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'59 Plymouth Suburbans
Author: Kenny J. (Show all albums) These are my '59 Plymouth wagons. I have owned the blue one since February, 1985. Until recently, I drove it frequently, usually three to five times per week. It has an AAJ front disk brake kit, an H.E.I. distributor and radial tires. Colors are 1973 GM medium blue metallic and 1973 GM light blue metallic. I have made no modifications that can't be easily reversed. I have a complete set of Solex glass & a tinted windshield from donor wagons. I plan to install the tinted glass when it receives its next paint job. It's overdue for a repaint (last painted in 1986.) I have included some images of it's 1986 partial disassembly and repainting. It's 1957 230 flat head six is very tired. Hank Dozier is modifying and assembling a 1956 DeSoto 330 V-8 which was to replace the six. but John Fowlie located a suitable, rebuildable 318. So the 330 will be used in the two door wagon. I have acquired some heavier duty torsion bars, an AAJ rear disk brake kit and will be ordering new rear springs, possibly from Eaton. I already possess the necessary perches for installing V-8 engine mounts and have a variety of rear axle ratios and three speed manual transmissions to match to the new powerplant, depending upon whether or not I install overdrive. I have also posted some pix of my '59 Plymouth Suburban two door. It has a 318-stick. This black "beauty" needs some serious help, but should be a fine ride when it's done. There are also some photos of the two "parts donor" cars. They were well picked over by the time I acquired them. They were both dismantled some time ago. I also posted some pix of my non-Forward Look vehicles. During December, 2005, I acquired another four door wagon, a factory overdrive car. Initially, it appeared to be even more solid and much straighter than my blue wagon was when I first acquired that one. It turned out to have more rust issues than the blue one. Plus some lower body damage. I removed the engine , transmission and manual transmission unique parts. I then traded the vehicle to Big M for a 1974 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Sundance. So contact Big M if you are interested....thanks for looking.

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Some of the debris, which held moisture and caused the rust issues.

The tailgate just before being repaired.

Twenty six years later, John is once again doing body work on this car. He has repaired the tailgate.

I am returning the wagon to its factory exterior color.

Well, it has been three years to the day since I have added to this album. Today, I picked up my blue wagon's 318 from the machine shop. It consists of a '59 block, with everything else from a '58. This engine was modified for full flow oil filtration and will be using a spin-on filter set-up from a 1964 or '65 318. Also, will be running a '65 carburetor and PCV system. The 330 Hemi being built for me by Hank Dozier will be going into my two door wagon.

The anti-AAJ crowd doesn't seem to care about this tip, but check it out. If you install Roger's kit on a '59 & up Mopar, and have a low pedal after all the adjusting, bleeding and proportioning-valve setting you can do, this is a possible solution. A pre-'59 pedal to master cylinder rod. Roger recommended this to me years ago. I got away without it, but that was possibly because I had the just the front kit installed. Mopar went to one piece rod in '59, doing away with this adjustment. I have the rod set to it's extreme limit to show the length possibilities. I acknowledge that this particular adjustable rod, out of a '57 Plymouth, was set at the same length as a '59 one piece rod. But even a slight lengthening reduces a considerable amount of pedal travel. You could even make you own extension with a "long" nut and a piece of threaded rod. I just wanted to show this to somebody who might be a bit more receptive. All Roger did was design some brackets and use off the shelf components from GM, Mopar and AMC to make his kits. Maybe Wilwood makes the top of the line conversion kit, but Roger's kit works for me in hectic urban traffic. K.

I was hoping to install the rear quarter windows this week. I was getting ready to remove the items stored inside "Pink." Within five minutes of taking this photo, the light drizzle turned into a true rainstorm. Such is life. I did, however, trim the drooping palm branch to prevent it from damaging the driver's door glass.

I really hope this air cleaner will fit under the '59's hood. I prefer it over the newer, flatter style of air cleaner ('70 & up) or an aftermarket type. This one is from a 1968 440.

Here is the 1956 DeSoto 330 Hank Dozier is building for the black two door wagon. This engine is being "updated" with electronic ignition, a full flow spin on oil filter and a PCV system. I already possess a pair of 1959 361 torsion bars to handle the additional weight. I have a choice between several differential ring and pinions, depending upon whether I use a stick with overdrive or a straight three speed manual transmission. I plan to order a new set of rear springs.

This is the first '59 Chevy I have ever seen without even minor rust through in the rear seating area. Even in desert cars, this section sometiomes collected water from the trunk and around the windows after the weatherstripping deteriorated in our extreme desert climate.

The floor is absolutely solid.

Other than damage from a rear end collision, the body was very straight and is one of the most solid '59s I have ever seen.

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183 Photos - Page : [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

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