DCurrent

those teeth must be made to take some crap!

Sharp Car!

I have been doing some reading and research on my OD project. Learned quite a bit, but still can't find answers to some of my questions. 1. I am looking for the minimum thickness of the flywheel measurement. I might need this incase I'm asked when I have it ground for flatness. 2. The OD requires a relay. I have found a source for the relay at about $125 (exact repro). I don't really need an exact repro, just something that will work I think. I need 12v relay, but what is the amps? I have several relays, but I'm not sure what will be required for this tranny. 3. I have just noticed that I'm missing the overcenter spring along with the special bent wire. Does this spring aid in pressing the clutch down enough for me to look for one and install it? I did think the clutch was a little on the stiff side, but I just thought this was normal for an old car.

So Don, What is your motor? Chrysler or Desoto? What year?

I have been discussing what I'm doing with some mechanics I know. The general consensus is if I use the complete clutch with the flywheel from the spare motor that I have it shouldn't make a difference if it is a larger clutch or the same size. It would only be a problem if the flywheel used was a different diameter. It of course wouldn't match up to the starter, but that shouldn't be a problem. Mopar didn't use different bell housings from 48 - 50 did they? If the bell housing is the same then the starter has got to be in the same position to match up with the flywheel, right? So the flywheel diameter should be the same from the 1950 donor motor as the 1948 Plymouth motor. Also, The OD trans that I'm using is from a 50's driveline, so I'd think the 50's clutch and flywheel would be a correct match! Anyone have anything to add to my thinking or have a problem with my theory?

Don, My disc is 10" in diameter. looking at your flywheel, it appears as if there are other threaded holes just about a half inch farther out between the bolts mounting your clutch housing to your flywheel. I didn't pay much attention to my flywheel to see if there were another set of holes gone unused. Looking at your flywheel also leads me to believe the one I have has enough meat to resurface it. About 1/2" from the ring gear your flat surface starts whereas mine has the same step up as yours and another 1/2" from there starts another step of about 1/16" high. My guess is your 1/16" is ground down revealing a flat surface starting just past your ring gear.

I have a nice heated garage, but the cost of propane ($4-6 a gallon) have somewhat deterred me from keeping the shop warm enough to do anything. We have even cut back on heat in the house. I guess we have the money, but it's hard to just throw it away. Hence I haven't got anything done. I am in the process of getting things in order to install an overdrive before long though. I'm definitely looking forward to warmer temps.

Thanks but I already have that Don. I removed the trans and bellhousing from the spare motor I have. Also I disassembled the clutch guts. I must say that this is the first manual trans that I have had apart. I thought I should mention this. It's not that I thought it would be difficult but I was in a little bit of uncharted territory. I have had several automatics in and out before. The manual trans was not really any different. I am very surprised at the thin plate the clutch fiber discs are riveted too!! It seems very thin. I also noticed that it has the word relined on the disc. So it has likely been done before. Also the So I can now see different numbers different places on the clutch parts. Can anyone tell me where to look to see if this clutch will cross with 48 Plymouth?

Perhaps I will just pull the trans off and disassemble the bellhousing on the spare motor anyway. Then I can take pictures and I'll have measurements to compare with those who have been down this road before.

Is this a stupid Question?

I have a spare 1950 motor and trans (p20 I think) that is still assembled. My question is are the guts in the bellhousing (clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, throwout bearing) the same as my 48 p15? I assume it is but I want to be sure. I plan to take the guts out and have them rebuilt. That way when I install an OD trans sometime this spring I'll have everything ready to go without the car being down for some time waiting for the parts to be rebuilt. That's my plan anyway. It may not work out that way, but I'm going to give it a shot.

Holy Smokes!

That's all needed to hear.

Has there been quite a few forum members sending their clutches here to get them relined? Why? Are they very reasonable or what? Don had suggested this place to me also.

OH NO!! Paul I can't say anything that hasn't already been said.. Just be glad that things weren't any worse than they are now. Like everyone has said, Family is not replaceable! It will take time but all else will get back to normal. Prayers are with you and yours.

The state of ohio laws make it very difficult to get a title for a vehicle that has no title. It can take up to as long as two years to get a title for a vehicle. Some of my buddies know of cases where the guys have been frustrated to the point where they sold the vehicle before they got a title. It all depends on the state where the vehicle is.

The only problem with pushing snow is eventually you will run out of room if you get several snow storms in a row.

Question Do the rubber coated hooks hang on to the top of the door frame or the glass? After looking at it I guess it would have to hang from the door frame or the glass would get in the way of the exiting cool air, but what then keeps the contraption from falling inside the car if the window is down? I have seen them before, but never paid any attention to the mounting of one.

I wished I had that picture when I was trouble shooting my horn wire last spring. I was looking all over the column for the wire short of the gearing.

Sure wish I could get mine out. Rained all day today with more cold and snow on the way. At least the drive is about snow free now.

I finally got the chance to play out in the shop today. Haven't wanted to turn the heat up out there with the cold temps we have had lately, and I just haven't wanted to track through the snow to get to it. I have a excellent furnace, but with the house and shop using propane it gets expensive. I believe we made it up to 40 today and it allowed my heat pump to work instead of the furnace to the house so I didn't mind turning the heat on in the shop then. Boy was the shop a mess though from dropping stuff off and heading straight for the house all this winter. I think I spent two hours just cleaning up all the salt and gravel off the floor. Then it was on to my purpose for being out there in the first place. My dad and I have had a Cushman trickster for probably 30 years and I'm attempting to revive it. He also took it apart 30 some years ago. Luckily I think he has managed to find 90% of it. It's been apart for so long I thought I'd reassemble it before attempting to do mechanical or paint work. I must have spent two hours just trying to attach the rear leaf spring. What a chore that was. It's hard to collapse a leaf spring when there is no weight to it. I'm amazed at how stiff it is. At least now I know how to do it when I take it apart and reassemble it again. The motor and trans went together quite easy, but I found lots of bits that will need attention. This project is going to be difficult because you just can't buy reproduction parts for these like you can a Cushman scooter if the part is broke or wore out. Tomorrow I'm going to put the front end together and see where that gets me.

That's right! I was only thinking of the motor mount and not so much of the trans mount as most of them only mount at the rear. Also the original trans mount would be at the bell housing. I need to keep my comments to myself and think it through.

But these are the normal mount points for this particular motor and trans......right? anybody

I haven't actually seen the old window crank gears of these old cars yet, but I'd bet they aren't any different than cars 10 years newer or so. If that's the case, I doubt you will be able to take the case that holds the gearing together. Without taking the whole assembly out of the car you should be able to spray lithium grease just inside enough where the gearing meets the outside gearing. After spraying the gear rotate the crank while spraying the lithium at the same time. That will make sure the whole inside makes contact with the grease. You will be amazed at how different your window cranks will work.