desoto1939

This is a major supplier of antique clips and other items. They are located in PA www.restorationspecialties.com They go to all of the major showes even Hershey. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Ed: This is a complete removal of the old style wire cooper mesh unit the old oil bath style and I just dropped in the new paper filter. It was a perfect fit. The only thing that i have to do is just put an extra wasker on the top of the lid when I use the wingnut to tighten down the lid because it is a just slightly smaller in height. This ensures that the unit is down firmly. As stated this is a drop in unit. I kept the old style mesh unit for when I am having the car judged. Hope this helps. Feel free to call me if you have any questions. Home 610-630-9188 I live near Phila , PA Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Rebleed the lines to make sure there is no air. Are shoes adjusted properly. Did you do anything with the eccentrics at the bottom of the shoes. You might not have the shoes out far enough the travel is to great. Did you use an Ammoc brake gage tool onthe brakes. refer to the technical Archives regarding the AMMCO brake tool. I created this last year for the AACA Convention in Phila. I have the AMMCO brake tool. Contact me. Rich Hartung 610-630-9188 home phone Desoto1939@aol.com

Rockwood If you have this style air cleaner on your car it should fit: Here are the measurement: OD 7 inches from outside edge to outside edge ID 5 1/2 inches from inside edge to inside edge height 1 3/4 I have also attached more pictures. I like the air filter since you do not have to mess with oil. Also when our cars were new the roads that were being used were dirt or tar and chip style. I personally feel that the air conditions are cleaner in regards to the dirt and dust aspect and It is much easier for me to change a paper filter every couple of years. I know that there are KND filter out there for our modern cars that you put a light coating of oil on them but for the limited amount of drive we do this is more convieient for me. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I just did a search on ebay for a fuel pump 588 and found a seller that has one new for around 50 dollars. I would suggest that you put onthe electric pump at the fron of the gas tank and then buy the new manual pump. The electirc would be used as a backup and also when you just start the engine after it has sat for a few days to prime the carb. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

For all of your window cat wiskers and parts check with resotation Supply in Winber PA. There are near Johnstown, PA Here is theri link; www.restorationspecialties.com 814-467-9842 Rich Hartung

I am a member of AACA but I do not belong to an AACA afiliated club. I belong to the Historical Car club of PA HCCP oldest independent club in PA and also the CCACC Chester County Antique Car Club Also member of the National DeSoto club Live near Valley Forge PA, Rich Hartung

I have attached pictures of how I am using a modern Napa paper air filter on mu 39 Desoto. I did not have to modify the orginal Oil Bath Air filter. I just fits in the unit perfectly.

I insure my 39 desoto also with Grundy for 121 yearly. the car is valued at 16K with 300000 in liability. Several years ago i hit the right rear fender and did a good job of denting the fender. I just called them and they said to get an estimate and send it to them. Id did this they did not even look at the car. Within in a week I had a check for around $2200 and the car was fixed. Do NOt again DO NOT insure your antique cars with your regualr car insurance compnay. You need to insure with a compnay that is in the antique car insurance like Grundy JC Taylor Hagerty Congdons and Skelly. This topic is brought up each year at the AACA convention. Your regular car compnay will take your money but when it comes to paying out then they go against the Blue Book value and this is just an old car that has no value. They took your money. Grundy does not care how many miles thaty you put onthe car. These are good guys. Rich Hartung

I ask for $300 deposit on the tool. This does sound high but take in the fact that I am not persaonl friends with everyoen and also that I am shipping to the tool to you on good faith that it will be returned then figure that if the tool was not returned I would still then have to shell out another 100 plus to get another tool than this is fair price. It costs around 12-20 dollars to ship the tool insuresed for $300 so in all it costs you with toatal shipping $25 dollars. This is not a bad fee to get you brakes adjusted properly. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Gentleman and Ladies, As I have stated in previous posts I have the Ammco brake gage and also the Miller MTC 19 brake tool with the various sleeves. Also look at the post i in the Technical Archives regarding both of these tools. I will rent out the ammco tool to the members but I need a desposit on the tool. I use part of your deposit to insure the tool and also for the sending of the tool in the mail. When you are done with the tool then you send it back to me also insured for the same amount. If the tool is retuned in good condition and is not broken then you get the reminaing money back from your deposit. If you do not return the tool then I get the deposit money and you will have messed up the loan process. This is very simple and I have done this serval times. If you look on Ebay the Ammco tool lists for around $400. So if you want to use the proper tool then contact me. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Firedome, I looked at the picture of your brake setup. I noticed that you have the smounting spring anti rattle at the top of the shoe. Is this correct. I would think that this would hinder the outward movement of the top of the shoe since this is where the piston pushes the top of the shoes against the drum. On my 39 Desoto these are at the bottom near the eccentric and there is very little movement of the shoe at the heel and there would be more movement at the toe. What are your thoughts. Also I do have the Ammco tool gage Rich Hartung

