desoto1939

are there any numbers cast into the body of the steering gear case? Let me look in my mC cord gasket catalog. Would you have any type of Mopar part number in your parts book that I might beable to reference agains. I will look at 47 Dodge truck to see what I can find. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

dOES THE starter pedal that goes throught the firewall pop back out when you release your foot after starting the truck. There is a spring in this foot pedal. Also check the bolt or screw that holds the linkage on the starter body to see if it is tooo tight and is binding. Turn the ignition off and then push the lever on the starter motor to engage the starter drive into the ring gear and then notice if the lever retracts or not. You are going to have to look around to see if something is binding or there is something rubbing. Might need two people for this one in the truck and you looking in the engine to see what is happening. On the starter drive on my 39 Desoto there is a internal spring on this part that has the teeth that mate upto the ring gear. May this spring is broken or is not strong enough to release the drive from the ring gear. When you take out the starter motor are you seeing any metal shavings that might also mean that the drive is not aligned properly and is sticking to the ring gear. I am not a mechanci but just some high level diagnosising. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Very cool concept and I like that you did the pictures in B&W. I realy like the 39 Dodge since I have the kissing cousin a 39 Desoto 4 door sedan. I attend a WWII weekend event every June and all the participants dress in period clothing. All you missed was the rolled up shirt witht he cigartte pack in the sleeve. Hope the 39 Dodge really did not have a flat. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Brian: question for you. Since the brakes are locking and when you get this locking is the brake lights lite up on the car. I would assume this would be happening since this then would be fluid pushing up on the brake light switch. Could there be some blockage in the brass connector that has the brake light switch and all four lines that run to the brakes and MC. So two lines to the front. One line the rear and one line from the MC. Night want to check this might be the culprit. Just thought. Rich Hartung

The single piece is straight back to the end of the engine block and just end short of the water control valve that is opened via the cable and pull know from the dash. I was thinking of getting some copper tubing the stuff that is the flexible style that comes in a coil and then bend it to fit the specific shape and directions that I need for the 39 Desoto. The nice part about this seller is that he went out to ebay and looked at the pictures of the engine bay on the 39 Desoto that had the factory metal tubes to compare what he had for sale. So there are some really great sellers that are glad to help. Agains thanks for all the pictures and input on this topic. Rich Hartung

There is a seller on ebay do a search on 1941 Desoto that is selling two pieces of the original pipe and also the connector end that goes on at the waterpump.at the bypass connector. He is asking $30 for the copper piping. I have reently seen also on ebay a 39 Desoto that has the metal tubing and we were trying to determine if it was a factory piping and from what we can tell it is factory. The pipes that are listed on Ebay will not work on my car since I only have the single heater and not the dual connections on each side of the cowel. So just passing this onto to the forum incase anyone needs the parts. In the picture that is posted just before my posting the gray metal tube would made a trun around the back of the carb and then bend upwards and be bent again to align up with the heater pipe end sticking out from the firewall. Thanks to all the members that have posted pictures. I have learned something new about my 39 Desoto. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Jim: Thanks for the pictures: Did you remake the metal tubes or were they there when you purchased the car. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

Is there anyone that might have a Mopar vehicle that would have the factory metal pipe setup that would run from the water pump back to the heater and also the metal pipes that would connect to the heater. If anyone has pictures of this factory setup can you either post some pictures and or send them to my home email. I have seen pictures of owners with the rubber hoses and there isa 39 Desoto currently on the Ebay that has cooper metal lines that run from the water pump back to the heater and from the back of the block to the heater. I am looking to see how this was done on other cars to see if I can duplicate this and get rid of the rubber lines and use a cooper line with very small sections of rubber on each end to compensate for any twisting motion in the engine when the engine could move. Any help is appreciated: Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com cell 484-431-8157 home 610-630-9188

You mentioned that the MC was rebuilt, Was it rebored and sleeved by a reputuable company or was this a new remanufactured MC that was sent out? I would contact the rebuilder and explain what is happening. Did they use a brass or stainless steel insert. Also check the filler cap to make sure the hole in the cap is open to also let out pressure. There should be a small hole on the side of the hex. Did you convert the brake fluid from Dot 3/4 to Dot5? If you did then did you flush the entire system with denatured alcohol? Did you also replace the rubber cups inside each wheel cylinder. They might be sticking. If the MC is not relieving pressure then bleed the line at the front of the MC to see if the pressure then reside back to normal. Pull a front drum. have some one sit in the car and push the brake pedalbut not allthe way to see if the shoes expand and then go back to their normal setting. Then this might indicate if the specific wheel is having the issue. These are all just some thoughts on how to diagnosis the issue. ANother gentleman in the club is also having a similar problem and has the same MC that you are using. the 37-41 Wagner MC. What about the spring to pulle back the brake pedal is that stretch out and now weak? Keep us posted on what you find. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I looked in the wagner brake catalog and the wagner number is E852 and you are showing the correct picture rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

what type of issues are you having with the reselved MC? rich

I own a 39 Desoto can you expound upon what you are trying to reference> Are you talking anout the small dash panel that is under the main dash where the steering column goes throught and has all of the various dash control knobs? or are you talking about the radio grillthat would have been in the middle section of the dash. I do know that the 39's all used the same Philco radio that had the dial on the left and the preset push buttons on the right. Also different glove box lids and the clocks when in the glovebox lid. I have a factory clock in my 39 desoto in the glovebox door. These are real rare items. The glass is perfectly flat an not like the plymouth with the bubble. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

will recheck the new number that you sent me. Send me you home email and i will try to copy the page out of the catalof for you. rich hartung desoto1939@aol.com

