RevChip

Thanks, Rusty. I know what I asked was covered, but being a newbie to fluid drive, I guess I am extra cautious.

Hi folks! I haven't written about my 48 New Yorker Club Coup ("Miss Daisy") in quite awhile. It has been the winter project at Bauer's Automotive garage since December. The problem has been that owner Greg has had severe back problems and could not do work on the car for two months. Now, with some relief, he has finished installing the new wiring harness. I have been over at the garage almost every day working on various projects. The brakes are done with new master and wheel cylinders, gas tank cleaned, new fuel line, radiator and heater cores cleaned and repaired as needed, etc. Right now I am working on the fluid drive transmission. I drained the fluid from the transmission, and have an unopened gallon of original Mopar Fluid Drive fluid to refill the needed three pints. But from what I have read, the torque converter is another story. Considering the car has been in dry storage and not run since 1972 (started once for 30 seconds a couple of months ago to hear the engine), do I just check the fluid level of the converter and leave it alone otherwise? And how do you check the fluid level? From what I understand, it takes more than my gallon of fluid to fill the converter if I drain it. Also, when the old wiring harness came out, there was no leads to the kick down switch and the anti stall. But my new harness (from Harnesses Unlimited) has both leads. Exactly how are these attached? You folks have been a great help in months past, and I appreciate any information you can give me. Thanks in advance, and God bless you.

I am making slow progress on my 1948 New Yorker Club Coupe. For the last two months, it has been over at my mechanic's garage as a winter project. He cleaned the engine, rebuilt the carb, did a few other things to it, and started it -- for the first time in 45 years! Since I had the cylinders filled with half automatic tranny fluid and half acetone, when it ran, it filled his garage with so much smoke, he could not see more than 15 feet! But he said it ran smoothly, and the engine sounded good. He only ran it for less than 30 seconds because the radiator is out and no coolant is installed. But the wires were starting to glow! So I ordered a complete wiring harness from Harnesses Unlimited in Wayne, PA -- the least expensive of any, but good quality! The harness will be here in about two weeks. My mechanic lost his helper due to an injury, so I volunteered to help about 10 to 15 hours a week. I have been working on the brakes -- rear brakes done -- and waiting for upper wheel cylinders for the front. I got some from NAPA, made in China, but they did not fit properly. A friend, Ed Speigel is bringing me an original set. He has a multitude of Chrysler parts! I removed the master cylinder, and it is soaking in cleaning fluid to see if it can be rebuilt. I also ordered from NAPA new shocks. I took off the old tail pipe and muffler and a shop is making me a new system. The gas tank is off and being cleaned and repaired. In messing with the front brakes, I realize there are some specific adjustments to be made when putting them back together. I say in my maintenance books that there is a specific tool that can be used, but where would I find one of those? It measures exactly where the shoes (heels and toes) are to be set before the drum is reinstalled. Right now I don't know what to do next, that is until some parts come in. I decided to take out the clock and radio and get them in working order while I am waiting, but one look under the dash rather stymied me! I have been researching in old maintenance books and on a "Shop Manuals" CD I bought, as well as any YouTube "How to remove a radio and clock from a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker" but no luck so far. I don't want to mess things up by not knowing what I am doing. Any help would be appreciated. I have a local antique clock repair guy, but who does old auto radio regeneration? I am hoping to resurrect "Miss Daisy" by Spring, and to be "Driving Miss Daisy" soon after! If anyone can offer me any help (information), it would be greatly appreciated. PS: In October, I visited Joe Cocuzza in eastern PA. Joe, you were helpful and very friendly. I surely appreciate getting to meet you. You have some fine cars and projects! God bless all of you folks. Chip Norton

Joe, would it be possible for my wife Hope and I to stop to see you and your 48 Chrysler next Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Oct 16-18 at your convenience? I looked up your info on Whitepages.com and left several phone message. I would like to take several photos of the engine compartment -- how things are properly, wired, connected, etc. I now have the club coupe at my mechanics, and am busy rounding up needed parts. I hope to have it running and on the road in a month. Give me a call at (724) 872-9552. Thank you, and God bless you. Chip

Thank you, Bob and Joe. This really helps so far. Joe, I did make it to my cottage several times, but not further east. I thought (hoped) to have "Miss Daisy" on the road well before now. But, such as it is, she will be running by Spring. I still hope to see your Town and Country and I will ask if the time is good for you well in advance. I'm sorry for the delay. You fellow Chrysler folks make my job so much easier. Although I am a retired Baptist minister, I preach every Sunday in various churches, write Bible studies (almost 750 over four years!) for my website, Gems for Living, and Hope and I are planning to move relatively soon to be closer to my daughter (16 miles away) to help her raise her six adopted boys. All that to say, resurrecting "Miss Daisy" is a joy, but also a pain trying to get everything done! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And God bless you. Chip

Sure does Joe! Could I bother you for one further photo? I need a closer look at how the 'rabbit ear' heater control is put in place, and how the to upper hoses are connected. Thanks! Chip

Thanks, Rusty and Bob for your input. I still need a photo or two of the heater hose configuration under the hood. It seems like it is pretty simple, but I can't find a picture anywhere. Chip

