fhubler

That would be an interesting article... "The History of The Rear Windshield Wiper"... I'm sure someone out there has written a book on obscure automobile options... Check out the one on this '48 Hudson... I wonder if any Mopars featured this option?

I am not a chemist or an engine builder, but I would guess that using the correct antifreeze in a mixed metal engine would be critical, and I would think that the purpose of such a coolant would be to reduce/arrest ion flow between the two metals. This is just from the standpoint of cathodic protection in the field of corrosion control. With my limited knowledge of engine building, it seems that mixing metals creates more problems then it solves due to galvanic corrosion, different expansion rates, etc.

I just noticed that on mine, now that you mention it... and I noticed that my transmission fill plug has "US" stamped on it...

It took a loooooong time to explain that one to my wife... but she is legally blond.

Don, when I first saw your name, it looked really familiar to me... Maybe we've met somewhere... I used to live in Hamburg & worked in the Lehigh Valley for 11 years. Its a beautiful area.

Love the snow picture & the black & white!

Ranger, I have a few albums up of our '48 Town Sedan in the Gallery. I have some options/accessories photos yet to send up... Adams, its funny you should mention the D24 grille. I work with a guy who was an HVAC tech for 20+ years & the first thing he said was, "I just LOVE that grille!" One thing that I've noticed in comparing the D19, 22 & 24 is that the centerline of the headlights is level with the top of the grille on the D24 with the parking light bezels extending out from the bottom of the grille under the headlights giving the impression of a lower, wider stance. That & the front fender line extending into the door making the car appear longer than it is combine to give the effect of that classic long hood, short deck silhouette. I have to smile every time I open the door to get in the car & see that big, fat fender ooze down over the wheel & into the door. It looks like the whole car is going to melt into the ground. I agree 100% on the dash. It is a genuine work of art in every detail. I often catch myself drifting off of the road because I was admiring the dash while I'm supposed to be paying attention. It's like the dating days all over again.

About 2 hours NE of Philadelphia & about 3 north of DC... Unless you're driving something engineered before there were freeways

I have the utmost respect for that generation. My grandfather never had much money, but always had time to help others. When my Mom was a child, they had a "bad" neighbor, who treated my grandfather (and everyone else) very poorly. Whenever he needed help, my grandfather was the one who showed up. One day my Mom asked, "Dad, why do you put yourself out for this man given they way he treats you?" To which he replied, "when you can help someone, you help them, no matter how they've treated you or what you get in return." They certainly are the "greatest generation". Your father must have been an amazing man.

I know aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder, so I hope this topic does not generate more heat than light. My taste in many things is very "eclectic", says my lovely wife. From that perspective, it appears as though the D24 series Dodges have something very special going for them in the styling department. Maybe someone out there with some professional art/design knowledge can share some deeper understanding of what makes this car so appealing to so many. I have always secretly admired these cars from afar and now that we own one, it seems that everyone who sees it expresses a great deal of admiration for the overall design and the finer details as well. The styling certainly isn't polarizing - it seems like people either love it, or love it more. As I go over this thing with a fine tooth comb, cleaning & polishing everything, it just becomes more impressive. Even with the hood open, it's not ugly. What do you all think?

Amen

Gorgeous car! You must feel like a kid on Christmas morning!

The farther apart two metals are in the galvanic series, the higher the electrical potential between them in an electrolyte. If you put an aluminum head on a CI block and have ANY metallic path between the two, as soon as you fill it with coolant you have an electrolyte. You just installed a very expensive anode on your engine block. I'm not a chemist, but I would bet the "special" antifreeze is designed to prevent, or at least slow down ion transfer between the two metals in the coolant (electrons take the metallic path & ions take the electrolytic path). Remember the old Ford 3.8L V6? It was bulletproof until they started building them with aluminum heads. I remember seeing a stack of failed head gaskets 3" thick hanging in a Ford dealer mechanic's bay back in the day when they were doing them under warranty.

My grandfather "few the hump" in the CBI Theater. The only time I remember him getting irritated is when someone called him a "hero" for serving in that war. He would quickly stop them and say, "I'm no "hero" - the heroes never came back." I never knew why he never talked about it until many years after his death when I read a book by someone who served in there in the same operation. The majority never came back.

