Tom Skinner

Rick, This sounds like one of the Gus Stories from the 1940's. This guy comes into Gus' Garage with an oil leak. He want to sell his car the next day to buy a ring for his girl and get engaged. Gus questions him. When the guy is visiting his Girl in the Mountains he loses like a quart of oil in one night, but around town loses none. The case of the oil thief I think its called. Try www. gus-stories.org and read the mid forties stories. Any way back to the story Gus can't find the leak laying under the car he's stumped. Finally he tells his Grease Monkey Stan to put the Bus on the Lift. Upon doing so the Steering bar comes off the Pan and she's dripping again. He fixes it so the young guy can sell the car the next day, buy his girl an engagement ring and join the boys across the pond the next week and go fight the big WW2. You see the sharp turns up the mountain allowed for leakage from friction that caused a hole in the oil pan. Gus welded her back and put some spacers in the springs or somethin. Good Stories! Tom

Jerry, Yes, true, the plugs in the newer NAPA Kits are Aluminum. They are soft like lead and plug in the same way a lead one would. Just bump them into place, they go in easy. Tom

Grady, Did you have a NAPA rebuild Kit? I was wondering because the NAPA 2-5066-A Kit for my 1948 Ball and Ball Carter EV1 (I-362) Carburator Kit had them. I think I paid @20 for it. Good Luck finding them that kit has them. Tom

Phil, I'm sorry you dropped the bolt down, and glad you retrieved it. Hope you ticker's doing better also. Eight ounces isn't bad - thats about what I added when I got my '48 5 years ago. You should be good to go. By the way did you retrieve the bolt with a magnet or how did you, now that you got me wondering. I hope you didn't have to remove the lower Clutch/Bell Cover if so I figure thats what took so long. Well - All's well that ends well - as the three stooges yoused to say. Stuff a rag around that bad boy next time and leave no room for it to drop down. I wish you smooth riding from here forward. Tom

And one to challenge all the panty waisted light bulb changers and commenters to a fight. L.O.L.

Andy was a real Character - thats for sure. As stated most people were pretty polorized about the man, but one thing is for sure - change. I'm sure Chris will do fine in his stead. But for the other places others may seek (and they aren't as rare as Brigadoon) V.P.W. (Vintage Power Wagon) comes to mind. There are others - Terrill Machine in Texas. The Walter Percy Chrysler Club web site offers more still. Bill Hirsch in Newark, NJ and Kanters in Booton NJ and Moores Salvage in S.D. have been helpful also. The Plymouth Doctor, The Old Parts Cellar in MA. The list goes on. I will probably just as soon look to Chris at A.B's first out of sheer habit though. Good Luck Andy! Have a Happy Retirement!

I hope your ride is inside, high, and dry. Then you can pop the top on a Barley Pop and enjoy - if not - that much rain could be a real hassle. I hope that third picture is not you garage with water surrounding it. Tom

Mopar Al, You can weld for my cars any day - Great work! Keep up the good work you are a natural welder. Tom

Goose neck mirrors and cow pusher bumper guards are rare for 1946-1948 Chryslers, and I would imagine for Plymouths and Dodges'. Rope Rails also (Pull Ropes behind the front seats) mounted on a Panel with Chrome Handes with built in spring returns for the rope. Grab Straps for getting out of the back seats or even original Metal exterior Sun Visors. Oh one more - Window Washing (Jar and the floor push button works equipment) too. These all demand premium prices today. Tough to find any of these "accsessories" any more. Tom

Fernando, When you get it running again you might want to: 1. Change the oil 2. Set the Carb with a Vaumn Gage (Not real rich). Just to be sure flooding of the crankcase doesn't occur. Maybe check oil on stick and be sure it doesn't smell strong like gasoline. I flooded my engine a couple of times and feel much safer with clean oil in the crankcase. Tom

azmichael, I apologize for my unfounded remarks to you. It was wrong. I am sorry for behaving like a fool. I will not make comments like this again on this forum. I hope you can see your way past my comments. Respectfully, Tom Skinner

