Loren

One key in the deciding if it is a Continental or a Chrysler is the location of the distributer.
Chrysler on the side Continental on the top of the head.
This way in one quick glance you can tell.

One key in the deciding if it is a Continental or a Chrysler is the location of the distributer.
Chrysler on the side Continental on the top of the head.
This way in one quick glance you can tell.

To get where you want to go consider the old adage, “If it works don’t fix it.”
Your car is an assembly of components that do certain things. Only touch the stuff you know is bad or not working.
Replacing a part or assembly that you aren’t sure about won’t make the whole car any better, it just wastes your money.
If a part is out of the car, then one of two things is possible 1) the part needs service or 2) somebody borrowed the part and didn’t put it back.
Old Plymouths can be destroyed, but for the most part they are long lived and reliable. They are transportation cars and they do their job very well.
Take it slow and enjoy your car and the learning curb you are on.

I question why anyone would want to change the rear end in a Plymouth. I can think of lots of reasons why one shouldn’t bother.
 The original is a good design and perfectly adequate for a flathead powered Plymouth.
If the motivation is to lower the engine rpm on the highway, then there are much better ways to do it.
You could install an Overdrive transmission. That turns a 55 mph car into a 70 mph car, with a whole lot less work and you will not have bastardized your collector car.
A rear end that lowers engine rpm on the highway will kill your already bog slow acceleration. An Overdrive does not because it adds another gear and the rest stay the same.
 The advantage of a Plymouth Overdrive ( Borg-Warner R10-G1 ) is that you remove your old transmission, install the Overdrive transmission using the same linkage and speedometer gear and drive shaft ( if you have the long transmission. Or shorten it 7 inches if you have the short one ) add the wiring and you are done. No messing around trying to adapt a driveshaft, brakes and speedometer drive. You’re done in an afternoon.
 
 

I question why anyone would want to change the rear end in a Plymouth. I can think of lots of reasons why one shouldn’t bother.
 The original is a good design and perfectly adequate for a flathead powered Plymouth.
If the motivation is to lower the engine rpm on the highway, then there are much better ways to do it.
You could install an Overdrive transmission. That turns a 55 mph car into a 70 mph car, with a whole lot less work and you will not have bastardized your collector car.
A rear end that lowers engine rpm on the highway will kill your already bog slow acceleration. An Overdrive does not because it adds another gear and the rest stay the same.
 The advantage of a Plymouth Overdrive ( Borg-Warner R10-G1 ) is that you remove your old transmission, install the Overdrive transmission using the same linkage and speedometer gear and drive shaft ( if you have the long transmission. Or shorten it 7 inches if you have the short one ) add the wiring and you are done. No messing around trying to adapt a driveshaft, brakes and speedometer drive. You’re done in an afternoon.
 
 

I question why anyone would want to change the rear end in a Plymouth. I can think of lots of reasons why one shouldn’t bother.
 The original is a good design and perfectly adequate for a flathead powered Plymouth.
If the motivation is to lower the engine rpm on the highway, then there are much better ways to do it.
You could install an Overdrive transmission. That turns a 55 mph car into a 70 mph car, with a whole lot less work and you will not have bastardized your collector car.
A rear end that lowers engine rpm on the highway will kill your already bog slow acceleration. An Overdrive does not because it adds another gear and the rest stay the same.
 The advantage of a Plymouth Overdrive ( Borg-Warner R10-G1 ) is that you remove your old transmission, install the Overdrive transmission using the same linkage and speedometer gear and drive shaft ( if you have the long transmission. Or shorten it 7 inches if you have the short one ) add the wiring and you are done. No messing around trying to adapt a driveshaft, brakes and speedometer drive. You’re done in an afternoon.
 
