38plymouth

That looks like it, thank you. On the back side of the floor all you can see are what looked like rivets. Getting that off and removing the rubber flooring will give me much more room to work.

I have the service manual. It doesn't give all the steps to change the clutch.

I just thought of a second reason. I can't figure out how to get the throttle pedal off so the rubber floor mat is still in the car. I wrapped it up around the shifter and used a bungie cord to hold it out of the way. I can't slide the trans. back because it pokes through the rubber floormat. Got any ideas what holds the pedal on? A friend just told me to yank back on it and it will pop off at the top and then it should come out. I'm afraid to just pull on it if he's wrong.

It doesn't seem like there will be enough room to slide the trans. back and then down with the shifter still in the trans.

Is that gasket in your pictures available? I seem to remember reading on here during a search that people are making them themselves.

I have a floorjack that I can probably use to hold the trans. I still can'tfigure out how the shifter comes out. There is a plate on the top of the trans that the shifter goes thru that is bolted in. Should I unbolt that to get it out?

Thank you for the info, is the trans. really heavy enought to need a jack? It looks pretty small compaired to an automatic. I was thinking I could just slide it out by hand. I need to look again, I didn't see any rear engine mounts.

I started pulling things apart this morning. The noise in the clutch was getting worse last night. I got the inspection cover off and I can wiggle the throwout bearing around, I'm not sure if there should be any play at all. I also have quite a bit of oil inside of there. I pulled the driveshaft and one half of the flloorboard. (I didn't pull the floorboard that the throttle pedal is sitting on, I can't figure out how the pedal comes off, I'm thinking it may not be necessary though) I'm at the point where there are just 4 bolts holding the trans. in place. I ran out of time and I have some questions before I go any further. I think I may have a few hours Saturday morning to work on it again. Does the engine need to be supported when I unbolt the trans? If so where since I think I need to pull the oil pan to change the rear seal. Do I just unbolt the trans. and slide it backwards to pull the shaft from the engine? Do I need to unbolt and remove the bellhousing to take the clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing out? It almost looks like it will all drop straight down once unbolted and when the trans. is removed. How the heck does the shifter come out? My manual doesn't show much for detail on theis job. I have leaks coming from the rear of the engine, from the transmission and from the rearend. I want to fix all of them while I'm doing this. It looks like seals need to be replaced, what else should I need for gaskets? I would really appreciate some advice, I have never changed a clutch or pulled a transmission before. I guees it's about time I learned, It's about the only part of a car I haven't worked on.

Well, after weighing my options I have decided to pull my transmission and fix whatever needs fixing. I also have a leak coming from the clutch cover so I'm assuming I'll need to replace a rear seal in there too. The next couple of months are pretty busy for me so I will have to do a little work here and there when I have time. I like driving the car the most in the fall so parking it and waiting to do a T-5 over the winter doesn't sound appealing to me. I'm going to have a ton of questions about where to get parts and exactly how to pull a trans. and change the clutch and bearings. I would like to replace parts that wear out while I'm in there. My shop manual doesn't go into much detail on doing this and I have never done one. I'm pretty sure I have most of the tools to do it and I know I can probably figure it out if I spend enough time working on it.

I think the bearing is the problem. I just have to decide if I fix what I have or swap in a T-5. I should stick with what I have now but I would love to have overdrive.

I had a chance to climb under the car and I found the trnas. fluid low. I topped it off and took it for a test drive. The noise is still there but it doesn't happen all the time. I put it up on stands and had my wife start it and put it in gear. The noise only happens whe the the car is in gear with the clutch pushed in. It doesn't happen in neutral with the clutch in or out or when driving with the clutch out. I climbed under it while the noise was happening and it is definately coming from the clutch area. I don't have time to pull the transmission so it will have to wait until winter. I'm now trying to decide if it's time to swap a T-5 in. I would really love to have an overdrive so I can drive the car more. I'm just not sure it's worth the time, money and effort to put one together. I tried searching to find posts that show how involved this would be and I didn't have alot of luck finding posts. If anyone could point me toward some good threads on doing this swap I would be grateful.

On my 38 p6 I added the turn signal switch but mounted it on the column under the dash so it's barely visible. I used the stock rear tail light/brake light so you don't see anything added on. I tried 6 volt amber fogs in the front but they hardly light up when they flash. I think I'm going to wire up the front parking lights that are inside the headlights. I still need to get amber paint for the bulbs so I can try it. It should work good with the headlights off, when they are on I doubt they will show much. My goal was not to add any goofy looking aftermarket lights on the car.

I'll check the oil Friday and give her another drive, thank you.

This is not good, I won't have a chance to look at it until Friday. If it is something like that do you think there would be a problem driving it a little while longer? I'm supposed to drive in a wedding in 2 weeks and it will be about 100 miles round trip. There's no way I will have time to pull the transmission and get things fixed before then.

The other day I had my 38 plymouth out for a drive. I noticed when I stopped and downshifted into first gear there was a loud humming noise coming from the transmission. It went away as soon as I let the clutch out and started moving. It happened 3 times that day, the vast majority of the time it did not do it. I have not had time to look at anything including the fluid level in the trans. Does anyone have any ideas what I would cause this?

I currently have #55 bulbs inside of my headlights that are used for parking lights. They are rated at 7 volts, .41 amps. I am looking for something brighter and amber so I can convert them to turn signals. I found a #44Y bulb that is amber and it's 6.3 volts and .25 amps. I'm thinking the 55 would be brighter than the 44Y because the amps are higher, is that correct?

I just got very lucky. I stopped at an old junkyard down the road and asked the guy if he had one and he said the only possible car he had that might have one was a 38 desoto. We walked out in the yard and it had the right cap. It's rusty but it works and will look fine until I get a new one. I had he wanted $5 and my old one to pack back on the desoto. I guess I'll try bead blasting it to clean it up a little.

Bernbaum's has nothing. They said they buy them at swapmeets when they find them. I guess I'll have to try to find one at a swapmeet and live with a bungie cord for now.

I should have just called Bernbaums yesterday. I just talked to them and as long as they have it in stock their regular shipping will have it to me in 2 days at the most. I also ordered a new headlight switch since mine is a little finicky at times. I have to call back in a little bit to see if they have them in stock.

The center piece has practically fallen out it'd so rusted. I have a bungie cord holding it on for now. I have a car cruise on Friday night and a large Memorial Day show on Sunday. Hopefully the bungie holds it.

Mine is about 1 1/2 just like your's. Thanks for the offer though. I will probably have to order bernbaum'sm, I hope it's the right size.

I won't be able to get a picture of it today. I took the cap off last night to check the fluid and when I twisted it back on the inner part with the ears that holds it to the radiator broke off. It turns out it was rusted inside enough to come apart.

I ordered one from NAPA and went to pick it up today. It's wrong and fit's cars from the 40's. They can't get anything like it. It grabs the radiator in a different way than all the other caps they sell.

I would, but, I don't think I can get it shipped to me by the weekend.