desoto1939

I looked in my information regarding my 1939 Desoto and all of the cars that were sent overseas were set up with 12 volt electricall system. It does not state if it was 12v positive or negative. If you are using a single stage pump then my 39 desoto uses an AC 588 fuled pump that has the glass sediment bowel. ANy good parts storge should beable to get a 588 FP since these were and are still being used on industrial engined that run the tree grinding engines. I fould the orginal AC model number tag htat was on my engine. When you go to a flea market stop by a fuel pump rebuilder and inquirer to which FP fits your car. These guys will provide you with the information free of charge that s how you get the info about your cars or trucks. Do not be afraid to ask the vendors they want to help because if you establish a conversation with them they might have other parts for your vehicle. Rich Hartung

Try Steele Rubber Products. They have good quality rubber products but their prices are higher but you get good quality with them. Rich

Hey 50 is not old i am 58 and stil play volleyball at leat two nights a week. I went to college in Westminster Maryland at western maryland college, grauated in 1973. It is now called McDanial college. This is nice small college town. I would come but have a 39 DeSoto so I do not think the POC guys would want a stray Mopar car at their event. Hope you have a great time and great weather. Does any one out their know what NFL team held their summer camp at the collge prior to moving out out the city. The raven now hold their camp at the college. I will give you a hint the color are blue and wihite and Johnny U was their quarterback. Yes the Baltimore Colts not the Indiannoplis Colts. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

On my 39 DeSoto it was two peices since I had the Butterfly type of hood. If you have this type of hood the hood hinge bolts to the cowl and you can not run the lace of the mounting holes. I pulled the orginal stle rivets that look like screws out with a small nail puller. Since I could not find the originals I just replaced them with a galvanized screw and this way I can take out the screws when ever I need to replace the lacing. Since the originals had a slot the judges or so call know-it-alls have a very hard time telling the difference. even if they get so picky then they do not need to judge my car. Eventhe jusdes at AACA do not look this close. They look to see if the cars looks to assembled as it should have. The olny way to determine if the wrong rivet was used is to get inthe car or truck craw under the dash and look up. The judges are not permitted to look in a car and get under the dash. Do it the easy way so you can remove the lacing if you need to in the future. rich Hartung just my two cents of advise. Desoto1939@aol.com

With rodneys posted there is the statement that 17 states outlawed the center light. I guess the cars from the 20's that had the pilot rays lights that moved when the steering wheel was turned must have been illegal since these lights were moveable and would turning the direction that the car was going. Have these same states changed therir minds since some of the newer cars Lexus now have these same headlight features. I guess after 50 some years the states have now come to see the light, no pun intended. Yes Tucker was way ahead of his time and he was put out of business because the other auto makers knew that he had a far superior product and this was a big threat to them. We can only imagine what a 2009 Tucker would look like today we can only dream. rich Hartung

BAck in the 90s the NAtional Desoto Club hosted their Convention at Whitepost Va. During one of our runs we stopped at a resto shop in Front royal. The owner of this shop was a previous worker for Billy Thompson at White Post and they were inthe process of restoring the 1st production Tucker. We were able get up close the entire car. It was a very interesting session to see the car and to hear all about the innovations that were in the car. Glad to see that this gentleman was driving his car, Just proves that they need to be driven and enjoyed and not become trailer queens. Very nice pictures of the car, Thanks for being there to help the person and assist them. This is what the hobby is all about helping the other drivers when they have a breakdown. rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

If you send me the car model and year or truck model if if is less then a 1951 and back to 1938 I can look in my Autolite Booke at tell you the autolite number that you are looking for. rich hartung desoto1939@aol.com

From my dealing and many discussions with RH Wiring. They only will make a wire harness from an original harness to sell. They do not take a homemade harness and then make a copy to sell as an original. At one point they had made a harnes for a 39 Dodge that I knew the owner and it was an AACA Senior car. The harness was wrapped with cloth tape. I had informed them that the correct harness hsould have been in a casing with blue stickers and also sent them a copy of the harness that was taken out of a 39 Desoto which is the siter car. They now have corrected the pattern and are very willing to work with the car owners. I have also put in one of their taillight harness for my 39 Desoto and had asked that they wire in a ground wire and they did this for me after I explained the need for a seperate ground wire. Great people. rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