 

The 1946-48 Chrysler straight eights sweet spot is 60-75....
The highway is the horse track for them.
Unlike the six.
The eights are some what lethargic until you hit 35-40...then that's where the power band starts and is good up through 70 mph +.
My 1946 NewYorker 3 passenger cpe was kinda a hot rod being so light in the back end.
I love driving my 48 woodie convertible on the back country two lanes. Luxury.
Smooth quiet and powerful.
 
 

the crumple zone in my old cars is my wallet....

Vintage Power Wagons sells Stainless Steel WDTs.
That's where I went for my 265 Chrysler Industrial Engine.

If I have sorted it out right, the MoPar PN is 639837.
 
According to Rock Auto that crosses to SKF 12336, $5.11 at RA.  $13.49 at Napa
 
 

I am out of town right now but I know its in their catalog. The counter guys can look it up.

Thanks!! I ordered the parts- very inexpensive. Is this the vacuum plate you were referring to for the WW Stromberg?
NOS Stewart Warner South Wind Heater No. 46 Vacuum Kit OEM Chevrolet Ford Dodge
I like the idea of NOT drilling into my manifold!

When they make the cores for the inside of the coolant area, they use wire to hold the cores together so they don't suffer "Core Shift."
Some times they don't get all of the wire out. Some times they don't get all the sand out either! A friend got a real good deal on a new Edsel because it would only run on 7 cylinders. The factory hadn't gotten the sand out of one of the intake runners. Fast forward a few decades and another friend who worked at a Mercedes dealer said one of their cars had a blocked off runner in its intake manifold. So this is an on going issue with manufacturers.
Here's a photo of a piece of cast iron I took out of a Chrysler Industrial 265 cylinder head.

When they make the cores for the inside of the coolant area, they use wire to hold the cores together so they don't suffer "Core Shift."
Some times they don't get all of the wire out. Some times they don't get all the sand out either! A friend got a real good deal on a new Edsel because it would only run on 7 cylinders. The factory hadn't gotten the sand out of one of the intake runners. Fast forward a few decades and another friend who worked at a Mercedes dealer said one of their cars had a blocked off runner in its intake manifold. So this is an on going issue with manufacturers.
Here's a photo of a piece of cast iron I took out of a Chrysler Industrial 265 cylinder head.

When they make the cores for the inside of the coolant area, they use wire to hold the cores together so they don't suffer "Core Shift."
Some times they don't get all of the wire out. Some times they don't get all the sand out either! A friend got a real good deal on a new Edsel because it would only run on 7 cylinders. The factory hadn't gotten the sand out of one of the intake runners. Fast forward a few decades and another friend who worked at a Mercedes dealer said one of their cars had a blocked off runner in its intake manifold. So this is an on going issue with manufacturers.
Here's a photo of a piece of cast iron I took out of a Chrysler Industrial 265 cylinder head.

When they make the cores for the inside of the coolant area, they use wire to hold the cores together so they don't suffer "Core Shift."
Some times they don't get all of the wire out. Some times they don't get all the sand out either! A friend got a real good deal on a new Edsel because it would only run on 7 cylinders. The factory hadn't gotten the sand out of one of the intake runners. Fast forward a few decades and another friend who worked at a Mercedes dealer said one of their cars had a blocked off runner in its intake manifold. So this is an on going issue with manufacturers.
Here's a photo of a piece of cast iron I took out of a Chrysler Industrial 265 cylinder head.

This mornings update:
I called Bob's Classic Auto Glass. (541) 925-3260
For the two windshields in clear $130.
For less than a tank of gas they will ship them UPS and I don't have to spend a day driving to get them when they are done.
When you think about the cost of the gasket I have to change anyway, the glass is CHEAP! They sell the gaskets from Steele as well.
 
For perspective I had to replace the windshield in my MB GLK 250: $525 wholesale!
That was two years ago and it already has two rock chips in it right in the driver's line of sight.
 
Everyday I find more things to like about the KT Keller Plymouths! ( 1949-52 )
My next major improvement is a seat bottom from a Special Deluxe. The P17 version lacks the number of springs I'd like to have and I feel like I am sitting on the floor.

