MarcDeSoto

My cylinder has a 1" bore. I checked the DeSoto Parts List and they don't say what the bore is. The kit sellers don't say what the bore is on their kits. I think my master cylinder is original. Are you saying the original master cylinders for these cars were 1 1/8" bore? Also how do you remove the plunger from the cylinder. There is nothing a grab hold of. I could unscrew the back end of the cylinder and push it out, if that is the way you do it.

I'm working on my 48 DeSoto's brakes and I ordered this master cylinder kit: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brake-Master-Cylinder-Repair-Kit-Professional-Grade-Raybestos-MK143/252631329239?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 I thought the plunger in this kit looked a little wide, but I thought that is just the photography. When I got the kit today, I check to see if the plunger would go in my master cylinder and it was about 1/8" too wide! So I called my local NAPA store and they said they had the kit in stock, so I went there with my old plunger to compare. The NAPA kit looked identical to the Ebay kit in that the plunger was too wide. I have a repair kit I bought in the 80s, but decided not to use it due to the O ring on the plunger had some age cracks. Has anyone ordered a master cylinder kit lately and did yours fit? Thanks. Marc.

I just bought these PVF (polyvinylflouride) brake lines for my 48 DeSoto. They sound great and are easier to bend and form. All the pieces are pre-cut to length and flared. This company also sells the traditional stainless steel lines. Has anyone used the PVF lines before? Marc. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rustproof-Brake-line-kit-Chrysler-DeSoto-1946-1947-1948/362088815248?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D47227%26meid%3D950715f5dee04c32829ac5b78d9a7379%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dlo%26sd%3D362088815248&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A4f662ea7-991c-11e7-a9ca-74dbd1809bac%7Cparentrq%3A7f3ceca615e0ab14de9fb396fffde87b%7Ciid%3A1

Maybe I'll come this year? I went to Hershey a few years ago, and the first three days were solid rain! I didn't even go. Then on the fourth day, the rain stopped, so I went. I always thought that I would see row after row of old cars for sale there. But mostly what I saw was just a very good car show. Did I get a false impression of Hershey that year? Marc.

What do you fill your fluid drive these days? Last I heard, it was Ford automatic trans. fluid. IS this still correct? marc.

Yes, 42-48 sill mats are different in size and shape from 49-50 sill mats which are smaller.

For the side without studs, you could use heavy duty two sided tape. that's what the Ebay seller said to use and he said the sill isn't going anywhere when you use it. I don't know what kind of tape that is, but when I learn, I'll report it. I bought the sill mats on Ebay, but I contacted the seller at the listed phone number and saved $35 off the Ebay price. These mats don't have any studs and are not meant to be mounted over the metal plates. That's why I bought them because they don't dry out and chip like rubber and my metal plates were bumpy and I didn't want bumpy sill mats.

Did they come with new metal and studs or did you have to send your originals? With the Ebay sill mats, you don't need the studs or metal. Who is Dennis Bickford and does he have a website?

I was going to ship my sill mats to Hunley Acuff who will remove the old rubber from the metal plates and vulcanize new rubber on the plates for $250. There is also a seller on Ebay who makes sill mats out of an indestructable urethane that you put on with glue strips, so the metal is not needed. Does anyone know of the quality of either of these vendors? Here is a link to the Ebay seller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1942-48-Chrysler-DeSoto-Dodge-DOOR-SILL-MATS/112537448177?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D47227%26meid%3D0a7765158f5348d49ca13ef8fa7b795a%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D292248905806&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Ac908ade7-9726-11e7-a65c-74dbd1801ea1%7Cparentrq%3A7266219e15e0a86c4fb4dd07fffcbebf%7Ciid%3A1

"The smartass reply to removing the glass - very carefully. " That's very true Donald and the hole in the palm of my hand right now proves it! I was hammering a sharpened screw driver to cut out the rubber tape from the channel so I could get the glass out. Suddenly, the screwdriver slipped and went into my left palm about 1/4" deep! Ouch!!! Now, Donald I have another smartass answer to this. Don't try to take the glass out of the bottom channel. Buy new window channels. They already have the roller wheels on them. Andy Bernbaum may have them for $125 a pair, but I have to call to verify that he has the right ones for a 1948 DeSoto.

The video above is good, but doesn't show how to remove the glass from your door or how to attach, or detach, the window regulator arms to the window frame. I just removed my window from the door, so I can tell you the window channel frame is connected to the regulator with two spring clips that are located behind the discs that roll in the regulator. I was able to remove them with a slot screwdriver, but it took some work to do it. Then you pull the window up with the wheel assy. coming out first through that wide spot that the video talks about. Then you pull the window all the up so you can slant the other end wheel out of that same wide spot too. Now I have the window out, but don't know how to remove the glass from the frame. A friend told me to get a dremel tool and grind it out. I don't know if there is a better way?