This is rich HArtung. The 37-41 MC that you are refering to was also used in the Chrysler and also Desoto. I have the same one in my 39 Desoto. I will verify in my Wagner book that the FE353 is the correct model as the Mopar Number. From my memory It should be the same unit. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

dodgeb4ya: I have the same miller tool as the one that is on the far right that has the tool to push the pin out and to also set the pin. I am missing the small collar and rod that you are showing on the tool onthe left. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Joe: I just checked on several of the Detroit kits that I have and yes you are correct the springs do have a slight bend to them. And also yes when the tabs are broken off you can not resue the metal cover. The tabs are what hold the cover on the body of the Detroit u joint. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Tim: Welocme to the forum. I have a 39 Desoto four door sedan. There are parts out there for the 46-48 Desotos. The Desoto is a harder model to find parts but if you know what yo0u are looking for you will find them. I have al ot of manuals and catalogs that will cover the various parts on your desoto. I have found that Ebay is a good starting point to get picutes of the parts so you have an idea of what they look like. Start checking the local swap meets and also local car shows. I have found that some of the Desoto pieces will be in your average sellers pile but they do not know what they fit so sometime s you can get a real good price on items. I live near valley Forge PA outside of Philadelphia pa. Send me your home email. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Brian. resend me your home email and I will then send you the instruction sheet on the master cyl rebuild. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

In the kit that you got from Bernbaum does it have the instructions included in the kit? If not I have a kit with the rebuild instructions for you MC. I can scan it and then send it to you if needed. Since the pedal came back after cracking the line it might be that you have the relief value in backwards. check this when you redo the MC. Also take you time with the Ammco gage that I sent you. Get the brake correct. I am not in any hurry to get it back. I also have the Miller MT19 tool if i need to do a brake job. Rich HArtung

This is rich Hartung. I had an issue with my 39 desoto that still had the original mast4er cylinder inthe car. After getting the car and driving it for a while I noticed that the brake pedal was getting harder and then not retracting. The brakes felt like they were fully engaged and the car would not move. If I let it set for awhile then the pedalhad some free play. I looked inthe body of the MC and there are two weep holes for letting the back pressure of the fluid to retunr to the reservior. I was able to put a tag wire to clean out the one hole bu then founf out that the other hole has partially tapped but was not tapped intirely. I then ran a drill in to the hole and then the mc worked. Clean all the holes that let the fluid and pressure come out of the MC body. Rich HArtung

The rope cord was used to hang a lap blanket. When there were pasedngers inthe back seat they would also yuse the rope to pull themselce out fronthe rear seat. It really should not be used as a pull cord. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I think the other question is what is the rating on the voltage regular that you have in your car. My 39 Desoto still has the 6v gen and the old regulator which is rated at 28 volts. I spoke to a builder that makes the 6v alternators and he siad that if running the halogen lights he suggest the 65 watt generator. So I would think that using a generator only then might give some extra draw on the system. Not a expert on this topic. So if ywould think if converting to halogen then might also convert to using an alternator also. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

yes you are correct there should be a rod that attaches to the lever on the choke that goes to the choke butter fly. Also noticed that there is no choke wire for the hand choke linkage on the carb either. The sisson choke is an electric choke that get set via the starter switch that sends a current to it when you engage the starter motor via a wire. the lever then closes the choke butterfly. The choke is a bi metal switch at the base of the unit and as the manifold heats up the heat then makes the choke start to retract and the choke then comes off. Very basic. If any one wants more info on the choke I have a sisson choke manual on the setup and how it operates. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

In one of my old U joint catalogs I have pictures that they did have availble the slip joint style driveshaft for the late 30's cars. I show a picture of a slip joint driveshaft for my 39 Desoto. Sinc e you chnaged to the 3 speed I would recomend that you get an entire new DS made with the modern cros style u joints and then also get spares for each end. This way you have a modern DS and also modern u joints that can be lubed via a zerk fitting. The cost to reto the old shaft will be about the same for a new one and then with the old one being cut and welded you still have an old ds and this could be off balanced. Get the entire new shaft made and you will be better off. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

you are correct that you have a sisson choke. And since the choke is in front of the carb and not behind the carb that at least puts a tentative date on the manifold. The 49 Plymouths had the sisson choke in front of the carb like the one in your picture. The other style was to have the sisson choke behind the carb. This is how mine is setup on my 39 Desoto. The two different styles are not intechngeable. On the starter motor there is a starter switch that has an electric wire that would run from the starter to the choke and then this would energise the choke and as the manifold would heat up the choke then would slow open the choke throttle flapper. So ask Tim stated I would also agree that you have a manifold off of a car. Does the block indicate that it is a truck block or a car block. Look on the boss on the left side by the generator and let us know the numbers and letters that are stamped on the flat space. LAst year I did a presentatin at the AACA annual metting onthe sisson choke for the Chrysler lecture series. I have alot of info on these chokes. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com