Dennis Detweiler

Is it ok to add a screw-in fuel filter onto the CarterBB-R carb? Pro's or con's? If ok, which model number filter will fit it?

My 39 doesn't have an oil filter system on it. I'd like to add one. Bernbaum shows sealed can type and replacement element. I assume the element fits inside the can? Or, is there a spin-on conversion system? My first car was a 51 Studebaker and I remember it having a canister with drop in filter. Is it the same as sealed canister?

Thanks guys! When I bought the car, I drove it about 2 miles to my girlfriends farm. Oil was dripping from the bottom. My first thought was rear main. However, the fuel pump was loose and had no gasket. There was a new pump in a box in the trunk, so I installed it and no more oil leak. I thought the old pump was the likely culprit for having to run the choke half on to keep it running, but the new pump didn't help. I ordered a new carb kit from Mikescarburator. Hopefully, that will cure the problem. If not, it has to be a vacuum leak? I'll install an inline fuel filter for good measure. Like I said, the old pump had no screen in it, so there is likely sediment flowing into the carb. I'll post on this again when I find the problem. It's getting toward Winter here in Iowa, so I may not have a chance to work on it much longer. I don't have a heated garage. After the fuel problem is cured, I have to figure out why the steering is a little squirrely on the highway. I have a new tie rod end and lower control arm in the trunk. I adjusted the steering worm gear nut. It helped, but something else is still loosey goosey. I'll have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth while I'm under it.

Do these two fuel additives serve the same purpose?

I bought the car a month ago and just finished replacing the whole brake system, repaired the tranny, etc. When I bought the car it had the rough running problem. I also replaced the fuel pump, with no positive results. The old fuel pump didn't have the filter screen in it, so maybe the carb has some crap in it? I don't know if the carb has been rebuilt? It looks fairly new, but if so, may have had a botched rebuild. I was told, the engine was rebuilt 10,000 miles ago, which was 20 years ago. It has recent new plugs, wires and coil. The last owner (deceased) did some rewiring, body work, paint and upholstery. His restoration looks pretty good except for the wires that were replaced needs a little detailing yet. I'm somewhat of a 68 year old shade tree mechanic and the rough running seems more like vacuum or carb. I have the shop manual for 39. On the highway, it purrs along, but I hear and feel misfire like a fuel issue. I can get rid of some of it by slowly pulling the choke on. Then when I pull up to a stop I have to push the choke toward open to get it to idle better. Would the idle mixture cause it to run rough and miss on the highway? It came with a spare Carter carb which probably needs a kit. There's also a rusty Stromberg carb in the trunk. I have a timing light. I'll read through the fuel and carb section in the manual. Worst case, a leaking intake manifold gasket? Or, worse yet, a bad valve. However, it doesn't have that puffing at the tail pipe like a bad valve.

39 P8 carter carb. Engine dies or stalls when accelerating unless I set the choke about 1/2 closed. Same symptoms when the engine is warm. Plugs are black but no carbon buildup. It won't run smoothly on the road unless the choke is 1/2 closed. Rebuild the carb? Manifold leak?

Is there a radio that will fit in place of the 39 original? The spacing between the volume and tuning controls is 4 7/8" center to center.

I ordered wheel cylinders and shoes for the rear of my 39 P8. They are wrong for my differential? My differential has break shoe pins and smaller size cylinder mounting holes and a narrower bolt mounting pattern. The numbers embossed on my differential are 1141544-38. The numbers on my wheel cylinders are 1117787-17. What year is my rear axle? Bernbaum only shows shoe pins for 1946 - 1956. So, do I have a 46 - 56 year rear axle? I need to send these new wheel cylinders and shoes back and get the correct ones for my axle. Any help appreciated. Thanks

35 - 39 transmissions are the same specs? Hopefully, someone has a spare top plate with shifter that they are willing to sell.

The 39 standard transmission with shifter on the tree has a cable that moves the single arm linkage from 2 & 3rd sliding gear over to the 1st & reverse sliding gear inside the transmission. The cable is moving about 1/4 inch. I opened the top of the tranny and after taking some measurements, it seems that 1/4 inch isn't enough to easily engage 1st gear and for some reason, never gets to reverse. Trying to get to reverse ends up in 2nd. The adjustment at the shifter is at max. I pulled the cable out of the car and can only get it to manually move 1/4 inch. The cable was also hard to move when I bought the car. I dumped wd40 down it and kept working it and managed to get it working freely, but still I think it should be moving about 3/8 inch to get the transmission shifter to function properly. Anyone else have experience with this problem. I'm thinking a new cable might solve the problem, if they are still available? I've read on the forum that this cable/single arm shifter setup is unique to 1939. Will a top shifter plate floor shifter bolt onto this transmission?

Sorry, I posted in tech and this page and for some reason, both ended up here.

I bought rebuilt front wheel cylinders from Bernbaum, but the flexible line inlets on the cylinders face the rear. The metal brake lines connect in front of the wheels? The cylinders are marked correctly with "L" and "R" which puts the large pistons correctly facing the rear. What corrections do I need to make? The previous brake job reversed the cylinders Left to right and right to left side which pointed the inlet in the correct direction, but put the large piston in front.

I got rebuilt front wheel cylinders from Bernbaum and the line inputs are on the rear side of the wheel cylinder. Whoever put wheel cylinders on previously put the left cylinder on the right wheel and right on the left, which put the large piston on the front side (wrong) of the cylinder, but was correct for the frontal inlet connection. The manual says, the large piston should face the rear which puts the flex line inlet also facing rear. In other words, each of these new cylinders have and "L" on one and "R" on the other, which puts it correct with large piston to the rear side, but line inlet also toward the rear. So do I purchase a longer flexible line and route it behind the front axle? Not sure how to proceed?

Thanks, I'll get it drained and give it a closer look.

The exhaust manifold looks like factory cast iron. I'll post some pictures within the next few weeks.

39 Plymouth Standard Tranny: I can't get reverse to engage. I reset the cable with no positive results. It shifts good into 1st, 2nd and 3rd, but won't go into reverse. I removed the floor board and the top of the transmission and removed the forks. I can slide the 1st reverse slider gear into 1st easily, but it won't engage reverse idler gear. It just stops solid in front of the idler. The gears seem to be in good condition. Maybe I should drain the gear oil and see if there's a loose part or someone's tools down there? I bought the car knowing reverse didn't work. The previous owner said, he backed it out of his garage and it worked, but he couldn't get it to engage since then? He adjusted the cable forward and backward, but it didn't solve the problem. I re-adjusted the cable to get the other gears to shift well. Any ideas?

Did all 39 Plymouths come from the factory with a dual split exhaust manifold?

I just purchased a 39 Plymouth that was mostly restored. Tranny won't go into reverse. I removed the top plate and forks and can manually move the slider gear into 1st, but it won't engage into the reverse idler gear? It slides up to the idler, but hits a solid stop. Rocking the car back and forth doesn't help. It drives and shifts fine into 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The gears all look ok. I haven't drained the gear oil to see deeper into the casing. Next step? Thanks.