Not a Trophy queen but...

[JR-39D11]

I'm not after trophies but it's nice to have all your hard work recognized. Winner of a local peoples choice award.

 

[desoto1939]

Nice 39 Dodge.  I have a 39 Desoto and I have the fender lamps also installed on my 39 Desoto. I found out that the same fender lamp was used on the export models and that the true export models used 12volt systems. This according to my 39 Desoto Parts catalog.  I like when the fender lamps are chromed and not painted the color of the car.

 

This set off the top of the fender. I turned mine into my front turn signals.

 

Rich HArtung

[JR-39D11]

Turning the fender lights into turn indicators is on my maybe list, I would have to find a true vintage 6v turn single switch first to consider it. My goal is to not have anything on the car that isn't pre war made or close to it.

[busycoupe]

Congratulations! You have beautiful car, I can see why it won the People's Choice award. I think that I would rather have that award than one for best paint or some other class.

Dave

[Reg Evans]

Sweet Dodge !  One of my favorite years.

[desoto1939]

Turning the fender lights into turn indicators is on my maybe list, I would have to find a true vintage 6v turn single switch first to consider it. My goal is to not have anything on the car that isn't pre war made or close to it.

JR:  I know that you want to try to keep is a 30/40 is style and that is great, but when trying to get the correct style you might give up some real safety issues.  Not sure if the 30/40's style had the 4 way flasher functionality.  The newer style do have this option and when being judged no club and even the AACA will take off for turn signals so long as they are done in a fashionable manner.

 

What are your thoughts about seatbelts. They were not available then so I guess you will not have them in the car.  Certain options and modern options like these out way the period correctness part just because of the safety aspect.  I even have a third brake light that goes on my back window via suction cups I know this is not period correct but every ones is now looking for the brake light to up high to be seen and this is also a turn signal assembly.

 

Just is just my thoughts about safety over period correctness.  I could see this if you were going for 100 point correctness and AACA and a Grand NAtional car but to me the safety aspect out trumps that.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[JR-39D11]

Not a concern for me. I'm not going after trophies or points, I like the fact that the car is a real survivor with vintage equipment. Most of the new stuff I see at the swap meets is Chinese junk that I will not put on car; I would do a turn signal if it's vintage period correct made equipment like I said but it's not a big concern.  I guess my tolerance for risk is higher, that might be do to the fact that I also ride a motorcycle. I can say that I feel safer in the Dodge that tops out at 65 even without it having seatbelts or turn signals on the freeway than I do on the bike so safety is relative. I've been driving classic cars for a long time without the bells and whistles, using hand singles to indicate my intent add that fact that this is a weekend toy that I drive much differently than I do with one with anti lock brakes and not in rush hour to work traffic or typically at night, etc...

 

Some folks are so concerned about safty they need to change the windshield glass, get rid of the stock steering column, change the brakes, swap out the bias plys for radials and probably a lot of other changes, I don't' find those cars with many changes as interesting at this point in my car life.   

[Bingster]

Beautiful car!  I think it is a Beauty Queen.

[David Strieb]

nice car, you can use a well placed on/off/on toggle switch for the turn signals, and an off/on toggle for the emergency flashers....David

[pflaming]

Or, just go OLD SCHOOL, roll down the window and use arm signals: arm up= right turn; arm out = left turn; arm down = slowing or stopping, that is unless you have wet finger nail polish! LOL

[TodFitch]

Or, just go OLD SCHOOL, roll down the window and use arm signals: arm up= right turn; arm out = left turn; arm down = slowing or stopping, that is unless you have wet finger nail polish! LOL

Sigh… I did have some people wave back at me the other day. There are getting to be more and more people who haven't got a clue about hand signals.

 

Almost makes me consider adding turn signals. I guess if I had two tail lights and external parking lights in front I would be more inclined to do it.

 

But… I seems that the majority of drivers in my area no longer use turn signals anyway. So maybe the easiest path is to join the crowd and simply stop signaling.

