desoto1939

Check Restoration Supply in Windber PA. They carry a great deal of clips and nut and bolts. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

Bob, I also had the 39 Desoto out last weekend to take some oil to get recycled. Felt good to get the car running again after sitting idle for a couple of months. Glad to hear that you are back to driving again with your best friend right next to you. Keep the pictures coming you always have some great views and vistas in upstate NY. Rich HArtung Valley Forge PA.

Ok whats up with the color of the car. The pictures show that the color is gray but the description states that it was painted six months ago a factory Balfor Green????? So if it is green than why not show the correct color on the car or did the guy have typo inthe color. Rich Hartung

On my 39 ndesoto the plate that is on the cowl on the passenger side had the paint code and also trim code. In my 39 Desoto parts manual I found the color of the car and also the trim code inthe appropriate section. So mine was a 507 for the paint which refered to the streamliner gray and the interior code was also identified and being mohair cloth. You will need to look at the plate if you have one still onthe car. Contact me I can take a picture of mine and this might help you locate the numbers on your plate if it is still onthe car. Rich Hartung

Ok here is a question for the entire forum members. There was a picture of some old gas station posted several weeks ago. In one of the pictures that I have attached is a station where there are two cars from the mid 30's and the attendent is fillign the cars with gas that has grain alochol mixed with the gas. My question is if these old cars then when in production were running on grain alchol enhanced fuel then why do we have issues now with running our old cars on this same product?. Yese we do not know the percentage that was being used then but they had more natural rubber product back then and now we have better rubber and diaphrams and rubber products. Anyone want to provide some good discussiions on this topic.

SO if they charge 5000 then 2500 labor you will have $7500 in the engine and the car is a 4 doord sedan. I would look for another engine builder. Stop into your local NAPA store to see if they can recommend a builder or machine shop. Contact your local street rod guys to see who is doing the work for them. Any work of dissembly on your part will cut down the cost. Sound as if you are taking to a restoration shop and not an engine guy. Keep looking. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Since the egine and trans will be coming out think about these items also: 1. New Timing Chain and gears 2. New oil pump 3. New Water Distribition Tube 4. Mill the head 5. resurface Flywheel 6 New or rebuilt Presure Plate and clutch plate 7. New pilot bushing 8. New gaskets for the trans small repair kit 9.New Front Motor mount 10 New Rear upper and lower moto mounts 11. Reline the emgency brake band 12. HAve the radiator cleaned while this is out of the car 13 The engine block willbe cooked so make sure the rad is clean 14 New fuel pump 15. Rebuild the carb 16 Mill the intake/exhaust manifold, open the port for better performance 17 Replace the Heat riseor and or check it out and new bushings 18 Check the u joints on the drive shaft will the trans is out and rebuld with new kits and housing or get new drive shaft build with modern cross style ujoints. 19 Replace the brakelines and gas lines while the engine area is open and its a simple job. 20 Replace the vibration dampener 21 rebuld the starter/gen while they are off the car 22. check the dizzy for play and rebuld if necessary but replace the breaker plate assembly start fresh. New cap rotor and condensor. 23. New sparkplgs and wires and also possble vacuum advance. 24 have new oil filter line made and clean the oil filter housing and braket. 25. Consider installing an Alternator instead of the generator. 26 New Fan belt 27. New hoses and clamps 28 Shotoff values for the heater if you have one installed. Valve in the back of the block head and one on the bypass connetrer on the top of the waterpump. 29. Rewire the headlights since this now will also be exposed and also eaiser now whenthe engine is out 30 clean and degrease the engine engine compartment, clean and repaint the inner fenders. 31. Rebuild the MAster Cylinder 32 Look at the brake pedal and clutch pedal assembly check for binding and any end play. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com And it can go on and on. Its according to how deep the pocketbook is and also what you are willing to try to fix yourself. I also have a spare 39 Dodge hood if you ever need it and several NOS breaker plates for your dizzy if needed that are ready to drop in the unit.

The First US drive stated in Camden NJ on May 16,1933 Use this link below to get the history of the drive-in in the US. I taught in the City of camden for 10 years adn the drive in is now gone. http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa980121.htm Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Since this is the third person to take over the process of making the repro caps we are also forgetting that the first person was doing this because he probably had a 33/34 ply/dodge and had the ability to make the repro caps. So he was doing this for the love of the hobby and wanted to help[ other owners. After he died thenthe business and all of his talent and suppies and equipment was sold to another person. So they had to recoup their cost of getting the rights and materials. Then this guys dies so another person buys the rights and materials. So as the next person buys the rigfhts his costs also goup. So the process continues as someone new takes on the job. Yes this is enterprise at is best but until someone else wants to repro the same for less then he can ask what he feels the public will pay. Rich HArtung

Does you car stall when you come to a stop when the weather is below freezing. Then I could be you heat riser. When this happens then look at the base of the cab and see if the is frost on the flange. Id there is frost then the heat riser is not working to heat up the base of the carb so the fuel is freezing as it vaporizes. Yes pulling out the throttle will stop the car from stalling. Rich Hartung

I got my 1939 Desoto headliner from Restoration Supply in Windber, PA. It came as one complete unit and had the pleats or holes for the rods that hold the headliner up inthe top of the roof. They also have windlace and also the wire on style and also the style that has a falp to tack onto the car. The headliner was installed by the gentleman that painted my car and I helped him install it. It is better to have two people when doing this job. The headliner was installed in 1997. Buy the premade headliner and save yourseld the headache for trying to get the seams correct and the loops and getting it centered. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Yes limited models that ued this same disb. Instead of getting a new disb look for a person that rebuilds distributors and ask if they can replace the bushing. The Bushing is an Autolite IG-579A. This bushing was used in all of the disb from 1938-1951 Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I just did a search on ebay and found two NOS. 12/21/12 1100 PM Rich HArtung

