Dash questions, and cowl vent question. Elvis, 1947 DeSoto Custom Sedan

[Racer-X-]

First question, how "stock" is our dash.

 

Sorry for the glare.  

There are two switches on the left of the vertical grate section, and one button above that.   I'm not sure if they are wired to anything, or what those positions were originally for. The switches are modern, with LED indicators in the tips of the toggle levers. 

 

I'm also not sure about the textured looking piece below that curves up at the ends.  The right side is a cigarette lighter (not sure if it's wired). 

 

The left side has a modern looking Chrome "power" switch with the  "standby power" icon is wired to a power antenna in the left rear that isn't currently working, and we don't have a radio in this car yet anyway.

 

Then across the center of that textured area there are 6 additional holes.  The left one is round and larger. The rest are squares.   Where these original?   What were they for?

 

Any pictures or diagrams of "orginal" dash boards would be greatly appreciated.

 

Next question.   How do you open the cowl vent.  Thats this vent between the hood and the windshield:

 

I somewhat suspect that it's supposed to be connected somehow to a knob of some kind in the center of the flat top of the dash, right behind the windshield.  We currently have a windshield wiper switch there which doesn't look "stock" and really doesn't look good at all, and isn't currently connected anyway. 

 

 

I would really like to get that vent working and opening if I could.  

 

The windshield wipers are the subject of another thread that I'll be posting soon.

[Sam Buchanan]

Look for a lever under the dash that operates the cowl vent. Here it is in my '48 Plymouth.

 

With all the extra stuff that has been added to the bottom of your dash this lever may be missing or modified.

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Sam Buchanan

[DonaldSmith]

Cowl vent:  probably massive corrosion on the pivots, all under the dash board for your inconvenience.   Use lots of penetrant and work it slightly more as it begins to free up.  Years ago I got my cowl vent working, so I'm probably forgetting something.  When you do get it open, you will find slots in the screen, to access the screws that hold the vent in place.  Have fun getting the philips head screws loose. I think I replaced the screws with stainless. 

 

Instrument panel:  The engine-turned pieces are original. 

Left chunk:  Starter button. 

Large bottom chunk:  Key switch.  Map light switch.  Headlight switch.  Cable to ?  (plenum under cowl vent) (Air to heater?)  cable to ?  (heater box, for defrost?)  Fan switch.  Right chunk:  Cigar lighter. 

Next I'm in the car I'll note what the buttons say. 

[Racer-X-]

Awesome, I knew I could count on this forum for answers. 

 

@Sam Buchanan, the knob is definitely missing, but that curved beam looking piece is present. 

 

@DonaldSmith, is the wiper switch actually up top where we currently have it?   I've been wanting to move some stuff around, and your list gives me the "correct" locations for the headlight switch.   I may put a start button and more correct key switch in.  Our ignition switch and key  are currently in the column, and it's a horrible design.  Some aftermarket chrome thing from Summit or Speedway.  It's a tilt column, which is nice because the wheel is so high unless you tilt it down.   But the idiots who designed it used a non-tilt GM switch on the tilt column, and the switch binds with the column tilted down and it tears up the switch.  I've had to replace it twice already. 

[Sam Buchanan]

Your gauge cluster is definitely aftermarket.....but you probably knew that already. 

 

https://www.dolphingauges.com

 

Pretty sure the original wipers were vacuum-driven like my P15 and your wiper switch looks like an electrical item. To verify look under the dash as the switch to see if there is a vacuum hose running to the switch. I suspect there isn't. Electric wiper conversion isn't a bad thing if it works.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Sam Buchanan

[DonaldSmith]

Wipers are electric, 2-speed.  Clockwise:  Off, slow, not quite so slow.

Lower panel items:  (Key Switch)  MAP LIGHT;  HEADLIGHT; TEMP CONTROL;  DEFROSTER; HEATER FAN
X

 

[Racer-X-]

3 hours ago, DonaldSmith said:

Wipers are electric, 2-speed.  Clockwise:  Off, slow, not quite so slow.

There's definitely a very old electric motor up under the dash.  I've got  some poor pics of it and I was going to post a separate thread about that. 

 

So the switch is where our switch is? Top center, just behind the center post in the windshield.   And it is a two speed system.  Off, Slower and Slowerer.   Got it.

[Racer-X-]

And is that a vertical radio on the left side, with two knobs at the bottom?

[Sniper]

The two are rotary knobs, one is power on/volume control the other is the tuning knob.

 

It's a vacuum tube radio and if it still works it will not turn on immediately, the tubes have to warm up some first.  If it doesn't work and you look into it, any tube that is not glowing with power on is bad.  The tubes need heat to work, they have a built in heater and that is what usually fails first in a tube.  But een if you fix that odds are the capacitors and resistors out out of spec or failed too.

 

There are places that will take that radio and update it to modern electronics with bluetooth, FM, etc

 

as an example, they also restore them as well.

 

https://retroradio.biz

Edited January 3, 2023 by Sniper

[Booger]

like Sniper said, You can try replacing vibrator tube and that may very well solve the radio prob, chances are caps are toast. Thankfully I still have a AM station around me that

plays oldies. its worth the restoration

[busycoupe]

If you look at  his first picture you can see he does not have a radio, but has two toggle switches in the radio knob positions.