[Don Coatney]

Sigh… I did have some people wave back at me the other day. There are getting to be more and more people who haven't got a clue about hand signals.

 

Almost makes me consider adding turn signals. I guess if I had two tail lights and external parking lights in front I would be more inclined to do it.

 

But… I seems that the majority of drivers in my area no longer use turn signals anyway. So maybe the easiest path is to join the crowd and simply stop signaling.

Interesting that you bring the turn signal issue up. I am at a decision point in my re-wire. To add new sockets for dual filament bulbs to the front and install turn signals. I am sitting here with tools in hand preparing to do the front lighting wires and I still have not made up my mind on what way to go. I know that if I don't do turn signals now I will most likely have regrets later. I will make the final decision once I disassemble the front lights to see what all is involved.

[BigDaddyO]

Sigh… I did have some people wave back at me the other day. There are getting to be more and more people who haven't got a clue about hand signals.

 

Almost makes me consider adding turn signals. I guess if I had two tail lights and external parking lights in front I would be more inclined to do it.

 

But… I seems that the majority of drivers in my area no longer use turn signals anyway. So maybe the easiest path is to join the crowd and simply stop signaling.

There seems to be only one hand signal people recognize these days, that's the "Number One" signal. I get that a lot but try to not let it go to my head.

[james curl]

Don, I used some plug in sockets from the auto parts store help section, they use the small bulb dual filament bulbs which fit into the front parking light buckets.  You can take your parking light bucket to the auto parts store to find a unit that will fit.  If I remember right I had to file a notch in both sides of the opening to get the clips on the sockets into the hole, but it wasn't anything that was hard to do.  I did that 20 some odd years ago so my memory might have slipped a little since then.

Edited July 25, 2014 by james curl

[Don Coatney]

Don, I used some plug in sockets from the auto parts store help section, they use the small bulb dual filament bulbs which fit into the front parking light buckets.  You can take your parking light bucket to the auto parts store to find a unit that will fit.  If I remember right I had to file a notch in both sides of the opening to get the clips on the sockets into the hole, but it wasn't anything that was hard to do.  I did that 20 some odd years ago so my memory might have slipped a little since then.

Thanks James. I am working on getting the buckets out.

[pflaming]

Things just don't add up these days.  "Signing" is coming in and "hand signals are going out?.  It's just hard for us old timers to figure it all out. 

[Young Ed]

Things just don't add up these days.  "Signing" is coming in and "hand signals are going out?.  It's just hard for us old timers to figure it all out. 

That is true we've been teaching Leo sign language and I'm sure we'll continue that.

[pflaming]

I was too far into the '54 to quit when I bought the '53. The ''53 is a complete car while the '54 is a rolling body only, not engine, tryanny, heater, etc, etc. Well I now have all those parts for it so the first level of work is done once I do the welding on the body and the reultant body work.

So that will likely go on hold and I will do the '53.

So really pretty much have what I need to finish both suburbans aside front discs, king pins, ets. Of course the engine will take a few bucks als.o

So I have enough work for two winters.

[BobT-47P15]

Don.........I did not put dual filament bases in my parking lights.........I just took them loose from the car lighting system, and

hooked them up as turn signals only.  

 

Also, I have a turn signal from the 1950s that has a rubber cancelling wheel that contacts the back side of the 

steering wheel.  So my signal unit is about as vintage as you will find, short of the original.  

[Don Coatney]

That is true we've been teaching Leo sign language and I'm sure we'll continue that.

How did you learn to sign? Great idea teaching Leo to do so.

[sig]

gorgeous!---thats a trophy queen in my book ! xxxxx

[Young Ed]

How did you learn to sign? Great idea teaching Leo to do so.

Mostly from the same dvds he learned from.

[JD luxury liner]

Very NICE!! More pictures?

Thanks JD 

[Jerry Roberts]

It is nice when the infants can communicate even before they can talk . Hungry , drink , more , and so on .