Hm, remembering from my dad's stories,, it could be a drag racer too. The wrap kept the springs from twisting. As a kid, he raced anything he could put together. This would be a great candidate for a v8,, Flathead,, or perhaps a big block? My dad used to do a lot of the things you do now in his free time. He taught me,, and I am sure glad he did! That's why I love watching your work. And I understand why you do things the way you do. You talk a lot like him. Keep it up! He quit smoking cold turkey,, and he said he still wanted a smoke 20 years after he quit.

If there was a moonshine Wayfarer coupe, I had it. It was a 52 painted forest green. Under the hood was a '55 Red Ram poly head engine, 4 barrel and a dual point distributor. Behind that was a freewheeling overdrive manual trans. The trans was cool in that you could downshift to second at 45 MPH and the engine would just idle away. Punch the throttle and it would rev until the engine caught up with the car and it would light the tires at 45. It used to give SS 396 cars a run for their money. I miss that car.

My 47 Dodge has wrapped springs from the factory. Beautiful car!

This Dodge coup is one of my favorites thanks Jonathan for the awesome video really love to see you got it.

Great enthusiasm Jonathon .............love your idea of restore, big job though.........such a blast when its done , massive sens of achievement and such a CLASSIC piece !

Holy crap dude, I'd give my left arm for an old car to play with/fix up/drive around in... I got family down your way, I'm gonna have to come see what you got. I wish I could come to participate in one of your builds for a chance to get my hands on a cool car through your raffle but I've been in the hospital not moving for a year so I'd better wait until I get my strength back up before I even entertain that particular idea lol. Anyway man, I'm glad I found your channel, I subscribed so I can watch all your vids and keep up to date on your exploits, and let me say thanks too for saving a lot of these old cars and not scrapping them - there's not a lot of that old iron left these days and they'll all be gone soon enough, so there's no need to hurry them along to extinction. Thanks again dude, peace.

The Dodge 2 door coupes are some of my favorites Im hoping you make it one of your project cars. The 1937 chev coupe is the car I actually dreamed about. Im 64 now and just cant do the things I did do, arthritis has wrecked me. So watching you now is like living the dream. Thanks

Cudda been a runner. Cudda been a ghost car. LOVE the style !!! It SCREAMS ROD ME !!!

You folks need to watch "Thunder Road" starring the late great Robert Mitchum.

all it's missing is some bullet holes, you know what they say " if it walks like a duck and fly's like a duck it's probably a duck " great video

A friend has a "restorod" like this with a 440 magnum and a tilt front on it! Pls keep this together for history!

Its a survivor,....ive seen the follow up vid, the engine sounds great, hope ya keep updates on this project, ohhh...id grab the crate motor too, cant go wrong there.

Howdy!; Regarding the 49 Dodge, why not it be a runner. If the story fits, keep it... Looking forward to this project. Keep up the good work. Happy trails, Skip

love to have a old Dodge like! to old to do the build but enjoy you videos! Thanks.

Hey Jonathon, That is a pretty cool ol dodge ! Your cars really seam to rust from the top down where the mid west and East coast cars rust from the bottom up ! I think that it could easily have been an ol bootlegger car with all the oddities it just seams like it has some possibilities ! Good thing you are saving these old cars and trucks

l'm thinking this thing had 1 of those torque converter type clutches in it & the pressure plate & disc (in the trunk) are all that's left of the original setup...it was probably giving trouble & didn't want to fool with none of that old stuff & went with a newer transmission & clutch setup...they may have shackled up the rear springs to get more ground clearance on the newer transmission...my opinion...l like this car...you made a good trade

I have my doubts as to this car having been used for bootlegging. The elongated shackles on the rear of the leaf springs would make no difference on the sag of the leaf springs due to hauling cargo. I agree with James Letaw , seems more possible that the original transmission was replaced with the truck tranny and the elongated shackles were used to provide more ground clearance for the truck tranny. Also, IMO, the wider rear rims were installed by a youngster who may have owned the car later to make it look `cooler`. A great save, anyways .

@jonathanw4942

7 жыл бұрын

It would make a difference on how it sits when loaded and hauling wasn't just trying to outrun, it was trying to make it look like your car was level even when you had weight in it. Previous owner claim to have taken racks out that was for holding jars. Maybe and maybe not?

@ddocspeck

7 жыл бұрын

Ah, you had`nt mentioned the jar racks in the video. If that was true, then it would stand to reason that the vehicle may have been used for `nefarious` purposes. Thanks for the reply. I recently discovered your videos and have been viewing them on my `off-days` ( bricklayer + rain = off-days ).

