desoto1939

I just attended the Antique Automotive club of America annual convention and lecture series in Philadelphia this past weekend. Attend a lecture on car batteries. One of the points that this lecture pointed out is this: When jumping a battery and the hood has been opened on both vehicles you should wave your hand or used an object to make some air movement over the top of each battery to remove any sulphuric acid vapors above each battery prior to doing anything. Then connect the proper cable to the dead battery. Then go an connect the appropriate cable to the car that has the good battery and then start the jumping process. everyone should remind their wife's and children and also you about this safety factor. A lot of good information was provided about car batteries. The lecturer even stated that the biggest difference that he has found between a 3yr and a 5 year battery is the amount of space at the bottom of the plates to the case bottom. The 5 year battery has a great amount of space so the plate material can then settle to the bottom and has more distance or thickness than a 3 year guaranteed battery. Basically thy are the same but the amount of space at the bottom is the difference. Also there are only 4 major auto battery suppliers but he did not tell us those companies. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I just did a wiki search on how to officially determine the exact size of a stranded and solid wire when it is covered in a plastic outer covering. Use the link below to get a better understanding of wire; very interesting topic. https://www.wikihow.com/Gauge-Wire Rich Hartung desoto1939

I would think that based on Plymouthy reply that we really do not know the gage of the wire because of the outer covering thickness. I always assumed that when they wrote 12 ga 10 gage wire that the inner stands of the wire is the size that they were referring to and did not include the outer wrapping in the size. So how do we determine if the size is correct? You would have to open the package pull out some wire strip off the cover and then measure the wire. I do not think some of the stores would appreciate us doing this to their packages. I am assuming that the labeling is referring to the gage of the stranded wire alone and not the wire and the outer cover being include in the gage of the wire. Just food for thought. Rich Hartung

After running the car, how long are you running the car? Next question how old is the battery. Have you looked in the battery to make sure that the cells are all covered by liquid. Have you replaced any water and did you use DISTILLED WATER and not tap water. Is the battery terminal all clean and have not white build up on the posts and the cable connectors. If this is a build up of Sulphur white powder then clean the entire top of the battery with baking soda to neutralize the acid. Get a Battery Terminal brush at you r local auto store clean the pos and neg terminal and also the inside of the cable connector. Are you using the correct sized battery cable and not the smaller 12volt cable that you get at autozone. The 12v will not work well you need the 6v sized 0 or 00 sized cable to carry enough voltage. If you battery is more than a couple of years old then get the battery tested. Get the hydrometer to test the strength of the fluid in each cell. If this is down then get a new 6v with the highest cold cranking amps. Insatll the battery with correct cable make sure that you are positive ground on the car to the battery. Check that all of the wires from the generator to the volt regular are connected with no breaks in the wire and that they are tight at the Volt Reg. replace wires if they look bad with at lest 14 gage wire. New wire is good wire versus od original wire that is bad wire that has issues. Are the contacts in the regulator clean if the points need to be cleaned use a points file and not sand paper to clean them and with very little pressure. Sand paper leaves snad and a metal file is flat to make a smooth even contact surface on the points. Just some ideas but I suspect that the battery is the main problem with not charging and holding a charge. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Did the previous owner convert the generator to a 6v volt positive ground alternator? Trace the wire if you can back to the other end of the wire that might give us a clue as to what it was connected to. Do you have a headlight relay on the car firewall. It does not look original because of not being a cloth covered wire and does not have any striker markings and the metal end does not have a rubber cover over the end where it was crimped onto the bare wire.. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

You can also get a heat gun from HArbor Freight and then heat the metal frame along the rubber inner edges this will soften the grip on the glass. As it get softer then pull the glass straight out of the frame. The material you are referencing is called glass setting tape It is a rubber tape material. Not found in most glass shops. They way that they are doing it today is with silicone glue it is black and then this permits the glass person to move the glass in the frame and get it straight in the frame. If you are not going for AACA points judging then this is the route I would suggest you to take. The glass setting tape makes a tight fit and yu should use a person that knows how to do the job. Just my 25 cents of knowledge Rich HArtung. Desoto1939@aol.com

Since you have a 6 volt system you can use a battery charger that has a setting for 6v to supply power to test each horn. Yes setting the point is tricky but take your time. If you have to clean the points get a points file and do not use sandpaper to clean the points. It make take several attempts to get the horns to sound and blow together after setting the points it is just trail and error. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Do you want me to make a tracing of the dipstick so you can fabricate one to be of the same length and shape? Let me know, if you want the tracing send me you home mailing address. Rich hartung desoto1939@aol.com

