closed so no telling when we can go get it,but i have lots to do while i'm waiting for the truck.this Chrysler came from Maine several years ago and waited while i finished my wagon.the Chrysler has a Mustang 2 front suspension that i made work on the frame,a 360 Dodge Magnum E.F.I motor and O/D transmission and an 8 inch Mustang rear end.we just moved to a new house so i haven't worked on much other than my new shop,but back to working on car stuff now.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Nice, keep the pics coming. A 39 Chrysler is not an average street rod so I'm looking forward to see how it comes together.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir,will do.more pictures as we make progress.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

just thought i'd add a picture of what i dragged home from Maine and started with.the only thing in the world uglier that one of these things,is two of these things.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

a few pictures as i built the front frame.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

here's a few pictures of the latest work.i had the front suspension all on and back off to repair a couple of clearance issues and a new power steering rack that was leaking?i have installed a 72 mustang 8 inch rear,rebuilt with a new set of 3.55 gears,finished the rear brakes,lines and park brakes.new steel fuel tank is installed with a Tanks Inc fuel pump module and electric pump in the tank.i've run just some temporary fuel lines to start the engine.re-installed the new rad i built with a new core i soldered into the original 39 Chrysler tanks and installed a home made fan shroud with a new thermostat controlled Spal 16 inch fan and installed the trans cooler.time to leave the frame alone for a bit and work on getting the rotten bottom of the car replaced.i have 1 rear wheel well on the mend,another ugly one on the other side waiting for some TLC.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Super cool and super unique!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir.you're right,it's unique or oddball??i don't think there's much chance i'll go to a car show and see another?i've never seen another although there may be.we do see a few Dodge's and Plymouth's around of that era but i haven't seen another Chrysler.take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

greetings.here's a few more pictures of where i'm working now on the old Chrysler.building a passenger side wheel well and dog leg where there was none.never a dull moment.there's a center door post on the pass side that needs a new bottom where it meets the rocker.i guess that's next after this wheel well,then make a complete floor.lots to keep me busy til i can get my truck home from Utah.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Nice work, looks good. You won't find any patch panels for that car so it's good that you are handy with metal work. Cool, thanks for the update.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

yes sir,thanks.you're right,there's nothing around for one of these things?i'm glad the car was complete when i started.i did find a pair of rear fenders,N.O.S in Toronto,Ontario.i was out west a few years ago to drive home an old truck i bought,made a detour into Toronto and picked up the fenders.mine were there but rotten.the new ones will save a lot of work.both fenders had the shipping tag from mopar parts in Detroit to 2 different garages in PA,still attached but never used?i was thrilled to find them.I have all the grille parts,hood bird,N.O.S tail light bezels and some odds and ends all replated by Electro-plating of El Paso,packed away in boxes waiting.they did a great job.the work continues.take care.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

more progress,lots to do.right rear wheel well just about finished up.left side already done.door post to repair,then a drivers side cowl,then the complete floor.that'll be a project?oh well,just like eating an elephant,one bite at a time.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

passenger side door post repair.hope to have my 72 cheyenne super home from Utah in the next month or so.i'd like the bulk of the chrysler metal work done by then.we'll see?

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

one cowl area repaired,one more to go.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Nicly done..!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir,i appreciate that.it's a battle when you can't buy anything,i have to make everything but that's ok.keeps me out of trouble and out of my wife's hair til i can get my truck home from Utah.take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

I've never seen a 39 Chrysler being restored so I think that's what makes this one so interested. That and the fact that you are "resto moding" it.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks. i plan to have it look like a black 39 chrysler royal,just like it was,but modern power,suspension,brakes,a/c and on and on.low to the ground.clean and simple looking.that's the plan anyway.i have all the chrome grille pieces,19 of them,nos tail light bezels,the hood bird and some odds and ends all back from replating at Electro Plating of El Paso.they did a great job.i found a set of nos rear fenders so that'll save a bunch of work.i hope to have the cowl and floor built in the next month before my truck starts on it's way home from Utah.then the chrysler might sit on the back burner but i hope not.we'll see.take care.thanks.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

I know what you mean about no aftermarket support for a vehicle...I had to make my own patch panels for the 57 IH...
Thumbs up to elpaso plating as well...they did a remarkable job on my IH chome..

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

yes sir.no big deal,just some time.if there was anything reproduction,you'd end up massaging it to work anyway.we'll get her done.i was very happy with El Paso on everything but 2 grille pieces which they re-did.all good.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

drivers side cowl area fixed and pretty well done.i'll be building a floor next.this area was worse than i realized.the last foot or so of the rocker was not even there,the inside rail that the sits on the frame was gone and the lower 6 inches or so of the cowl was gone.at one point,the cowl and rocker were not connected to each other.what a mess.all fixed now.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

more pictures of today's progress

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Great job. You've got some skills and patience to tackle that type of repair. Keep the updates coming.