@jonathanw4942

7 жыл бұрын

I had a fellow come by about a month ago that knew the car and he ask me where they went? I told him I didn't know it had them, so I called the man I bought it from and he said that he pulled them out and scrapped them. Not even sure what they looked like, but I wish they were still there.

@ddocspeck

7 жыл бұрын

Yes, it certainly would have been interesting to see the racks still in the car. A true piece of Americana and Bootlegging History ! Thanks again for the reply.

This car is beautiful. I'd get 2 period correct wide rears and some door panels. Lake piped and clean up structural rust. I love old school questionable sketchy historic cars.

Bootleggers operated throughout the south during the 50' and 60's, mainly due to the many "dry" counties where liquor could not be sold legally. My granddaddy was a sheriff, and I still remember the bootlegger cars he comfiscated.

Build it and run the wheels off it. I love it, l had a /50 Plymouth business coupe when I was a freshman in HS, also black. Almost a twin to this one, but all stock. You know how to build /em, Jonathan!

It sounds like it was built for mountaineering and woodsy driving. Those spring shackles made for a very bouncy ride as I remember.

Hey Jonathan that's a perfect little hot rod , a tightly wound 440 would fit the car perfectly, it's a keeper bud !!

Some of the dealers here really do not know what they're talking about. My one brother bought a Foxbody Mustang and the guy told him it has the Windsor 5.0 V8. He looked under the hood and saw a small 2.3 Lima in-line 4. My mom bought a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer and the salesman said it's FWD. I told her, "It can't be, the Trailblazers were never FWD." So I looked under the car and found that it's AWD.

My cousin, who was a traveling salesman at the time, had one of these. It had a double size trunk to hold samples & shipments. Yes, it would have made a good "rum runner". Though my cousin was legit, he sure drove like one.

I got screwed over in NC when I got my first car. Thought getting a title would have been easy but it sits in the garden now. Did my research on my second one though.

Nice catch. Cool to see another car project. Lets assume it was a bootlegger car ... Follow that theme to the next level. Bigger Chrysler flat head six, or a 324 straight eight ... A bit more tune-up on the suspension. Continue with the wheels. Find another 15x8 for the rear. One good bucket for the driver and room for the booze on the passenger side. Maybe satin black exterior and switches to cut out tail and brake lights, etc.😁

The 1949 Dodge Coronet/Kingwoods an absolutely beautiful car.

I had a 1950 Dodge Coronet once, with fluid clutch. Nice car. The parking brake was on the drive shaft.

I really like the shape of this car and think it would make a great resto rod or whatever. Even with the flat 6

@Jonathan W i saw it from the side and instantly thought to myself "use that kinda boot for a front end on a rat "!!!! would be nice with some more modern and not too hard to get parts for headlights !!

Cool memories of a four door sedan that model as a teenager. A buddy had one and we had to fill the radiator every few miles to get crosstown. 😂 Now THAT’S a trunk!!!!!

Would love to see what this old classic would look like restored. Far better looking than all of the cookie cutter junk we have today.

@MrDetroit1701

7 жыл бұрын

gotta pay for style nowa days back then it came standard.

@richardcline1337

7 жыл бұрын

Hardly anything on the road now with real style and class. They all look like they came from the same cookie factory. Yeah, they have tons of buttons, bells and whistles but no class or style.

@MrDetroit1701

7 жыл бұрын

Thank You!

@MrDetroit1701

7 жыл бұрын

or all throw backs

I had one of those when I was a kid. I loved it. We use to load it up with gear and surfboards and drive it down to Nags Head and camp out in the pancake house parking lot lol. Two people can sleep in one if the tent blows over LOL Great times.

Hey Jonathan keep me apprised about this car. 230 engine is pretty cool

I'm not sure about a bootlegger's car, I would have thought that if you were going to run moonshine in a car you'd want something with the power to get you away from the cops, which in those times I would have thought would mean a V8 rather than a straight 6, unless it's a very built 6, but from the start-up video it doesn't sound like it's built. As somebody else said the box might have been changed out for the truck box to get rid of an unusual and troublesome transmission set-up, and I would guess the rear rims probably came from the same truck that donated the box. The spring wrapping might have been someone's attempt to preserve the springs and keep them greased if they need greasing, and I reckon the rear shackles were some young guy's attempt to make his old first car look more cool back in the '60s or early '70s. Whatever the case is, there's no doubt this old girl has a whole heap of stories to tell, even if they're maybe not as exciting as running 'shine, and it's good she's going to be around to write a whole load more...

