Mark in SA

Thanks Jim for your response. Also I am in San Antonio. You asked some time back and I failed to respond. Just saw your response last night cause this last week was crazy. I finally got some pictures of the trunk area and lid to better depict my issue. Have any thoughts? Mark

Thanks Jim for your response. Also I am in San Antonio. You asked some time back and I failed to respond. Just saw your response last night cause this last week was crazy. Lost power 1 day after ice storm and been cutting and removing down trees for a week. I will send pictures but need to figure out how to do that. Kind of challenged when it comes to stuff like that. Mark

Thank you guys for your responses. I did mean Restoration Specialties out of Windber PA. They sold me 15' of 4729S. At the same time I ordered a catalog from them. Of course, weatherstripping came first so I installed it on the vehicle itself along the 1" channel on 3 sides and across the bottom of the opening although no channel exists there. Well, it didn't even come close to closing so I ripped it out. Got the catalog and the item I purchased is described as belonging to 1939 - 1948 Chrysler Cars. The 1st weatherstrip I got from Andy Berbaum was about 1/4" thick of fairly firm rubber and about 3/4-7/8" wide which fit in the trunk lid channel very well. (They said it belongs in the trunk lid). I guess you would describe that weatherstrip as rectangular but again I installed in on all 4 sides of the trunk lid in the channel. It would not close either. It would not compress enough to even latch the trunk with the handle. So as it sits right now, I have no weatherstrip and the handle does seem to latch the trunk down fairly securely. Maybe I'll just clean up the old 3M weatherstrip adhesive and go without a weatherstrip at all. I don't think the option of waiting to see if it will compact with time is a good option at this point, especially since the trunk lid won't latch with either weatherstripping I purchased. I feel as if anything, the rectangular weatherstripping might work if I only installed it on 3 sides and not the bottom channel of the trunk lid but I pretty well tore up the first weatherstripping when I removed it. Nothing seems to be easy with these old cars!

I have replaced springs in both door latch mechanisms after tracking them down in Missouri. My trunk latch is "free wheeling" and has no tension on the portion of the latch that will engage the mechanism on the floor board of the trunk. It seems to me there should be spring tension on this lever that will engage the hooking device on the trunk floor. Am I wrong or does it just move without any tension or is there an internal spring that is broken or missing?

I purchased my first trunk seal from Andy Berbaum. They instructed me to use 3M adhesive and install it in the lip/channel on the trunk lid itself. When the trunk was closed, it sealed and was level at the top but the bottom of the lid was 3/8 to 1/2 inch above the adjacent fenders. I installed the seal around the entire channel and across the bottom of the opening. I then contacted Restoration Specialist as recommended by those in this forum. I purchased from them a new seal and was instructed to attach it to the vehicle itself and not the lid of the car. It was of different design from the 1st seal so I installed it using 3M adhesive and again installed it around the entire opening of the vehicle. Once again, the trunk lid never did seat like it should and was again 3/8 higher then the adjacent fenders even after pushing it down. I have removed it and am ready to go without an seal. Does anyone have any suggestions. Mark

Thanks for your explanation. Makes sense to me! I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. Not sure if mine is a P3 or P4 but it does have vent windows if that is a deciding factor. I am keeping my coupe original. Much of the car was disassembled when I got it therefore putting things back is quite challenging for me. Originally bought in San Antonio and was last driven in 1957 due to the registration on the vehicle. Generally no rust other then what you would expect from nuts and bolts 85 years old. Not a mechanic by any means so rely on friends and forums such as this. I need a wiring harness so again I am open to recommendations. I have been convinced to switch to 12 volt for any number of reasons, and will relocate the battery in the trunk rather then under the front seat. That was a crazy location for the battery. I have used this forum in the past and you in particular helped me with the door handles dilemma. Just got in door springs from Missouri Spring Company and hope to have the doors working properly next week. My email address is Jackleym13@yahoo.com and my phone number is 210-365-6927 if you don't mind continuing a discussion on a private note for items not necessary for this forum. Mark

Thankyou guys for your input. Yes I agree that STEELE has a better product but want to see it first. Just pricy!!!! I just went to Restoration Specialists and their website is cumbersome and undergoing repair. I did find the molding jpage was referring to. It's the same shape that Berbaumn sold be but theirs was extremely hard. Will request a sample from Jeff as recommended and possibly a hard copy catalog for $5 as promoted. Also saw a metal clip I'm in need of to hold down the center chrome strip on the hood or at least I believe that's what it is for. Will also verify from Jeff. Any way, might be a good source for the few items I am missing. ie rubber bumpers for the rear trunk lid that attach to the bottom of the trunk lid with 2 screws, 2 large rubber washers that go under the outside AM radio antenna mount, some molding clips and a small metal clip with a square hole in the middle of it that activates the door lock on the passenger side. What are WPC cars and how do I find out if mine is one of them??? Thanks again for your help!

