Rolloff meets Hoopty

[lcoutback]

So...  a little over a year ago I picked up a 1950 Plymouth Business Coupe.  I should say I picked up the shell of what was once a '50 Plymouth Business  Coupe, aptly named the 'Hoopty'.  Floor is gone, like a Comanche and there isn't a straight body panel on the old girl.  I've been tossing around everything from a generic S10 frame swap with an LS swap, to going more 'period' correct hotrod with 218 flathead with dual carbs, dual exhaust and convert the three-on-the-tree to a floor shifter.   I know, *yawn*, how generic and boring!

 

 

 

So you ask, why would I post this on the Comanche Club forum?  I suppose because one day as I was shuffling projects, I happened to have my '89 Pioneer parked next to the Plymouth.  Guess what?  Same wheelbase!  Maybe it's time for the 'Hoopty' to get a makeover with 31" tires wrapped around a set of crusty Jeep Turbines I have at the back of the shop?  Keep the firewall and floor, and run a full MJ running gear under that sucker.  THAT would be different... (and give me more leg room)  Time to break out the cutting wheel and sawblades!

 

 

 

NO!!  Not what you are thinking, Papa Smurf will never go under the knife.  It's too straight and rust free to even contemplate such sacrilege!  However, I did just drag this beauty home... (my wife named it Rolloff)  It's an '87 4x4 with a 4.0 / 5 speed.  I don't think my buffer can fix this one.

 

 

 

So now let the debate begin.  I figure I can part out enough MJ specific parts (interior, drivers cab corner, rear fender flares) to buy a brick of cutoff wheels and sawz-all blades to make for a busy weekend whittling this down to just the floorboards and fire wall.  From there I'll see if the 4.0 has any life life.  More than likely I'll yank that out and find a wrecked Cherokee donor for a more 'fresh' drivetrain that ol' Rolloff here.  If my preliminary measurements are close, Rolloff and Hoopty could produce an interesting offspring.  I could tick off the puritan of the hotrod world with a first class rat rod, and 'technically' keep an MJ on the road?

 

Or maybe, just maybe... I should ask my wife to drop me on my head once to knock some sense back into me for even considering such an undertaking!  

 

 

 

 

 

[buxmj]

This is going to be a cool project! What great vision to see these 2 vehicles morphed into one. Your wife has a great sense of humor, perfect name for the MJ, glad you will be able to sell some parts off it. Looking forward to the progress and be sure to check the date of your last tetanus shot!

 

Buck 

[Pete M]

I'd be curious as to how well a uniframe holds up without the rest of the body. 

[dasbulliwagen]

On 2/15/2022 at 8:34 AM, Pete M said:

I'd be curious as to how well a uniframe holds up without the rest of the body. 

 

Yes, this will be a problem without extensively re supporting the unibody by building new support structure that will work within the confines of the Dodge body. Id love to see it done, because nothing else will save that MJ. Maybe you take some 2x4 box beam and reinforce the existing floor and rear rails to stiffen it all up. I would do this before cutting the cab off. You can then add support off of the 2x4 rails to the firewall and front engine compartment, and to the rest of the floor and body mounts which will need to be made. 

[lcoutback]

The good news is, this will be more a 'for fun' project than a wheeler, but I'll definitely need to put some thought into structural support before getting too deep into it.  Now, if I can just find time...