My current antique MoPar is a 1939 S6 4 door Sedan, purchsed in 1987 had it for 22 years, third owner and have done most of the restoration on the car was original when I got it. Had 87 Dodge Caravan, 99 Dodge Grand Caravan, 93 Ply Acclaim. Drove many mopars when I worked for a Dodge Dealership back in 1969-70 including the Dart 340 with the Hurst Shifter This was a very light car but was quick on the road. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

This should be a sisson choke and is electro magnetic. The should be a wire that is triggers from the stater to send the current to the coke to push the butterfly closed. remember that the choke will be set even when the weather is warm. There is a small setting rod to set the proper amount to close the butterfly. The gasket is all one piece with no holes and has metal in the material. This is the same as the one that is used onthe 39 desoto. The arm for the later Plymouth might be on the right and the earlier cars used the choke that had the arm on the left. rich H desoto1939@aol.com

You can not use paper it will burn up. Gone on ebay and do a seach on Mopar choke. If you are using the sisson choke there is a gentleman selling hte gasket for around 6-8 dollars. This gasket is needed between the choke the manifold. rich Desoto1939@aol.com

If you are using the orginal breaker plate assembly there might be some wear inthe unit since it is 50+ years old aand when you shut of the engine it could be at a point wear there might be some wear and you have a bigger gap. I would also replace with a NOS breaker plate to insure you have good settings. When i do a tune up I always start with a fresh BP and then rebuild the old one and insert as an entire unit. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I just received my current July edition of the WPC News, Walter P Chrysler Club, There is a great article on the Chrysler Town Sedans 1941-1948. The article is 5 pages in length with a great deal of pictures and also list production totals for the Ply, Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler divisions. If you are not a member of the WPC and would like a copy of the information please contact me an i will try to scan the info and then send to you in a PDF. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Airtex is a good source for electric fuel pump in both 6v and 12v styles. Do a search for Airtex on you computer. i purchased a 6v airtex this past fall at Hershey and cost around $50. Airtex is also making the regular mechnaical fuel pumps. On my 39 Desoto I use the AC 588 which is a signle action pump and Airtex also has a 588 model. Defeinately put an electric pump on you car. Get a new stock and not an older stock since the new fuels have the ethenol added to the fuels. The older style electronic pumps were not holding up because the ethanol was eating up the rubber. Always get fresh pumps and not NOS becsue of the ethanol issue. rich hartung

I looked up in the PA regristration code and found the following information for an Antique vs a Classic registration. I guess my still orginal 94 Chevy Lumina that my college daughter can now be considered a classic since the car is now 15 years old and only has 43k original miles. This was my aunts car and now it is still in the family: Below is the defination as found inthe PA state Motor vehicle code Antique motor vehicle—A motor vehicle, but not a reproduction thereof, manufactured more than 25 years prior to the current year, which has been maintained in or restored to a condition which is substantially in conformance with manufacturer specifications. Classic motor vehicle—A self-propelled vehicle, but not a reproduction thereof, manufactured more than 10 years prior to the current year and because of discontinued production and limited availability, determined by the Department to be a model or make of significant value to collectors or exhibitors, and which has been maintained in or restored to a condition which is substantially in conformance with manufacturer specifications and appearance. rich hartung desoto1939@aol.com

If you are going to have you truck judged at an AACA offical event please consult with the AACA office in Hershey. There has been a change to the rule book that the beds need to be painted black. They have done an extensive amount of research and have determined that the majority of the beds were not the highly gloss oak beds that we see in the trucks and that alot had rough cut wood. So before you go an order the wood and strips concult the AACA if you are going for an AACA judged truck ,you will lose points if not black. This is just an FYI.and this could stop you from getting a Senior rating. If you are not going for an AACA judged truck then you can use the highgloss wood. Remember the trucks when they were produced were made to do hauling and delivery of materials, they were not being produced to be show cars and trucks. They were very utilitarian vehicles and ahd to take alot of punishment. If your truck was already judged in a prior year that you have been grandfathered but all first time trucks fall under the new rules. rich hartung

August 29, 1876 Electric starter inventor is born Charles F. Kettering, inventor of the electric starter, was born on this day in Detroit. Kettering, along with Edward A. Deeds, founded Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company). He and his company invented countless improvements for the automobile, including lighting and ignition systems, lacquer finishes, antilock fuels, and leaded gasoline. The Cadillac was the first car to use the electric starter, and Delco would later become a subsidiary of General Motors. Incidentally, Kettering also invented the first electric cash register before he started working on cars.

