mcdarrunt

First, use a jumper from the battery positive post (or cable) to the solenoid to see if the starter activates. If it does there is a mess up in the wiring. On my 37 I added a push button when the vacuum switch on the carb went bad but I feed the push button straight from the positive batter cable post on the starter. I find this very handy to be able to use the starter with the switch off for such things as valve setting and timing.

Drove my 37 Special for 40 years with drum brakes which nearly got me in serious trouble three years ago in Kansas City during a monsoon. All the drums got wet but the two on the right side were under water which gave zero stopping power. Put on the Scarebird disc kit using the Riviera rotors. They work just as good under water as above and would not go back to drums---PERIOD.

The fill plug on the side of the transmission. Just fill with lube till it runs out of the fill plug hole.

I did a search for 1937 Dodge SERIAL number and it took 0.56 seconds to show it's on the passenger side door post up through 1942. VIN didn't exist before 1954.

Remove all linkage between pedal and throw out arm. Remove flywheel/clutch dust cover. Work throw out arm by hand to see if the throw out bearing is contacting the pressure plate fingers (use flash light). If the throw out arm reaches the end of it's travel before TO bearing contacts PP then something internally is wrong---like the TO arm pivot. If TO bearing contacts PP then measure the distance the adjustable link must cover. If distance is greater than the length of the link then a longer link is needed.

I have made a vacuum start switch for use with a 1952 263 engine with a Stromberg carb. The prototype is big and ugly and does not mount on the carb but uses a vacuum line to a remote mounting. Right now the body is pvc tubing and the piston is teflon rod. Getting the return spring to match up with the Orings on the piston was the tough part. It DOES work but not close to being a finished product. The finished product will need to be much smaller, have a brass, aluminum, or stainless body, have an insulating material for the contacts in the piston and the bottom of the tube. I searched for a normally closed vacuum switch that worked in a cars vacuum range and had no luck but if there is one out there it would be the way to go.

FINALLY going to get a dry week which will let us catch up on various media blasting. Compressor is a large 600cfm unit with a John Deere diesel engine which was overdue for both fuel and oil filters plus the oil itself. Trailer was behind building on dirt/grass which is saturated so wanted to move to paved surface. Hooked my toy truck (98 Ranger) and all it did was worsen the situation by digging big ruts. Backed the old 37 Buick special with a 263 straight eight and 350 automatic up to the Ranger which was still hooked to the compressor and pulled both out without slipping a tread.

Why do people click on the MODIFIED; M-O-D-I-F-I-E-D section and then moan about modifications. Just ignore them and go with what is probably the best engine ever, the GM LS and LT (late model). If anyone knows of another engine that has 400+ horsepower, gets 25mpg, and lasts 300k miles let us know. Probably more swap information and support available than any engine ever. Go for it.

My 1941 Ross forklift was built to go to war but not to give any aid or comfort to the enemy.

Pictured truck is a 1931 if the stainless cowl band and the ONE PIECE running board splash apron are correct.

My experience with Craftsman/Snap On goes like this; the Snap On regional manager was riding the route with the regular tool man when not one of the guys in the shop had money for their weekly payment. When I pulled out my billfold and handed the cash over the regional guy said "the man with all the money". I replied "it's because I use Craftsman Tools".

Well at least there were a few story lines related to facts and not a Titanic like farce. Hollywood writers could screw up an excrement sandwich.

I have a 30 DeSoto sedan that still has a few parts left on it but it is from Mexico and has a complete jumble of parts so don't know if rear fenders are factory or something else. The rear fenders are definitely NOT pristine but could save you some work. The picture file is gone from my computer but if a computer whiz can bring them up they are on this site under "1931 Plymouth" at "Our Restoration Projects" posted by Baldeagle on May 1st 2016; page 4. Since we street rodded the 30 Plymouth we made wide rear fenders, wide running boards, tail light stands, etc from scratch which left the fenders on the car intact but are they DeSoto?

I would do two tests. First pull the spark plugs to see how it cranks over with zero compression. Next get it fired up and purposely lug it in high gear; if no pinging then compression and advance are okay.

I use liquid polyurethane rubber to make some parts for real orphan cars we get in the shop. It is the same rubber used in motor mounts so it is tough. If your blade is complete or can be temporarily patched you can spray it with mold release (Pam cooking oil) and use it as a pattern to make a plaster of paris mold. For the center hole you can spray mold release on a wooden dowl or wrap a layer of Saran wrap around it or you can put the new blade on dry ice and then turn or mill it. The latter would be tricky on something with very thin edges where a slight bump could break them when frozen. A search on "liquid polyurethane rubber" will give sources and mold techniques.

The 2004R overdrive automatic behind the 263 straight eight in my 37 has whipped my butt. The engine-transmission combination just didn't work. The straight eights very low rpm torque had the trans constantly "searching" till it finally settled down in top gear. Maybe the 10 or 12 shifts in each take off was harmless but I wasn't going to trust it even though I went to a high dollar constant pressure pump to prevent band/clutch wear. A turbo 350 is now back in the 37 and it works perfect. I first went to the OD trans in conjunction with 4.11 rear gears to help the old girl out in hills or mountains as the 2.73 rear behind the first 350 trans ran out of poop in the hills. Ben has a 3.36 rear gear in his 50 which I have ridden in and it's a really good combo but the rear end I chose has a 7.625 inch ring and pinion which offers few ratios. I went with a 3.08 and tested it in the Kiomeche Mountains in SE Oklahoma. Not an A plus but a good solid B. Not all was lost because I learned to NEVER EVER use a gear/cable type speedometer again in this lifetime. The $60 gps speedo doesn't care what transmission, rear end, or tire size your running it's dead accurate. Have a drawer full of drive-driven gears and a wall full of different length cables which can rot down with the building if they wait on me to use them.

