ClassicCar

Ducor Kid

I'm in the planning stage of getting my grandfathers 1950 Pacemaker back on road.I want to make this car a family cruiser that I can enjoy with my kids and grandkids.This car was great to ride as a kid ( It and I both date from 1950). Plan is to leavethe car to appear fairly stock on the outside but update the running gear.

Changes I have in mind include:

Mopar small block

Mopar A518 OD trans and newer rearend

PS, PB and Disc Brakes

AC of course (it's hot here)

Any hints or tips from the forum would greatly enjoyed.

Thanks in adance, Larry

52 kahuna

Larry,

Welcome to the forum. I have a 52 Hornet with a 318, Torqueflight, front disc brakes (non power) and Chrysler rear end. It's hot here also, so I've got the A/c too. I am not to familiar with the differences between our cars, but I think that a lot of the info would relate to both cars.

I bought the car from my late uncle with most of the modifications already done, but I would be glad to share pictures of the changes and / or any information I can, but this forum is the right place to start.

Good luck,

Terry

jsrail

Ducor Kid wrote:

I'm in the planning stage of getting my grandfathers 1950 Pacemaker back on road.I want to make this car a family cruiser that I can enjoy with my kids and grandkids.This car was great to ride as a kid ( It and I both date from 1950). Plan is to leavethe car to appear fairly stock on the outside but update the running gear.

Changes I have in mind include:

Mopar small block
Mopar A518 OD trans and newer rearend
PS, PB and Disc Brakes
AC of course (it's hot here)

Any hints or tips from the forum would greatly enjoyed.
Thanks in adance, Larry

Sounds like a good project Larry. I'd be interested in seeing someone's progress with the mopar drivetrain. Is yours a 4 door? I'm definately for the a/c stuff being here in AZ! Post pics (or forward to one of the guys here for posting) when you can.

Jay

Ducor Kid

It's a 4 door. I plan on getting started as soon as I get my Elco on the road.

Too many cars not enough money or time!

jsrail

Ducor Kid wrote:

It's a 4 door. I plan on getting started as soon as I get my Elco on the road.
Too many cars not enough money or time!

I noticed that yours has the fender spears on the front fenders. Mine '50 Pacemaker doesn't have them. Was this an option, or could yours have been added on? I thought that only the Commodore and Super Six had those, but I certainly could be wrong.

I hear ya on the cash thing! lol I just had to put a few hundred in Mama's Disco II, so that's less money for mine right now. :-(

Jay

tristansdaz

Jay, it looks like those fender spears are from a '51-'53 Commodore or Hornet.

Ducor Kid, probably the easiest swap for what you have in mind may be the utilization of the K member along with suspension from a Chrysler Cordoba or Dodge Magnum. This will give you the biggest cid at 360 along with an adjustable torsion bar suspension and disc brakes. I'd bet that you could probably get one of these beasts pretty reasonable and save a bundle of cash.

Ducor Kid

jsrail wrote:

I noticed that yours has the fender spears on the front fenders. Mine '50 Pacemaker doesn't have them. Was this an option, or could yours have been added on? I thought that only the Commodore and Super Six had those, but I certainly could be wrong.

I hear ya on the cash thing! lol I just had to put a few hundred in Mama's Disco II, so that's less money for mine right now.

Jay

It's a Pacemaker Deluxe. I don't know if those were standard or not.

The first owner was local insurance man we dealt with for years.

He the ordered car and told my grandfather even the steering wheel

was optional.

Larry

jsrail

A Deluxe model, thats probably why. Pretty rare I guess, I think I heard here that they only made them that one year.

Jay

hudsonkid

tristansdaz wrote:

Jay, it looks like those fender spears are from a '51-'53 Commodore or Hornet.

Ducor Kid, probably the easiest swap for what you have in mind may be the utilization of the K member along with suspension from a Chrysler Cordoba or Dodge Magnum. This will give you the biggest cid at 360 along with an adjustable torsion bar suspension and disc brakes. I'd bet that you could probably get one of these beasts pretty reasonable and save a bundle of cash.

The fender spears like those were offered in 50 as well. Commodores and I think supers (optional?) had them.

48-49 commodore spears were different.

i have seen 54's with the spears, but these seemed to be dealer add on, or owner add on.

nick s

hudsonkid is right,
those particular ornaments were standard for 50-52 commodores, 51-53 hornet and 53 super wasp
optional for 54 and other series.

faustmb

Sounds like a good project. I always liked the small Mopar 8's. I also have a '50 pacemaker sedan. It is totally stock, and will most likely remain that way for a long time. My car is our weekend cruiser. It is still 6V, no AC (Hot in FL too). Don't drive it too much in summer here.

Matt

hudsonkid

nick s wrote:

hudsonkid is right,

those particular ornaments were standard for 50-52 commodores, 51-53 hornet and 53 super wasp

optional for 54 and other series.

what about 52 wasps?

kind of curious as to if they were optional, hudsondad's has them. Not sure if 52, they were standard, and 53 perhaps optional on wasps, standard on super wasps....

nick s

optional on 52 and 53 wasp

hudsondad

hudsonkid wrote:

what about 52 wasps?

kind of curious as to if they were optional, hudsondad's has them. Not sure if 52, they were standard, and 53 perhaps optional on wasps, standard on super wasps....

I need to check on that. 52 Wasp and 53 Super Wasp were the same and 52 Pacemaker became the 53 Wasp. I always thought they (fender rockets) were standard on the 52 Wasp as was the heavy window trim, the commodore style side trim, front and rear horsecollars, and the 262 engine.

hudsonkid

hudsondad wrote:

I need to check on that. 52 Wasp and 53 Super Wasp were the same and 52 Pacemaker became the 53 Wasp. I always thought they (fender rockets) were standard on the 52 Wasp as was the heavy window trim, the commodore style side trim, front and rear horsecollars, and the 262 engine.

horsecollars weren't standard on 52 wasps. what you got on yours? perhaps it's time to venture out into the garage, and check it out, make sure it's still there. If there's dark rubber marks leaving the garage, I didn't do it.

If memory serves right, you got bumper guards (4 of em ) in the front. :cool:

hudsondad

You're right. I got a rear Horsecollar and 2 bumper guards and 4 bumper guards on the front.

hudsonkid

hudsondad wrote:

You're right. I got a rear Horsecollar and 2 bumper guards and 4 bumper guards on the front.

It's been a long time, but I still remember that car.

nick s

hudsondad wrote:

I need to check on that. 52 Wasp and 53 Super Wasp were the same and 52 Pacemaker became the 53 Wasp. I always thought they (fender rockets) were standard on the 52 Wasp as was the heavy window trim, the commodore style side trim, front and rear horsecollars, and the 262 engine.

after Sam's photo quiz i meant to ammend my comments, the two wasps in the photo appeared to have the spears so i pulled back out the parts book. the 48-54 (much like most of us) ignores the 52 wasp. Apperently the compiler didn't know wether they were standard or not either.

rambos_ride

Perhaps the #1 thing to look at is any potential perimiter frame rust issues and any other structural rust issues...

A Fat Man front stub kit is nice, especially if you want modern suspension.

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