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James_Douglas

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Posts posted by James_Douglas

  1. I grew up in my mothers 1949 DeSoto Convertible. It was solid as a rock and ran forever. I also grew up in my Dad's 1964 Chrysler 300K. It was used hard until about 1973. My mom needed a car in 1973, a couple of years after my father died and as she did not have a lot of money the local Chrysler dealer sold her a 1971 Plymouth 4-door satellite with a 318 and very low miles.

    That Plymouth was a pile of @hit. Nothing but trouble. By 1975, as I was 15 then and handy with tools, I pulled the Chrysler 300K out of the barn and after dealing with the wiring (rats) that car ran fine. I tore it down to rebuild it in the late 1980's when it had 500,000 miles on it!

    How did they go from building cars like the 300K to the Plymouth in six years. If they don't get their act together, they deserve to die off as a company.

    I am waiting to see if the new Hardtop Challenger is going to look good and be good. I may break down and buy a new car for the first time in my life. That is if Chrysler is smart enough to build a bunch of them and take a small profit on each.

    They are stupid however, and will make a few with big markups and have no impact on their market share.

    James

  2. Some of you know from past postings my foray into trying to make a box that allows those of us with original electrical and radios to have nice tunes.

    For the rest of you, here goes the tale.

    Working with a person who builds Am modulators for the antique radio crowd I had him make a prototype of an AM modulator that would work on 6 to 12 volts and positive or negative ground.

    The unit had to be high quality with gain and sensitivity controls. It also had to have the ability to select the frequency which it would broadcast on. It also had to not interfere with the stock radios ability to play normally.

    After about a year of development and testing, we were ready to market. We needed about 25 people to commit to an order so that we could have the circuit boards manufactured. They were going to cost about $$275 each at retail.

    I could not get enough people interested, so the project was dropped.

    If I were to make some up by hand the cost of my time would make them very expensive.

    That's the story. Best, James

    Too bad...the iPod and the modulator are made for each other.

  3. I like the warm sound of the stock radio. But, I hate AM radio.

    I built, through a guy I know, an little box that runs on 6/12 volts. Whatever I plug into the box (CD, iPod, MP3, XM) that uses a jack that can covert to RCA works just fine.

    The original radio plays just like normal as well. A digital signal with the tube radio sounds real smooth.

    Ask Don C, who heard it when he was out here.

    James

  4. Hi,

    If you look at a thread with photo's from Don's visit with me, you can see that I used an off the shelf Edelbrock foam air cleaner. What I did was to weld a plate across the bottom and then cut a hole in it to fit the clamp of original air cleaner. A shot 2" piece of exhaust pipe was used to connect the two.

    Worked like a charm. I have an extra original filer neck cut out and waiting should I ever decide to run duels again.

    Best, James

    http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=1468&highlight=san+francisco

  5. Don,

    I hope to heck I don't need the actual shift handle and shaft!!

    But, If you send out everything else, I will have it on hand when the time comes in case I need anything to do the trans swap in a hurry.

    When done, I will send the unused stuff back with an appropriate addition or two.

    Thanks, James

  6. I am biased when it comes to leaf springs. They are engineered to exacting specifications as to load and rate.

    I have seen many of the shops supply replacement springs over the years by just guessing the load and rate specifications based on the length, thickness, and wide of the springs.

    The problem with this is of course you don't get the correct spring. Therefore, I urge you to ask any spring maker for the Load and Rate specifications for your car.

    If they don't have it or say it is not important then go elsewhere.

    I have used Eaton Detroit Springs as they have the original blueprints and you can ask them for the specifications and if there was any alternate specifications available.

    In my case for the Suburban there was 2 different sets of springs available. When I get around to getting new springs I can pick which one I want and/or specify something different.

    If you want a correct ride and correct suspension action, don't cheep it out on springs.

    Best, James

  7. Ok Here is the thing:

    Yesterday I took the car out in the AM to eat. I ran it on the boulevard up to 45 MPH and you could hear the sound real good between 30 and 40.

    My friend stuck his head down to the floor boards while driving (No SF jokes please) and told me the sound appeared to be coming from the lower drivers side of the engine.

