'59 Plymouth Forum

I want to pull the engine and transmission from my 59 Belvedere with 318 and push button automatic and I don't have a manual. Can I pull both the engine and trans as a unit? Do I need to take out the radiator and the grill? Any other tricks or advice from those who have done this before?
Thanks for any help!!

yes, you can get the engine and tranny out as one Highly recommend you remove rediator. If you put the front wheels up on ramps, you will have a bit more room for the tranny to drop, but of course then you will have to have to hoiust the engine that much higher.

It will simplify removal if the transmission crossmember is removed, to allow the tail of the trans. to drop way down. ---John

I neglected to mention that, but I thought it was a "given".
John, we didn't have the location of your soon-to-arrive cvt figured, so we didnt go looking for it, but I am certainly interested in seeing photos/hearing details of how/whee you found the cvt. Moreover, I went thru the same exact porcedure (cvt/ht "melding"), so it seems like old times. I will Private message you more on this when I get back home.

Hi Roger, I thought it was cool that you offered to check it out in the first place. I guess Jim was running short on travel money, and he was given a job rebuilding a power steering set-up, and that is why he missed Carlisle. What he does for a living is quite interesting, he sells power steering cores, window motors, and other '50's Ford items to the major dealers of those parts, so he is on the road constantly searching out salvage yards throughout the country to find these items. He called me when he found this convert, as he knew I would have an interest in it. The body is poor from being in the damp climate, but the majority of the convertible only pieces are intact, except for some of the trim around the windshield, which will be a bugger to find. He already has a car on his trailer to bring west, so he will cut the needed parts off, and save the frame, as he can fit that on alongside the other car. I am not sure when he will be bringing it out, probably towards the end of summer. He sent me some pics, but I don't know how to send those out to someone else, as I am somewhat computer illiterate. ---John

I think you should re-think the idea of cutting it up prior to shipping.
The one big mistake my bodyman and I made was discarding the wheelwells from my rusty convertible. Cvt wells are not as tall as HT ones..this gives the room needed to store the folded top.
Other cvt-only parts include the massive "X" member which re-inforces the frame, some additional body-to-frame supports, the sheetmetal and support beam behind the rear seat (where the boot snaps on), all the snap strip, the hydraulic lifts and mounts, the rear seat armrests (which cover the lifts) and of course the folding top, latches, sunvisors, vent window frames...hmmm, what else is there....

Thanks, Roger, he is going to cut the entire convertible 'tub' from the rear door jambs to the rear of the wheelwells, as well as the entire front cowl and windshield. He will also be bringing the entire frame out as well. Any other pieces that are good will be saved, and any convertible only items even if in poor condition will be saved. I wasn't aware that the wheelwells were different, you may have just saved me a major headache! ---John

Happy to help, John!
With respect to the wheel wells, my body man was embarrassed, to be sure. His solution was to cut 4" off the top of the wells, making them flat on top. We had no other option at that point.

Roger, did those pics make it to you? ---John

Hi John,
Yes, the pictures came thru..thank you. quite a hulk there. Very reminiscent of my Belvedere convertible as it arrived here from Iowa
Hopefully your plan to make a cvt will be realised.
May I share those pictures with the 59 Sport Fury site?
roger

Sure, Roger, that would be great! ---John

And here they are...

In rust we trust -- FERSHUR!!

...and three more...

Judging from these [hotos, I'd have to say that this convertible is actually in WORSE condition than my Iowan Belvedere was. I can see the collapsed top bows laying across the passenger compartment. The header bar has huge rust-thru holes. All the chrome is badly pitted. The pivot arms and connections appear to be rusted solid. I am worried that John won't find much to salvage here. He may be able to sell some of the cvt-only parts.....

Yes Roger, she is an iron oxide marvel. With a welder, plasma cutter, torches, and plenty of spare steel, it may just come to fruition. Many of the projects I have taken on were this involved, but I will not know for sure until Jim gets out here with the pieces. ---John