Bingster

On my 1947 Desoto S-11 the engine block seems to have been red, and of course the manifold headers are rust. Red was factory for the engine block, I guess. But did they come from the factory with the manifold any particular color? I see Eastwood has silver manifold paint and that would look nice with a red block. There are a few brands of engine paint out there. Some cure with the heat and other not. What have you folks used?

It's a very rare find, these washers. Mine were rusted, and came in different sizes. I have a number that I need in that size.

Well, who but I will most often look under my hood, considering the car will sit inside its garage most of the time? And for those who do look at the engine compartment, nobody except another goofy Desoto owner who forgot to label parts would notice the head of a different bolt.

Well, up front right before the radiator there is a crossbar connected on either side by a hex bolt. The bolt on the driver's side has a solid head and the passenger side bolt has a recessed head. That may be a bit too close in proximity to be a different factory job, but who knows?

I've confirmed that somebody replaced some bolts. Probably during a paint job. Car was blue and now it's black.

After really looking at all the other bolts and screws from the car, I have come to the conclusion that the 10 bolts that I am talking about along the top edge of the fender shields are most likely replacements. Most of the other fasteners, their hex heads have the recess in the center. I'm not sure what you call that type of a hex head. Some hex heads have the washer built in. The beefier bolts are solid hex heads but then they're made to fasten heavier gauge metal parts of more critical importance. It's really not a big deal unless you're trying for show quality, which I am not.

So then, the bolts and fasteners would have been natural metal, seeing how the fenders and such had all been pre-painted before going on the line?

No. Good point.

I was looking at Thrashing Cow's photos of his S-11 on his thread, especially the bolts & washers, as I didn't label some of mine and I have a lot of research to do. Anyway, for example, I was looking at his front inner fender shields that bolt along the top to the fender, five on each side. His car has hex bolts with the recessed inner head and exterior teeth washers. But my car and another I've seen on here have beefier bolts with larger heads. My car also had interior teeth washers on these particular bolts. These S-11 Desoto's of this design were the same from 1946 to about early 1949 if my info is correct. So his should be like mine. Could this be a change from year to year, or Canadian vs. American models or Custom vs. Deluxe? Would a Custom have beefier fasteners in some places than the Deluxe models? Or maybe just a factory thing: they ran out of the other kind of bolts! It's a process going through the parts book and counting pieces and sizes and etc. etc. etc. In a way it's kinda fun, especially as I don't have the weather or money to do more major work.

Of course, the hollow sounding bang when closing is authentic to the era.

Thanks. I'll be doing that this summer.

While we're on the subject of compression tests. How much are the testers? Any better brand?

That's a good point about the lead in the oil. So where do you dispose of that oil after the first change?

I have some small castle nuts taken off bolts for my S-11 that I don't know where they came off of. What application in a smaller bolt would use one? And Who Is On First?

I know that there was a good thread on this subject because I copied it. Check in the search box.

Okay, I got the car up on four 8' 2X8's. But it doesn't seem like it wants to budge, at least with manpower. I don' think that the hand brake is on. It seems to be in neutral. Guess I'll have to gently pull it out with my little Ranger.

Great, thanks. I'll give it a try and let you know.

Thanks. Will the column shift respond without the clutch pedal?

The other question is: I've read that it doesn't make any difference what gear shift position the car is in because of the fluid drive coupling, the car will freely move wherever. Right? The clutch pedal has been removed.

Thanks. I'll try it.

A point well taken, Don.

I did have a flat tire and filled it. It's held air.

I was thinking of that and even pulled the jack under the rear bumper, but I wasn't sure where to jack it up. Differential? I guess if you say "each wheel" then there must be someplace on each side of the car. I'm trying very hard not to destroy something!

A tree is known by its fruit!

Was he a nice guy?