Help needed with 1937 Desoto S3

Hello all, my name is Mike.

I purchased a 1937 Desoto S3 5 window business coupe this last summer. It needs a lot of work, however it is very cool. The straight six runs real well. I do not have it road worthy yet, but I am working on it. I have not purchased a repair manual for it yet.

A few questions: Where does the speedometer drive from? I cannot find anything on the tranny for a cable hook up.

The tranny is a 3 speed on the floor. It is made up of two boxes. One in front with the shifter on top. This box has its own fill plug, level plug and drain plug. The rear box also has a fill plug, level plug as well as a drain plug. Why the two boxes? What type of oil should be used in the tranny?

On the rear box is the parking brake drum and linkage on the right side. It also has another linkage set up on the same side, but directly accross the tranny is a small threaded shaft with a nut on it sticking out of the left side. This short shaft has flats on it as if it is to have a lever attached to it. What would this shaft be for?

Thank you for any help/insight you may have....

Thank you, Mike

Sounds like you may have an overdrive unit on your transmission. I wish I knew more about them so as to help.

If its the original tranny it is a mechanical OD. You just throw the lever and lift the throttle. I never drove mine, but the guy that bought the tranny was real excited to find it for sale.

There should be a speedo hookup near the brake band.

Sounds like you may have an overdrive unit on your transmission. I wish I knew more about them so as to help.

Thank you for the input. I was also told on another forum it is most likely a free wheeler?

Again thanks,

Mike

If its the original tranny it is a mechanical OD. You just throw the lever and lift the throttle. I never drove mine, but the guy that bought the tranny was real excited to find it for sale.

There should be a speedo hookup near the brake band.

Jack,

I am pretty sure it is the stock tranny. I was told if it did not have any electrical control connections it would then be a free wheeler? What ever that is. I'm hoping they did come with a mechanical OD unit, but every other OD unit I have ever seen for any vehicle has had electrical controls as well as vacuum controls. However those that I have seen in the past were no older than the sixties.

Thank you for your help.

Mike

Unless someone changed it out, it would not be a free-wheeling style transmission.

The one I had had no electrical or vacuum controls. I never drove it but the buyer is very happy with his find.

The drive line is a different length than the straight three speeds.

I cleaned off some of the grease/road gunk and was able to find the following numbers and letters:

Front case: 4-22-37, WG DIV. T86-IP

Rear case: 7 - 8, A6, R61.

I will try to get some pictures of it soon.

Thanks,

Mike