The old bell telephone linemans trucks brings back alot of memories for me. My uncle drove one. Those were great trucks to have when you were an electrician becasue of all the drawers and storeage space and with the ladder rack attached. Have wated this several times and get to see more things everytime I watch it. This was a time when things were alot simpler and no shootings in our schools like last Friday. Rich HArtung

Rodney, i have a 39 Desoto and have a similar ign switch that has the armored cable to the coil. On the switch on the hot side. This is the side that when you turn the key to the right the electricity is hot onthe right terminal when lo0oking from inside the car to the outside. run a wire from theis terminal to a toggle switch or any other switch of your choice. Then run a wire fromt he switch out of the firewall. I use a bakelite one into two connector. the one wire coming out from teh firewall goes intot he single end. The double end is used to connect the wires from each forgligt to the connector. In theis setup the foglights will only work when the ign switch is turned on and then you do not have the possibility of draining the battery. By having the toggle switch you can turn the lights off and on at will when the car is running. Use 14 gauge wire or 12 guage wire not 16 g. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

What a horrible day in Conn. So many young lives taken because of some person that had no respect for human life. I saw the pictures of the kids being taken out of the school and there is a little girl in blue and the expression on her face tells it all. These yuoung lives will be carrying this for the rest of their lives. Lets all pray for the kids and their families and also for the parents that have lost their loved ones on this day. If you have a child in a public school and any school when you get home make sure that you get to hug them and tell them that you love them. Life is too precious and we take it for granted. The Xmas Holiday is upon us and it does not matter what religious beliefs that you hold, but the most important thing is to respect each other and it is time for all of the stupid killing to end. I wish the person that had done this terrible act had just shot and kill themselves but take take so many other people away is just beyond belief. Please talk to your kids to night and even your grown up kids that have children, especially if you are a grandparent and talk to your grandkids tonight and tell them that you love them especially when they are not real close to your home to see them tonight. Let all pray tonight for our kids, young and old in this crazy mixed up world and hope that they are safe. I just had to get this off my chest after seeing this today. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Same results here in Philly. Seems to be faster, but I can not say that for our Eagles or should I say pigeons after last nights game. What a let down for this team, to the point of kicking the ball into one of your own playes on a punt. Time for a new head coach and the rest of the coaching staff. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com Philadelphia, PA

I recieved the same information about my 1939 Desoto last summer. It was so great to know the history of the car and that I still had the orginal motor and they could tell me the build date and who the car was delivered to which dealership. We knew the car was a local car but now I was able to meet with the Granson of the original Dealership and the Wolfington Dealership in Philadelphia is now currently makeing Buses for school districts. So I was ablr to trace the history of the car and also the dealership and the original information. The cost was well worth the information that was sent to me from Chrysler. Since the Chrysler Museum is closing I would suggest that anyone that is seeking any info on their car or truck contact them to make sure the information is still available. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I looked up inmy Hollander Interchnage manual Plymouth 1941 is part number 905336 and Ply 42-48 is # 947450 So since they do not state that these could intechange i would not think the 42-48 will be a direct matchup. But as someone else stated you can take measurements and it might be close or it also could just be the mounting holes might be in a different spot onthe flange. BUT 41-48 Dodge will interchange between the dodges only Part # 973695. I have a 39 Desoto so this is the best that I can provide for you. Rich Hartung

The picture that you have for the forglight bracket is an after market bracket. The correct style is currently on ebay search NOS Mopar foglight bracket. the cost is 99.99. The unity is smaller in size in the parts. the True Mopar and correct style have the bigger rounded sections. If you want period correct than the ebay is what you want. If you have a driver thenthe unity is ok. I have a 39 Desoto and have the bigger brakets that were given to me by a MoPar collector and was very knowledgeable on the vintage MoPar items. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Just wanted to know if the conversion happened on Monday 12/3/12. I have been able to get into the forum all day on MOnday and also Monday evening up till 10 PM. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Ok: There was a question this morning about the correct color of the spark plug wires that we should have on the old cars and trucks. According to my catalog from Mopar that covers from 1928 - 1940 here is the information: Spark Plugw wire Black Now for the cloro combinatiions on the cloth covered wires There is a specific pattern for strickrs in the wires 12 gauge wire had 3 stickers 14 Guage 1 sticker 16 gauge 2 stricker 10 gauge had 4 strickers Basic colors used were Red, Blue and Green with the various strickers. The catalog does not indicate hat the color of the stirckers should be for each wire size. The Plymouth club might have this info. My catalog also has pictures of the various connectors and proper ends that were used and the corresponding mopar part numbers. This catalof also lists the appropriate lengths for the spark plug wires Also has the size for each fuse combination used on the cars and trucks. The proper spark plug end was the exposed metal L shaped end and not the rubber boot style I have this catalog on CD. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I really like those jack stands under the jeep with the extra rims just ready for it to roll right out from underneath someone working on the vehilce. Hope you had some realy study jack stands under the car when you took the rear end out of the jeep. That scares the HxLL out of me when I saw that picture. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

On my 39 Desoto I have from NAPA the RC1 Condensor which is a radio statis supression condensor. The wire is attached to the larger of the two nuts that is on the generator. It cost me $7.99 Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I just did a search on ebay for 1939 Plymouth Service manual and there are 13 listing which include paper copy and also cd version. Irv Bishko does a lot reproduction manuals. If the owner just wants information then get a reprint and save some money instead of an original. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com