Your 35 should have leaf springs so it simplifies an open drive line conversion. In the case of my 37 40 series the only hitch was the leaf springs had shackles at BOTH ends. This let the rear end shift forward or back either in unison or one side only. A set of 61 Chevy tie rods made light duty trailing arms that have lasted 30 years. Most leaf spring cars of that era had an eye bolt at the front of the spring which made a torque tube not necessary.

Wife of 49 years knows the name of every tool and 95% of the parts. Washes the towels, cloth fender covers and anything else reusable. Keeps the floor swept, rest room cleaned and stocked on supplies and at 4' 10" and 81 pounds she can do many things with her whole body that I can barely fit an arm or leg into. How many helpers can sit upright on the floor pan and work with both hands on anything under the dash. Does very nice wood grain work in various grain patterns. Spots errors and gems at shows but doesn't comment till we're back home. Was a lot of work to put an automatic transmission, a-c, plus power assists in the old 37 Buick so she could drive it (with spacer blocks on the brake and gas pedal) but she is worth it. No kids so cars have been our "babies".

Jahns made a very low cost cast piston and quality forged pistons that were on the heavy side but what they made for years were forged piston blanks. With a piston blank, a lathe and a mill you can make one to any spec. Unless you can cam grind the piston it will be round which is a bit noisier but no problem. Gets better when warmed up. Back in the 60's we were doing offset crank pin grinding, experimenting with rod length, ring position, and dome design among other tricks to beat the competition so went through a lot of pistons (and other parts). Won some/lost some but gained even from the flops.

I am going through the same process with my 37 Special but am going to try to keep the factory style instrument cluster. A problem I've run into is most every gauge offered is round. Because of 4 transmission changes, 3 rear end changes, and 3 different size tire changes I am done with a mechanical speedometer and going with a gps unit where tire size and gearing are immaterial. They make rectangular gps units that mount on top of the dash but not into the dash. Will follow your project with interest.

There is a fellow over on the Stovebolt Forum that does inspections that goes by the handle of Hot Rod Lincoln. He's in his mid 70's so knows older vehicles. He is brilliant, outspoken, abrasive as he!!, and has a resume a mile long. Never met him and not sure I want to but he would take anything missed in an inspection as a personal affront. He has to prove he's smarter than you and is 99.9 percent of the time.

You have some really good observations. Yes, I did have to grind caliper, right side only, for 15" wheel clearance. I have a drive on lift so it's easy to fill the mc with a douche ball, I just fill till it runs over. Next time it's up I'm going to drill a hole above the mc with a long aircraft drill to mark the spot and then use a large step drill or hole saw for an access hole. A rubber chassis plug should plug the hole and if I get it above the two chambers divider the hole shouldn't have to be big.

They do not stop better than cool drums but once drums heat you lose pedal. A plus with discs are they are self cleaning so dirt or water isn't a problem. Since I don't even check the weather before making a long journey they made sense. The old 37 made it in rain/snow/ice when it was young so I expect the same now---no trailer queen for me. When it gets faded, has nicks and dings, blow by, etc, then one of the benefits of owning a restoration shop is to just run her through again and and make her a young pup again. I think a rule of thumb for discs is a booster is needed if over 3000 lbs but I have run heavier with no King Kong pedal effort needed.

Ben, I was going to just give you a call since you're so sharp on this stuff and an oral description would be all you needed but then thought maybe others might glean something from a few (very poor) photos; besides I need the practice of posting photos with descriptions. The subject is booster/master cylinder relocation on a 37 and probably older but not 38 and newer as they went to a coil spring rear suspension. The first two shots show how far back the booster/mc has to be moved back if using an automatic behind the straight eight and probably all other transmissions since it's a problem of booster clearance. Note the assembly is further back than the trans mount cross member. The next shows the pedal shaft to booster push rod is MUCH stronger---3/4" chrome moly to compensate for the longer length. Last is the booster mount plate welded to X member and with a strut rod (all thread) on the outer edge to remove any flex from the mount. The very crude hole for speedo cable access on the overdrive automatic through the X member was cut by yours truly.

I had no complaints on my power boosted drum brakes on my 37 Buick Special UNTIL I got caught in a monsoon in Kansas City during rush hour. The water was deep enough on the curb side to submerge the right side brakes and they disappeared---completely. Checked out the Scarebird kit for a 37-40 Buick and was glad I did. Everything actually fit and excellent instructions. They furnish the brackets, adapters, and special parts and then give a list of parts you can pick up for yourself. You can go cheap with junkyard parts or still reasonable with Rock Auto new parts. I went new and ended up with about $400 for kit and parts. Time to install was just under 2 hours.