You know if it were a special deluxe I think I would get the tint.
But a P17 Deluxe is not a car that came that way and the fact that it has no chrome kind of chinches it.
I had thought about getting the windshield chrome and the gasket that goes with it but decided against it.
New they were the cheapest MoPar you could buy. Used they were considered "Transportation Cars" and found on the back row of used car lots.
I don't want to stray too far from that reality.
However, tint at the top was really cool in the day and only found on really nice cars. I would do it without hesitation on a Special Deluxe!

California enacted a PCV mandate years ago ( again decades ago ).
My Dad had a 55 Ford Courier Sedan Delivery with lots of miles on it.
When they hooked up the now sealed crankcase and started the engine, it had enough blowby that pressure built up and pushed oil out the rear main seal.
I know for a fact that old 272 cid V8 was tired beyond any reasonable service but it started and that's all he cared about.
So will they help with oil leaks? It depends. lol On a new engine it will keep the oil clean and that means longer life, on an old worn out engine maybe not.
 
PCV valves have evolved a little. Most are just controlled vacuum leaks and some have a "one way" valve to prevent an intake backfire from doing any damage.
That's what rattles when you shake them. Carburetor cars should have the one way valve, fuel injected cars can get away with just an orifice.
 
Pep Boys used to sell a gizmo that plugged into the oil fill pipe that had a 3/4 inch flex pipe you pointed at the intake of your air cleaner. It didn't put vacuum on the crankcase but it did redirect the blowby to where it could be burnt.
There's no reason you couldn't fabricate your own PCV system using standard stuff you can get from one of the auto parts stores. Just know you will need to give the idle mixture and speed a tweak afterwards.
 
On a couple of engines I've seen two kinds of "Road Draft Tubes" One is just a bent tube with a hole for the mounting bolt. The other has a round end that goes into the block with a filter in it. I know I've seen that same round filter type with a fitting for the pipe to the PCV. Anyway if I made up one that's the part I'd start with. Put a generic PCV "anti-back fire one way valve" in it with a rubber grommet and a tube to the intake manifold. I like that filter idea a lot.

A PCV system is a must ( even on race cars ).
The products of combustion are many but most notable is water vapor. When it mixes with Hydrochloric Acid ( another product of combustion ) it forms sludge.
Modern motor oil has additives to control the acid but the water is left up to the engine. Putting the crankcase under a small vacuum pulls the water out thus preventing the formation of sludge. When you remove the oil pan of an old engine you might find a grey sludge at the very bottom under the black sludge. This is lead from the fuel and blowby past the pistons. You won't be seeing that much anymore so check it out.
The government finally required car makers to install PCV systems in 1965. As you can see Chrysler was way ahead of the game. I can speculate as to why they didn't start putting them on all their cars in 1948 and the reason could be the General. Watch the movie "Tucker" and you will understand. If the General didn't invent it nobody else could use it, for as was said "What's good for General Motors is good for the U.S.A." And they certainly thought the opposite was true, "What is bad for General Motors has to be bad for the U.S.A."
When you look at the Chrysler system it was not primitive in any way.
There are some variations but they all work pretty much the same way even 85 years later.

Found a picture...

I wish I took a picture but what I did is cut the bottom 2/3 off the road draft tube, flipped it so it points up, put an off the shelf PCV rubber grommet in the tube and installed a common press in PCV valve.  Easy-peasy

