desoto1939

I do know tha the convertable did not have wood graining but the dash and garnish modling were generally the same color as the body. I had a 39 Dodge which was a step down from my 39 Desoto and that also had wood graining. It would have been easier for CHrylser just to piant the modleing the color of the car or just a brown. If I remebr correctly I think the lower cost Plymouth the roadking did not have wood grainf but was palin brown. Not sure someone might beable to comment on this. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I would not file the splines, if anyhting then just use some emery paper to clean it up to get rid of any rust. If you took off material then the clutch plate gets movement and do not want that. Let TN Clutch check out the pieces. I also have the Miller tool to remove and install the pilot bushing. recommend that this be done when putting inthe new Clutch and PP assembly The bushing tool also burnishes the bushing so that it is the correct inside diameter. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

The grain it method is very basic. They have a kit that a homeownere can purchase. They have various metal plates in different sizes that have the appropriate wood grain etched into them. You then pullthe graining color which is an ink across the plate with a squeegee. Then then have these rubber rollers which look like the old gum paper eraseros that we had in grade school. You then take the roll and start at one end on the plate and roll the grain pattern onto the roller. Then you roll the pattern onto the section on the garnish modling. You can only do a section at atime and the amount of grain that is put down depends on the size of the roller. Then you repeat the process again and then do another section. After the grain has dried then I spray it with a clear coat to set the grain so it does not get ruined. Then take a wood stain to your liking to darkedn the background coloring. I forgot 1 point prior to putting down the grain you need to pyt a base coat color. I use a light tan color. Grain-it can also provide the base color and the grainign color as part of the kit. After the darker wood sating has dried you can seal it with a clear coat from a spray can. If you want it to darker then apply another coat of the stain. If you do not like how dark it is then just wipe it off and you are back to the last coloring that you had sealed. We have found that most people spray the last clear coat with a highl gloss clear but what the originalgloss was more of a satin but you do the last clear to your liking. You will need to experiment a couple of times. I learned to do this when they came to the AACA annula meeting in Phila and they did a demo of the process and he asked if anyone you like to try it. I mastered it in a single try and he asked if i had every done this before and I siad no. Several years ago I showed a major auto restoration shop what I had done and they asked me if i could do the panels for a 36 Essex but I stated that I was not upto the level of their restoration facilty so you can get good results and also get the pleasure of saying you did it your self. Just to let you know that the PRO's get about 200-300 for a door window moulding and about 1000-2000 for a dash. Write to me if you need more info. I might have some pictures at home of some examples. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com cell 484-431-8157 home 610-630-9188

You can buy a kit from the grain-It company and redo you widow trim in the correct grained effect. I have the kit and have done a couple of garnish molding on my 39 Desoto. It is simple but just takes some time and practice. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

There isa spring repair center in Eddystone, PA which is near I-95 and 476 Near Chester PA. for the guys in the greater Philadelphia/Souther NJ and Wilmington Delware area. Here is the info: Chester Spring Works 1919 Chester Pike Eddystone, PA 19022-1338 Phone 610-876-8318 Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I would just replace the engine mounts if they are original as the first thing to see if this smooths out the running. MAybe the DS has gone out of balance or when you took the shaft off you should have marked on both end a line on the DS and the pinion and also on the trans end so you you had put them back in the same spot. I would suggest that you rotate the mouting flanges a 1/4 turn clockkwise on both ends and then drive it to see if this might smooth out the ride. keep doing this until you get what you want. This might be the cause of the problem. Also does your playmouth have a vibration dampener on the engine. This also will help smooth out the engine. I know my 39 Desoto has one but not sure on the Plymouth. These are just some thoughts. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I did some quick research in my Borg Warner Clutches catalog. the 10 - 1 3/8 fit mostly the Chrysler Industrial Engines 59-60 30,931 59-60 30,931 55-56 30,31,931 This not the entire list but if you have an industrial engine this might work for you. Let me know what engine and I will try to verify Also Dodge Truck: 55-56 1 1/2 ton c356, c3g6, c3fn6,c4fn6,c4g6 48-49 1 1/2 ton 41-42 1 /2 ton WF models More than I want to list but again if you have one of the bigger trucks I can scan and send you the lisiting. This is why I have been collecting the catalogs over the past several years. These old catalogs are disappearing and then the information is lost. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

ALso I think the boards were a ruff cut and not a smooth finished style like everyone is putting into the beds. i do know that AACA is no longer accepting the trucks with the smooth highlky finished oak beds. They are now taking off major points for this. They have determined that most of the beds were painted black with ruff cut boards. ANy thruck that has been previously judged is now grandfatered but newer trucks that have not been previously judged fall under the newer rules. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

I think the clucth spline is 10 by 1 inch for the cars. This might be for a heavy duty truck. I will try to look in my Clutch book to see what the Borg&Beck has these specs. This might take some time but if someone can answer the question then I might also beable to verify it via the book. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

The other Big swap meet in the Fall is the AACA Hershey Show and swap meet. This is the next week just after the Fall Carlisle swap meet. I do know that a lot of Europenas do attend the met and they then shop cars out of the Baltimore MD post. Also there are several car carriers such as Horesless Carraiage that also move and take home a lot of the cars that are attending for the Car Show and to be judged. I have been attending for 25+ years. The older parts are drying up at all of the various swap meets. So you have to just give the good old try and look and search but there are Mopar venders specialist and then there are guys that have all car manufactures parts. They have around 8-10 thousand venders. It takes about 4 days to walk all of the fields and they are all on paved lots so no real grass or mud to worry about if rainy conditions. Figure to spend about 100 dollars anight for a room with a 4 night required stay if you can find any open slots. The Hershey swap meet is in October 8-11/2014 Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Seems strange that the brake light is not on sin ce you have such a build up in brake like pressure. And that the pedal was pushed and the fluid I would think would still be in a forward flow motion. and the brake light would be on. So the fluid is not having enough pressure to activate the brake light switch so some fluid is getting back past the switch. Here isa suugestion. Take the two loines off the back brakes. These connect to a brass fitting on the rear end take one off at a time see if you can blow air through the line then run a stiff wire through the brake line to see if there is any blockage. Then do the other line. Might also be corrosion in the wheel cylinders. Rich Hartung

The only thing that I can think of is now the rotation will the rotation be backwars and would that affect the alternator to work properly. I am not an electrical knowlegebal expert so just raising the question. Rich Hartung

After reading what the original post update my next thought was alos the selinoid. This might be bad and this is still supplying current to the starter motor. The question is do you have the type of starter switch that bolts to the top of the starter motor or is it more like the modern seliod? Also what about the bendix or starter drive it self that has the teeth. There is a spring in that section. Also what is the starter motor number that you are using it could be totally incorrect. My catalogs and Hollander does not cover upto your year so I can not provider the appropriate stater motor number but maybe someone can provide you with this starter model and who made it. Rich Hartung

This is rich Hartung According to the seal number that you gave me 50151 this is a national seal and this corresponds to Victor 49319 But in my National oil seal under Dodge truck 1/2 ton w series 41-47 lists for steering National number 5Y24 which corresponds to the Chrysler number 612418 This the best that I can do with what you have given me to this point R Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

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