desoto1939

Sniper: Great that you drive your car every where. Question, Is your car registered and tagged and insured as an Antique car with one of the Major Antique car Insurance companies? You might want to read your policy to make sure that if you are driving the car to go to a haircut and not on a maintenance run an or not to a car event, like a car show or on a car club sponsored event and if you got into an accident like using the car to go to work Then they can void your policy. I know that how it is on my policy with a major carrier that has issued many policies on Antique vehicles. So beware and also beware of some of the limitations that they will payout if the car is in an accident. One member had an issue becasue the damage was more that 70% of the value and they did not payout the stated (agreed) value that the owner has the car insured for. Also check that if you have a son, daughter or friend under the age of 25 they can not drive the car and the car would not be insured. So when you have all of this information That is why I made the statement regarding the oil changes and filter changes. I attended the AACA annual meeting and convention here in Philadelphia every February and they have several Antique car Insurance companies such as JC Taylor, Congdon and Skelly, Grundy in attendance and they talk about the policies on antique cars just like what I stated above. Grundy does not care if you only use the car for 1 mile or thousand of mile so long as it it involved with the use of the car being on car club sanctioned events, tours, going to shows, cruise nights, AACA Hershey. So just be careful. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Yes the sticker might say 8000 mile filter change but back then these cars were being driven almost everyday and the acid's and the water condensation was getting burned off as much as possible becasue the engines coming up to temp practically every day and the oil would also get filtered according to the bypass filtering system. BUT Now since we are now into our modern cars and this older cars are lsited as antiques we do not drive them everyday and might only put on 2000 miles per year and even less. So there is more down time and if you only start the car and run it for a few minutes to check that the battery is still charge and test the lights and brake lights and move the car in and out of the garage then the engine oil and temp of the water are not coming upto full temperature to burn off any mositure in the engine block and oil pan and these contaminents are not getting heated upto so that they have the possiblity of going throught the oil filter and the exhust system burns off the water vapors. So think about this situatin and not what the book states becsue we are using them less. Yes a modern car can get 10k miles on a filter and has safety items inthe filter if it stops cleaning the oil but the modern cars come up to temp very fast and you are driving them almost everyday so do not compare your old car with your modern car. So my thought is that spending 25-30 yearly on oil and filter is a whole lot cheaper than a new engine rebuild and the time and money for an exhaust system even if stainless steel. Jus the amount of time you spend on the oil chnage is money in the bank The old Ben Franklin say A stick in time saves Nine. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Clay I would have to agree might be bad ground becasue the car was just painted. I had this happen after my 39 was painted. One of my rear taillights would not work so I hooked an additional ground wire to the taillight bucket and the light worked. When the car was still original paint has worn away and this sometimes causes you to get a better ground. So use a jumper cable with allegator clips when in the car and ground to a good clean bolt or have a bolt that uses a start washer to cut into the paint. Rich Hartung

2330 vs 2331 indexing . Chrylser used the 2331 bulbs. The 2331 index at the approx position of 3 and 9 o-clock for the contact points on the bulb the 2330 index at approx 12 and 6 oclock onthe bulb base. the 2331 work inthe following manner low beam is to the right contact at 9 oclcok and the high beam is at the 3 oclock contact and this is also based on the prism cut lines on your glas headlight lenses. The 2330 are setup to index more might our modern bulbs low beam is down and high beam is in the upper contact. The only difference is the two pig tail contact withint he socket. The 2330 and the 2331 sockets are the same but you would need to get the bulbs contact from napa or any good electrical supply and then chnage the inner contact insert to be at 12/6 versus 9/3. So many people have bee caught on this. You could go to a halogen prefocused bulb and still use the 2331. Not sure of any 12 v bulbs to fit the prefocused sockets. Or convert over to sealed beam if you have a 38 and back becasue the old glass headlight lenses and refelector were round and in 1939 Mopar they chnaged the style to being recantular or square and then went to full round sealed headlighs in 1940. I found 2330 sockets and went to napa and got the correct orientated pig tails sockets and solved my pbm but learned the trick. Write to me and I will discuss or call me 484-431-8157 cell Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Todd: Thanks for your update on the oil filtering information. I change my filter about every two years I just take the top lid off of my canister to check the oil and also look at the color of the oil on the dip stick. If it is still gold in color thne I feel the oil is still good when it starts to be blackish then I chnage out the oil. Learn something everyday with these old cars. I know that on the old metal oil container Wix and PB 1/2 they stated you chnaged the oil filter every 8000 miles. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

