48 Desoto Project thread...

Then I decided to pull off the side cover...since I couldn't figure out exactly how the shift arms worked together. I now understand how things work but since I had the cover off I decided to replace one of the shifter seals that was leaking.

Here is the old seal, which is cork, and other parts...

Since I didn't have any original seals available I did a little brain storming and came up with a potential solution to my problem. I would dig into my jar of new/used misc O-rings and see if I could find one that would work. I did eventually find one. Then installed it and needed a very thin washer to cover it, and protect it from the movement of the shifter arm...so to my tin of misc washers.

Here it is...

No leaks yet...

thrashingcows · March 14, 2012

Well since the original E-brake system that came on my 3 speed tranny was incomplete I decided to use the complete system off the old fluid drive. Really it was not that hard to make things work.

Here are the original 3 speed brackets and small drum...

And here is the system on the original fluid drive...

thrashingcows · March 14, 2012

After cleaning up all the parts off the fluid drive tranny I then had to trim and shim out the original 3 speed bracket on the pass. side. And then trim the bracket on the drivers side and straighten it. Then it was install the bigger e-brake drum and band...line up the pass. side original fluid drive bracket with the other bracket and tack into place.

The the driver side I had to cut off one of the top mounting hole on the original fluid drive bracket. The it was line things up and tack it onto the cut and straightened original 3 speed bracket.

Then I adjusted everything and it all seems to work properly. Just have to remove everything and do a final weld on the brackets.

thrashingcows · March 14, 2012

And today i picked up my new Coker Classic 7.60 x 15, 3" wide white, Bias Ply tires.

Now I have to pull the old rims and tires...sand blast and repaint, before I can install these beauties.

Bingster · March 14, 2012

Outstanding photos, just fantastic!! They show so much of what I took off my '47 Desoto that I did not document.

Thanks so much for posting these. I hope they will be archived.

thrashingcows · March 15, 2012

Well as long as I don't loose my pic account on-line these will stay posted up. If anyone ever needs any specific pics just drop me a PM or e-mail and I can send you the pic.

falconvan · March 17, 2012

Very cool; the Desoto had the coolest looking front end of all the Mopars of that era; I think.

BeBop138 · March 17, 2012

Well as long as I don't loose my pic account on-line these will stay posted up. If anyone ever needs any specific pics just drop me a PM or e-mail and I can send you the pic.

Nice log book you got going----very clear pics----keep it up......Lee

thrashingcows · March 29, 2012

Been up to a bit more over the last week or so. Moved on to the next part in the hook up of the motor and tranny. I needed to see if I could make the current drive shaft work...or figure out if I had to get a new one made up.

Well here is the original drive shaft. It has a splined section at the front , near the tranny, that slides in and out with the movement of the rear suspension. The rear section is your standard U-joint style.

There is a threaded collar, and seal, at the front that helps keep the two pieces together...and provide a sealed area for the grease to be held. The splined section is about 2" long.

I initially installed the drive shaft unaltered and found that it was going to be short. Then I removed it and proceeded to be sad..thinking I was going to have to spend some big bucks on getting a new drive shaft made up. Then I had a thought....what if I unscrew the threaded stop, therefore giving the drive shaft more range of motion, and extra length. I did this and re-installed the drive shaft. I found the drive shaft only needed about an extra 1 1/4" (1.250") more length over stock, and the splines only extended about 1/4" (.250") past the threaded stop. Pic shows what it looked like.

Rusty O'Toole · March 29, 2012

The factory made different length front yokes for just this purpose. Maybe you can find a longer one to fit your shaft at a wrecking yard or driveshaft emporium.

thrashingcows · March 29, 2012

Well with the 1/4" (.250") of spline extended past the end it still left 1 3/4" (1.75") of spline in the drive shaft. I was concerned that the travel of the suspension would cause the splines to extended out too far and perhaps fall apart. So I first loaded up the car with as much weight as I could find...about 1000lbs of bricks, sand bags etc. Then jacked the back end way up and let the suspension hang at full extension. The splines only moved less then 1/4" in either direction. So I figured I'd be safe driving it this way.

But now I was faced with a problem. How do I keep the grease in and around the splines when I no longer have the threaded end and seal to do this for me. Man hours of thinking...I'm a trucker so have a bit of spare thinking time on my hands....I came up with an idea of using a replacement CV joint boot. I went down to the local jobber and asked them is I could get one with a 1 1/2" x 2" openings. He looked through the catalogs and could find anything with sizes or measurements. I was about to leave when another idea flashed into my head....how about a shock boot like they use on off road trucks?

So he ran up and got me a shock boot...I checked it out and figured it would do the job.

First I had to clean the two ends of the drives shaft, wanted to get all that old grease out of there.

Shock boot number...

The front part, or top of the boot was a little snug getting over the splines of the front yoke..but eventually with some grease, and a bit of luck, it slipped on and over. Then it was repack everything and slide the front yoke into the drive shaft....make sure to orient it properly before doing this...I didn't. Then I slipped the lower section down and over the cleaned exterior section of the drive shaft...again a little grease helped things.

