52ismine

This car might have the correct windshield. To me it’s too complete of a car to part out. For you, probably too far away (north Iowa) to be of use to you.

Page 259 of the manual has nothing about adjusting the door. Thanks for the suggestion about the latch though. This ended up being the solution. Even though I had loosened these screws I didn't realized the latch moved. A previous paint job(s?) had it stuck.

Take your screwdriver and place the tip in the slot and hit the top of the screwdriver with a hammer. Sometime this will jar the rusted threads loose. Also try tightening the screw then loosening it.

I have lube everything on the outside of the door and striker. I also have the door panel off to see if there was any adjustment around the hinge bolts and will take off the access panels to see up to the latch area. I will check the manual under that heading.

1952 Plymouth passenger door opens hard when unlatching. Pull the handle down (or back if inside) and need to tug or push hard to get it to open. Doesn't seem to have much, if any, slop if I lift the door up when opened thinking the hinge pins were worn. The driver's side door opens/closes good. Is there any adjustment to the door, hinge, or latch to make it open easier? Looked in the service manual thinking I would find something like "door adjustment" but didn't see anything.

Not an issue with the Pertronix unit. The issue was with some corrosion in the electrical circuit. Same thing could be said if the points where corroded/burnt, bad connection to the coil, rotor or distributer cap worn out.

Problem solved! Knew I had gas. Obviously had air. Only think left was spark. Previously tested the spark by a helper holding the sparkplug to the block while I cranked it over and him confirming I had spark. Quality of spark I didn't question. It has a Pertronix unit on it and in reading through the trouble shooting guide one of the causes of a no start is resistance in the ignition wire and it explained how to "jump' the wire to test for this. Followed the directions for jumping it and it fired right off. Disconnected and cleaned all the connections from the battery to the solenoid to the horn relay, etc. Everything was tight and looked clean while taking it apart but after hooking everything back up it started right away with the turn of the key. So some minor corrosion somewhere was preventing preventing a good spark and the starting fluid (or gas) would provide enough in the cylinder to get it to start with the weak spark. Tried to start it with a hot engine, no problem. Starting after it has sat for a few days, no problem. Hopefully problem solved. Sadly after all these years of frustration it was caused by a simple problem.

That could be a possibility but this problem has been going on for awhile and I will, at a minimum, go through a tank of gas a year. Not that I run it dry and refill so I guess there is always some "old" gas in there at any given time. I could always run the tank low and drain what is left and start with all fresh gas.

I know about the internal/external bypass. In doing a general internet search or of suppliers/vendors web sites for "1952 Plymouth Thermostat Housing" both these parts show up as fits/correct.

Using a newer style thermostat housing would definitely be a cheaper solution but I have already bought the hose for the old original style(s) along with a new thermostat. As nobody chimed in on which old style to get I will probably get the cast looking one, looks like it may hold up better.

Replacing the belts, hoses, and coolant in my '52 Plymouth. Noticed the thermostat housing is pretty rusted/thin metal where the hose slides over. Looking at replacements and 2 different styles are available that say they fit. One a taller, thin metal one like what I already have and a shorter one that looks like cast metal. Which one is correct? One style better than the other? Cost seems to be comparable between the 2.

Manual choke. I have used a splash of gas to start it (when the starting fluid can was out of propellant) but prefer not to due to safety issues. Put a pop bottle over the open end of the fuel line at the carburetor and cranked it over a few times. Gas was in the bottle, don't know the pressure. Has spark. Even though the carb was rebuilt shortly before I got the car, in messing around with the linkage it seems "loose", as it moves side to side in the carburetor base. Could a worn shaft be enough of a vacuum leak to cause this issue?

This problem has been happening since I got the car. Turn the key and crank, crank, crank, and not a pop. Pumping the gas pedal doesn't help. A quick short squirt of starting fluid down the carburetor and instantly, and I mean instantly, it fires right off and runs. Does this if has been sitting for a few hours or longer. Tighten all the fuel connections, and after cranking if I undo the fuel line at the carburetor gas comes out so I think I am getting gas at the carburetor. Newer (or at least not a lot of miles on them) points, plugs, wires, etc... and the timing was checked. Thought maybe the coil was hooked up backward but that checked out. Carburetor was rebuilt right before I bought the car and all fittings on that are tight. Thought maybe there might not be enough vacuum to pull the air through the carburetor but compression is 85-95 across the cylinders and no smoke or oil usage. Other than this problem there are no other problems. Thoughts on what to do/check next?

People offered to set me up on blind dates when I was single, told them I had two requirements in a girl before I would go on a date- 1- They had to weigh less than me. 2- They couldn’t grow a better mustache than me.

Had a very slight drip from the tank plug on my ‘52 Plymouth. Kept tightening it but still leaked. Ran the tank low enough to make sure it would fit into the 2 clean 5 gallon pails I had. That plug gasket was the 1 rubber fuel related item I never replaced, the ethanol blend fuels finally ate it away. No big deal removing the plug unless like mentioned earlier that the metal might be “soft”. As far as getting rid of the old/bad gas, get some containers and write “GAS” on them, fill them up, put them in the back of your pickup and drive to Walmart. Park your pickup with the tailgate down, go shopping for an hour or so and when you come back the containers will be gone and the bad gas is no longer your problem.

Car ended up being a '51 or '52. Got the manifolds off. Didn't break/twist off any bolts or studs. Thinking that spraying PB Blaster earlier in the week may have helped. Thanks to all that chimed in on the total number of nuts and bolts. I never would have found the "hidden" one on the underside in the middle of the manifold. As mentioned it took a little over 3 hours, I think 1/4 of that time was trying to get that hidden nut off without being able to see it and when I did get my wrench on it only turning it a little at a time. If I could have removed the front tire and access panel it definitely would have been easier. Left the manifolds together although 2 of the 4 connecting bolts were already broke but the castings seem to be in good shape. Once I got back to my shop squirted some home brew penetrating oil (ATF and acetone) on those bolts and the exhaust pipe flange nuts as I just cut the exhaust pipe below the manifold with a sawzall.. Good news, I thought the price was going to be $75.00 ($50 for the intake, $25 for the exhaust) but because they were bolted together as one unit I was only charged $50.00, the price of an intake manifold. I was even honest and pointed out there were 2 manifolds bolted together, but he still only charged me the $50.00.

It is in a Dodge.

I would but the stuff isn't free. $75.00 for the manifolds minus the carburetor. $50.00 for the clock in unknown working condition. Was also going to check and see if it had electric wipers. Plan on stopping by and spraying the nuts/bolts with PB Blaster and weather permitting try taking it off next weekend

Found a Dodge 4 door sedan, guessing a 1950, at a private junkyard. The drivetrain is still in the car and would like to pull the intake/exhaust manifold off as a spare for my '52 Plymouth. I believe from what I have read they will interchange. Problem is the car has settled quite far into the ground with no way to get a jack underneath. Can the intake/exhaust manifold be removed without getting under the car? Also this car has a clock, how rare is this clock? I know finding one (and paying) for one for my '52 Plymouth was something else.