I purchased a hard rubber trunk seal gasket from Andy Berbaum 3/8" thick and hard rubber. They told me to install it in the trunk lid using 3M adhesive. Once installed, the trunk no longer fit right and the trunk was elevated by atleast 1/8 to 3/16 all the way around. Fit proper before installing their gasket. Checked with them to make sure I had the proper gasket to which they replied yes. I then called STEELE rubber products and inquired about their gasket. 3/4" thick of soft foam. They instructed me to install it on the vehicle and not the lid. ??? I requested a sample of the gasket to which they agreed to send. Berbaum was $45 but didn't work for me. STEELE is $130 and not sure yet. Looking for suggestions on product availability and where to install the gasket in the proper place? Mark

I'm looking for a member or vendor known to by some as the "Handleman". It was recommended to me by some club members that I speak to him about a handle issue I am having with my 1937 Plymouth coupe. I even spoke with management from the club in order to find him and struck out. If anyone knows who he is or how to contact him I would appreciate a response. Thanks in advance! Mark

Thanks Mike and Jpage . I think you guys are right on. I looked it over pretty closely and I believe those "punch dimples" are the key. Although it looks in the picture like it might have a set screw that's not the case. Sure wish it was! I went back to JPage's post and some of the others that posted previously and they have used that term dimple before. I think the handle on JPages 36 should be the same. So I will need a dremmel to cut out those dimples which will allow me to slide the whole collar off. Must remember to mark the square shaft and mark it where the collar rests over it. My biggest concern would be marking the shaft so that when I drill the hole through the square shaft and insert a nail or set screw, that the collar will not slide on the square shaft because of the long groove created when I cut out those dimples. Once I drilled and inserted the new pin, i'm wondering about filling that groove with JB Weld so that both the pin and the collar are locked together with the JB Weld. I think Jpage has done this procedure previously. Am I on the right track with my concern about securing the collar to the square shaft or am I off track??? Originally I thought the pin would be drilled through the square shaft directly next to the top of the collar which would prevnt it from sliding on the shaft. What do you guys think??? Also, once I remove that collar which is about 3/4" long, round on one end and has a square opening on the other end, will that free up the escutcheon to be removed or will there be other step(s). thanks for all your help guys! Mark

I finally got the pictures loaded. It didn't like the ZIP file I was using and had to reload them in a normal file. Regarding the price on the rechroming, I will check with my chrome company today and get a price as if I was someone out of state. they have done lots of work for me and I have known them for 20 years. I don't know if I was getting a special price because I knew the owners father or if all there work is cheaper then you guys may be paying throughout the US. I'm here in San Antonio, Texas so I will check and post his normal price for the handles. I have lots of work done there in the past and always reasonable and extremely good work. I'll let you know!

I have the photos selected as small and they are 34 to 46 kb. When I attempt to insert them on the line that says drag files here, it appears like it 's going to take them then a box jumps up and says "Allowed file extensions are gif,jpeg jpe jpg and pmg but when I click OK the box goes away but nothing posts.

Took 3 photos but cannot get them to download. Not sure if it's me or what??? Thanks for the suggestion on the handle man!

Thank you guys for your responses. Went to E bay and yes those are the handles. Very nice but pretty pricey. I flagged it in case the price is dropped. I think I can get mine chromed for $30 each so will try to remove the shaft like suggested by jpage. I will try and attempt to post some pictures of my handles to see if they are like the 36. I'm betting they are but lets try to make sure first. thanks for all your advice!

Thanks Carolina Chevrolet for your quick response. Sure glad I joined this site and Forum cause I have a long way to go. Once the door handle is out of the door, the handle and the escutcheon are together on the handle but separate pieces. I would like to separate the escutcheon from the actual handle so each can be chromed individually. Would you know how to separate the two pieces for chroming?

I am attempting to disassemble the exterior door handle and base plate so each can be rechromed and then reassembled. Not having much luck. Any ideas? This on my 1937 Plymouth business coupe P4