I found that the boot was a little long. I ended up initially cutting off 5 ribs. and after final assembly...and installation I cut off one more.

thrashingcows · March 29, 2012

I also dis-assembled both U-joints. Some of the grease was hard as a rock, but all the needles were in great shape. SO everything just needed a good cleaning, the re-lube and assemble.

Here it is all done...

thrashingcows · March 29, 2012

I also go the 3 speed installed.

Here is a couple pics of the tranny and drive shaft.

I'm now working on the E-brake and the column shifter and clutch rods and mechanisms.

thrashingcows · March 29, 2012

The factory made different length front yokes for just this purpose. Maybe you can find a longer one to fit your shaft at a wrecking yard or drive shaft emporium.

That is great info. I will keep my eyes, and PM open if anyone can help...

thrashingcows · April 4, 2012

SO been working on things a bit more in the last week or two. I've finally got all the shifter and clutch linkage cleaned, lubed and installed.

Here is what the linkage looked like after removal and dis-assembly....

And since I was going from the old fluid drive, to a standard 3 speed I needed a shorter shifter linkage and adjustable clutch rod. Thankfully I had those piece from that 48 Dodge parts car I picked up a year or two ago.

Now everything cleaned and installed...and mostly adjusted.

And with the clutch pedal and MC assembly installed.

thrashingcows · April 4, 2012

Well I had been trying to come up with a solution to the E-brake cable problem. Since I made the fluid drive E-brake system work on the regular 3 speed transmission, the mounting points for the E-brake cable was in a totally different location from either of the factory set-ups.

So here I was with a fluid drive E-brake cable, mounted in a standard 3 speed mounting location, having to make up about 8" from the end of the cable to the e-brake assembly itself. I tried all kinds of neat and fancy things...even built a few brackets and coupler, but could not get the cable to pull nice and straight. I eventually decided I had to go more cave man.

I finally came up with a piece of chain run from the E-brake cable end to the e-brake assembly. Seems to work great now.

thrashingcows · April 4, 2012

And as of right now I'm working on the exhaust system. I will post up pics and info when that is done....hope you won't be too shocked and appalled by what I end up doing....

Frank Elder · April 5, 2012

And as of right now I'm working on the exhaust system. I will post up pics and info when that is done....hope you won't be too shocked and appalled by what I end up doing....

Mortified maybe....:Dbut never shocked and apalled:eek:nice adaptation with the chain.

Young Ed · April 5, 2012

Nice solution but Im a little perplexed about how you shortened your drivetrain and still ended up with a parking brake cable that was too short? Shouldn't the elimination of the fluid drive moved the parking brake closer to the firewall?

thrashingcows · April 8, 2012

Nice solution but Im a little perplexed about how you shortened your drivetrain and still ended up with a parking brake cable that was too short? Shouldn't the elimination of the fluid drive moved the parking brake closer to the firewall?

The E-brake system off the fluid drive mounts farther back on the transmission, then on the standard 3 speed. So on a fluid drive it mounts farther back along the drive line, the 3 speed mounts, as you said..."closer to the firewall". The cable itself is made to work with a short distance between the transmission mounting point, and the E-brake mounting pointon the fluid drive.

As well since I had to "adapt" the fluid drive E-brake system to the 3 speed transmission....a combination I don't think was ever offered along the assembly line...I had to combine the fluid drive, and 3 speed, mounting brackets to make things work.

I too had hoped things would have worked out a little better...but it's all working now so I will just go with it. Besides this is only temporary until I get my 8 3/4 shortened and installed in the next couple years....then I will have a rear drum e-brake system.

DJ194950 · April 8, 2012

I too had hoped things would have worked out a little better...but it's all working now so I will just go with it. Besides this is only temporary until I get my 8 3/4 shortened and installed in the next couple years....then I will have a rear drum e-brake system.

After install of the 8 3/4 you will need a LONGER chain to reach the new e brake cables!

thrashingcows · April 9, 2012

I too had hoped things would have worked out a little better...but it's all working now so I will just go with it. Besides this is only temporary until I get my 8 3/4 shortened and installed in the next couple years....then I will have a rear drum e-brake system.

After install of the 8 3/4 you will need a LONGER chain to reach the new e brake cables!

Now that's pretty funny....

thrashingcows · May 28, 2012

Well been busy working on the car the last couple weeks...but haven't taken the time to update regularly.

So I was working on the exhaust after my last update. I originally was going to try and run a true dual exhaust system. I had an old system from an 87 Dodge ram V8 truck. But after getting parts and pieces in under the car I decided it was not going to work. The stock panhard bar was going to mess up the drivers side pipe.

I then decided that I would go with a bigger single exhaust...so I bought an exhaust system from a 90's? Chevy diesel truck for $40. A little over kill at 2.75" but hey the price was right.

Compared to the original 1.75" pipe.

thrashingcows · May 28, 2012

Now the fun began. I started with the tailpipe. Got it up and in position as best I could...but that spare tire well made it hard to get it up too high though.

Once in place I had to find a way to mount it. Found that it was really close to the rear bumper bracket bolts...so I made up a nut and stud to thread onto the exposed threads of one of the bumper bracket bolts.

Then I could use a universal mount to run from the stud down to the pipe.

48 Desoto Project thread...

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