The type you are showing are available as stated above but run approx 50-70 each. Most people switch over to the canister type with the drop in filter unit. The drop in unit costs around $15 and then canister can still use the holder that is attached to you current white throw-away filter. Both styles are acceptable and with the cost of the metal canister style that you have it is not a cheap item to chnage out every couple of years. Witht he drop in filter you can chnage oil every year and not spend a fortune on an oil change. The next questions you are going to ask is what brand oil to use and what weight. Some people use the Diesel oil 15/40 becasue it has some zinc additives. Most oils that are sold today are 100 times better that the original dino oils sold. So basically any off the shelf oil will work. Since you has a filter maybe a 10W30 weight oil. If the engine is real old then maybe a straight 30W oil. Even Walmart brand oil is just fine for your old car. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

there isa an ammco 1750brake gage on ebay for $546 and it include free shipping and it is complete. I did rent out mine until a club member broke one of my tools and did not tell me until it was returned and I found it on my inspection of the tool. Rich Hartung

also is this a vibration dampener and they do go bad they can be rebuilt ooks as if the rubber s bad. is the bolt that holds the pulley to the crank lose try to tighen it to see if this might solve your issue Rich Desoto1939@aol.com

Yes I had the dwell set for 6 cyinder and the proper red and black picjup points connected as per the instruction manual for the dwell meter. So are you stating that I need to set the gap at 20? i hate to fool with things that are running well Any help or advise is greatly appreciated. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

OK this might help you here is the MOPAr part number 1339691 50 Dodge Chry same number 1951-52 Ply 1950-52 same number I did a search on plymouth headlight switch with the original part number and found several. So go out and seach this is a rotary light switch. I was able to get this part number becasue I have been collecting catalogs over the years and have a tristate parts manaul that was used by the parts suppliers. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Ok, I went to a car show today and was able to purchase a Dwell and tach meter for my 39 Desoto. I have the engine RPM set at 700 the car likes to run at that Idle speed setting it at 550 to 625 seem to not be real smooth. Set the meter up to read the Dwell. The dwell is reading around 45 but the manual states it should be between 35-38. So what does this mean to me since is is approx 7-10 higher onthe meter. I know that the Dwell is reading the opening closing of the points. The point official setting is stated to be at a gap of 20 but I gap around the 18 to for my original IGS 4102c dizzy. So since I am gapped on 18 and not the 20 is this affecting that the RPM needs to be at the 700 instead of the 600. So trying to understand the dwell tuneup process always willing to learn more about my car. The car runs fine and has power and runs down the road very nicely around 50-52 MPH without any problem or hesitations and climbs hill just fine. So basically I learned a long time ago if it is not broke then do not try to mess with anything. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

39 Desoto did not have relays for lights. They did have a relay of selinoid for the overdrive units so I guees that would qualify. But no specific relay for lights. When people converted over to 6v sealed beam for the cars made before 1940 they then put in relays to help with the sealed beams. rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Clay Measure and remeasure several time to make sure the hole is the perfect fit. You only have one shot at this onthe painted front gravel shield. Also put some good quality tape down onthe metal plate prior to drilling the hole to help with stopping paint chipping. Slow and easy on the pressure. I know when I drill the holes in my fender for the fender lamps I was totally scared but got through it patience is your friend. Good Luck Rich Hartung

I just picked up a set of 1939 Chrysler front seat adjusters. The 1939 Adjusters fit the 39 Chrylser, Dodge and Desoto becasue the body is the same body. I cannot validate that for the Plymouth. The cost for the pair was $16.00 on ebay and the shipping cost was also $16 for a total cash outlay of $32. When the package arrived I noticed that the shipping cost was $33. So it cost the seller mote to ship that what I paid for the entire two items. So i am cleaning up the two risers and eveything is nice a clean and has been oiled and the unit is working and holding at each stop on the runner. Now have to put it in my 39 Desoto to fix the non working left runner and thne have spares. I think the issue with might is that the tension spring is old and wornout. Might beable to fix or replace. Rich hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I use a NAPA 1010 gold filter. If you have the old drop in filter just measure the height diameter and the hole size that the filter goes through to hold it in place. Any filter that has the similar dimensions will work just fine these are a pass through filter and not a full flow filter like in your modern car. Find a replacement filter and use it they all workthe same. Rich Hartung desoto1939aol.com