ON my 39 Desoto I have the foot starter pedal and the starter selinoid is bolted on top of the starter motor at the selinoid. which also has the battery cable connection. The 6 volt headlight relay is mounted to the firewall near my voltage regulator. I ran a 10 gage wire fromt he battery connect on the selinoid to the headlight relay to the battery side and then wired the appropriate low and high beams from the dimmer switch that is located on the floor of the car. So my headlight switch runs power to the dimmer switch and then it was originally setup to run wires to the junction block in the engine bay and then the appropriate wires ran to each headlight bulb. When using the relay you lessen the amount of voltage running and you are no longer pulling all the volts/amp throught the headlight switch but by powering the relay fromt he battery use thave shorten the amount of wire and run that needs to supply electrical curren to the headlight and then they will be brighter. This was done when the 39 and back cars switch over to sealed beams instead of the old style bulbs. Rich Hartung

Sam: first, that is a good question. But remember that Mother Mopar did not make everything for our cars and trucks. The used suppliers to provide additional parts. Yes they may have done the casting of the engine blocks and other things, carbs were done by Carter and Stromberg, Electrical components were done by Autolite. Clutches were done by Borg warner tires were done by Goodyear and the list could go on and on. Just look at todays current auto manufacturers they use parts from all over the world because of cheaper prices and now we have ways to get the parts delivered ontime and when just needed instead of having to have them stock pile in a warehouse just waiting to be sent to the assembly line. The logistics of parts delivery has become very technical and not just in the automotive industry, Do you remember a couple of years ago the UPS truck advertisement of get the parts or flowers delivered to the repected company just before they opened their doors for business. That the way the world is working today. So I am assuming that maybe this company supplied dipsticks to several of the auto manufacturers. I was just able to find this display at the right time and the right place and was able to have the display and information in case if someone ever needed the info. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I went out to my garage and I had purchased a display rack that had several Dipsticks on it. The rack shows Dodge and Plymouth with the correct replacement dipstick to fit from 1937-48. I took some pictures for you and also with a ruler to help you. No the individual dipstick is not for sale because I would then be missing one unit. Let me know if you need a line copy drawing of this one and send me your home address. No to often that you will find a display just on dipsticks. Purchased this about 25 years ago while at Carlise Fall swap meet and it hangs just on the wall in front of my 39 Desoto. If anyone needs info on the Chrysler/Desoto dipstick they can also contact me Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com cell 484-431-8157

OK I read all of the postings but no one noticed in the first few pictures the very old vintage cars that are parked behibd the truck. I am assuming that they are between 1900 to around 1912 circa and being opened would assume they had gas lights because of the spoked wheels. So provide us with some pictures and information do you do the Brighton Run with these cars over in Merry Olde England? Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

Do you have the name or phon enumber of the person that is parting out the 39 Desoto? I do not think the width is that much of a difference it could be the placement of the bolt holes to the bumper bracket assemblies. Rich

This is rich with the 39 Desoto. All I can say is that I looked in my 1936-42 Desoto Master parts book and looked under the bumper section. The 39 front bumper and also the bumper brackets are nt the same number for the 40 and or 41. So armed with this information I would assume that the answer is NO. I could measure the width of my braket holes where the bumper botls go throught the bumper. But I would not have any information on the 40 Desoto bumper. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

keithb7: Thanks for the picture of your modern 6v coil that you have installed in the firewall. I have the style original coil but as you state these old 6v coils are costly and you are not sure if they even will work vs a new 6v coil that sells for around $20 and you know it has full power. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Plymouthy: You are always so quick to answer someones question, Rich Hartung. Hope all is going well with you down South. So if a modern coil and my car is positive grounded then the + or positive terminal on the new modern coil is the wire that runs down to the breaker plate just like it currently is now since there is only one terminal available onmy factory coil. Then connect the wire that is coming from the starter ign switch directly to the Negative - stud on the new modern coil. This would then get me home and then I could replace with my spare or other backup coil that is inmy spare parts. I carry a NOS original spare with me in the truck but never know if that could be bad also. Just trying to be proactive as these cars get older and so do I. I am not as old as the car Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I have used DOT 5 inmy 39 Desoto for over 30+ years. Knock on wood no major issues. Yes you will need to flush the entire system with denatured alcohol. replace all rubber hoses and rubber cups and rebuild your mater cylinder. Rich Hartungj

