bobostski

Mirrors can be re-silvered. Not sure what it would cost. We had it done when I use to restore antique furniture.

If you sand lightly with 2000 grit wet and dry and lots of water with a couple of drops of dish soap for lubrication you will get a better shine. Be careful of the edges and any paint build up on the paper.

Are you going to "hoard" water pumps now?

Good luck at finding another m6 at a car show. I've taken mine to car shows here in Dallas for a year and have only seen one other, a 50 Windsor.

The interior of My 48 2 door sedan is a little wild also. I was going to go back stock but thought I'd have some fun with it. It's sewn in the original pattern and then I added buttons. The headliner and door panels are a golden yellow velour velvet.The back of the front seat and bottom edge of the seats and door panels are a burnt orange color velvet. I did all the sewing myself. I call this a Stock Rod as the entire car is stock except for paint colors and interior fabrics. I detailed the engine compartment in red and yellow also. I think your interior is fun, Please don't put gray tweed in it.

Some people are afraid to buff old paint because they don't want to get the paint too thin but I would rather see a shinny car with a little primmer showing through than dead dull paint.

It sound from your first message that there's positive pressure in your tank if it is creating air bubbles. If so, is there a problem wit the fuel pump.

Found this on Allpar... The Pentastar was created by Robert Stanley, at the Lippincott & Marguiles design firm. He wanted, according to his blog entry, “something simple, a classic, dynamic but stable shape for a mark that would lend itself to a highly designed, styled product. What that meant, basically, was a classic geometric form. We wanted something that was not stolid. That’s the reason that we broke up the pentagonal form that became the Pentastar. It provides a certain tension and a dynamic quality. The [original] Pentastar was selected from more than 800 suggestions that a team from the design firm of Lippincott & Margulies Inc. proposed to the company. “We were looking for something that would not be too complicated for people to remember and still have a very strong, engineered look to it,” said Robert Stanley. “We wanted something people could look at and say, ‘This was not done freehand.’ The Pentastar started showing up in ads with the 1963 model year; after initial production started, it was placed behind the right front wheel on 1963 model-year cars. Charlie Pfefferkorn, whose family owned Spaulding’s Garage (a DeSoto-Plymouth dealer and then a Chrysler-Plymouth shop) said that dealers were sent a Pentastar medallion kit for each 1963 car they had received before the factory started installing them. Spaudling’s Garage, and probably many other dealers, didn’t install them on cars they had already sold — Charlie said it would have been absurd to call customers and tell them they needed to bring their cars in for a bit of trim Chrysler had forgotten. The original Pentastars, incidentally, came with not one but two grips — the second, smaller pin was not just for location but also for extra grip (as shown in the photos.) It first showed up in ads with the 1963 models, and started showing up on the 1963 cars behind the right front wheel, making its way to key blanks with the 1964 models. Prior to that, the Chrysler corporate logo was a pair of V-shapes, usually shown pointing to the right, part of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" school of design. The new pentastar logo was also used on the front cover of the 1962 Annual Report — as an embossed cover (without any ink to set it off) — and on the back cover, in a deep blue. In 1963, Bob Hope’s variety show (sponsored by the Chrysler Corporation) included opening graphics showing the segments of the Pentastar zooming into place with vroom-vroom noises, each piece accompanied by a callout of a brand - Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler, Imperial, and Dodge trucks. However, Bill Watson wrote noted that the five points do not stand for the five car divisions; at the time, Chrysler sold cars (Valiant, Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler, Imperial, Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Humber, Simca), trucks (Dodge, Fargo, DeSoto, Commer, Karrier, Barreiros), industrial and marine engines, boats, army tanks, air conditioners, heating systems, chemicals, plastics, missiles, electronics, and financial products. Bill also noted that the design would be recognizable no matter which way you looked at it, even if the design was flipped or looked at upside down.

1938 was the last year for the name "Dodge Brothers". 1939 had some small parts with Brothers on them but it was dropped from everything else like badges, literature and advertisements.

In My 49 Chrysler, the M6 will not shift unless I'm going between 25 and 30mph. Is this a normal range?