Looks like I found the place that gives the right info for my problem. The 41 Plymouth door is very similar to my 48 DeSoto door. Thank God for Youtube. You can't find this info anywhere, not even on sites like this!

I just bought a new door glass for the driver side door on my 1948 DeSoto 3-window coupe. The glass looks good and I got it from the Ebay glass seller for $45. The pic they show in the ad is not shaped like my door window, but that is just a generic photo, not the glass you will get. The door is hard to open because the rotary lock gets stuck and the outside door handle sags down. Does this mean I need a new door latch assembly? also the window won't roll down and I saw that one of the window wheels or rollers broke off and was at the bottom of the door. I have looked for repair instructions for car doors and can't find anything. does anyone know where I can find the parts as well as the instructions for replacement? Thanks, Marc.

Here are some blow up pics of a 48 Dodge, but for even better blow ups, get a Dodge D-24 Parts List. http://www.route66hotrodhigh.com/TechSheets/pdf/Dodge1946-48.pdf

No it was red. It was the one where I took the pic from the front with the hood opened. I added some additional pics to that post that show the truck in side view. Dan, that's a beautiful car! With Hudson and Terraplane, even the 4 door sedans are gorgeous! Keep it rolling! Marc. p.s. The Hudson club is one of the greatest!

That's great work, the kind of work most of us DIY's are afraid to even try. Are you going to buy repro DeSoto rocker panels? Or make them yourself?

That's right! I got tons of pics too of those conventions including a great looking 46 Hudson pickup. Unfortunately I can't post here with a 3 MB limit. Marc. To see some pics go here: http://forums.aaca.org/topic/297793-desoto-and-hudson-conventions-awesome/

I haven't attended a National DeSoto convention since 1991, but I was very impressed with the DeSoto convention in San Diego this weekend. The cars were just awesome with about 40 on display. It proved to me that the single marque original car club is not yet dead. It was amazing when at the awards banquet one of the hosts started talking about the origins of DeSoto and introduced Hernando DeSoto himself in full armor, helmet, and battle axe to address the convention!!! It turned out that San Diego had an advantage with that since San Diego was discovered by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and our "Hernando" portrays him on the replica of Cabrillo's ship in San Diego harbor. Just 20 miles away in Poway was the Hudson, Terraplane, Essex convention which was even more impressive with about 85 cars on the field. I've never thought much about Hudsons before because you never see them. But you sure could see them here in fantastic restored condition. I never knew Hudson's were so beautiful!

Chrysler and DeSoto shop manual say if the solenoid stops working go to your local DeSoto/Plymouth dealer and buy a new one. And tell 'em Groucho sent you!

Reminds me of a 46 Pontiac I saw back in the 80s in Coronado, advertising a restaurant I think. it was two Pontiacs cut in half and welded together so it had two front ends!!! Hey if it's a taxi, it should be a DeSoto.

Don, I think you missed the point I was trying to make. what I was saying is when you are talking about a coupe, either a business coupe or a club coupe, the prefix "two door" is redundant and not necessary, except for those who don't really know what a coupe is. I've seen many two door sedans described as coupes by their sellers. Two door sedan is necessary because you have to differentiate it from the four door sedan.

Don I bought the magnet base and dial indicator. How do you center the magnet base for the measurement? do I need to remove the clutch and fluid drive first ? Marc.

Don, what is that micrometer connected to? Is it a trans. main shaft? Marc.

I have already installed the clutch housing, or bell housing as some call it, but now I'm worried. The shop manual says that you need Special Tool C-870. This is a tool that bolts onto the crankshaft flange bolts before the Fluid Drive is installed. The tool has a long rod that sticks out of the housing. Mounted on the rod is a micrometer that measures for out-of -round of the clutch housing bore, which should measure no more that .005", and the rear face of the housing, which should measure .002". You measure the clutch housing bore by turning the crankshaft one revolution. If it is out of the spec, you loosen the dowel pins and tap the housing until it is within spec. The manual says that if you fail to do this, you will get hard shifting and sometimes gear disengagement. If I can't get this tool, is this something an alignment shop could do? I do have a spare transmission main shaft for this car which is how I aligned the clutch to install it. Thanks, Marc.

Here's a shout out to Dave and Alex for owning two fine three window coupes. I don't quite understand why some people call these "2-door business coupes"? Does that mean there are 4-door business coupes? I don't think so. A coupe by definition can only be two door. I also own a 48 DeSoto 3 window coupe like Dave. It is still under restoration, so I need to get it going. Marc.