Well, I have not posted since last December about my 1948 Chrysler New Yorker Club Coupe -- "Miss Daisy". Here is an update, some questions and some needs from you folks who are more experienced than I am. As said last December, the engine is free, but it has not been started yet. I took the radiator out and the passenger side heater core, had them cleaned at a radiator shop, and only the top tank on the radiator needed to be repaired. I could not get the driver side heater core out yet, but it is loose. I have to drop the steering column to remove the heater assembly. I removed the carb and have ordered a kit and a float for a rebuild. I also have a new fuel pump coming next week. I took the water pump off, and am looking for a rebuild kit. Does anyone have one or know where I can get one? I have researched via the internet, but haven't found one yet. I can buy a new water pump from Kanter for $170.54 plus shipping with a core exchange, but that will run me well over $200 by the time it is said and done! I do have a question about the dashpot carb. There is an electrical unit that bolts to the carb, and any internet photos I have found show two wires running to it. Mine only has one, but there seems to be a place for a second. However the connection does not look like it has been used. Any information about this would help. The car has not been started since 1972, and the hoses were rotten away for the most part -- if not rotted, they were hard as a rock! The 'rabbit ear' heater control that bolts to the engine was more than half eaten away by corrosion, but I found an NOS replacement and bought it. It wasn't cheap! My problem is that the hoses were so destroyed that I cannot figure out the connection configuration. Can anyone post a photo (or two or three) of a restored engine compartment? That would help a lot. I also bought four new Coker tires -- wide white radials made in a bias ply mold. My neighbor professionally cleaned and painted my wheels, and tomorrow the tires will be mounted and put on the car. The hub caps are quite good. I have a very good mechanic who has taken this car on as a fall project. He currently is awaiting the kit for the carb, and (hopefully) a kit for the water pump. In about a week or so we will flatbed the car to his place of business. He was going to begin last spring, but finishing up two other projects got in the way. Thank you in advance for any help and information you can give.

Well, I took out the radiator bracket, took off the lower pulley, put a 1 7/8" socket on the big nut, and with very little effort, I turned the engine over two times! Praise the Lord! I am hoping now that I don't have to rebuild the engine. Joe, we have a cottage in an old Methodist camp meeting west of Wilkes-Barre. Come spring, I might like to take a trip to Stroudsburg and meet you, and see your town and country! Chip

Yes, Joe, it is the 'flipper end' of the crank on the passenger side. All the others are in good shape. I figured they are rare. Thank you for considering me. Also, I am missing the plastic end of the turn signal, and one other control under the dash, but I am not sure what it operates. I don't have an owner's manual for the car. I need to post some photos of "Miss Daisy", both what I need and the whole car. She is a great 'barn find' that I have been after for five years. I have run into a problem that I am trying to figure out. I don't know if the engine is stuck from sitting for over 44 years, but the cylinders are soaking in half and half ATF and acetone. With the radiator removed, I want to turn the engine over by hand -- just a bit -- to see if it is free. But the clearance between the large nut on the lower belt drive and the frame is not enough to get a large socket (I think 1 7/8 or 2 inches) on the nut. I suppose I could tighten the belt as much as possible and see if that will allow me to rotate the engine an inch or so. I may need to slightly force it if it has been stuck. By the way, I am located about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh in a tiny hamlet with 44 houses and three stop signs! I have been a member of the Mon Valley Region AACA for about 20 years. Thanks so much for all the advice and help. Chip

Thanks, Jack, Sometimes I need all the help I can get! Chip

Thanks, Rusty and Joe. Your information is helpful. I was trying yesterday to removed the blower assembly on the drivers side. I was hoping to find on the internet a YouTube to help, but could not find much. Do you have any hints what I have to do to get the assemblies out? Do I have to take the kick panels out? I have all the screws and bolts out that are obvious, but I think there is a hard-to-reach bolt on the top, way up under the dash. Do I take the radio out first to make things easier? Thank you in advance for further help, and I hope I am not a pain! By the way, Joe, I am missing the end part of the passenger side window crank. Might you have one? God bless, Chip

I have just acquired a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker Club Coupe a couple of days before Thanksgiving. I am currently trying to resurrect it (not restore it, because if is in good original condition). It was stored inside, but has not been registered, inspected or even started for over 44 years! -- since 1972! I have removed the radiator for cleaning and repair, also all the hoses. But I can't seem to figure out how to get to the heater core. I don't even know where it is on the car! There are duel blowers with vents built into the side panels in front of the doors. Also, there is a control in the engine compartment (flow, I think) operated by a wire to a knob inside. But it is made of pot metal and totally shot, even falling apart! Is there anything I can use in its place? I am currently waiting for a good rust buster to loosen up things before I try to even turn the engine over a bit by hand. I filled the cylinders with a half and half mixture of automatic transmission fluid and acetone. I am hoping the engine is not even stuck in the first place! Where can I get parts for this beautiful old car? I want to keep it as original as possible, but make it a good, dependable driver. By the way, the previous owner's name is Daisy, who is now in her 80's. I told her I would name the car after her. My wife said to name it "Miss Daisy" and then I could be "Driving Miss Daisy"! But seeing "Miss Daisy" (the car) is dead, I will be "Resurrecting Miss Daisy" first -- with a little help from my friends! By the way, I am a Baptist minister, but I haven't resurrected anyone lately! I just know someOne who can!!!