38plymouth

I just went thru the whole catalog and it looks like most of my distributer components fit into the 1938-1950 category except my points look like 1939-1950, vacuum advance "looks similar" to 1938-1942 and coil looks like 1938-1941. I'm going to guess that my car was built with a 1939 distributor. The car is very original and untouched with low miles.

I don't know, both of my timing lights stopped working. I need to pick up a new one.

But I don't know my distributor number. The tag is long gone.

I am happy to report that my car is running great now. I adjusted the clutch freeplay and the slipping is gone. I also backed off the timing, setting it to highest vacuum was way advanced. I backed it off to where it used to be and it runs really good now. I do still need a new vacuum advance. I called bernbaum to see if they could help me and they asked for emailed pictures. It's a week later and no response. They list 2 different ones, 1935-1941 and 1942-1948. My distributor tag is missing and all I know is my points look like 1939 and later style. Does anyone know the difference between those 2 vacuum advances?

Yup. This company is a scam. You spend about 12 bucks for bulbs plus $7 shipping. He said he'll take them back but it's going to cost me another $7 shipping, doesn't even make sense. I should have read up more on his company before I ordered. He's claiming he's selling Samsung bulbs but they are just cheap garbage Chinese crap that are unlabeled. He knows these bulbs don't work in a stock six volt system but he still advertises and sells them that way. I hate scammers.

I adjusted the free play in my clutch this morning and I swear it still feels like it slips in 3rd gear when stepping on the gas hard. That's the only time it feels like that. It also kind of feels like maybe they'll float or something strange. I set my timing with a vacuum gauge and it is turned more counterclockwise than it used to be for years. The book says four degrees after top dead center. I'm going to try to attach a picture. If the left side of the photo is the front of the car which side is 4° after top dead center. Also since my vacuum advance is leaking should I still set it by the book until I get it repaired? The vacuum advance is unhooked.

Looks like you also used www.ledlight.com. Just a fair warning that they are selling junk Chinese let's that don't work.

It's only like $12 for the bulbs and then $6 for shipping but they don't work like the add says. The company will let me return them (another $6 shipping) for credit only. Screw them, I'm disputing the charge on my credit card. It's a matter of principle now.

I bought 2 1158 bulbs from ledlight.com to replace my originals. I was hoping for brighter tail and brake lights. My original bulbs operate as tail lights, brake lights and turn signals. These bulbs don't operate that way. f I put the bulb in one direction and have the headlights on nothing happens. If I leave the headlights on and hit the brakes the bulb lights up. If I flip the bulb 180 degrees and turn the headlights on the bulb lights up but then the brake lights dont work. The turn signals don't work at all. According to the listing they should operate like the originals. I have sent them an email to try to find out what's going on here but haven't heard back yet. Have any of you used these type of bulbs and had them work successfully? I have a stock 6 volt positive ground system. Edit---> they are telling me I need to buy their load equalizers and splice them into my wiring. I have no interest in doing that. These definitely aren't plug and play for a 6 volt positive ground like they say.

Thank you! Looks like mine isn't from 1938, the points are the 1939 and up style. I remember having a problem ordering points and getting the wrong ones when we looked for a 38.

My distributor ID tag is missing, any idea how I can confirm what distributor I have so I can order a vacuum advance? I think it's original but who knows on a car this old.

Well I can't believe I figured it out. I was talking to an older gentleman today who knows a lot about these cars and he suggested I checked the vacuum advance. It sure seemed like it was running lean but I couldn't find a vacuum leak. Apparently my vacuum advance diaphragm has blown and it won't hold vacuum. I put a pipe plug in the carburetor and now it runs great until about 2,800 RPMs then it starts to miss a little. I'll take that as a victory for now. So now where do I find a diaphragm?

Can someone explain to me what the emulsion tube does? I don't have the proper tool to pull it out and clean it and it never taken it out of the carburetor before. So, I popped the plug out and flushed that area with carb cleaner and no change. Is there a guaranteed way for me to know if I'm running too lean? I thought maybe closing the choke was helping but now I'm not so sure it still seems to start missing a little over 1000 rpms. If it seems like it's lean I'm about ready to start drilling out the jet. Worst case scenario I'm buying a different carburetor. I'm so tired of this. At what RPM do these carburetors switch from the idle circuit?

I just pulled the carburetor again and cleaned it out, I thought maybe I found the issue, there was a little gray gunk in it again. The idle orifice tube and step up piston had a little crap that I cleaned out. That definitely made it idle even better and now I have a solid 20 on the vacuum gauge. However it still will not rev up without missing unless I close the choke a little then it doesn't start missing until over 2000 RPM's.

Edit....It starts running rough at 1200 rpm and closing the choke a little smooths it out until around 2000 rpm.

I'm getting super frustrated. I got my car running really good at idle. I set the timing and mixture screw with a vacuum gauge and I'm getting 19-20 psi. I have new plugs, newer wires, cap rotor and points and condenser. I pulled the distributor and double checked everything. The carburetor is rebuilt and I run ethanol free fuel. I triple checked the float level and I have an aluminum Fenton head and a split manifold with dual exhaust. When I Rev the engine it starts to miss/ stumble at around 1700 rpm and up. It did this years ago and I suspected it was running lean and partially closed the choke and that solved the problem. That doesn't do anything anymore. I'm stumped and feel like it's a carburetor issue but don't know where to look next.

I am staying 6 volt positive ground and the only thing I've added to the car is a pair of fog lights.

I'm thinking about swapping my generator for an alternator. My generator hasn't been touched in 25 years and I'm a little concerned about it failing. I would like to have an alternator that charges at idle and keeps my lights brighter when sitting at a red light. What amperage would be recommended for a stock car? The 100 amp seems overkill and one in the 60 amp range is $50 bucks cheaper.

I haven't gotten it yet. Hopefully tomorrow.

Here's a few from 2016.

When she's all cleaned up I'll add some. I'm dealing with very old black paint (possibly original) and then fenders that were repainted 30-40 years ago. I'm sad to say I stuck her in a storage unit for the last two years and she got neglected. I'm doing my best to buff what I can and make her look as good as possible.

I am officially declaring victory over the leak, It is gone. So, after solving that issue and playing with the timing and the mixture screw the car was running as good or better than it ever has. I changed the oil and noticed the fuel pump was leaking. I rebuilt it a couple years ago. I ended up pulling it out twice before I saw where the leak was and it just need a little tightening. I decided it was time for a drive. First of all I was shocked at for good it ran, it is super smooth now and it's much stronger. I forgot how much more power the Fenton head gives it, I mean, it is VERY noticeable. I didn't even have to touch the timing. The only thing I noticed was if I was in 3rd gear and I stepped on it at low speeds it started pulling hard and then it felt like the rpms were climbing too fast. I think the clutch is slipping. The clutch was put in New in 2009 and probably doesn't have 500-1000 miles on it. I'm hoping maybe I need to adjust the free play a bit, there isn't very much of it. Now I'm buffing and detailing it a bit before driving the heck out of it now that it isn't blazing hot out anymore.

Stripped spark plug threads and just doing various work to the car over the years. I finally had all the plug threads redone at a machine shop. The Fenton head raises the compression and it's MUCH lighter than the stock head. The aluminum head also looks really cool especially with the fins on it. I also made a promise to an old guy years ago when he gave me the head. He used it on a race car in the 40s and he saw me at a car show one day and insisted on giving it to me. I promised him that I would put it on the car just for him. He's probably gone now but it makes me happy knowing I kept my promise to him.