desoto1939

Yes they are not correct even if they were a little off size the brake lining should at least be touching the brake drum throught out the arc. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I have seen several of these while attending the AACA Fall Meet at Hershey. A real neat looking back end to the body of the car and rare. Rich Hartung

hope it does not rain when the owner is driving the car, No wipers attached. ALso are the rear fenders in a flat or mat black. There seems to be no shine on the right rear fender. But overall a nice looking car. Rich Hartung

I think the other question that clay is also asking, Is that on his drum the flange seems to be welded to the outside of the brake drum. Clay are you also questioning if this is correct? I would assume that the metal flange would be on the inside of the drum but I am not an expert on your specific year. If it was a 39 Desoto then the flange is on the inside. Rich Hartung

Plymouth Adams, If you have an easy method to replace the metal swage on the handle can you post this on the forum or even in the technical section/ Rich Hartung

I have the same style handle on my 39 Desoto and in all of my years I have not found the parts that you are looking for in your post. About 20 years ago at the Fall Carlise swap meet I had meet a vendor who was from the south if I remember he name was Cleitus Kennedy and was in a little scooter because he could not walk. He stated that he had the parts but would not sell them. I know that Cleitus is no longer alive so I do not know if anyone has the parts. You might have to chrome the handles with these parts still on the handle. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Hope everyone is safe and sound here on the east coast. We have been hit hard by a major snow storm. I live outside of Philadelphia, PA near Valley forge National Park. We had had over 18 inches of snow and it is still snowing. Have plowed the driveway once this morning and it is covered again. Will continue to snow until Sunday so some major dig out will be happening. Do not go out a drive it is not safe to be on the road because of white out conditions. Rich Hartung

In the state of Pa you can run YOM plates on your antique car, but you need to pay an additional $75 fee to the Dept of Trans to register the YOM tag. ALso you must have the Antique tag in your car if I remember correctly. We were a two tag during specific years. Since you are also talking about using your antique as a daily driver you should also contact your DMV to see if this is permitted and also check with your Antique car Insurance carrier to determine if they will permit you to do this. You might not have insurance coverage because most antique car insurance plans are set for limited use coverage and not daily driving. Each state has their own differences and also each Ins carrier so I would check them out and then have a copy of their rules in your car at all times just incase there are any issue with the police and ins carrier. I know here in PA with my antique Ins carrier which is Grundy I can not use the 39 Desoto as a daily driver. It would have to have a regular tag and regular insurance. Just my 2 cents worth of knowledge on this topic. Rich HArtung

You have what is called a sisson automatic choke. These are actuated via a wire that runs from the starter to the choke. This is a bimetal plate onthe base of the choke body that is near the top of the manifold. As the manifold gets warmer then the bimetal plate then warmer up and then the choke start to open and lets more of the choke release. This also is not a heat riser that is the box section that in under the upper and lower manifold pieces and has a big counter weight on the outside of the manifold. Contact me for more information. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Don: the idea of having the value on the front is that you can not stop all water from getting to the heater. An if you have to replace one of the heater hosed you do not have to drain the radiator, just close off each and the only water that you have to worry about is in the heater itself and in each heater hose. This is what I am trying to educate the owner on. Make it simple to work on for future maintenance. These are ideas that us experienced owners know about and the newer guys have no idea so that my 2 cents. Instead no one stated that it was a bad idea except that you question my reason I do not get it, why. I stated my reason in the original post. It would have been nice to hear from you as a positive suggestion but not as a put down. I am not saying that the owner has to do it but it is just a potential help for future maintenance, that all. Every person can do what they want to their own car to make them happy so that is what I have done and it has worked for me. Lot of owners put on dual carbs, dual intake and disc brake for their own personal reason. I do not comment on their own choice so why me onthis small topic that would only cost the owner around $25? Rich Hartung.

do not mess with the gasket this is need to make the choke work. And do not bend the bi-metal spring that you can see when looking from the bottom of the choke. Sin ce you had to make a new choke rod this might be the slowness. If it is working then leave it alone. Just my thoughts. Rich HArtung