I would suggest that you take the car to a good front end specilaist. The camber and caster can be adjusted but if you do not have the tools to check the alignment you might even do more harm than good. Also when its up on the lift they can check the king pins and tierods and entire fron suspension prior to making any adjustments. Maybe some new parts need to be put on the car. This is just my two cents. rich Hartung

In the first picture in the parking lot with the font end facing out is a 39 Chrysler and I think in the third picture in teh background is a 39 Chrylser or Dodge or Desoto. I can not see the rear end taillights to verify but that is my best guess. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I could read the entire article perfectly fine The human brain is a very amazing living item. We are still finding out facts about how it functions every year. Also the brain does not feel pain that is why they can operate on it without any anesthesia. Rich Hartung

If i remember correct your 39 used the rope seal and the chrylsers later on used the rubber seal. Rich Hartung

As stated above these old cars did not have any anti polution devices and also had a down draft engine block tuber at the rear for venting the block fumes. This is very typical of these old cars and this is the smell that the old timers remember. I sort of like the smell also but try to get the car out of the garage as quick as possible after getting it started. rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I have a radio in my 39 desoto and the radio condensot is mounted on the generator. You can get these at a NAPA store and ask for a radio condensor Rich Hartung

Mike, There is a local AACA full restoration shop up in the Allentown area in PA. This young man presents at the AACA convention each year. He is a realy craftsman at his work. To show you how much he does he even tanks a gardden sprayer and then puts in primers and then gets into all of the internal places with the wand to make sure the car is totally primers. He even will cut a whole in a rocker panal to coat the interior of the sills. But htis is what you should be looking for. Look for the details that the resotoring is going to do. Now that the car is totally stripped go over it with a fine tooth comb it will pay in the long run. Demand pefect and you should get perfection+ Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

If you look athe the first picture with Trumen riding in the open cadillac you will notice tha cars and trucks are coming down the opposite side of the street adn that the people can reach out and almost touch him. Boy has live really changed. Now aday they entire street is blocked off, the president is in enclosed bullet proff car, Secret Service is now totally around the car and the windows are bullet proofed. HAve we really improved in society. I would like to go back to the 40's. It was a more pleasent way of life, yes it was hard but people respected each other more in my opinion. The good ole days they are gone and men wore top hats and ladies wore hats and dresses and people were polite. What has happened??????? Rich Hartung

When you see NOS it implies to most of the guys that the item is perfect. But there has been talks of what really NOS stands for. The item was ordered by the car dealer or supplier as factory fresh such as a fender. When the item arrived from the stamping plant it might have got tweeked or bent and did not fit perfectly on the car. The manufacture would not take the item back for credit so the dealer puts it inthe storage bins or the attic. We find it it has never been on a car but it is listed as NOS new old stock because it was never installed. But remember there could still be damage on the unit. These parts are now between 50-70 years old so they have been moved around alot and time takes it toll on items even if they were stored in a well protected enviornment. NOS should imply that the item is in very gret shape but still might need some work and could also be put on a driver car because of the quality but will need some work for a car that is being judged. If you go to the big flee market events you will notice what I am taling about. Buyer beware at all times. rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Since you just started the engine after a rebuild did you use straight weight oil or multi viscoity oil and did you also use any breaking oil like a redline product to help get the appropriate addatives onto the bare metal parts and flat tappets. Definately runthe engine with the breakin oil and get the antiwear on the parts and then chnage the filter also and look for any small metal inthe oil. ALso you can put a flexible magnet onthe oil canister to see if it is collecting any smallmetal shavings. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

The Autolite number for the unit is 11453A used on dodge truck from 1948 to 1951 and fargo 1948-51 Dodge truck model that the same tank gage was used on: send me your home email and I will scan the page for you with all of the information. I can not provide the Mopar number but this will also help you. rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Point to remember about jusding especially AACA. Every item that you add to the car that is a factory accessory can really only hurt you when it come to juding. You DO NOT get any extra points for an item like the fire extinguisher. If the unit is in bad condition and has not been fully resoted then it is possible item that can take point away from your car. A car that is a plain jane has a better chance then a car that has all of the bell and whistles with factory options. If the fit is not perfect on the option then it husts you presentation. Even AACA jusding school tells everyone not to have the options. I have judged at AACA events and the less thats on the car the better. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Well guys, it is now going on 4 weeks of being under-employed as a Software Quality Assurance tester. I was a school teacher for 10 years and then got out of that after being assualted and also have knives pulled on me and then was in the middle of a shot out at a HS thanksgiving football game. That wa enough of inner city teaching in Camden NJ. Went back to Tech School for a Programming Certificate and wotked at various IT Jobs. LAst job was a software tester. Had one interview this week lasted two hours still waiting to hear back from them. So just plugging along and sending out resumes. Being almost 59 does not help the situation with one kid in college and another starting HS next year. Still have a long road to haul. Rich Hartung Still kicking in Valley Forge, PA