DrDoctor

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Our ’46 Plymouth had no provisions for a front tag, either. In the state we live, there isn’t a front tag, so no problem. However, we had an old plate (a 1946 plate in good condition) from our home state, so I used a tag bracket from something (I don’t know what it came off of . . .), and made a bracket to mount it on the splash pan behind the bumper, in front of the grill on the passenger side. Certainly not original, but it looks almost original. Who knows, someone probably did something similar back then.

In my opinion, whichever path you take with this engine, magnafluxing should be the first step. If it reveals it’s got severe cracks in the block that render it unserviceable, that’ll be the determinant not to pour funds into it.

I understand the recommendation for the use of 6v alternator because of the halogen bulbs, if the bulbs are a higher wattage than the originals. If they’re not, as ours are, than I don’t see the necessity of an alternator. I can also understand that the power provided by an alternator may be more consistent than with a generator, especially when factoring in the draw of the other electrical components. But, given all of that, I still don’t see the need for a specific polarity, except when it comes to the original radio, which grounds thru its case, and reversing polarity will fry the radio instantly, rendering it permanently ruined (which is what a previous owner did to ours, so I know of what I speak . . .). So, other than specific scenario, I still don’t recognize, and from what I’m also told by electronics experts, the radio is the only determiner regarding polarity.

Our car is a 6v negative ground, and I installed halogen sealed-beams in is a few years ago. They work great—brighter, with less amperage draw, and the polarity is a non-issue. Further, I rewired the car about that time with a harness from Ron Francis Wiring. No problems whatsoever . . .

Our car is a 6v negative ground, and I installed halogen sealed-beams in is a few years ago. They work great—brighter, with less amperage draw, and the polarity is a non-issue.

Juliano’s sells seatbelt setups, but I can’t address whether their product would pass Germany’s stricter car codes. They may be able to tell you, but I don’t know how much they market overseas.

Oh, I agree with you whole-heartedly, Flatie46—if they expect contact, they should exercise due diligence to ensure that the feature to facilitate that contact is functioning. If they can’t, they should contact the site’s administrator. I’ve done that, and he’s most agreeable and helpful. Plus, he doesn’t object to “dumbing it down” for the “electronically challenged” such as myself. If, on the other hand, they just don’t turn the feature on, then you’re correct—is just a case of “oh well” . . .

I’d say the final decision depends on: how much, how fast, how far, you plan on driving the car; and how much you’re willing to spend on this particular component.

Two possible explanations: 1) they deliberately turned off the Personal Message feature (as I have . . .); or 2) they don’t know that it’s turned off, and/or don’t know how to turn it on. In either scenario—the result’s the same.

Take Note: the Personal Messaging feature works only if the person you’re attempting to PM allows that feature. If that individual has it disabled, your message will never get through. I know, because I had a negative experience with someone on this site, so I turned that off (also blocked that person), and viola, problem solved!!!

My experience with Chilton’s is that they’re too generic. When specifics are required, it’s best to get a factory manual specific to the vehicle in question, or a generic manual that goes into greater detail than typical with Chilton’s.

Yeah, what knuckleharley said . . . . . . .

As for the headlights—just put in a 12v sealed beam unit available from any auto parts store, and plug it in.

Have you looked in the service manual for that car??? Do you have the service manual for that car??? If not, that’d be the first thing that should be on your “gotta get” list. As for the specifics of your question—I can’t answer it with certainty, but knuckleharley can!!! And, in my opinion, what he doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing . . . Just my position.

As an addendum to my earlier comments—while the service manual may stipulate that the caster isn’t adjustable, as others herein have attested, it actually is—to wit: “Caster can be changed slightly by inserting a horse-shoe shim under the lower control arm pivot. There’s no "adjustment" [sic] per se. But, caster could, and can, be altered when new inner pivots are installed top and bottom, especially if this is done without an assembly jig.” (dpollo, Tu 27Jun2017, 9:33am EDT (approx)). Further, one must also keep in mind that the original alignment settings were designed for the usage of bias-ply tires, and in that arrangement, it worked rather well. However, with the advent of radial-ply tires (and their inherent sidewall movement resultant to their construction. . .), and the utilization of these tires on older automobiles that were never intended to have such tires installed, these settings have proven themselves to not be the optimum settings when using radial-ply tires. To “regain” handling characteristics, the setting of at least 1o-2 o positive degrees of caster accomplishes that.