    We ate breakfast and headed home. On the trip home the sound lighten up somewhat. The last 2 days have also had a higher ambient temp that the last week when the sound started.

    Once home I did 2 things. I changed the oil and the filter. I put in a new set of spark plugs.

    I started up the car and let it warm up real good and took it for a run around the block. I did not hear the sound. I parked it.

    Today I took the car out and ran it hard around town up to about 45 MPH and I can not hear the sound. Hot or cold.

    The sound was very noticeable and now it is gone. The only things done were oil, filter, and plugs.

    What was it ?

    James

    PS, the fluid coupling is still vibrating like heck. I sent George a $500 deposit on a trans and will change the coupling when I get the new trans.

  8. This is not legal...

    1. You call special processing at Sacto DMV and read them a plate number to make sure it is not in the system. Thank them...and mention to them you will go buy that orginal plate from a dealer

    2. You go to the local DMV office and order a personalized plate with that number.

    3. You have someone make you a set of original plates with that number.

    4. You put the personalized plates in the trunk and the yellow ones on the car.

    If a cop runs the plates it comes back as it should. I doubt anyone would ever figure it out....

    James

  9. I can not imagine that someone could make a set of plates from scratch which is identical to the original plates for less than $200. Their labor time along would add up to that.

    In any event, the law is the law and you would not want to get your car impounded and have to face a forgery charge for the difference between $200 and $400 for an original set of plates.

    I got my 1947 plates for about $200 from a dealer. They were brand new old stock still in the original envelope.

    James

  10. James,

    On your web page you have a picture of an "unknown part" from your 1947 Desoto. Maybe you already know what it is, but if you don't, I recently purchased on Ebay what was described as a turn signal circuit breaker for Chrysler, Desoto, Dodge and Plymouth. Here is the description and a picture of what I bought. It looks like one of your "unknown" parts.

    Jim Yergin

    "This auction is for a new old stock Klixon circuit breaker for Mopar CDPD vehicles, part number 1161568. This is a turn signal breaker for 1946-48 Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, and Desoto and break circuit breaker for 46-48 Dodge."

    Jim, Did the thing come with any instructions ? Best, James

  11. :confused:Hi All,

    I friend called the other day who I sub-contract from now and then. He needed me to step into a company that just fired their CTO (Chief Technical Officer). This will be for about a month or so.

    The problem is that it is south of San Francisco. So I have been running the Desoto down there every day.

    Yesterday a noise started that sounds like it is in the engine. It could be in the fluid coupling, but I don't think so. It sounds like a few playing cards, clipped onto a bicycle. {With 4.11 gears} It starts at about 30 MPH and gets faster as I go faster. By 50 MPH you can not hear it as the period between the “clacks” is so short that is fades into the louder engine noise.

    It seems most pronounced in 4th gear at about 40 MPH. I have disengaged the clutch at this speed and let the engine idle and the sound stops. You can hear the sound stopped if you rev it up, but I have not had time to open the hood and take a listen.

    What do you folks think?

    Best, James

  12. Hello Everyone,

    I am sending George a Deposit for him to build me a 3-speed with overdirve and retain the fluid drive. It will have one of his fast 2nd gears as well as the HD bearings.

    I am sending George my large Desoto e-brake so he can fit it to the OD unit. The OD units all had smaller e-brakes than the desoto-chrysler.

    The one item that I need to nail down is the proper length and shape of the linkage.

    Could folks with the 3-speed post some photos of the linkage. If anyone has linkage off the car, some photos with a tape messure along it would help as well.

    Now, this is not a need it now item as George is heading to Florida for a month or more, so I am not looking at getting the unit from him for a couple of months.

    Thanks everyone. Best, James

  13. James;

    Makes me glad I will be out of town when you buy the new sun scope so I do not have to help you carry it upstairs to store it!:D

    Chet is in town and we may go to Joes to eat tomorrow night if you want to join us. I will call you tomorrow if Chet is in agreement.

    Hi Don,

    Tomorrow Night is Open, Just let me know...James

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