49 Plymouth High & Mighty inspired streetable build project

[HemiFried]

Hi guy's!

Hard to believe its been over 4 years since I first found the HAMB!

Back on christmas day 2007 my Mom gave me the current Hot Rod magazine stuffed inside a box with a bunch of clothes (Mom knows better then to give me clothes for Christmas! lol) Well inside the mag was a list of the top (50 or 100) Hotrod's of all time. I had a good look through the book while digesting turkey, Then my Dad enjoyed reading it as well, After closing the book he told me there was one car in that list that he would love to re-create, I replied with the "i bet it was on page such and such" (can't remember right off now) He replied with a matter of fact it was! Thats right the Ramchargers High and Mighty!

You see Dad restored two cars in our basement when I was a kid, The first was a 48 Desoto when I was 1 or 2, The second was a 51 Dodge Wayfarer Sportabout convertible that he purchased when I was 6. He also let me come down to the shop and sit and watch, pass tools, and just in general inhale all of the car knowledge and passion that he and his buddies had when they where all down there drinking there cokes and fiddling away at the car.
Well after a few hours I bet Dad that I could find an old school hemi by new years day, He laughed and said if you can find one we'll find a car and buy it to build! On new years day we jumped in the truck and went to pick up a 392 AND a 354 that I had found for get this..... $100!!!!!!! LOL

Needless to say the search was on to find a good body which didn't come our way till July of 2008, When I found my baby, It was in North Dakota and listed on Ebay for $4500 starting bid. But no one bid at all, I had contacted the seller for a phone number and as soon as the auction I called the guy and hashed out a deal, Sent him the money, arranged shipping to Bangor Maine and waited till late october before the car finally arrived! That weekend we ]jumped in a truck with trailer in tow to pick it up, The car was far better then I had originally expected so all was good. I drove the car for a couple of summers but its just been sitting now since 2009.

Well my son is turning 10 this July so it's time to get my ass in gear and get to work on the project, Enough dreaming and procrastinating its time to do some work, So yesterday he and I started by removing the rear fenders, wheels and tires, and a few pieces under the hood prepping to remove the front clip and the drive line. It's going to be a slow process building the car as monies tight as it always is but we mad a vow yesterday that we're going to do as much as possible our selves, Including all body work, chopping, shortening the frame as well as building the motor and transmission, basicaly everything other then machine work and probably the glass cutting!

Here's a few pictures,
1st sight!

Rear fenders removed with NOS M&H Racemasters set in place





1st Photoshop attempt 4"chop, 8"s removed from the body between the door and rear fender

[tjmercury]

Looks like a good start to a very interesting car!

[66Coronet440]

Cool project. You planning to replicate that big high-rise intake?

[HemiFried]

Originally Posted by tjmercury

Looks like a good start to a very interesting car!

Thanks man!!

Originally Posted by 66Coronet440

Cool project. You planning to replicate that big high-rise intake?

Thanks man! Thats the plan! But seeing as I want it to be a street driven car I'm tossing around the idea of doing it with non functional carbs with the linkage functional while hiding some sort of multi port fuel injection inside the box... lots of work to do before I need to get that figured out! lol

PS. aftet this ones done I want to build a 66 coronet 440 with a 426, steelies, column shift and a bench seat

[farmer12]

Cool start to a great project!

[HemiFried]

Originally Posted by farmer12

Cool start to a great project!

Thanks Farmer!!! Peeking in on your build has definitely helped to inspire me to get at this one!

Slow process this past week and for the next few weeks actually, I'm cramming now for a provincial insurance exam... I did how ever do a trial fit with the hemi to give me some ideas of how much I have to cut out of where to get it sitting the way I want it to. Hope to be back at it heavy towards the end of May!