Sunday in San Diego was great for driving! I drove up to Ramona, CA around 4 pm and met several other MOPAR drivers(One was a 48 Woodie!) and made the trip in great time! About 55 miles round trip through several hills. My 49 pulled hills great, kept up with traffic and kept his cool. I would feel better if my seat belt project was finished. I checked my MPG and averaged just under 13. I don't know if that is good or not. Everyone got a kick out of seeing my new(OLD) project. I am getting used to the handling and driving a standard. I 've been spoiled for the last few years! I do need to install a cup holder for my coffee. How did they survive back then?
That's all for now! A friend e mailed this photo posted.

Sweet ..... keep it up!

Very cool! The car looks great!

Hi -

I had a '50 Special DeLuxe back in the early 60's. Since it had the same mechanicals
as your '49, I think you need a carburetor rebuild and tune-up. When I got my '50
in 1963, it turned out that the old woman who'd given it to me HAD NEVER ONCE CHANGED THE OIL!!!! The floorboards were all rusted out and it used a quart of oil
about every 50 miles. In spite of all that, I always got mileage in the range of 16-17 in suburbs and around 20 on the open road. I must also mention that I never went faster than 50mph and I also inflated the tires a pound or two over the maximum recommended sidewall tire pressure. In spite of all the abuse the car had suffered since new, that motor just couldn't be killed.

As a guy born in 1944, I saw '49-'52 Plyms every day on the road as daily drivers in the mid-60's. After 1970, you never saw a '49-'52 Ford or Chevy in use as a daily driver, but you still saw '49-'52 unrestored Chryslers, DeSotos, Dodges and Plymouths on the road often enough to make you realize that people were stupid to
have not bought Mopars.

As soon as I retire next June, I plan to buy a '49 Special DeLuxe sedan, which was my favorite car in 1949. GRGallagher - Watertown, NY