Miles

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks Miles,i don't know about skill but lots of patience.i have to build the floor next and then maybe get it back on the frame for a while.i have my truck supposed to leaving Utah today or early next week so once that gets here,the old chyrsler might just have to sit on the back burner for a couple weeks so i can get my hands finally on my truck.take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Nice work. I'm enjoying following along.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir.i'm out there today cutting off some the cowl on the passenger side today,i have repaired it already but not happy with the parts of job,so i'm re-doing some of it.i'm hoping to get started on the floor next week but have my eye on the tail pan under the trunk lid.originally i thought it wasn't in bad shape,now i'm not so sure.we'll see.take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

not too much to report,ran out of mig wire Saturday night so i worked on the chassis.i had the rad/trans cooler off again for the 4th time,hunting a power steering leak,found a crack in my new rack so replaced it and thought it was problem solved?it wasn't,still leaked but found a couple of fittings on the factory lines installed,that were not tight.so far so good.i wanted to fire up the motor and change the oil/filter,i hadn't run it for almost a year,the last 10 or 12 months have been very busy.we sold our house and old shop,moved and built the new shop,had an old friend pass away and found out,she had named me her executor,so the poor old car just sat.i had installed a new plastic tank last year from Tanks Inc,with the pump in the tank but wasn't happy with the tank,found a new steel tank,so installed that with a pump module from Tanks Inc,made up some temporary fuel lines,charged a battery and fired it up.it howled and screamed like you were standing on the cats tail.i found the tin shield in front of flex plate/convertor bent a little somehow,made repairs and everything sounded great,changed the oil/filter.it was nice to hear the motor run again.it's a 360 EFI magnum motor that i rebuilt,with an overdrive automatic,all from a 1995 dodge pickup.it's the first thing i ever built that doesn't have a carb and it runs??amazing

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

I love this car, and your new shop. I should be so lucky...Sorry about your friend, hope you don't have any problems sorting out the will.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks you sir.this will be a different sort of car for sure,chances are are slim i'll run into another one?
take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Nice metalwork there Sir! Lorne

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir,i appreciate the kind words.i call it making something out of nothing.take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

today's progress on the passenger side cowl area on the inside that will be under the floor boards and where the body sits on the frame.i had repaired this already but the more i looked it,the more i was unhappy with my work,so i cut most of the inside panels out,and started over.i have one more little place on the dog leg,drivers side,also repaired but i'm not happy with it, so tomorrow,i'll cut it out and re-do it,then it'll be onto the floor.i'm fortunate that 3 of the doors are in very good condition,1 not so good,i'll have to figure out a way to build a new bottom for it.i'm sure i'll come up with some sort of plan.i wish the guys who are supposed to be hauling my truck would come up with a plan???it was supposed to be picked up in Utah last friday and heading east.no such luck,still in Utah and no idea when it'll be picked up?i might just have this Chrysler done by the time these dough heads get their act together.better days are coming.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

You have a truck in Utah? ;)

I am amazed at the work you do with metal. I wish I had that kind of skill.

A much simpler job (73 Camaro) got the best of me and I ended up selling the project because of the metal work required.

kudos to you!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks Dan.yes sir,i have,as you know,a truck in Utah.i'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch BUT the truck is supposed to be picked up tomorrow and deliver in Maine on Monday.i'll put some pictures on here of it starting it's journey from Utah to Nova Scotia,if they show up and get'er done.we'll see.i've owned this truck for a while,it'll be nice to finally get my hands on it and get it home.thanks for the kind words and glad you're new engine is running.i knew you could do it.
all the best.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Very nice metal work on this project!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir.i've managed to figure a way out of every problem so far but have a rotten floor waiting for me.i'll have to put my thinking cap on for that one?lots of shape to duplicate.we'll get'er.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Really like this project. Love to see stuff that is not as common put back on the road in one form another.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks.it is different.i built a real nice 32 Ford Tudor sedan years ago,took it to the NSRA Nats South in Knoxville,TN,brought home the long distance award but got so sick of looking at 32 Fords.i didn't think it would be possible to stop looking at them but there were so many,i started looking at oddball stuff.can't get much more oddball than a 39 Chrysler.i bought it cause it wasn't too far away and it's grown on me some.i think it'll be fine.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

I almost bought a 39 Dodge years back but I couldn't get the owner to settle on a price. I really like how these cars resemble the back of a 38-40 Ford.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

hi Ryan,these do look like a ford sedan from the rear and the nose of mine,sorta looks like a 40 Willys.if i don't put the Chyrsler emblems on it,not many people will know what the heck it is?i started a similiar project years ago but never finished it,a 36 dodge 4 door sedan,i thought it was a very attractive car.they're all nice if you do a good job on them,i figure?Greg