desoto1939

I participate in the June WWII reenactment weekend at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in reading Pa. This is one of the largest reenactment events on the east coast. They have a lot of wwII staff cars on display. go to www.mtaam.org and then select the picture for the WWII weekend event. I show my 39 desoto every year. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I LOOKED IN MY 1937-52 tRI STATE mOPAR CATALOG AND THE VALVE RETAINER IS PART NUMBER 395930 OLD NEW 1313268 AND FOUND THIS ON EBAY. NOS MOPAR 1313268 33-50; 51-54 6 CYL Retainer Valve Spring 395930 cHECK TO SEE IF THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. aLL MODELS USED THE SAME FROM 1937-52 VALVE SPRING RETAINER. ALSO TRY THIS LISTING IT HAS PICTURES OF THE RETAINERS AND THE KEEPERS: 1930's 1940's 1950's NORS Plymouth Dodge Chrysler Valve Spring Retainers & Locks NOT SURE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR BUT DOING SOME RESHERACH ON EBAY WILL ALWAYS COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND ALSO BY HAVE THE OLD CROSS REFERENCE CATALOGS IS WHAT MAKES IT EASIER TO FIND PARTS. tHESE CATALOGS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR CAR LIBRARY TO HELP IN FINDING THE PARTS. RICH HARTUNG DESOTO1939@AOL.COM

Jamie: At the back of the engine block on the manifold side there isa square headed bolt and the head should be labeled as heater ot something similar. Is there a large bolt in the block at this location, Yes or no. If these isa no bolt then is there a pipe theaded intot he top of the head? If there isa metal tube then ther might be a rubber hose connecting to other rubber hoses that run across your firewall that laso feed the heater units. Takes some pictures of the back of the head on the car and also show if there is any type of connection so we can all at least see what you are looking at on your car. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

the hoses going into the firewall are the heater hoses approx. 3/4 round. This is what supplies the hot water to your heater. Rich

ED, Rich Hartung. I have been going to Hershey for over 30+ years. I do have two vendors spots in the Orange field. We are located in OAD 7&8 So that is orange field Row AD site 7 and site 8. You might see a Desoto Sign at our canopy. Also look in the Directory that you can get at Hershey for my name We will be listed un Desoto OAD7&8. Let me know if you are going. Stop by a take a rest, have some water and talk Mopar with us, always welcome to see another Mopar owner. Attached a picture of my 39 desoto Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

you are missed Carlise PA which has a Spring and Fall swap meet and also Chryslers at Carlise. The fall carlise is the week just before the Hershey swap meet. I have been going to Hershey for over 30+ years. It is getting harder to find the parts but there are still some great buys to be found. Not sure what is in Ohio or Indiana and or Ky but continue to do some searching. Also some of the local car shows have some good flea market items also stop by your local antique or overall junk store you never know what you will find. I am going to send you a PM private message on an education topic. Rich Hartung Rich Hartung

I was able to use the original metal oil bath aire filter on my 39 Desoto and found a NAPA paper air filter that was the same size as my original oil copper mesh insert. So you only see the paper filter from the back of the air cleaner. I have kept the original copper mesh insert and put it in the oil bath airfilter when I am officially showing the car at a sanctioned event other than that I just keep the paper filter installed. Most people that come to the car shows do not even know the difference and all that the crowds of today are interested in are the high power cars of the 60 and more modern cars and all of the chrome add on ''s to the engine and chrome wheels. Even at that they do not have any knowledge of the cars and even lesser knowledge of the cars from the late 20's,30's40's 50's and possible the 60's. Most of the people that do ask any questions think it is a foreign car and do not know anything about the Desoto brand and even any knowledge that it was part of the Chrysler corporation. So I decided to make the car work for me and do what I want to do and not worry about the general publics. thoughts. They are not the ones putting out the cash to keep the car running. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

Ok I know it is early in the evening, but some of you old timers and me included can not make it to 12 Midnight. Hoping everyone has a prosperous, happy and healthy new year. At least it is easier to remember the year because we only have to remember two digits and then repeat them. Lets all remember the members that we have lost this year and in past years. We are all getting older and time marches onward. So take the time to keep your friends make sometime for people that you might not agree with because they could make a difference in your life at some [point. Be helpful to the other guy, pass along your knowledge and spirit for these great antique cars and trucks. The cars and trucks are what keeps some of us going and a reason for getting up every morning. remember the golden rule do unto others as you would have do unto you. So as the ball in Times square slowly comes down the flag pole and brings in 2020 think back on what you did in 2019 and make an effort to seek out new friends and help others that are not so fortunate as us. Happy New Year from valley Forge, PA were our troops in 1776 spent the cold harh winter in log cabins trying to defend out new country and provide for our rights a freedoms. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

