Thread: cost to rebuild 53 Plymouth Flat 6

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When I was born, my great grandmother willed me a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook sedan. For pretty much 25+ years it has been stored in a garage where the flat 6 engine has frozen up. I recently decided to put this thing in running condition again but am having a LOT of trouble with the frozen engine. Dropped it off to a mechanic but after several weeks of soaking in oil and removing top half, its still stuck. Any ideas? Also, what is a reasonable cost range to pull the engine and rebuild it?

Any help is much appreciated!

Throw out some more info regarding your intent.....are you set on keeping the original engine block? You probably can find a serviceable block that is not frozen that would be cheaper than machining out the pistons and/or sleeving the original block. Are you intent on keeping the engine all original or are you wanting to modernize it a bit? Fortunately, the old flathead six was used in quite a few applications (even forklifts) and parts are relatively cheap and available.

You might search for a MoPar owners site that specifically focuses on the older models...they would have a good contact list of who specializes in rebuilds and parts.

Check out the the P15 D24 site; it's strickly old Mopars owners and has lots of stuff for sale. Those guys can help you out.

Also check out the OlSkoolRodz website several of the guys have done builds on these engines and have posted some good pics too.

It can be rebuilt it just depends on what you plan to do. Should cost about 2500 to get a rebuild. You might try logging on the P15-D24 forum for great info on these old girls. Lots of help and good place to get info on the cars. You will have to register but same as it is here.
Good Luck
Lee

One thought is that there are lots of flat sixes that will swap out. However the Chryslers and Desoto sixes are longer and will not always fit. However, Dodges and Plymouths are the same externally. I picked up a nice 48 Chrysler six because the owner could not fit it into the engine bay of his Plymouth car. Check this site...........................http://www.allpar.com/mopar/flat.html

I thought I would mention to be careful about replacing your Plymouth engine with anything other than a Dodge or another plymouth. I picked up a good deal on a 48 Chrysler flat six and it is too long to fit into the Plymouth engine bay. Looks the same at first glance, but is about three inches longer.

There are as many degrees of "rebuilding" an engine as there are people doing it. Some consider new rings, bearings, and gaskets a rebuild. Others go to the extent of checking the block and all components for cracks, then machining everything and using as many new parts as possible. All depends on the amount you want to spend and your expectations.

Sounds like you are considering having someone do the pulling, rebuilding, and reinstallation for you. BE VERY CAREFUL. There are thousands of horror stories of people who paid big money to get that kind of work done and ended up with a crap job, or one left half done. Not every garage or mechanic is able to do these older engines. They seem very simple on the surface, compared to the computer laden ones out there today, but it takes a mechanic and machinist who understand flatheads to get them right.

These flathead 6's were practically bulletproof. A buddy when I was a teen had a 50 Plymouth that he kept trying to blow up so his Dad would give him his 62 Chevy instead. No matter how hard he ran it the thing wouldn't die. But your first concern is getting that engine freed up. You might try soaking it in molasses in a big tub. Never done that myself, but I have heard it works miracles and molasses can be bought in huge bags at feed stores, I think. Sometimes I have freed them up using a torch to heat each piston top and pouring penetrating oil down the cylinders. Tapping with a wood block and bfh really helps too.

Don

Believe it or not but Coke works a treat. Thats the branded cola, but the dust. I imagine any brand will do, but a mate of mine sat coke in the bores of a seized engine and got it free spinning.

Makes you wonder what its doing to your innards :P