$700 is a good price. I paid $1,100 for mine. It had been rebuilt with a new 12 volt solenoid, a new 12 volt relay and a drive shaft.
There are several sources for wiring diagrams and service manuals, some free.
Do not take the short cut of an on/off switch. Your risking the destruction of a rare and expensive item. (don't ask me how I know)
The R10 Borg-Warner Overdrive is designed to be Automatic and it works very nicely that way. If you think your car has charm now, just wait!
The operation works like this: When you're in second or above and the Governor (a type of speed sensor) says its okay (the trigger speed is adjustable but don't worry about that) lifting the throttle slightly will allow the relay to interrupt the ignition (you'll never feel it) and activate the solenoid which shifts into Overdrive. It takes a little practice to activate in second gear and a certain type of road condition but high gear is easy and you won't even need to think about it. On the highway when you hit a hill which requires full throttle the throttle position will trigger a switch which shifts the Overdrive back into direct drive giving you power to pass or get up the hill without slowing. Once you crest the hill lift throttle and you're back in Overdrive.
 
Of all the cars that had Overdrives available to them, I think the Plymouth benefitted the most. Because Chrysler waited until May of 1952 to offer them, they are kind of rare. I really don't know why that is as the Chrysler engineers had plenty of experience with Underdrives in their semi-automatic transmissions.
Properly installed and functioning correctly an Overdrive will really improve your car. I once owned an International Travelall with a B-W T86 3 speed transmission and Overdrive which worked very well. I absolutely loved its operation! Plymouths are not race cars, they were meant to be sensible transportation and the Overdrive makes them even more sensible and pleasant to drive.
To install the transmission you will need a shorter driveshaft. That is not really as big a deal as you'd think. Every city I've lived in has a shop which specializes in driveshaft repair and modification. Talk to them before doing any engineering on your own.  Next be sure the parking brake is in good shape and adjusted correctly. You will need to be religious about its use! You can't just leave the car in gear when you park it...it will roll. The electrical hook up is very simple if you have the right relay and switch. Plymouth used a switch on the carburetor. If you don't have the bracket they are easy to make and certainly not worth what some people think they are. ( I've seen as high as $250 for a tiny piece of angle with three holes drilled in it! )  A lot of cars used a switch which came up thru the floor to the bottom of the throttle. I've had both and prefer the stock Plymouth set up. When I needed a switch I bought one from a guy on eBay who supplied them for Studebaker owners. Studebaker used a carburetor switch while Ford used a floor switch. The Carburetor switches are much smaller so they will fit and that's the identifier.
I can not stress this enough, install the Overdrive as designed with throttle switch and relay. The cable control to lockout the Overdrive is optional only because not having it will not destroy the Overdrive. Its for push starts and parking on hills with an "iffy" parking brake. Once you've used one that's properly set up you'll never consider anything less.

A previous owner of my car had done a clutch job and the throwout bearing was louder than it should have been, so when I put the overdrive transmission in I changed it with a new one from AB.
The new one was every bit as loud!
I found a new old stock T.O. Bearing with the sleeve on eBay and I am certain it will be silent.
So I think your instincts are correct the Chinese bearings A.B. Sells are not original quality and they make noise.
Might last forever but that’s only to annoy you till you change with a U.S. made bearing.
Just my humble opinion.

I have used every ring compressor known to man and I have to say I’ve hated them all.
That is until I bought a Total Performance tapered and slotted Ring made by a piston ring company.
It’s a hard anodized aluminum ring with a slot in it, then its made adjustable with a hose clamp.
I could not find a solid one in the size I needed so I found this one which covered all the possible sizes for this one type of engine.
Pricey at $65 at Summit Racing but….that darn thing works!
It came with no instructions which kind of bothered me. Knowing the skirt is larger than the ring lands I adjusted there.
Lubed up the bore, the compressor and the piston and everything goes together with nearly thumb pressure ( but use the handle of small hammer or mallet ).
Almost effortless ( by comparison )and extremely controllable.
The pistons I was installing were 3 ring pistons and so they are pretty easy. On a 4 ring piston I think I’d spend the money again with even greater satisfaction!
 
Only issue with these is you can’t use them on a VW or Porsche, you’re stuck with the band and ratchet plier type. Which is a great reason never to work on one of those again. lol