The cap is spring loaded at the top. When the button is press it retracts a solenoid connected to a lever and allows the cap opens up. It cannot open unless you send electricity to it or use a claw hammer.

Last week-end I installed an Mopar electric fuel tank locking cap on my 49 Chrysler. It's fun to have people stand by the back fender and pop it open for them. People don't believe it's a period Mopar option. The instructions said to run the wire along the fuel line under the car and pass it through the firewall. I didn't think it was a good idea to run this wire on the outside of the car. So I drilled a small hole in the inner fender so it could come through the trunk. I then ran the wire with the tail light wires to the front inside the car. I used about 6" of 1/4 " asphalt coated braided cloth tubing to protect the wires in the wheel well. I made a foam bushing to seal the hole and protect the wires from getting cut in the hole.I also put a about 1/2" long piece of this tubing to cover the wires where they run from the cap and then under rubber filler tube fender grommet. There is a short wire coming out of the cap that I grounded in the trunk. When i got into the passenger compartment, I ran the wire under the rubber door mats and up behind the side cardboard under under the dash. The instructions said to connect this wire to the push button switch and connect the other wire out of the switch to the "main lighting circuit breaker" . I had no idea of what or where this circuit breaker was and it's almost impossible to get up behind the dash to work as there is no room. I was standing there with the door open trying to figure out where I could find a live wire when the car was off and then i saw it. The switch in the door jam to turn on the dome lights would work great. i attached the wire to the live side of the switch.The cap came with a wire long enough to reach to the front of car. I put the switch under the dash between the em.brake and the hood release.It was a fairly simple installation. I bought the cap on eBay and was glad it came with all the parts. I was wondering show safe it is to have something that could make a spark so close to the gas tank. Am i going to blow up my car? It does have a good cork gasket that seals the filler neck.

You'll have to get them off another car. Maybe the guy who is building the Le'mons car would sell you his.

Sanding builds character.

I took one of mine to NAPA and they matched it up for me. I believe $4-5 each.

It's been awhile ( almost a year) but I'm back with a progress report. I meant to do one of those blow by blow reports on the progress of this car but that didn't happen. I got the car on the road at the end of last June. I've taken it to a few car shows with good responses. I replaced the gas tank with a new one from the sellers on ebay. It fits great. I detailed the engine bay since I had to replace fuel pump, water pump, hoses, fluids and ignition parts. The fire wall was in great condition so it only required a good cleaning and waxing. The engine started right up after i put it back together and purrs like a kitten after 35 years of rest. With the new exhaust you can barely tell it's running. The next hurtle was what kind of shape was the transmission was in. I drained and replaced the 10w and It turned out to be working fine except it won't shift unless I take it over 25 MPR.I thought I read where it's suppose to shift at 13. The car was repaint in the mid 70"s but had never been color sanded so I 1500'ed it and buffed it out. People think it's been recently pained or ask me if I clear coated it. The bumpers show a little wear but the rest of the bright work is in great original condition. I took it to a car show last week-end and got 2nd place in Mopar class beating out about 8 other Mopar muscle cars and street rods. On the window place card it asked for special features and I wrote "Grandpa Car". I now have 400 miles on the car (I love the trip odometer) with 98,000 showing on the odometer. I took it out on the freeway last week for the first time and it drove like a dream. I did 65-70 without a strain. I feel blessed to have this car fall into my lap. I was going to sell it after i got it running but that's not going to happen now as I'm in love. The radio even works. Not much to listed to on AM anymore. Well I just wanted to wrap up and let you guys know how things turned out. I got really lucky with this one. First pic is my 49 Chry. 5o Dodge and 55 dodge. I was trying to sell some of my car art.

In my 49 Chrysler Windsor 4 door, when the ignition is turned on and the emergency brake is engaged, both map lights blink as a warning. Not easy to see during the day but very effective at night. I was facing taking out the ignition switch because the former owner couldn't find the keys. So I took the lock out of the drivers door to a locksmith, paid $65 to have a key made and it works great in the ignition. The locksmith said she had to take the tumbler apart and spent 3 hours to make an exact match. Sound like I saved money on not having to buy band-aids . My car is very original and has never been taken apart. If you need some photo, let me know. It still had the tar paper covering the hole in the spare tire well. You'll enjoy driving your car once you get it on the road. I have 400 miles on mine since getting it running again. Mine sat since 1980 and I've had it for 1 year. I took it on the expressway last week for the first time and it handles like a dream. 65 -70 was no problem. I was a little worried about the braking at that speed. Took it to a car show and on the show widow placard in special features I wrote "Grandpa Car". Took 2nd in Mopar beating some muscle and street rods. Good luck to you.

