Some help on my 1948 D24

[48 Dodge Guy]

Hey folks...

I'm hoping I might get some advice/help on a few things to complete my 1948 Dodge Town Sedan. My dad and I bought this back in 1972 when I was 11 and it's been up on blocks for more than 40 years. 47,500 original miles on it. It's a beaut! But clearly, after that many years of sitting, it needs pretty much everything and so it's been a process over the past few months since my dad shipped it up to me.

 

My mechanic says I need a heater control valve . I bought the manual valve by mistake (looks like a spigot) so that's gotta go back. I understand there is a guy out in California that rebuilds them. Any leads? Cause I haven't been able to find a replacement online.

 

The clutch needs to be rebuilt. There's a guy in Kentucky that seems to know what he's talking about and will do a rebuild for $150. Kentucky (KY) Clutch. Anyone know of them?

 

Also, my car has a dash light socket on the far left of the dashboard. There's a starter button, the windshield wiper fluid button in the middle and this open socket that I understand once had a red jeweled cap on it. I'd like to find a complete one or something close, if anyone has a clue. Most people don't know what I'm describing when I mention it.

 

I need to get the clock working again... any recommendations who might do repairs on that?

 

And... finally... the radio. It would be cool to have it operating again, obviously, but I don't know if I would ever listen to it. There's nothing worth listening to if I were to turn it on. I mostly only listen to 30's and 40's music. Is there a way to retrofit an MP3 player or hook up a hidden CD player through the existing speaker? It'd be neat to have old music and radio shows playing. Pipe dream?

 

Thanks guys!  Glad this place exists for guys like me.

 

Bill Daugherty

[Frank Elder]

Less pictures of you and more of the car......lol.

Am curious about the red jeweled socket. Plymouthy Adams is our town Sedan man, Don Coatney is your clutch guy, Hemmings Motor news has all kinds of Radio repair and modern upgrade vendors. Casper50 has gone thru his clock and has it working.....personally the quartz conversion seems a better option to me.

Did I say more pictures?

Try Andy Bernbaums or Roberts motor parts or vintage power wagon for heater valves.

Buy a copy of Hemmings motor news and read it from front to back for vendors.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Frank Elder

[keithb7]

Heater control valve for interior heat temps? If you are interested this valve is easily by-passed. You can turn off heat in the sumer with a valve on your cylinder head. In the spring/fall you can control cab temps with the fans as well all the fresh air cowl vent. Summer you just turn it off. Unless you want it all working like stock. Just be prepared to pay...These valves aren’t cheap. 

[John Reddie]

Welcome. I love these Dodges and owned a '48 four door sedan back in my youth. As long as I kept the engine oil topped off, it would go anywhere and was great in snow conditions with the fluid drive. I would leave it in 3rd and it would pass the newer cars spinning up the hills.

John R

[Dave72dt]

Kentucky Clutch has been used by any number of members here and has always received positive feedback.  The red jeweled cap may or may not be hard to find.  I'm not familiar with it.  I do know that some of the older Allis Chalmers tractors 180, 185, 190, etc did use a domed red cap on their low oil pressure indicator light.  That cap had external thread, maybe was about 1/2 " in diameter.  Try an AGCO dealer if it sound like it would work.

[Don Coatney]

This is the recommended clutch people.

 

[48 Dodge Guy]

8 hours ago, Frank Elder said:

Less pictures of you and more of the car......lol.

Am curious about the red jeweled socket. Plymouthy Adams is our town Sedan man, Don Coatney is your clutch guy, Hemmings Motor news has all kinds of Radio repair and modern upgrade vendors. Casper50 has gone thru his clock and has it working.....personally the quartz conversion seems a better option to me.

Did I say more pictures?

Try Andy Bernbaums or Roberts motor parts or vintage power wagon for heater valves.

But a copy of Hemmings motor news and read it from front to back for vendors.

Thanks for the reply, Frank

 

And for the name dropping. I'll try to track these guys down.

I'm happy to post more pics. I just figured anyone reading this would already know what a black 1948 Dodge sedan looks like  : )

I could pick up a copy of Hemmings, I suppose, and read it from front to back but I would still be flying blind without recommendations from guys who have actually been where I am. Hence my post, Frank.

 

Again, thanks for the quick response and here are some pics as per your request. (Note: the first pic of the dashboard is mine with the empty switch/socket on the left. The following pic I found on the internet that appears to have the intact jewel capped switch in place)

[48 Dodge Guy]

5 hours ago, keithb7 said:

Heater control valve for interior heat temps? If you are interested this valve is easily by-passed. You can turn off heat in the sumer with a valve on your cylinder head. In the spring/fall you can control cab temps with the fans as well all the fresh air cowl vent. Summer you just turn it off. Unless you want it all working like stock. Just be prepared to pay...These valves aren’t cheap. 

 

Thanks Keith

I am looking to do a faithful restoration using original parts. It's a survivor and we only paid $325 for it back in the day. I figure I can put a bit more in it to get it back on the road   

[48 Dodge Guy]

5 hours ago, John Reddie said:

Welcome. I love these Dodges and owned a '48 four door sedan back in my youth. As long as I kept the engine oil topped off, it would go anywhere and was great in snow conditions with the fluid drive. I would leave it in 3rd and it would pass the newer cars spinning up the hills.