Nick, Rich Hartung yes that is the exit hole out the bottom of the steering gear box. as stated the tube is approx. 4-6 inches long so this is how big of a hole that you need to tape the horn wire and the flexible metal pulling wire to fish it trought this tube. When the end comes out this tube you then have a pastic connecter to link up to the horn wire that runs to the horn relay . Rich

the horn wire that goes down the steering shaft is just a single wire. You will need to feed a metal wire something that has some thichness to it so you can push it up throught the end of the steering box. There is a hole at the end of the steering box and there isa tube that goes trhought the box. This tube is small so that is why you need the wire to go all the way up to the top of the column. When replacing the horn horn wire you need to tape the new wire to the metal wire that you just ran up the column and then pull the wire back out of the column at the end of the steering box. Take your time because the wire has to get into the small tube and then come out the end of the steering box to make the connection to the wire that goes upto your horn relay. Rich Hartung

I would suggest that you go to your service manual or a good tech book and follow the specific head botl torqueing process and torqueing the bolts in the proper sequence. Folow the steps and then check the head bolts again. Did you pull the plug to see if there is any oil on the end of the plug or is the plug also loose? Rich Hartung

James. I read your comment about keeping a library of knowledge. Yes this is so important, but the bigger issue is that we are now also seeing that some of the major computer companies do not even included DVD or CD disk players in their laptops. They are now going with flash drives. This is one of the main reasons why I have been collecting the automotive cross reference catalogs and parts catalogs over the years and scanning them on to CD. I also keep each page of the catalog in the plastic page insetrs so that the paper is also preserved for future reference. As you stated you had wished that you had the foresight to have taken the old service manuals when you were young. I collect these to pass along the info and so that antique car owners can find the specific parts at swap meets, but some people can not see the point just right now. They feel that the internet should have all of the information display for free and be available to them anytime any place, but that is not true reality. Rich Hartung

Yes I also agree, so sad that the light at the end of tunnel is getting dimmer for the support of our antiques. But at least our older mopar and also other makes still can be repaired because of the simplicity of these engines and components. Jus think of the next set of cars that have all of the computers and electrical sensors that have to all work together. These testing items will also be outdated and I do not think that the average car collecter is going to go out a purchase all of the computer equipment and the other point is do they even have the knowledge to run the equipment also keep it working. This is the main reason why most of the single and diouble propr planes up in Alaska are the older vintage mechanical engines and not the digital information engines. If they breakdown back in the bush area at least they can fix them with some mechanical skills with bailing wire, rope, tape and at least limp back home. When a computer goes out on your plane you better hope you are near an airport. Also think of the guys that have purchased all of those Mopar and high performance cars and engines and all of the modified equipment and do not know anything about these components. Some of the people purchasing these cars do not even know how to replace a light bulb let alone fix anything these days. This is in part due to the complexity that has happened with these cars. When we all grew up we would see our dad's and uncles change the oil, replace batteries, replace spark plugs do tune-up, rotate tires, drain the antifrezze change the air filters, lube the front suspension put in generator or alternators as basic up keep. When we watched our dads there was a transfer of basic automotive knowledge and also a great bonding experience with our dad's. The now generation has lost all of these great xperiences and now they have to depend on someone else do even do the basic repairs. This past couple of days my youngest daughter who is a Xmas baby and now 24 had a slow leak on her rear tire. So guess what she went through a day of learning and a refresher on the job experience with me standing with her on removing the hub cap, blocking the wheels, loosening the lugnuts, jacking up the car, taking the lugnuts off the studs removing the wheel, putting on the spare and the reverse process, taking the tire to get fixed and then putting the repaired tire back on the car. During this entire time we had some time to bond with each other and now that I am almost 69 it was my best Xmas present being able to pass on knowledge and also knowing that my daughter can take the tire off the car safely. During our conversation she was talking about one of her coworkers, a guy, and talking about cars and he is 27 years old and he said to her that he does not even know how to rotate the tires on his car. She said it is the basic and simple task and that she can do it. So this goes to show that the younger generation is now set to have to pay for everything and they do not have any care to learn, have someone else do it for them because as parent we did not take the time to teach them things about life and how to beable to support them selves later on in life. So in the long run we are better off than you think. We were taught how to diagnosis things in school and not just given things and have someone else do it for us. Times have changed but we are better off then the next generation. Sorry about going on but just think about what I wrote and reflect back on what our grandparents and parents knew about life and how they prepared us for our life's journey. I say thank you every day. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com