You do not need the little cureved pipe that is threaded into the bypass connect piece. I installed a manual cut off valve just like what Don had on the rear of the head and I also have the same value on the head on my 39 Desoto. Here is my reason. I can shut off the initial water flow at the rear of the engine to the heater and also the return to the water pump with the two shut off values. When these are shut off and if I have to remove the heater I do not have to drain the radiator to stop the flow of water when disconnecting the two end that go inthte heater core. I only have to disconnect the long line and then let the water collect in a plastic jug so there is little lost water. Then can R&R the heater or what ever else is needed. Make the maintenance on this area easier and a whole cleaner. Then reattach the holes and clamps put the fluid back in the rad and you are good to go or if you need to bypass the heater then connect one of the hoses so you have a complete flow from back of head to the wP. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I know they made the toilet paper filter system but I would suggest tht you get a real dropin filter like what was suggested in an earlier posting. Remember TP is meant to breakdown in the sewer system so I would be questionable to how it would hold up with hot oil and then if it would break apart. The real filters are not that expensive in the long run so why take a chance. So did you win the MoPAr oil filter canister that was listed on ebay. Rich Hartung

BOB. In the shaft that holds the arm there is a hole drilled into the shaft and on the side that has the slot in the base the combination you align up the hole with the slot and then push a number 4 drill of piece of thin rod through the hole and into the slot then you adjust the arm to set the butterfly to the proper position but since you have installed the incorrect sisson choke this might not work. I do not know if anyone has eve rewound the coil and also do not bend the metal biplate on the bottom of the coil. rich hartung

I know that you want an exact match in the color but even when attending an AACA judging seminar the judges are looking at the overall color of the car and determine if this is an appropriate color that could have been used. They do not know the color codes that are on the cowl tag that is mounted on the car. So if you a 39 Desoto like I do and the color is a green blue that is similar to the original they have accepted that color because it could have been used, BUT if I have the car painted in a metal flack color then they definitely would flag the color. So the big question is does the owner want the perfect match or so close that no one will ever know except you the restore and the owner. It also depends on what they are planning to do with the car. Are they going for an AACA Grand NAtional 400 point car or just a good restoration that they can drive, enjoy and have overall fun and take it to local and also some AACA shows. These questions all lead to what is an exact paint match. Also does the color make the customer happy. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

The big question is the choke butterfly closing when the choke is engaged and then opens after the engine had warmed up. The 49-53 Plymouth used the different choke you have the 35-53 regular choke as you stated that mounts behind the carb and the 49 and up ply mouths infront of the carb. Did you adjust the choke actuating arm via the small hale in the steel rod adnthe small hole in the base of the choke. If it works then you might be ok. I would still look for the proper choke model to fit your car. Thes is found are very expensive as you have found out. I do have the sisson choke manual. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Mark: I have a B&B clutch book and catalog that has this information. I have copied this onto CD. If you want a copy let me know and the cost is 25 with shipping to your home cover 1939 to 61. I also have a NAPA catalog that covers from 39-52 and in the Plymouth section it also breaks out the Clutch. now these are old numbers but that will help with finding the parts. Now by having the catalog you will have a great deal of information directly at your finger tips. Let me know if interested. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I have an autolite catalog that has the speedometer housing and cabl einformation but need to know somethings about your car. What model Chrysler and if 6 or 8 cylinder with overdrive these all determine the correct number autolite cable So it could be SPS 1111s, 1111p or 1111u if 6 cy or sps 1111V if 8 cylinder. Get back to me with more specific. Again this is why you need to have the autolite catalogs in you collection of information. rich Hartung desoto1939@AOL.com

if you use the modern shock then the 1939 Plymouth is how far Monroe goes back. Just did a look up. But the 39 Plymouth usese the follow: Front # 5752 and rear # 3100 hope this solcves your problem. Rich Hartung