As the cars get older the breaker plate get older and also starts to wear and you could get some rough engine. A friend of mine had a similar situation. An old time mechanic listend to the engine with a slight miss. We pulled the distributor cap and we were able to wiggle the breaker plate. He told us to replace the unit and this solved his problem. I have spare breaker plates for my car and when I do a tune up I just replace the entire unit since I can set this up with new points and condensor and small internal wires. After taking the old unit out of the dizzy I then rebuild and clean the unit and clean the grease out of the small ball bearing in the upper plate. I alwasy keep a fresh breaker plate in my tool box inthe car. I do my tuneups witht ehdizzy out of the block and mounted in a vise It is much easier to work and you can get a better gapping on the points. These are just points that i have learned over the past 20+ years of being in this hobby. If you need to know what the correct breaker place is for your car or truck write to me with you car/truck info and dizz info I wll try to get you the info my Autolite books goes up to 51. rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

I have a NOS front radiator nose piece that has the crank hole and also the crank hole cover for my 39 DeSoto. The one on my car does not have the crank hole and crank hole cover. and I also have a second nose piece that also does not have have the crank hole. I the master parts book from 36-42 and it lists a hand crank but as you stated on your 39 Ply the lower radiator prevents you from inserting a crank into the crank shaft end of the vibration damper. There is a clutch for this but this is still a left over from the early to mid 30's With the advent of the electric starter and the push button stater swith or the floor mounter push rod the hand crank was baiscally eliminated. If you remember Dr Ketting from the Slone Kettering Hospital invented the electric start and I think it was for the Cadallac's if I remember correctly or it might have been another major high price car. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Thia same reference catalog just sold on eaby for $48.00. If you could get a reproduction version for a very resonable cost I would be interested in a copy. I do have a 36-42 Master reference book for the Desoto's and also several other catalogs that reference Autolite information from 36-51. This lists all of the various electrical components and there Autolite Numbers that were used on the cars. I am willing to help send PDF information if anyones needs specific info on a car or truck. The sharing of information is the most important aspect of the hobby. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Here is my single collect of Mopar

I have the Ammco brake gage tool that is needed to set the proper arch of the brakes shoes and for setting up the eccentric pivots on the baking plates. Write to me if you need to borrow the tool. rich hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Dear 37 Dodge. i have a Hollendaer book at home and will look in the book. But if i remember correctly I do not think this part is covered in the book. Write to me at Desoto1939@aol.com I will look for you tonight. Have you checked on ebay. rich hartung

I do have the pinion seal remover and I verified in my Miller tool catalog that it will work work on the cars and 1/2 ton trucks. I also have a pinion seal installer tool. If anyone needs to use the tool please contact me. I have been collecting Miller tools and have the MT19 tool which is the tool that is used to adjust the brakes tha have the eccentrics and also the Ammco brake gage tool. I have the steering wheel puller tat was used from 1939 and up and the camber and caster tool and king pin inclination tool that was mount to the front spindle nut. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

YEs it is nice to see an all original Mopar vehicle being either a car, truck, minivan or whatever. This forum is a n avenue for the owneres of Mopar vehicles to get advise on how to restore their own persoanl vehicle. We all do not know the answers to every question so that is why we ask and then hope to pass on this knowledge to other members and also hopefully down the line to keep the spirit alive. As a whole we are seeing that the younger generation does not want to get involved with restoring the cars. They want the High rev Tuners. We all need each other, in order to survive. remember that each owner should be given the respect that they deserve even if you disagree with what they are proposing to do with their car. They are the ones that are spending the money and the time and the effort. If it were not for the early hottodders then alot of the inventions and things that are on some of the members cars like the Edmunds split manifold with duel intakes and other items that were not stock would not have been developed. I ask that Old woodie please respect what others want to do. You can be a pureist and I applaud you for that and that is the direction that youhave choosen to take. But you have a great deal of knowledge and experience that we allcan benefit from. Life is made up of give and take so I hope you can accept this fact. Continue with your efforts and spread your input on a question even if it is not to your liking. All efforts are appreciated when we are trying to keep these car alive and running. Lets all help each other. I was a teacher and left this profession several years ago, but I alwasy try to help people and this is how our great country has survived. We are a great melting pot and have a great deal of information and experiences that we can pass along to help benefit our society. Old Woddie please reconsider and if you would like to talk please feel free to write to me. i do not know you but would like to talk to you to get you to reconsider. rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com 484-431-8157 cell