Here is a reason why the rear shoes use the short lining compared to having the short lining on the front side of th drum Bendix style: New message from: gt46tc (7,103) Brakes are designed with a 60/40 front/rear balance for skid control. That balance is generally achieved with smaller diameter or more narrow rear shoes. Given Mopar cars of the era used the same diameter/width drums front/rear the balance was accomplished with the rear short shoe to the rear. Hard to tell that to the "experts". GT Rich Hartung

I have the original jack for my 39 Desoto and the ground plate only has a dimple or indent for where the metal bar would rest inthe bottom plate. I would never have used that jack in a million years. i carry a big sizzors jack that has a study bottom plate and also a pice of wood to put the jack on top of if I am on dirt or soft grouns. You can never be to carefule when working on a 3000 Lb car with the whell off the ground. The complete jack is just for show only. Rich Hartung

He stated that he honed the pilot bushing hle this is not needed but this might have chnaged measurements and someone else might have done it longer and increased the opening size. Can he try to put the bushing inthe hole to see if it is loose or tight. If some backyard Mech did monkey with the pilot bushing hole then he is going to have to get a ver close measurements and then have an oilite pilot bushing made for him. Rich

Hey clay: I am at Hershey and I can not find you any Where. The weather is just so perfect no rain at all. i have been looking for you all day but I have not seen you and there is no one here. I thought I would beable to spot you very quickly on the parking lots. What a shame that they cancelled Hershey with this perfect weather. Rich Hartung

ok Here we go. According my my Tri-State Mopar Catalog and used by the suppliers of MoPar parts for Chrylser,Dodge, Desoto and Ply from 1937-52 inthe clutch section the pilot bushing for all mopars from 1937-52 is the same part number 53298. So with that information I do not think there is any difference it it is the Dodge/Ply or the Chrysler/Desoto engine. This is the best that we can do Above is a copy from the parts wharehouse supplier catalog so I hope this helps. This is why there isa need for everyone to have catalogs and parts manuals in their library to answer these questions. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com Desoto1939@aol.com

Ok if you question the pilot bushing then measure the diameter of the input shaft to see if it is the same as the inside measure ment of the pilot bushing then also measure the size of the hole in the flywheel to determine the size of the hole if they are the same then they willfit. So there is a miller tool to drive inthe oillite pilot bushing and the same tool is used to burnish the inside to the proper size. Here is the factory tool being shown in use I have these two tools. Rich Desoto1939@aol.com

I own a 39 Desoto and according my documentation from my 1936-42 Desotomaster parts manual the shes have a primary and a secondary shoe lining. The parts manual shows that the secondary shoe which is the small lining alwasy is mounted on the rear of each wheel. These are not self energizing shoes so the short on fron and long on the back was done in later years go back to the proper setup. Also each brake lining should be chamfers at both ends of the lining material so as to make a smoother transition when the brakes are applied. I would not go to the effort of chaning out the drum and studs. Your car will have the bolt on sytem for each drum and it should have the mounting pin cast into the drums faces. I have these same drums on my 39 Desoto. I have a five hole drum puller and it also has the hole for the pin. I have never had any issues with pulling these drums. Suggest that every year pull the rear drums and you will never have an issue. Write to me and I will show you my drum puller. Note the extra hole on the left side around 11 o clock this is for the mounting pin. If you have studs then this is not needed. So why chnage and spend the money to convert to studs. Just use a good quality drum puller. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Clay: I use the same window channel clips on my 39 Desoto. It is looking soooooo nice. Just take your time and then one day you will realize it is all done. Do you plan to have it judged at an AACA show? If completely done at the first show then you can get your first Junior and then have to wait until the next AACA show to go for the AACA Senior Award and then just drive the hell out of the car. Rich Hartung

I think red rims on a car that has full wheel covers is ok but if you are using the 10 dogdish hub cap and the car is a totally different color than the red then they would look out of place just my feeling i have a total green car and the rims are the same color as they would have been from the factory , but if they were red then it would look like a Xmas car and not look correct. I think you have to look at each car from a distance to determine if they would look ok or not. Rich Hartung

clay it is looking so nice and you are taking your time to put it back together. Fall Carlise was a real bust you should glad that you did not go. Lots of empty vendor spots. Most venders thought it would be packed and fullof venders becasue of not having hershey next week but maybe that is the reason. No major Mopar dealers not even ed speigel no packard dealers either some hit a miss dealers but mostly junk. Looking forward to Hershey of next year 2021. Rich Hartung