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steering wheel,dash+knobs,&radio


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Posted

Hey guys, just looking for some info on what is what on my 40 plymouth sedan interior. This is the way the car came when I got it but I'm not sure what the owner's before me did and I haven't had much luck on my search.

First is the the steering wheel on the car fits nicely but doesn't match any that are listed for a 40 plymouth on ebay. It's definately plymouth but maybe from a different model?

Second the knobs on my dash are all the same but not like any I've seen on a sedan or coupe. They are round and chrome but have no markings that indicate what they do. I have seen only one other plymouth with the same ones but it was a convertible. Are these plymouth or aftermarket?

Third the radio in my car fits the dash like it was meant to be there, the dash wasn't cut for it but speaker hangs on the firewall not in the dash and the dash plate is different from others that have a speaker in the dash. the radio says motorola on it. Is this a dealer installed option?

I've learnt that my car was the 101st car built on the ontario line in 1940 but was wondering if the interior was put together with what they had laying around. Anybody have any guesses on these things I'm just interested in learning about my old plymouth. Thanks

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Posted

Motorola was an aftermarket radio. The steering wheel looks like it could be a '46-'48 steering wheel or possibly '42. Good luck with the project. Good to see another Canadian Plymouth. It should have the 25 1/2' engine in it as well if it was made in Canada.

Posted

That's a Roadking P9 dash, the P10 was the deluxe model for '40. Picture is a P10 deluxe dash with the speaker in the dash. P10's came with a model 802 moterarola radio. Not sure what the P9's came with. I can come up with better pics if you need them.

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Posted

Just noticed that you have an overdrive trans, or at least the control for one. Pretty rare option for a '40 ply. With the early production of your car you must also have the cable contols of the transmission shifter. Were changed to rod controled shifting for later models. My P10 was built in march '40 in LA with rod shifting controls, have owed since jan '72.

Posted

Yes the car has overdrive. The shifter seems to have a cable that changes between reverse/first and second/thrid ranges but I bought the car as a basket case so I haven't driven it. I want to keep a flat six in the car but I may put in a T5 and pass the od on to a restorer that needs it more than me. Poking around the car a little more this morning and noticed wires going to the wiper motor. Has this been swaped out too I thought they were only vacuum? Anyone know?

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Posted

That wiper motor looks like it's factory install due to the brackets and the cloth covered wiring, do believe it's a correct option. Not many '40 plymouths came with an overdrive, don't know the model of the od but it's probally different than the R10 od's of the early '50s. Maybe someelse has more info.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

The overdrive has to be a later addition. Plymouth didn't get overdrive until 1952. Cars built for export overseas were fitted with overdrive but I don't know if Canadian built '40s could be had with O.D. Vacuum wipers were standard but Dodge and others higher on the Chrysler food chain got electric wipers so perhaps someone swapped from one of them. The steering wheel is P15 series (1946-early '49). The Motorola radio is aftermarket as pointed out in earlier posting. Canada actually had 3 1940 models compared to 2 in the USA. There was the low-line Road King, the Deluxe and for Canada - the Custom which included such items as fender skirts, etc. The Custom was more of a deluxe option package than a "real" series but they had all 3 in their sales catalogs.

Posted

Yes.....a P15 steering wheel, 1946-early 49.

Those Motorola aftermarket radios had the control head with dial in the

dash, then the box on the firewall with tubes and speaker in the box. Either

one or two cables ran from the head to the box.

There were two "factory" (uaually dealer installed) radios, the 602 and 802.

802 had more tubes and more pushbuttons. With either, the speaker went

behind the center chrome radio grille. No box on the firewall.

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Those round knobs remind me of some old Fords, but could be from

anything.

Posted

i haven't taken out the dash mounted part of my radio to see what it reads, but the big box full of tubes and other wizardry reads "Firestone Airchief".

anyone know this radio?

40plyrod: very interesting car you've got there! what are your plans on it?

Posted

40plyrod: very interesting car you've got there! what are your plans on it?

I'm planning to make it just a nice driver. I have already put disc brakes on the front (I've posted how I did that)and have put in a more modern rear axle. I plan on keeping the old six or finding a bigger six. The overdrive might stay if not I may try to install a t5 and pass the od on to someone who needs it. I'm not a real fan of the stock dash and my guages are in really bad shape so I'll modify it. (I'm still looking at that part) . I have a set of 39 plymouth tail lights I'll put on it(I like the tear drop shape) and a trunk brake light emblem off a 46 plymouth sedan that I'm going to modify to house a license plate lightand then smooth off the trunk a bit. I'm hoping when the car is done it'll still retain a fairly stock plymouth look to all except plymouth owners that will be able to see what I've done. My car was really rusty when I got it (I've replace the entire floor from the firewall to the trunk lid plus both rockers and tailpan) so I'm not afraid to personalize it a bit. I still have a lot of sheet metal to patch including driprails both sides lower doors bothsides lower rear fenders( you gussed it) both sides so it will be awhile before it sees the road again and that will be the first time I have driven it so I'm not sure what to expect.

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Posted

your metalwork looks good! still more to come, but i hope you make it to the end and enjoy the fruits:cool: the tech side should be fairly easy after all this welding. i bet you have a bit of a tan by now..

Posted

Fred, there is for sale now on ebay, a small brochure about the Airchief

radio.......here's the link to the ad. Don't know just how much helpful

info it contains, but at least it's something.

http://cgi.ebay.com/FIRESTONE-AIR-CHIEF-RADIO-Vintage-SAMS-PHOTOFACT-Folder-/360263002485?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item53e1592975

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There's also a service manual: http://cgi.ebay.com/FIRESTONE-AIR-CHIEF-DELUXE-MODEL-RADIO-SERVICE-MANUAL-/350330496208?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item51915324d0

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Posted
your metalwork looks good! still more to come, but i hope you make it to the end and enjoy the fruits:cool: the tech side should be fairly easy after all this welding. i bet you have a bit of a tan by now..

No worries about finishing and enjoying the fruits, my grade 11 metalwork teacher told me something that will stick with me forever. "Never give up on a dream for the time it will take to acomplish, that time will pass regardless". I know he didn't make it up but that was the 1st time I heard it and it stuck. As for the tan, I saw a car t-shirt that said it best, " I thought i was tanned turns out I'm just dirty"

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