Leaderboard

Today's update has resulted in several changes short and long term. Most importantly the Classified section is currently not available because of some incompatible code that literally crashes the site. IPS is the vendor that supplies the core software for the site, including the forums, downloads, gallery, blog, and store. As a result when an upgrade is done the optional modules will work without any issues. Other features like the links and classified page are from third party suppliers. Unfortunately the author for the classified section has not updated his code to work with current version, and ISP server environment and it causes a fatal issue. They have a new version in beta but I'm concerned about the long term viability (and interest) of the publisher and will be switching to a different publisher for the classified functionality. If you has a paid ad running and didn't get your full 30 days, contact me (info@p15-d24.com) and I will get you a free ad when the new software is up in running. The bigger issue to consider is while many "neat" add ons are available add-on software support becomes a critical problem when the original publisher loses interest or just doesn't make enough money to be worth his time.

I basically change my oil and filter ever two years. Also I base this on the amt of driving that I have done. I have a 1939 Desoto that also has the bypass filter. The older oil can style stated that you could go 8k on an oil filter because it was a bypass filter and not a full flow filter like we have in our modern cars. I also replace my oil bath filter element with a NAPA paper element that fits perfectly in my air cleaner housing. I feel that since inmy area we do not have dirt roads and the old tar/chip roads the amt of dust and other air quality junk has lessened so I change the filter when it needs to be done and also blow out the filter every year. I also use the new Castrol GTX Classic that has a very high amt of ZDDP and it is a W20/50. This oil can NOT be used in a modern car becasue the modern cars have catalytic converters and this oil will destroy the converter. I know a couple of posters on the forum do not like the Castrol oil products but the oils of today even the Walmart brand is totally better than what was being used back in the 30-50's. I think the biggest issue is that you check the oil and the mileage and then make your our personal decision when to change oil and filter. I feel that both should be done together. The real big culprit if only starting your engine and not letting it get upto full operating temp and then radiator temp thermostat is not fully open the you get water and other acids building up in the oil pan which is not good for the car. So in the winter time if you start you are in your garage let the car fully warm up and get the temp to be above where the thermostat opens. At lot of people change the oil before putting the cars away for winter storage becasue the water and acid issues. some prefer to start the year with fresh oil every year, again a personal choice. Also at the end of the year is the perfect time to check all the fluid levels and to test the antifreeze quaity. In out older cars you should be usin ghte OLD GREEN AF that is labeled as INT inorganic and not the modern AF like the extended fomulas. You will have to look for the old green AF but the auto stores still carry this product. If you AF is still good and not showing any signs of turning brown and is still green I also dump in a bottle of Water Pump Lubricant and Anti-rusting agents. AF breaks down as it gets older and you start to loose the antirusting agents so that is why it turns brown. The protection of frezzing is still there but th einternal rusting chemicals have been depleated. Also make sure that you also have the correct style radiator cap. Some of the early cars used a non-pressure cap and then they started to go to pressure caps. If you over fill the radiator some of the systems will purge the extra fluid in the radiator. In my 39 Desoto which is non-pressure system the water level is approx 1 inch down from the top of the tank. Let you car determine what is best for your cooling system. Also time to check the battery fluid level and also take a reading of the electrolites in each cell. Most caps can still be removed, but do not overfill ech cell. The original rubber bulb filler has a small hole approx 1/4 inch above the end of the filler tube. This was there so that when tested the fluid it would suck out the extra fluid if it was overfilled. The new bulb do not have this over fill hole. I have a older document on batteries that describes this information. refer to the attachment. This info was taken from my Autolite Battery Manual Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Consider some general conditions: All paved roads or lots of dirt roads (The latter was pretty much assumed during that era, for sure where I came from, rural Oklahoma. It is also the case here in Holmes County Ohio, especially due to the type of places I go in my work - mostly gravel or dirt-gravel back roads, with some chip & seal, very little actual paved road ways) Time intervals (as others have already mentioned) I look at the oil, and evaluate the viscosity of the oil. When it starts to get really black, I change it. Or if it doesn't hold a sort of web between my fingers. (But our current family car takes 0 - 20 weight oil, and it feels almost as thin as ATF.) Of course I also track the mileage, and consider the time span since the last change. (Just my thoughts - no warranty involved. )

broke the bed down to these 4 parts...which will be the beginning of the new bed...gotta start with something!

Haha… No this wasn’t rust. The panels had a big gap you could see through I found out when I stripped the gasoline soaked carpeting.

Only if you get the gauge and bezel kit. You can use whatever gauges you want and buy the bezel ala carte.

Since for various reasons I never seem to accumulate many miles on my 52 Plymouth I tend to do changes every two to three year regardless of milage.

Joe, I don't know the "best" interval to use but I can tell you what I do. I usually change oil in the '48 P15 yearly (or when I get in the mood to do it) which is less than 2000 miles. The spin-on bypass filter gets changed every other oil change. I use a 10W30 oil. You will get a lot of opinions on your question, probably not much consensus. But considering the low quality of oil in use when these engines were daily drivers back in the day, and for which these engines were designed, we probably change oil much more frequently than is actually needed.

They are different right to left. What size brakes do you have? Each size has a different spindle, that is 10 inch, 11 inch or 12 inch. I have a set of Plymouth 10 inch spindles I would donate for the shipping cost. For my cars I am changing over to Chrysler Windsor 12 inch brakes, so I have the “take offs” gathering dust.

I went and bought an aftermarket mechanical gauge from the flaps (friendly local auto parts store) until I can afford to get mine fixed, or learn to do it myself. Installation was pretty straight forward, I just lay it in the ashtray until I get rich/ambitious.

I was the 'responsible party' for an engine swap for a friend back in 78 - a 64 Ford Fairlane. It was pretty bad rusted (Rust-Belt car), but it became their only vehicle. His wife was a really good sport - This was in Minnesota, cold winters, etc. She kinda' liked it that she could eat an apple on the way to the college, and didn't need to open a window to get rid of the apple core. She just lifted the floor mat, and dropped it through. One Sunday night (back in 86) I was out on the main drag in the Aldeota section of Forteleza (Avenida Desembargador Moreira) to flag down a taxi to get to church that evening. A VW bug (called the Fusca in Brazl) pulled up. I got in, as he explained that I needed to hold the seat over toward the middle of the car before I could latch the door. The floor was so rotted out along the outside area. (Forteleza is on the Atlantic coast of North East Brazil - so lots of salt in the air.)