ronandjill

Our 1954 DeSoto (for sale elsewhere on this forum) has a radio which does not seem to match its bezel, as it positions the thumbwheels and pushbuttons too far in. The bezel part no. is VH1546518 2; the 7-digit portion is close to other '54 dashboard parts (don't know what the VH or the 2 mean). The radio itself is a MoPar 829, which I suspect may be from a 1951 or 1952 DeSoto. Can someone tell me the correct model radio for 1954? Might the 829 have slightly different housing shapes for different years? Ron R.

This 276-ci Hemi 4-door DeSoto is in basically original condition except for repainting of the original red-&-black colors, and reupholstery of the seats, carpet, and lower door panels. We purchased it from the Towe Auto Museum in Sacramento, and have had the transmission, brakes, and power steering completely rebuilt. (The cold-idle still needs some work.) It has no body rust, and the chrome is great. Asking $8,750. We live in northern Santa Barbara County, Calif. Please e-mail us at pjnrrr@comcast.net if interested, or you may post any questions (replies) on this forum. Ron & Jill

Courtney: Would you consider a 1953 DeSoto wagon rather than a 1954? As you probably know, the main difference would be the transmission: torque-assisted Tip-Toe Shift semiautomatic on the 1953 vs. Powerflite on the 1954. A fellow club member has one for sale in the Mt. Shasta area of northern California. It has been in storage since the '80s and has some front-floor rust. Don't know the price, but he is motivated due to circumstances. Contact us at pjnrrr@comcast.net. BTW, Grilletooth Girl, if you or any friends are interested in a nice museum-fresh red-&-black '54 Firedome 4-door sedan, we have one available that we'll be posting separately. Ron & Jill

Don't know if "any condition" includes parts cars, but if so contact Tony Savio, at 209-931-5389. He had one each 1951 & 1952 New Yorker parts cars for sale. He lives in Stockton, California. Ron R.

Our 1951 New Yorker has the Fluid-Torque option. In high range when cold, it downshifts to 3rd at a stop, as expected. When fully warm, however, the downshift occurs only if the clutch is depressed. With the torque converter and big 331 engine, a 4th-gear start is fine for city driving (compare the Hy-Drive tranny on the 1954 Plymouth). Is it possible this is actually a designed-in feature rather than a malfunction? The original Owner's Manual makes no mention of it. Ron R.

We have had tubeless radial tires installed on our 1951 Chrysler New Yorker. The dealer used standard rubber valve stems. Unfortunately, the valve-stem holes in the wheels are oval-shaped and therefore too large for the stems used, so when a front hubcap crept backward it pulled the stem from the hole and the tire went flat. A metal truck-type stem has an oval rubber seat, but the seat is too large for my wheels; the dealer declines to either modify it or install it by compression only, due to liability issues. If I used inner tubes, the stems would still not fit my holes, even with (round) plastic grommets. How have other owners dealt with this issue? Trying to modify the holes by welding seems crude and dangerous. If the only answer is new wheels, where can I find wheels with the same bolt pattern? Ron R.

Richard: We have a 1951 Chrysler New Yorker, and the hubcaps are (presumably) the same moon design as yours, with no Chrysler name. The enameled medallion type mentioned by "BaronvonR" were used only on the Imperial, and I believe these were the only two styles available in 1951-52. I assume the "inset groove" you mention is the larger-diameter part of the wheel just inside the outermost portion, and it is too far in to be contacted by the hubcap. The cap should seat entirely in the outer area. It sounds like you have all the right parts, and just need persistence in mating the two. (Push firmly on the center of the cap with one hand, and work the edges in with the other fist or a rubber mallet.) If you succeed, be grateful they're tight! My front caps are too loose and tend to slip and twist the valve stems. Good luck! Ron R.