I’ve never known of a front suspension that didn’t allow for caster/camber adjustments. Even Fords of the 40’s with their I-beam axels could be adjusted at shops that specialized in them—camber by actually bending the axel with really strong jacks on a frame jig, and caster by also bending the ends of the axel with really strong jacks on the frame jig. It’s been my experience that 2o-3o positive is plenty to keep the car tracking in a straight line, and thereby making driving the car much less work, and thus much more pleasurable.

I rewired our ’46 Plymouth Special DeLuxe club coupe using Ron Francis Wiring’s “Git It Runnin’” harness. It’s been in the car for a few years, and I’ve had absolutely no problems. The car is 6v, but was changed, (deliberately, or accidently—who knows) to negative ground, but since it worked just fine when we got it, I left it that way. Ron Francis’ products are top-notch, and their technical support is also top-notch. The car wasn’t a concours restoration when we got it, and it isn’t now, either. It’s a driver, and I’m more interested in dependability, and safety, than I am in originality, outwardly it appears original, and that’s what we’re after. Just a tho’t . . .

We have 205/75Rx15 tires all around on a ’46 Plymouth Special DeLuxe club coupe. The car had 5”x6” after-market wire wheels with what I assume have the same, or almost the same, offset as the original wheels. Since I don’t have, and never had, the originals, that’s only a SWAG . . . Anyway, on the back, there’s only an inch of clearance between the tires and their respective rear fender, and with radials, that’s about minimum for my comfort. As for the front, I wouldn’t want anything any wider, since turning at slow speeds is enough of a project that I don’t want to exacerbate that situation with larger tires. Clearance between the front tires and the front fenders is more than ample, but the car sits at, or near, stock height.

I’ve used Fatman’s stuff before, many years ago. I had nothing problems with the components, and their “technical support” was a joke—they either didn’t know much about the particular component, or didn’t want to deal with helping us with the problem, or (more likely . . .) both. So, if it a choice of Fatman’s stuff, or nothing—I do with go with nothin’!!! PS—I’m also not a fan of welded suspension components. I’ve had some negative experience in that regard, too.

Some states require a driver with less than six months experience to have a licensed driver in the front seat with them, and they can’t drive after dark. Also, after that first six month period, they can drive alone, but only with a state-approved sign on the back—“Novice Driver”, for the next six months. After that, they take another driver’s test with a local law enforcement officer, and if they pass, they’re issued a standard driver’s license. However, should they be pulled over in violation of any of the “learning/sign” restrictions, they lose all driving privileges for six months, and then have to begin the process all over again. Further, anyone here caught using a hand-held device, whether texting of talking, looses their driving privileges for one full year. If they’re involved in a traffic accident while using a hand-held device, whether texting of talking, they’re automatically charged with causing the accident, and they lose their driving privileges for one full year. Personally, I don’t think a year is long enough—it ought to be forever!!!

Our son, who’s in his late 30’s, lives in NYC, and doesn’t drive anymore. So, in our case—when is our child old enough to drive??? The short answer: NEVER!!!

I’ve done the same process as knuckleharley—put the hot lead from a good battery to the post, and the other lead from the battery to the case. If it spins, it’s good. I also do the same procedure when checking solenoids to make sure it “kicks”. This is especially done “back in the day”, when I used Chevy solenoids in doors as openers when the outside handles were removed.

I remember Lil’ John Buttera used a “seasoned” small-block Chevy block in his Indy car. I don’t recall, tho’, if it was out of an old school bus, a truck, or a car. He mentioned it, but I only met him the one time. . . . A lot of drag racers, including us, used blocks we took out of cars, because they were cheap, and they were “stable” (read that: seasoned).

Based upon what I was taught about pre-war (WWII) car models, and the immediate post-war (1946-48, generally speaking) models, the Packard (and I like that Packard) shown on the first photo is a 2-door sedan, and not really a coupe. For clarification—sedans typically had 1, 2, 3, or 4, doors (keep in mind the Model T began without a functional “driver’s” door, and then there’s the “Center Door” sedan) with the roof/top extending from just behind the cowl to the back of the body (“body” defined herein doesn’t include anything in front of the cowl). Coupes, on the other hand, typically had 1, or 2, doors (again, keep in mind the Model T began without a functional “driver’s” door), with the roof/top extending from just behind the cowl to behind the door(s), and not to the back of the body like a sedan’s. That’s why the coupe tops are often referred to as “turret tops”. Early coupes also only had one seat, whereas the sedan had two, or more. Then, came the “Club Coupe”, which had a back seat, albeit the early versions had an abbreviated rear seat, which necessitated the turret-top being extended to behind the second seat, but not to the back of the body like a sedan’s