'38 P6 Front Axle Bushings

[P6Dan]

Hi there,

I'm a mechanic in Ontario Canada. I work on a lot of oddball and vintage cars in my area, including my one client with a beautiful '38 P6 Deluxe. It's not minty but it's a solid driver. I've done quite a bit of work to it, including a rear main seal in 2021 that involved a significant tear down!

 

At the last service I noticed the bushings where the front axle beam secures to the chassis are completely gone on one side and coming apart on the other. They are the bushings located adjacent to the rearward shackle for the front springs, not the spring shackle bushings themselves.

Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of them as I assumed they would be easy to find in the factory service manual the owner has, but I've scoured the manual and any parts diagrams/lookups I can find online and I can't find any reference to them.

 

Does anyone know where/if these bushings are available for purchase, or should I be looking to get something fabricated for it?

 

Pictures of the car attached

 

Thanks!

-Dan

[Sniper]

https://www.moparmall.com/Front-Rear-Spring-Shackle-Bushing-Set-for-1936-p/360-021.htm

[Dodgeb4ya]

AMS MoPar in Georgia....

[P6Dan]

On 11/15/2023 at 11:08 AM, Sniper said:

https://www.moparmall.com/Front-Rear-Spring-Shackle-Bushing-Set-for-1936-p/360-021.htm

Thanks, but I'm not sure if that's what I'd need... The spring shackle bushings on this one are fine. Unless this kit includes the bushings that I'm after? It would be nice if they could be had separately.

 

I found this picture online that shows the bushings I need.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Having the OE MoPar part # always helps locating the correct parts much faster.

[Sniper]

All I can say is ask them. It appears that those bushings are in the kit but I'm not 100% sure

[andyd]

Maybe I'm looking at this wrong but the bushing that P6DAN is indicating looks like the rear of a sway bar........didn't the 1938 cars even with the tubular beam axle have a sway bar on the axle?........again I could be wrong here and will defer to those with more knowledge but it doesn't appear to be connected to the rear spring bushing or is it some sort of for/aft movement control arm or link.........my direct experience is with 1940/41 cars & their front ends so happy to learn.......my Oz workshop manuals do not show the front suspension clearly to indicate what this could be..........andyd

[andyd]

Dan.....I just checked my 1936 to 1942 Plymouth Parts manual and on page 291 it has mention in a sidebar that P6 cars with a Sway Eliminator use part # 679691 and P6 Cars with a Front Axle Radius Arm Assy use part #'s 687816 Right and 687817Left (Frame Bracket Assy)..........

................it appears that there is also a Front Axle Radius Arm Assy part # 690899 that is also used depending on the location of the cars build, ie Detroit, Evansville or Los Angeles  and actual chassis number..........can I suggest you post some pics showing the overall front suspension and pics showing where & how these bushings etc locate as that may well help........regards from Oztralia....lol........andyd

[Sniper]

I had a 38 years ago, I do recall that it did have a sway bar.  However, I do not recall it having that bar the OP is asking about.  It almost looks link a link to keep the ale from moving fore and aft.  Here's a video someone posted that doesn't show it

 

 

 

Allpar's write up on the 38 shows a sway bar

 

https://www.allpar.com/threads/the-glamour-car-plymouth-for-1938.227894/#post-1085221992

[sidevalvepete]

Probably adding to the confusion here as mine is right hand drive. Nevertheless, it is a '38 and built in Detroit. Identical to the P6 chassis but marketed as a D9 Dodge for export. This shows the suspension set up and sway bar for 1938. OP will have to confirm if the same as his of course  - rhd may make it a different setup...

[andyd]

Pete........Dans car appears to have some sort of arm or linkage going back beside the rear shackle of the US passenger side front spring.....its that bushing he is referring to......see the close up 3rd pic that he posted.............note that his 1st pic shows that the car doesn't have that front sway bar that your car has..........andyd  

Edited November 19, 2023 by andyd
more info.

[sidevalvepete]

Noted...thanks Andy

[andyd]

P6DAN........have you any pics showing the overall view of the front suspension?....ideally from the passenger side, the chassis suspension area behind the wheel?..andyd

[9 foot box]

   You might find a bushing that will work at sdtrucksprings.com. They have a chart and dimensions for Harris bushings that have the collar on them. That is how I got the number for my P15 rear shackle and spring bushings. Rick D.

[andyd]

Looks like P6DAN has disappeared .......... a shame as I was hoping to get some clarification of what he is actually chasing.....oh well...we can only try to help............andyd

[sidevalvepete]

You may be right Andy...but in order to help others in future searches here are some part numbers from both US and Canadian Chrysler Corp vehicles, including the P6...

[sidevalvepete]

...and they look pretty blurry...am happy to identify specific part numbers if required by anyone.

On 11/19/2023 at 2:35 PM, andyd said:

Dan.....I just checked my 1936 to 1942 Plymouth Parts manual and on page 291 it has mention in a sidebar that P6 cars with a Sway Eliminator use part # 679691 and P6 Cars with a Front Axle Radius Arm Assy use part #'s 687816 Right and 687817Left (Frame Bracket Assy)..........

................it appears that there is also a Front Axle Radius Arm Assy part # 690899 that is also used depending on the location of the cars build, ie Detroit, Evansville or Los Angeles  and actual chassis number..........can I suggest you post some pics showing the overall front suspension and pics showing where & how these bushings etc locate as that may well help........regards from Oztralia....lol........andyd

...and I concur with Andy here. The indicated parts on the posted picture are of part of the 'radius arm' or 'sway eliminator' as listed in the parts book, not spring shackle bushings as described ...