On the pedal starter it pushes a rod down and on the top of the starter motor is a starter selinoid. on the side near the front of the switch where the battery cable is connected there is a tiny hole. A screw goes into this hole the scew holes the wire that then goes to the screw that is on the fron top of the sisson choke. so when the pedal makes contact with the starter switch it then send the electrical current throught the wire and then to the sisson choke. This is the setup that is on my 39 Desoto. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

I have been looking for these for many years and have not found any. But I would think that maybe a very old plumbing supply might have a brass fitting with a limp and the correct length and inside diameter might work. Being brass or copper would then be asy to crimp at the ends. All these do is hold on the piece that holds the swivel section and the two outside holes to mount the exterior door handle to the outside of the door. If anyone finds some or close to them I am interested. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

This is the correct u joint. Sent you a PM on some other info regarding u joints. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com

The autolite starter selinoid can be rebuilt but be very caefu with this selinoid. They are hard to find at swap meets and there are no other manufacturers that made a replacement. So basically you would need to find an Autolite used unit if yours even bites the dust. In my 30+ years of going to Hershey which is one of the largest swap meest on the east coast I have only found one of these selinoids and that one was passed along to another National desoto Member. rare like hens teeth I have attached an Autolite document that shows the correct starter selinoid model that you would need to have as a spare. This was taken directly from an Autolite repair manual Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com Autolite Starter Controls Soleinods.pdf

Seems as if someone might have replaced the threaded stud at some point in time. On my original 39 Desoto engine I have three threaded studs that come out of the front of the engine block and there are three nuts that hold the entire water pump to the engine block. The one nut also is used to hold the generator top support meatal bracket. I do know that in the later 40s the main body of the water pumps were changed and the stud that is on the left side when looking from the front of the wp is now replaced with a threaded bolt because they increase the thickness of the body of the new styled WP. If you have one of the older style pumps the body will only be approx. 1/2 thick at the point that I am referencing. So if you can not get one of the older pumps then you will need to use a stud puller to remove the stud and then use the supplied bolt that comes with the newer sealed bearing pumps. If you or anyone has any old style pumps I am interested in purchasing these older style water pump bodies. Rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com

I did my 39 Desoto several years ago prior to the Mercedie merger. It was well worth the cost. I received a copy of the original build sheet and found the date that the car came off the assembly line, specifications on the car the dealership that the car was delivered to and some factory pictures. Then I was able to find the great grandson of the original dealership and they now are a school bus company out her in Exton PA, the Wolfington Bus company. I had the great pleasure of having a one on one meeting with the great grandson and we talked about the dealership and how they produced some customized cars and how they borrowed the craftsman from the Durham body works company that was located in Bryw Mawr Pa. The Durham body works facility is still being used today as a Ferrari dealership in Brwy Mawr, PA. This was one of the top custom shops in the greater Philadelphia because of being on the Main Line where all of the major Blue Bloods and wealthy families lived just outside of Philadelphia. It is nice to know the history of your car. Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

if the battery was in the engine compartment as the late 40's car then I would hook directly to the battery. With the battery under the seat it is a real pain in the backside and also is harder to check the acid water level in the battery. Rich

Tom I have my car insured by Grundy and he does not have any limitation on the amount of mileage that you can drive your car. If you do 1 or several thousand it does not matter the price is still the same. You might want to check him out. I spoke to Hagerty at Hershey and they did not mention anything about a 1000 mile limitation for antique car insurance. I just went onto Hagerty insurance and here is what they say about driving milage: Cars are made to be driven. with Hagerty you willnever be held to a fixed mileage limit as long as your are not driving your classi every day. So you can use it for personal usage to take it for a spin to go to an icecream store or to a museum even if not on a club event does not have to be a car show. It can be for pleasure and or a maintenance run to keep the seals wet and lubricated. Thought you might be interested. This was copied right from the Hagerty webpage. Rich Hartung

Tom, Question about parking the car outside. Here in Pa we can not parkthe car outside. JC Taylor and all the other major antiuq car insurance carriers require and it is in writing on their policy and you also sign the policy that the car will be stored inside a garage and cannot be storded under a carport. It must be fully enclosed. If that is the same with your carrier there could be an issue if the car got damaged while it was outside at night and not in a garage. If you are on a trip then they do not require the garage while on a trip. So suggestion is for everyone to check their coverage and where they need to store the car at night time and when the car is not being used. You could run into an issue. Food for Thought. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com