@mayonnaiseluther1568

4 жыл бұрын

Its a 2 door its light all you need is a straight 6 thats the way a lot of shiners did it back then

@VanWinger

4 жыл бұрын

This car is a '47, and 3 years later a straight 6 powered Hudson would dominate the stock car racing for several years in a row.

@n.mcneil4066

2 жыл бұрын

In the 50's a simple economical update would have been changeout for a 251 engine from a 3 ton or a Windsor.This plus a slightly taller rear end would have certainly pepped it up. My dad had 251 in a 38 Plymouth & another fellow had one in a 49 Plymouth.

Not a bootlegger car young guy built it in the early 60's to race around town

@PapaJ5667

5 жыл бұрын

With a granny gear 4 spd ? Must not have planned on winning any races with it

"Not the prettiest car in the world?" I've only seen two of these in my life. Both were at car shows. I think they are absolutely beautiful.

Beautiful old car. I love the bootlegger story.

Bootlegger! It shows a little hot rod but not so you would notice going down the road. With that trunk you could carry the whole stile!

I love it but then again I love old cars period

First time I've seen the inside of one, the interior is built like a cage after you said it! lol!

The fact that it sits up so high just might be to hold the heavy weight of what liquor weighs. It would sit down when it was loaded.

that is the stock 230 engine , Great ole tough 6 in it's day ! Looks like it could be a shine runner but with the stock 6 hard to say ??

Cool car with questionable parts !! Good stuff !

The liquor springs as they were known.. They would load the back of them right up with hootch and then you could jack the ride height back up again, so there wouldn't be any visual giveaways to police patrols. I reckon one of these with a 440 in it would be a perfect daily driver.. Hemis aren't super great engines for long term street use. A guy actually put a Viper V10 in one of these.

Friend of mine has a low miles 47 Dodge 2 door sedan. Very nice car. Those old flat head had decent power, Could have been a bootlegger car! There were twin carbs and other goodies to get more power. I believe Lee Petty started out driving flat head sixes at Nascar. It's a fixer upper, but you can probably find a mint one in Hemmings Motor News

Most interesting...you could simulate the water=Shine weight ratio , apply it to the spring load weight (load trunk with test weight to equalize "standing height". ?

Another keeper!!

I don't know whether it's a bootellegar Car but I love this body style

That would make a nice "resto-mod" or a ratrod.......drop in a 318 or a 440 maybe even a Cummins 4bt............Or go all out and drop in a 225 leaning tower of power! Would be nice to have this! Good luck with your build. Peace.

and moon shine so yes possibly could have been shine more than likely due to year car was built look for heavy duty Springs in the rear to compinsate the extra weight

Did you do anything else to this car after this video? Amazing that you got it started i would have thought it would be frozen solid. It would definitely be a rat rod candidate if you wanted to. fun video though in any case thanks for sharing.

Is there an update on this project? I just bought a 1948 Dodge Coup and everything is with it. These are beautiful cars when restored.

Those wider rims were once popular and were from station wagons back in the day

Lee Petty drove a Plymouth with that same engine in early NASCAR racing.

IT's always possible ,as most people don't know that there is still back woods still's making shine.

a great fixer upper street rod with early hemi!

a great moonshine running car... very fast to if you use the corn grain alcohol as gas!

oh and love the car nice petina

It was obviously souped up for some reason. Maybe hauling shine? Or just some kids wanting to drag race? Unless you knew the former owner(s) you probably will never know. I think it’s a great little hot rod. I’d take it! Little deuce coupe!

I have a set of rims that may work...what's the lug pattern.?

C00L 0l' Car. Looks like it would be worth trying to save it for a restoration project. Just my 2 cents though.....It is a really good looking 0l' car and is savable for sure.

Good story,, go with it.

My Daisy says he can buy her a drink! Daisy is my 49 Plymouth!

Morning Jonathan, I have to ask, I am a car guy but one of my deep passions is vintage trucks, that 1919 FWD cab that you brought home, do you have plans for it? I hope you will put it together, original if possible, please don't rat rod it, there is another channel where a fella had a 38 GMC that was complete, they took it apart to rat rod it??!! That broke my heart!!!!

Arch rear fenders and throw some wide wheels on the rear and raise the front, give it a gasser look

I Have NO DOUBT!! IT WAS SHINE RUNNER!!.. ITS COOL AS HELL CUZ ITS A MOPAR!!!

👍👍👍 get her up an running, have fun with it

that's got all the signs of somebody run shine that car is badass I would turn it into a nice muscle car with a Hemi motor don't turn it into a rat rod that car deserves more than that

@jonathanw4942

7 жыл бұрын

I think my definition of a Rat Rod is different than most. It actually makes Rat Rodders mad, I just put together with what I have When I say Rat Rod I mean just not painting it or putting shiny wheels on it, not chopping it up like some do.