[Sniper]

20 minutes ago, busycoupe said:

If you look at  his first picture you can see he does not have a radio, but has two toggle switches in the radio knob positions.

 

I assumed he was asking abut Donald Smith's picture

[DonaldSmith]

That's a period radio that I have.  I brought it back to life in 2007, following on-line instructions.  I replaced all the capacitors and revived the vibrator by zapping it in series with a household light bulb.  I replaced the speaker with one that the kids left behind.  The sound isn't great, but the radio works. 

 

The nostalgia is listening to the radio begin to hum as it is turned on, then as the radio warms up, the sound begins to reach its volume.   It's alive! .. alive!

[Sniper]

 

[Racer-X-]

2 hours ago, busycoupe said:

If you look at  his first picture you can see he does not have a radio, but has two toggle switches in the radio knob positions.

Correct.   

 

We have no radio now.   Not attached to getting an "original," but wondering if any modern "look alikes" are available for these cars to put in that space.  

 

Currently we have two toggle switches which don't seem to do anything, and the headlight switch is up there in the middle of that area, but could be moved.

[Racer-X-]

On 1/3/2023 at 10:24 AM, DonaldSmith said:

Cowl vent:  probably massive corrosion on the pivots, all under the dash board for your inconvenience.   Use lots of penetrant and work it slightly more as it begins to free up.  Years ago I got my cowl vent working, so I'm probably forgetting something.  When you do get it open, you will find slots in the screen, to access the screws that hold the vent in place.  Have fun getting the philips head screws loose. I think I replaced the screws with stainless. 

 

Special tanks to @SteveR who posted this link on another thread about this car.

 

http://www.route66hotrodhigh.com/TechSheets/pdf/Desoto1946-48.pdf

 

The cowl vent parts are shown in a diagram on the 2nd page.   Woohoo!

[Dan Hiebert]

So, yes - where the wiper switch is in your car is the original factory location.  Your car is modified, so it's up to you where it is "supposed" to be.  Not a great picture, but I've attached a photo of our D24 dash that shows the original wiper switch bezel, which would be the same for a DeSoto.  The switch knob (chromed metal) in ours is originally from a DeSoto, so it would be correct for your car if you're going that direction.  A Dodge switch is the same shape but is made out of tan plastic. 

 

 

I would use a bit of caution when you delve into your cowl vent.  With that air conditioning unit under the dash (where the cowl vent handle was), whoever installed it may have permanently closed the vent.  I don't remember if the handle is necessary to lock down the vent, and I'm currently too lazy to go out and check.  

[joecoozie]

Yes the handle does lock down the vent

[Los_Control]

"I would use a bit of caution when you delve into your cowl vent.  With that air conditioning unit under the dash (where the cowl vent handle was), whoever installed it may have permanently closed the vent.  I don't remember if the handle is necessary to lock down the vent, and I'm currently too lazy to go out and check.  "

 

I think what @Dan Hiebertis saying, many people did permanently weld these vents closed in some fashion or another.

They often leak in the rain & cause rusty floors .... in this case the vent would leak water into the AC?

 

Love them or hate them, cowl vents were often closed when customizing a 20 year old car ..... now a 70 year old car we like them to function.

[Bingster]

That's a very pretty Bird's Eye Maple interior in that one post.  The glove box door looks to be a custom job. 

[DonaldSmith]

Oh, gosh. Shucks.  (Blush)  I bought the car 20 years ago from Les Pesavento, technical expert for the National Desoto Club.  Les had put parts together from three Suburbans.   He had searched for quite a while to get the right parts in good condition. 

 

Les had the dash and window moldings wood-grained by some artist who had passed on quite some time ago.  Les furnished the dash and moldings to me loose, and I installed them.  I sold the old dash and gave away the old moldings.  At conventions and shows, Les shows off the car as if he still owns it.   He still has an emotional investment in it.    

[MarcDeSoto]

Oh for a minute I confused you with another west coast Suburban owner, but his name is James Douglas!  Now it makes sense that you know Les.  I know him too from previous DeSoto conventions.  The original color of an S-11 dash was a Flemish Gray.  And a DeSoto would not have had a vacuum wiper motor.  Those were on the cheaper Plymouths and lower model Dodges.  The first pic shows an original S-11 Custom dash. The other pics below are my attempt to copy the original color and style.  The middle part of the dash like on the glove compartment was burled grain also.  The straight grain is easy to do with a paint brush and the burl was done by dabbing it with a wadded up newspaper.  

Edited January 11, 2023 by MarcDeSoto

[DonaldSmith]

I wonder if the original woodgraining came with a few color options.  My woodgraining goes well with the wood grain Bakelite door panels.  As I remember, the previous dash and window moldings were similar, but maybe darker through age. 

[Booger]

Oh Jeez suicide knob!

[Kilgore47]

16 hours ago, Booger said:

Oh Jeez suicide knob!

We called them make out knobs.  Or something like that.  You could have your arm around your date and drive with the other hand.