Steve, the short answer is "yes". If you want the long answer, go to this link: http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Definitions/galvanic-series.htm Keep in mind that galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical cell that requires four components to function: Anode, Cathode, Metallic Path, Electrolyte (A.C.M.E. like in the old Road Runner cartoons). Corrosion cells exist even on the surface of the same metalic substrate any place there are dissimilarities, such as mechanical stresses, differences in grain structures, differences in electrical resistivity of the electrolyte in contact with the substrate due to various factors, etc. Corrosion stops when one of the parts of the corrosion cell are taken away. Anything that insulates one dissimilar metal from another will help (this takes away the "metallic path" from the electrochemical cell). Keeping the metals out of an electrolyte (any moisture bearing medium capable of conducting electrical current) will stop galvanic corrosion as well. Now, if you're still having trouble falling asleep, I'll keep explaining... only kidding! Hope this helps.

It's hard to verbalize the therapeutic value of driving these cars - they are genuine time machines in many ways. Very rarely does a dry road day go by that I do not take one of the 3 old cars for at least a short drive. I took my parents for a drive in the '48 last weekend & it brought back memories for them that they never shared before. My Mom told the story of a family trip to a state park a few hours away in a similar car ('36 Ford humpback sedan). It would have been around the time the '48 Dodge was new. My grandfather put the suitcases on the floor to make it level with the back seat cushion. My Mom & her one brother slept there, one on the seat & the other on the suitcases & her other brother (the baby) slept on the back shelf between the back window & the back of the seat. A "simpler, kinder era" indeed! Here are three photos of her parents with what I believe to be a '37 DeSoto right after they got married & just before my grandfather went off to fight a war he would never talk about. He left in Jan. of '42, my mother was born in June of '43 & she would not see her father until June of '45. These are my heroes. I can't view the photos without tear in my eye. Maybe that's why driving the old Dodge is so special today...

Beautiful cars! I don't see any backup lights, either... Thanks for sharing the photos!

Its always refreshing to find someone who knows and knows that he knows but won't tell unless you ask. Someone out there is still around that was working with these cars right out of the box and knows all about the jack. I remember wondering about the chalk marks on the firewall of a '66 Galaxie I had years ago and an older gentleman who was very quiet spoke up & said, "I worked on the line at that plant... here's what this one means & here's what that one means..." etc. Its probably the 1st time he ever got that question in his life & he was happy to share what he knew. And he knew what he knew.

Here are a few vintage views through the windshield of the old Dodge from this week...

Half the fun is not knowing because you always look forward to the thrill of finding out! My theory is, if someone put it together, someone else can take it apart & put it back together better... and if you find out your really screwed it up, then you've learned a lesson you'll never have to learn again because you'll never forget it. Now if I could just figure out the limited budget problem, I'de really be dangerous

I guess a lot of people don't know "jack" about these cars - especially me!

Early Ford Model T's had no driver's door & our '29 Model A Tudor has the door handle with the keyed lock on the right side only. The driver's door just has the inside sliding lock actuator. Cars did not come with door mirrors from the factory for quite some time as well - no wonder they didn't want people getting out into traffic! Looking back from our perspective, it seems like an inconvenient way to enter & leave a vehicle, but I'm sure from their perspective, it was a whole lot easier than mounting & dismounting a horse

Thank you for continuing this discussion - these are the minor details that keep me up at night until it is worked out I think the bolt that I have fits the description of PN 124180 and the rectangular part may be PN 866898 because I noticed a small amount of the interior panel color paint (what the heck is that color, anyway???) around the threaded hole on the chamfered side. This car does not have the spring or place to attach one on the floor panel. No holes in the mounting bracket are threaded - the large hole on the vertical piece is reinforced & there is a small hole on the horizontal section that is also not threaded & about 5/16"-3/8" in size. This hole is not reinforced. So I'm back to square one! If I have all the correct parts, the bolt head is smaller than the lug nuts & there is no clear way to store the jack & handle securely that I have discovered Thank you for the complement on the outstanding survivor. I wish I could say that I searched long & hard & paid whatever it took, but it just kind of fell in my lap at a ridiculous price I couldn't refuse. Life is full of wonderful little surprises. I have been uploading photos to the galleries. So far I have some overall photos, the OEM tire information & some documentation photos (including the original bill of sale). I plan to add options/accessories photos & upholstery photos as well.