@1968DodgePolara

7 жыл бұрын

Well that is what a rat rodder definition is your right on using what you have and throwing it on if it works the new generation seem to have lost the true art and you got it right....

@jamessullivan7296

7 жыл бұрын

You build true hot rods Jonathan. Like the guys in the 40's and 50's did using what was available and what they could afford . Hopefully also it came out looking cool and running good too. I just started watching your videos and really like them. Other guys over do everything or they don't know what they are doing and end up looking foolish. Keep up the good work. I have an idea of putting a model A body on my Nissan truck roller I'd like to talk to you about sometime.

how do I sign up for rat rod raffle!? very likely an old likker runner. some folks still make moonshine.

Looks like a good place for a 440 and a 727!

Most likely if you can’t find a hiding place it was a salesman’s car transporting heavy objects like tools or samples. I really like this car as is.

A fella I worked with was from there-about, he has passed now. But he told me stories of his hopped up 50's Mercury that had under slung tanks that could haul a load of moonshine and no cops could touch him... he knew all the back roads and would just fly down them. With all them old boys driving flat out, it's no wonder NASCAR came about!

sweet old ride. what is with the gestapo like crack down on titling cars?

hi Jonathon, is it just the 2 videos on this car?

Do you still have that 49 Dodge Coupe business

that's cool make a daily driver out of it I would

Forget the rat rod make it a slick moonshine tanker

Could be old low budget small-town street drag car

i had a 57 Dodge pick up. with engine a lot like the one you have here. to hop it up cheap. build or buy an adapter to put a 2 bbl on that manifold. i used a 52 Kaiser 2 bbl.

MOONSHINE, MOONSHINE, to quinch the Devils thirst!..............

It’s still has a bumper no way they tan shine in it joy rides galore

I think it was either a race car or a moonshiners car. I dont think you mentioned the what engine displacement. With the spring modifications and the transmission It was definitely more than a daily driver for sure. Do you know the gear ratio? It would make a great sleeper. Put in a 440 or an old hemi, that would be fun for sure

@danielboyd4618

5 жыл бұрын

Truck transmission,probly just all they had. The springs are the same as my moms 41 Plymouth who wrapped them? My best guess, dodge.

Maybe this Dodge Wayfarer business coupe was a former moonshine car. I just wonder if it would have been very useful with it's 230 cubic inch truck engine with 102 horsepower @ 3600 rpm and a slow shifting truck 4 speed in comparison to the revenuer car chasing it.

I am all in... i will call the weather channel....and make sure the will cooperate this time...as for the car.absolutely.they snatched the still out of the trunk when they pulled the seats and carpet..you may be able to see traces of copper near the trunk lid..

Song Copperhead road

Would be nice to get this on the road also.

Is this old classic still around or has somebody trashed it? Hopefully it has been fully restored to what it once was.

Love the. Body. Style. I think. It. Rare thanks

No rat rode needs more than that

First car ever Drove on highway 50 Dodge Coupe

The heavy duty rear suspension was really for a businessman to haul his wares so not unusual. The motor does not suggest a moonshiner's car. Wonder what the gear ratio is? I would say could have been but no real proof it was more than just what the name implies-a business coupe.

@stevegehlsen5473

6 жыл бұрын

Jim Buford xxxxxaxxžzzccw

@rockettcustoms6266

6 жыл бұрын

The shackles are not factory and the leafs are modified.

It is a lot of potential, shorten that trunk up a little drop of big block and it and you're ready to go.

@buzzsah

8 жыл бұрын

+buzzsah If I remember right they used to cut and split wield the manifold into dual exhaust on a single six.

All things indicate possible shiners haulin car. Big trunk large trans. Any sign of tail light of switch on the edge of the dash board. Wrapped springs was a thing for haulers.

most cars running liquor back then they had the crossbars cut out behind the back seat. then the seat was left out, that way they could stack hooch from the trunk up to the driver seat. I doubt it was a runner,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I think the NC DMV got in trouble for issuing vintage car titles to fiberglass replica bodies running on less than 25 year old chassis.

Most likely why it is lifted and the truck trans mission

@DesertDigger1

7 жыл бұрын

Yup.

I'd be inclined to think if it were a haul car it would have a bigger engine but I don't know what was available at the time. I'd want a v8 if I could get one, for outrunning revenuers.

Moonshine or not ! Keep it and work your magic....I say make a daily driver....a lot of sand blasting a little engine swap....Go and get some groceries.

Was it originally a Fluid Drive car?