busycoupe

I love to watch lunar eclipses. I taught earth science for many years and when an eclipse was approaching it was always a 'seize the moment' day. The curruculum would go out the window, and the class would study eclipses for a day or two. One of my favorites was the October 2004 eclipse on the night the Red Sox won the World Series. Unfortunately last night it snowed here, so I didn't stay up for this eclipse. Hopefully I will get a good look at the next one visible on the east coast on Sept. 28, 2015. Dave

Plywood looks great, and I know that it was made from a sedan. However, I was wondering, are the wood sides actually structural, or are they a veneer applied over the sheet metal body? Dave

Thanks all for your kind words. I was thinking about how I had the camera clamp for about 20 years and wondered if something like it were available now. I was stunned when I googled it to find out the company is still in business making exactly the same "clampette" in the USA. Great little device, holds a digital camera easily. Here is their website: http://www.highsierramfg.com/index.html Dave

No, I did not wash the car on return. The roads were still mostly dry and only a little snow stuck on the car. I did wipe a bit off of the fenders and trunk so that I wouldn't get the garage too wet. Dave

I took a page from Rodneys book. It just started to snow here and I thought it would be fun to get the car out before the sanders and plows. I found an old camera clamp I had and used it to hold the camera on the dash. I took out the ashtray to make room for the clamp. Dave http://s459.photobucket.com/albums/qq312/wmdwb/?action=view&current=snowride.mp4

I also had trouble with the set screw and finally ended up gently prying back the metal tab that holds the set screw. I did this with a long screw driver from the inside of the door. After I slipped out the old lock, and slid in the new one, I pushed the tab back into place. -- Probably not an ideal solution, and I was lucky not to break the tab, but it worked for me. I have a '48 D24, Plymouth door may be slightly different. Dave

As I said on the other thread, the round, tan one in the front center is the same as on my '48 D24. Dave

I've had my D24 business coupe for 3 years. Dave

The round tan one in the middle is identical to the one in my "48 D24. Dave

I can't help with a spotlight or parts, but I'm sure that your second light was made by CASCO. Connecticut Auto Supply Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dave

I read Classic Car magazine and enjoy it very much. It does cover a wide range of years and interests, but I suppose they are trying to appeal to a wider audience. I personally don't have much interest in '80s cars, however, you also have to realize that cars over 25 years old are considered collectible, and are eligible for antique plates in many states. At the other end of the spectrum, the snootiness of people who are only interested in "full classics" annoys me no end, but they are entitled to their opinions too. I am partial to our old Mopars, but back in the day they were just basic family sedans and inexpensive vehicles used by businessmen. People then, and now, dismissed them as "stodgy." Live and let live. I hope that Hemmings Classic Car continues for a long time, it is the only mag I know of that gives ink to our cars, and other rapidly disappearing old American cars. Dave

That Cooper is quite an enterprising little dog! The tire business and a brewery!

I thought that the rims were painted body color. If your rim in the trunk is a faded orange, perhaps your car was once red. It is also possible that the rim is from another mopar of similar vintage. Perhaps a pickup truck? The original D24 rims had 2 pinstripes on them. Is your spare rim pinstriped? Dave

Has anybody seen a model of a D24 business coupe? The closest I've seen is a high end (Brooklyn?) model of a '41 Chrysler business coupe. I keep asking the guys selling die cast models at shows, and checking the web, but haven't found one yet. Did Dodge sell models at their showrooms the way many car dealers did back in the day? Dave

The visor looks great! I bet that you never get back to repainting it. In warm weather there will be something else to do. Dave

Uncle, What a beautiful job of model building! I bet if you positioned it properly outdoors and were careful with the camera angle, it would look like a full sized car. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Dave

Just a guess, could you have a broken motor mount? The linkage or shifter may be binding.

Terrific pictures! What kind of car is your Mom and Dad posing in front of in 1936? Someplace I have a picture of my Mom and uncle sitting on the front of the same kind of car in 1937, but I don't recognize the emblem on the grill. Dave

The print says June 1960, but I'm sure that is me on the left, my brother on the right, all decked out for Easter 1960. We are standing in front of my father's 1952 Chrysler Windsor. Dave

I love to see the old machines run! A couple of years ago my wife and I and another couple visited the "Wheels Through Time" motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley, NC. The owner, Dale Walksler has well over 100 old American motorcycles, Harley, Indian, Pope, Excellsior, etc. Very near all of them run. While we were there he started a 1917 Harley for us, and rode a 1940 Crocker around the museum indoors! It is a fascinating place, even the wives enjoyed it. Dave

I agree with Don. All of the knobs look OK, but the ones on the left are consistent.

Where is Santa in the Plymouth with Cooper?

I have never heard of a vacuum powered top mechanism. Electric, hydraulic, and manual; but vacuum is a new one on me! Like you said earlier, working on these cars is constantly a learning process! I wonder if the pre-war cars used the vacuum mechanism. Perhaps the same frame and spring was used on 39 - 41 mopars. I hope that you have luck in finding some. Dave

Here is the diagram for a D24 folding top.

Bob, Apparently the tops are not constructed the same. The Dodge D24 parts book lists: Spring, folding top equalizing, p376, 10 11/16" long, 76 coils, part # 896-644 The top diagram on page 311 does not show a spring attaching to the body. The spring listed above attaches between the rear bow and the side arm that extends over the windows. I can try to scan this diagram if you like, but from your description, I think that the mechanisms are very different. Dave