Powerhouse Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Does any hand crank there car to start? I saw a 39 ply crank for sale...but the radiator is in the way behind the crank port...how does that work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 In my 46 pickup the crank goes just below the radiator to the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 I have a NOS front radiator nose piece that has the crank hole and also the crank hole cover for my 39 DeSoto. The one on my car does not have the crank hole and crank hole cover. and I also have a second nose piece that also does not have have the crank hole. I the master parts book from 36-42 and it lists a hand crank but as you stated on your 39 Ply the lower radiator prevents you from inserting a crank into the crank shaft end of the vibration damper. There is a clutch for this but this is still a left over from the early to mid 30's With the advent of the electric starter and the push button stater swith or the floor mounter push rod the hand crank was baiscally eliminated. If you remember Dr Ketting from the Slone Kettering Hospital invented the electric start and I think it was for the Cadallac's if I remember correctly or it might have been another major high price car. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Well, that was most informative. Funny that they had a hole for it but not really.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 My 1933 has a hand crank that I use to turn the engine over to TDC when doing tune ups. I have on occasion started the car that way just to say I've done it. Frames changed slower than front sheet metal (the crank goes through the frame under the radiator). So I would not be surprised if there were one or more years where the frame was setup for the crank but the front grill did not have the opening. At least in the early 1930s look for a medallion at the bottom of the front grill. That covers the crank hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 No fancy cover just a hole. The new for 39 trucks had a piece of stainless that covered the hole. People must have complained because they abandoned that for 40-47. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 My '41 Plymouth has an opening in the front grill that is filled with a removable piece to allow the insertion of a crank and the crankshaft pulley has the "ears" to accept a crank. Here is a picture of the grill showing the opening. I use it with my socket wrench extension to turn a socket on the crank when I need to rotate the engine. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 I was going to ask whom had actually hand cranked there Mopar flathead 6 but I now know Tod Fitch has done the deed. How much longer before the cast can be removed:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 I was going to ask whom had actually hand cranked there Mopar flathead 6 but I now know Tod Fitch has done the deed. How much longer before the cast can be removed:D The Plymouth L-6 engine is not very prone to backfire. So it is safer to hand crank than some other cars. The real horror stories appear to mostly be on cars which have manual spark control: If you have the lever set to advance the spark when you try cranking it you can be in for a world of hurt. 1. Always grip the handle with your thumb on the same side as your fingers. 2. Always pull the handle toward you. That way if it backfires it will pull the handle out of your hand and you are likely to fall backwards away from the spinning crank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 The massey harris tractor I learned to drive on was a magnetto ignited hand cranked engine. Switch mag to on, Open the throttle about 1/4, set the choke, set the lever (I guess it was spark advance now that I think of it) to the start position. Grasp crank and give her a pull. It was only 20 HP and probably about 4 to 1 compression ratio when I was dealing with it. when it started, open choke, set the lever to run no load, and do your thing. when you hooked onto something you set the other lever to run with load. Wonder if it was a governor setting???? Only time it was a problem was when it was 10 degrees or colder. then we pulled it with an electric sart tractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blackstone Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 I nave a neighboor who says on his 50 something Dodge truck there is a hole to insert a hand crank. He's not even as old as his truck so I'm sure he has never cranked. Boss Kettering of DELCO(Dayton Electrical Company, Ohio) invented the self starter system in his garage(barn) which is preserved here in Dayton. Humble beginnings but we keep 'em flying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 August 29, 1876 Electric starter inventor is born Charles F. Kettering, inventor of the electric starter, was born on this day in Detroit. Kettering, along with Edward A. Deeds, founded Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company). He and his company invented countless improvements for the automobile, including lighting and ignition systems, lacquer finishes, antilock fuels, and leaded gasoline. The Cadillac was the first car to use the electric starter, and Delco would later become a subsidiary of General Motors. Incidentally, Kettering also invented the first electric cash register before he started working on cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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