I have a question for the GURUS of the club. Here is the question: On my 39 Desoto I have the type of Autolite coil that mounts through the firewall. The ignition switch is the armored cable wire that mounts on to the back of the coil. Then there isa single wire that screws onto the top of the coil and runs to the tab on the breaker plate. I also have the foot style starter assembly setup. car is still 6v positive grounded. OK So lets say that one day I am driving and the cars stops running because the 6v coil goes bad. Get to a local NAPA or Autozone store they will not have the original style 6v coil with the mounting of the wire at the base and the other wire on the top. can only get the more modern style with the two threaded studs on the outside of the coil. Also assuming that the studs are marked Positive + and the other Negative -. SO now I want to connect the wire from the from the armored cable from the ignition switch which stud do I attach a jump wire to and also jerry rid a connection on the armored end of the ign wire. I am assuming that since the are is POSITIVE GROUND that I would attach the temporary wire to the POSITIVE Stud on the new Modern Coil and the old wire that I had on the old original coil would then attach to the negative stud and still attach to the breaker plate tab. I am not an electrical master but someday this might happened and just want to make sure I have a backup plan. Also I have been told that coils are either Postive and or Negative style coils. Is this true or am I getting a run around. Hopefully this will be an education opportunity for everyone that has my style of car with the cowl mount coil. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Rich Hartung Valley Forge PA near Philadelphia. Started to rain very heavy around 9 AM but has stopped around 12:30 Currently at 1:30 no rain only wet roads. We are all safe

I have attached a copy of a page from the federal throwout bearing and refer to the list. If you do a search on ebay you might find the correct bearing and assembly. Buy NOS and I say old made USA parts not the newere jap and Chineese parts aftermarket they do not last. Just click on the attachment there are 2 pages of data. Hope this helps. rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com Federal Clutch thow out bearing.docx

If the pot metal is pitted and in very rough condition you might have to grind down the piece to get to a good smooth surface. I do not think that the powder coating will fill in the pits but if it does then the points or high spots would show. Think of this way. To have a great paint job on a car you need to get rid of the imprefections. Paint does not hide imperfections it only enhances these items. so I would talk to you powder coating person and ask them these questions. They would know what can and can not be done and should know about the pot metal and the pitting issue. rich Hartung

would have loved to have gotten the Hudson Truck and the parts car that was just next to the truck. Those Hudson Trucks wee very stylish and not many show up at car shows. I see one every year here in PA at a local show call Macungie Das Awkfest held every August. Macungie is just west of Allentown pa. We get approx. 1300 cars and trucks at the weekend event and it has been a show that you need to preregister. Als great useful gifts that they give each driver for bring their antique to the show. Also a great day in the town park with entertainment, twolarge circus tents for the wifes to shopping for small items, great food at reasonable cost and a fairly good flee market. Saturdays show is based on an AACA show with cars group by years, Sunday's show is a marque based show. So all Mopars are located in ne section and the same with the rest of the other marques. It makes it easier to see the specific marques that you want to view. Have been going for over 30+ years. Rich Hartung

on the early mopars around the mid 30's to mid 40's the water pumps and on my 39 Desoto the wp is held onto the front of the block by three studs and three bolts. So all I have to do is just loosen the upper bolt and the genearator braket can pivot. There isa problem that does occur when you get a newer WP. The issue is that on the lower left portion of the newer redesigned WP that have the sealed bearing they made the body of the WP thicker. Originally this area was only approx. 1/2 thick and therefore the original stud would come through the hole and then you could use the bolt to hold the unit onto the block. But since this is now thicker approx. 1 inch they supply a bolt that woud go into the block. So with the older cars you would have to remove the old stud that has been in the block for who know how long and with the heat and all of the other years there isa good possibility of breaking the stud in the front of the engine block. So if you have the early style water pump make sure that when you get a rebuilt pump that it has the thin body in the lower left area where the return hose attaches to the body of the wp. I found this out the hard way just before going to the National Desoto convention in Maryland a few years back. So if you have the older style WP keep thee as spares. I was talking to Art Gould's son at Hershey this past October and he stated that if there is enough metal he can drill out the old bronze bushing area and install the sealed bearing. It all depends on if there is enough metal left in the main body of the WP. The sealed bearing is much better than the old fiber bushing ad you do not habe to worry about greasing the WP and or over greasing the bushing and then the WP starts to leak were the main bearing connects to the wp hub. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Jeff: The reason I keep the 3 amp battery charger hooked up to the car is to prolong the life of the battery. I attend the AACA annual meeting in Philadelphia each year. There is an egineer that comes down from Penn State University and he has had many lectures on battery life. He has tested 6 v batteires and shows that by keeping a 3amp trickle charge on our 6v batteries is stops the flaking away from the ploates in the battery and this then helps to extend the longevity of the battery. The slow flaking off of the metal plates is wht causes the battery to lose it charge over time. He has shown that by using the tender unit you can get 8-10 years out of a regular 6v lead battery. I have been doing this and have gotten at least 8 years out of my batteries. I live near valley forge so we do get cold weather and snow. Also thanks for the input. Did you put on a 60 amp alt or a smaller unit?

on my 39 desoto I have a 3amp charger always hooked to the battery to keep it fully charged and this also prolongs the life of the battery so there should not be an issue with the battery being low on charge. Rich Hartung