John R

 

Thanks for the welcome, John!  And yeah... I've dreamed about driving this puppy since I was a little boy. The closest I've come so far is steering it while it was being hauled up my folks' rear-entry garage driveway in Missouri. With any luck, after the clutch and radiator are done and I get new tires on it, I'll be tooling around in it sometime in July.

[48 Dodge Guy]

4 hours ago, Dave72dt said:

Kentucky Clutch has been used by any number of members here and has always received positive feedback.  The red jeweled cap may or may not be hard to find.  I'm not familiar with it.  I do know that some of the older Allis Chalmers tractors 180, 185, 190, etc did use a domed red cap on their low oil pressure indicator light.  That cap had external thread, maybe was about 1/2 " in diameter.  Try an AGCO dealer if it sound like it would work.

Hey Dave

Thanks for the insight. Yeah... I think it's a switch that turns right and left for on and off and the base of the old bulb is broken off inside it. If we can get that out and put a bulb in it, we'll be able to tell a bit more about what kind of dome it needs. I will definitely look into your suggestion!  Thanks   

[48 Dodge Guy]

31 minutes ago, Don Coatney said:

This is the recommended clutch people.

 

 

Thanks for the recommendation, Don!

 

[48 Dodge Guy]

Also... has anyone had any problems going with G78-15's as opposed to 710-15's. They are appreciably less expensive in the wide whitewalls and a couple "tire guys" said they were interchangeable. I'm about to order and I believe I'll be going with the Royaltons unless anyone has had a negative experience with them. Thanks!

[tom'sB2B]

Here is an updated card ?

[Frank Elder]

I've never seen that before......but I've never owned or driven the rare Town Sedan before.

Here is a regular sedan dash, note they have different woodgrain also.

Edited June 16, 2019 by Frank Elder

[ebruns1]

Beautiful!!!!  You are a lucky guy!

 

[John Reddie]

Frank,

   I haven't that color on a D24 dashboard either. My  '48 dash was like the second one pictured. Could the top one in the photo perhaps have been redone this color? Interesting.

John R

[Plymouthy Adams]

10 minutes ago, John Reddie said:

Frank,

   I haven't that color on a D24 dashboard either. My  '48 dash was like the second one pictured. Could the top one in the photo perhaps have been redone this color? Interesting.

John R

his car is a Town Sedan Special....the second one is a run of the mill everyday D24

[busycoupe]

I think that the red jewel may be a warning light for the parking brake. 

[Andydodge]

48Dodgeguy..........Welcome aboard from Oz....one thing you may not have realised is that whilst your Dodge is only a 1948 Black sedan.....lol.......its an UNCOMMON 1948 TOWN SEDAN ........and to be honest I had not ever seen a pic of one till a few yrs ago on this forum, they were never sold here in Oz and I don't mind seeing pics of them so post away.............regards from Oz.....Andy Douglas   

[48 Dodge Guy]

1 hour ago, Andydodge said:

48Dodgeguy..........Welcome aboard from Oz....one thing you may not have realised is that whilst your Dodge is only a 1948 Black sedan.....lol.......its an UNCOMMON 1948 TOWN SEDAN ........and to be honest I had not ever seen a pic of one till a few yrs ago on this forum, they were never sold here in Oz and I don't mind seeing pics of them so post away.............regards from Oz.....Andy Douglas   

1 hour ago, Andydodge said:

=

 

Andy

Thanks for the welcome... and glad to know that you appreciate this car as much as I do.  It's a handsome car and I can't wait to drive it. I've driven at least once a week in my dreams since I was a kid. Tires, clutch and re-cored radiator and we're in the final stretch!    I'll post more pics once I get it back from the shop and looking good. All the best!

 

[48 Dodge Guy]

2 hours ago, busycoupe said:

I think that the red jewel may be a warning light for the parking brake. 

Hey Busy

I thought that, too, at first. But it's actually a turnable switch. On and off. Back and forth. It's been referred to as a dashboard light... but it's still a mystery to me at this point.

 

[48 Dodge Guy]

3 hours ago, ebruns1 said:

Beautiful!!!!  You are a lucky guy!

 

Thanks... I think so too. Mostly because I have such a history with it. I used to sleep out overnight in the backseat when I was a kid. Or sit in it and turn the headlights on and pretend I was driving down the highway late at night in our garage. Till the battery died! It was mostly just covered with sheets and eventually a custom car cover and was just something I would visit once a year when I went home to Missouri and peak underneath to see and to breath in that musty old car smell I remembered so well as a child. I appreciate your appreciation!

[48 Dodge Guy]

3 hours ago, Frank Elder said:

I've never seen that before......but I've never owned or driven the rare Town Sedan before.

Here is a regular sedan dash, note they have different woodgrain also.

 

Hey Frank

Yeah, I've seen the different colors in the graining of these dashboards. Even though I love my car, I'm not crazy about the grey/brown color. Much prefer the walnut look.  

[Plymouthy Adams]

combo switch, brake warning, and switch part is for reverse lights....

[plymjim]

Been up on blocks for 40 years?  Please, please, please go through the

brake system before you head out for your first ride.   You don't want

any "surprises". That grille is just too pretty to waste.