Mike, Happy Thanksgiving! I was in the cups pretty good when I sent that post. I'm glad no hard feelings were taken - Thanks! It sounds like you may have inadverdently placed a wire wrong, I have done so many times myself. Tom

azmichael1, What might be more valueable - if I may be so bold, is if you got a service Manual and ran the diagnostics to run down your problem. Or shall we hold your hand and march on down to mamby pamby land and wait for someone else to do it for you? Tissue? Seriously though taking the Generator off and having it bench tested would be advisable

Correct. One must try driving it to be sure. One more thing to do is run the electrical diagnostics for this problem first to determine if its a short or bad wire or relay etc. The trouble shooting diagnostics are real clear as to the correct seqeunces to test it out. Tom

Dodge Dude, In the Illustration above the Cup shown above has insulation material in it that keeps the horn from grounding/sounding if that insulation is scored or dry-rotting off of it where the spring contacts it, re-insulate it prior to re-assembly. I know this because when I went out (I usually go driving my 1948 early on Sat. or Sun. mornings @ 7AM) the horn shorted as I turned the Wheel and woke my whole neighborhood up until I found the problem. So just a heads up if your not aware of that particuliar aspect of Horn Function. As you know we have real Horns on our cars that can wake up the whole neighborhood. - LOL:D

I think I'll let Mother Nature catch mine, after all this is where it came from anyhow. What kind of Enviromental Footprint are we trying to reduce here. Most of us only drive these cars 1,000 -2,000 miles a year anyhow. I personally would never connect anything to my Flathead that didn't come with it "Stock". This is only my personal opinion and not meant to rile the sensitive types here. If your Motor has heavy Blow by maybe you should try opening it up and repairing it. I have had several old Flat Head Chryslers and they all smoked a little when shut off, its a fact of Chryslerdom. I guess running 6 foot Flat Screen TV's all over the house with no one in the room while burning some shitty flourecent bulbs is more enviromentally correct.

I agree with everything thats been said here, however, if paint is say $1,000 and only 25% of the cost then dead labor is $3,000 is then $4,000 (dead cost) then times 1.50 Factor for Overhead and Profit - thus $4,000 x 1.50 = $6,000. Anyone charging $7,000, $8,000, or $9,000, or $10,000 would be a damn rip off artist for just a paint job. Unless of course they think their **** doesn't stink (then of course all would be forgiven). I have been quoted ridiculous prices for paint jobs in my day also and after some reflection, I realized thats exactly what they were - ridiculous quotes. If a Car needed significant filler work done or welding etc. maybe $9,000 or $10,000 would be fair. In this economy the Buyer/Customer is KING right now not the Body Shops. Shop around there are still Good Shops that price fairly out there. Tom

One more pic

I have tried to show a picture of the Manifold. There are 13, 2 long 11 short. The Slotted Washers help to hold a Heat Shield in Place

Olaf, Bill Hirsch from Newark New Jersey has original Hogs Hair Carpet. Bill Hirsch 396 Littleton Avenue Newark, New Jersey Phone: 973-642-2404 He will send free samples, statesside at least. Zum Deutcshland vielicht ein bishen mere. Veil Gluck! Wilhelm Hirsch ist am besten. Tom

Olaf, If you go to ebay now and type in 1946, 1947 or 1948 Chrysler, some guy is selling Carpet for a 1948 Chrysler that would probablt fit a Desoto for @ $84. I believe he is located in East Orange New Jersey. Tom

Gots to gib her a little gas. Pump dat pedal. Den hits dat starter button.

Irish Saying: When the weathers tis hot and sticky tis not the time for dunkin dicky, But when the frost tis on the pumpkin tis the time for dicky dunkin.

Thanks for the Heads Up! Tom

Fred, If you type in 1948 Chrysler on ebay I keep seeing Starter Brushes listed lately for @$12. Tom