I use 15 " chevy rally wheel rings on my 48. I like them because they go over and cover the edge of the wheel and hide the balancing weights. There are also easy to find as swap meets. $5-10 each.

I bought 4 cowl vent from this vender and they fit great.I bought them for my 38 Dodge,48 Plymouth, 49 Chrysler and my 50 Dodge. Only $20 each. He did combined shipping also.I'm not sure but if the link will work but the dealers name is fmmpar. http://www.ebay.com/itm/140072874611?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

"I read on CNN about a year ago that 50% of Americans don't know who John Wayne and Elvis were. Most Americans have extremely short memories when something does not concern them." It's not that short of memory. Your talking about things that happened 50-60 years ago. When your were younger, what did you care about actors and events that happened in the 1920's. Could you tell one 20's car from another. Who were the 3 major horse wagon manufacture's in 1905? To most people a 50 Chevy looks exactly the same as a 50 Dodge. To me a 2004 Toyota looks the same as a Honda. Most people could care less about old cars. There a curiosity there but they really don' care who made it. Of course their Aunt had a car like yours. They don't mean a 1948 Specials Deluxe Plymouth Convertible, they mean a car that was big and old. They don't have any idea who made their Aunt's car or what year it was but they remember it was old and that seeing yours brings back a special memory to them. I love it when people one of my cars and smiles. I know that it's bring out a good emotion in them. When someone asks you if it's a Chevy, it's there way of breaking the ice and starting the conversation. Don't get taken back because they insulted you by calling your car a Chevy. There just interested and want to talk to about it. If they as you what it's worth, They have no ideas about old car values. I have a nice 49 Chrysler and a lot a people assume it's worth 30 to 40 thousand because it's old. When tell them it's worth about $9000 their shocked. Why so little? They watched an auction once and all the cars went for big money. It's our job to educate. If you don't want to talk to people just keep your car locked in the garage. We are a very small group and a dying bred who care about these old Mopars. I would guess the average age of people on the site is in their 60"s. You just can't expected people to see our cars and know what they are. Even old car people don't know about our cars. I do love having the only 1940-50's Mopar at the car show though.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was hoping someone has an experience with one to make it ease but "nothing is ever easy". I wanted to know if it was on the linkage or in the transmission. I'll jack it up and do an exploratory. Looking for colored wires was a good idea but all the wires are black fro age, grease, and grime. I did look in my manuals and did a search on this site but they were no help. I'll post when I work it out and then I can be the " Back-up Switch Expert". Maybe I'll write a book on it. Then turn it into a block buster movie staring Tom Cruse or Arnold. Or I'll just star in it as myself. After all , I've been on "Fast and Loud". I know how to act. "How much is that Dodge Richard? OH, that way too much" I said, knowing you never pay the asking price.

Old dad, Your Corvette is just a Chevy.

I have a 49 Windsor and the back-up light stays on all the time. I figure it's in the switch but I can't locate it. OK, were did they hide it? Thanks Bob

You might want to check Rock Auto or eBay for the MC or fuel pump and save some money. Rock Auto MC =$70 to $150, FP = $60. Question for the peanut gallery : I have a 49 Windsor and I just did the back brakes. Looking at the pictures here , I notice my car doesn't have the springs and clips at the top of each shoes. Is this a necessity for proper function? I see them for sale on EBay all the time. Also, what is the function of the electronics on the air cleaner support rod? Mine doesn't have that but I've seen pictures of 49"s that do.

The hubs came off easer than I thought. I went to Auto Zone and rented (free) a puller. They were stuck on the brakes more than the axel. The shoes and drums are in good shape so I'm going to replace just the brake cylinder.