So do you stillhave the original Delco Shocks in which you could rebuild and add shock fluid? These shocks if the origianls are hard to find. I know miller tool made a specific tools to take the shocks apart for repair. I currently do not have this tool. Are you trying to stay original?, WHy not just replace with the more modern gas shock that you can get from Monroe and now you have a modern shock that is more reliable. Go to the Monroe Shock webpage and you willbeable to find a new shock for front and rear. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

some people say we should not use brass because of the antifreeze and some form of reaction with the block. But my question is that we use brass themostats and they are also sitting inthe block and have the same antifreeze running throught it. So why not a problem with the brass thermostat. if anyone can chime in p0lease do. I am not a chemist so do not understand the issue with brass WDT versus Galvanized WDT. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

If you have the wire diagram you should beable to follow the wire and it should show you where it is connected. Rich Hartung

the sisson choke came from the 49-55 Plymouth. The Plymouth in 49 moved the sisson choke to be in front of the carb. the 35-55 Chrysler Dodge and Desoto had the sisson choke behind the carb. I can also tell but the little slit that is on the base of the body of the choke and how the arm is on the choke body. The late plymouth choke is not interchangeable with the early models. I have the adjustment catalog of these chokes. I might be off on the ending years but in 49 Plymouth started using this style of the sisson choke. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Ok since you have now identified the dizzy and this is what you need to use when ordering parts from sources like Bernbaums, Roberts. Mitchells then they can supply you with the cororect internal such as rotor, Cap points, condenser. The easiste way to replace the breaker plate is to remove the entire dizzy from the block. Byt before you do this you should mark on the block either with tape or chall arefenerce point that you can you to make sure that the body of the dizzy and the reference point on the block line up when you put it back into the engine block. Then disconnect the vacume advance line. Pull the cap also put some masking tape on the lip of the dissy to reference where the contact end of the rotor is pointing this is important so you will have the orientation back to the correct spot when putting the unit back into the car or you you be off by 180 degress. I know I have done this so make the marking its so helpful. Lossent he hold down nuts and pull the unit straight out of the block. Put the shaft intot a vise not a whole lot of pressure is needed. When looking straight down into the current breaker plate the will be two slotted screw one by the arm from the Vaccum advance and one directly across from this screw. These are the two screws that you are going to remove. But first remove the screws that hold the vaccum advance to the body of the dizzy. remove the arm from the pin on the breaker plate and put this aside. Now remove the two screw that hold down the breaker plate the breaker plate then pull straight up. Insert the new BP into the housing insert the two screws and the install the V A. The gap the points according to your correct setting for your car. Put the rotor back on the shaft. But prior to that oil the little felt washer on the top of the shaft. Also flip the oil cap on the side of the dizzy body and drop some oil into this to oil the bearings. Installthe V A Orientate the rotor so the end that make contact with the dizzy is pointing back to the mark you made on the tape prior to removing it. Now you should be in the correct orientation. Then insert the shaft in the engine block. You might has to move the dizzy to the right or left a little to get the tab to fall in to the slot in the oil pump. Tighten the hold down nut to the dizzy but no fully since now you will need your timing light to set the timing advance or retard. Set it so that you are happy with the way the engines runs smoothy. Now you have replaced the breakers plate. Now when at a sawp meet llok you NOS parts for the dizzy to rebuild the old breaker plate and also get a few extra condensors and points and rotors and caps as spares. Your car uses Autolite as factory equipment Cap: IAT-1033 Rotor: IAU-1016A Contact set: IGW-3028BS Condensor: IAT-3067RA Breaker Plate: IAT-2004RA used on Chrysler, Desoto, Dodge, Fargo, Ply from 1950-51 Dodge truck 1949-51. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Did you check the bolts on the diff housing they also might be loose. Tighten them up or even the gasket on the diff housing might be cracked. There is a special tool that is used to drive in the pinion seal. This insures that the seal is driven in straight and there is equal pressure on the outside metal when driving the seal into place. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com