Rusty_OToole

I've got a 1998 Town Car in my driveway. It has 335,000 miles on it. It was in limo service before I got it. In spite of the age and miles the interior is still good, it runs well and has only a few problems. Upkeep has been minimal over the 3 years I have owned it. One odd thing, and the reason I stopped driving it. The intake manifold is cracking and breaking up. Coolant runs thru the manifold and coolant leaks short out the coils. There are 8 coils and they cost $86 apiece new. This is a known failure point and there was a recall on this. Don't know why mine was not replaced or perhaps it was. I would buy another one except for the rising price of gas. Right now I am thinking of buying a diesel VW. The mileage is not all that bad for such a big car but at today's gas prices who needs it. Unless you are ferrying around 4 or 5 passengers at all times.

Will not make your engine run hot provided your cooling system is in good shape. It will make your engine run better, more efficient, get better mileage. The main reason they made 160 stats was because of the low boiling point, alcohol based antifreeze they used to use. I don't think it has even been available since the sixties. Here is some discussion of the problem of keeping a motor like yours cool under much more extreme conditions. Such as driving a 3 ton limousine, through Death Valley, towing a trailer. I kid you not. 1951 DeSoto Suburban cars - long term report / car review with trailer towing He credits a hot thermostat, 180 degrees, as one of the keys to best performance, economy and long life.

The boards will distribute the weight better than foam pads. 2X10 better support than 1X12. If it was my house and I was concerned about cracking tiles I would buy some 2X10s to drive up on.

I have a collection of old MoToR magazines from the thirties, the American garage trade magazine. There were ads for piston skirt expanders, knurlers, and patent valve stem seals on nearly every page. Knurling or expanding the pistons was a very common part of an overhaul. I expect it would be as permanent as anything is on such an old engine. If "temporary" means 20000 or 30000 miles and you drive 1000 miles a year it could be considered permanent. The noise could also be a loose wrist pin. If so the noise should go away or diminish if you disconnect the spark plug. An old trick was to give each wrist pin a 1/4 turn at overhaul time to put a fresh wear surface to work. Could be a sticky valve, worn timing chain slapping its cover, or several other things. It would be best to figure out what exactly the trouble is. It does not sound normal and is not likely to get better by itself and it could develop into a serious problem if not attended to.

Proper wire repair method of the thirties involves soldering the wires together and wrapping with friction tape. Friction tape is a black cloth tape soaked in a rubbery substance. It is available where electrician's supplies are sold such as Home Depot, hardware stores etc. Shrink tubing is better if you are not so concerned about authenticity. Here is an illustration of a typical solder repair of a wire Master a perfect inline wire splice everytime Here it is in more detail. The Western Union splice is the one you will use most often. New Document

Old electric cars are extremely safe. Without new batteries they won't even move. Unless you get a pre WW1 model with Edison Nickel Iron batteries.

Suggest you get hold of a repair manual and fix the fluid drive trans. They are pretty rugged, 9 times out of 10 there is nothing wrong but the wiring messed up and possibly need to top up the oil. Carb King is a carburetor expert who posts here sometimes. I have not done business with him but he seems to know what he is talking about. Here is his web site. THE CARBURETOR SHOP It might be possible to change the trans but not worth the effort. Frankly if the trans scares you that much it would be easier and cheaper to sell the car and buy a newer one. The 47 DeSoto is a surprisingly good road car IF everything is in good shape, just as it is. If you really insist on V8 engine, auto trans, 12 volt electrics, etc etc just buy a newer car. Even a 1957 model will have all those things right off the bat, at no extra charge. If you have any specific questions about the carburetor post them in the "Technical" section and he will see them.

Chrysler New Yorker was an excellent car. Comparable to Buick Roadmaster, Lincoln or Cadillac at the time. Famous for the Chrysler Hemi V8 engine, many were removed for hot rods so not much chance of finding one reasonable. You could repower it with a later 318 or 360 V8 and make a fun project out of it. Has very little value in that condition. Should be able to buy it for a few hundred. But whatever you spent on it would be written off for a hobby.

The big problem with an old electric car is the batteries. This one no doubt needs new ones, and they cost $2000 to $3000.

TDH tractor oil, ISO 32 grade. Made for tractor transmissions, differentials and hydraulics. From auto parts stores, farm supply stores or Walmart. There are some real good threads on this tranny if you do a search for Fluid Drive on the Chrysler and Dodge boards. About 2 years ago there were some real in depth discussions on the operation care and repair, well worth looking up.

White metal or pot metal crumbles eventually. Even toys from the twenties and thirties are falling apart, not due to heat or wear or stress just the metal only lasts so long. I guess they never expected anyone would still be driving their cars 80 years after they were built. They probably planned for a life of about 10 years.

Given the number of retirees in Florida I am amazed there are no old time mechanics. Are there any antique car clubs or cruise nights in your area where you can meet other old car fans and find out where they take their cars?

Here is a link to a wiring diagram for the transmission. M6 transmission all the same Dodge, DeSoto or Chrysler 1946-53 M6 Semi auto wiring diagrahm for reference - www.P15-D24.com Note, that the solenoid interrupter switch and governor, are all in a row on the right side of the transmission. This is not clear in the illustration. The same web site has a wealth of info on old flathead MoPars. Here is another page that will give you some insite into what a flathead DeSoto is capable of. Note where he says "at high altitudes, at speeds above 70 the motor smooths out like a turbine". This in a 3 ton, eight passenger limo with 4:11 gears. Towing a trailer. 1951 DeSoto Suburban cars - long term report / car review with trailer towing You might also note where he says, after rebuilding the engine with a couple of improvements, its performance took away all desire to change to a V8.

It would be a lot easier to fix the original engine or trans. If you do a search for "fluid drive" in the Chrysler and Dodge boards you will find lots of info. There were a couple of very long threads about 2 years ago that will tell you all about them. Engine and trans are both very strong reliable units. Most of the trouble with the trans comes because it is low on oil, or the wiring for the electrical control system is messed up. Both these things are easy to fix if you know how. Have you done a compression test? How is your oil pressure? If it is in top shape your car should be able to keep up with traffic up to 60 or 65 MPH with no trouble, and have a top speed close to 90. If compression is above 100 on all cylinders you probably need a tuneup. If compression is down you probably need a ring and valve job. If oil pressure is down too, it is time for a complete rebuild. Normal engine life means a ring and valve job around 30000 to 50000 miles, rebuild around 80000 to 100000. No other carb will work other than the original. It contains 2 switches that control the transmission shifting. Best to get it rebuilt by a real expert like the Carb King who specialses in old time carburetors. To try to change to another engine, would be a nightmare. It could be done but would be a lot harder than fixing the original engine and trans. Don't forget, your hand brake is on the back of the trans so if you try to swap in a 318 you will have to replace engine, trans and rear axle. A good hot rod shop should be able to do this for $5000 or $10000 but if they are not real experienced, are more likely to abandon the job half way through and leave you with a butchered non running car. And when you get done, you will have paid out a lot of money to destroy whatever collector value or originality the car had, in other words will be worth less money than when you started. There are other nightmares to it, like also having to change the electric system to 12 volts so the motor will run. Then what happens to your 6V negative ground wipers, radio and heater? My recommendation, find an old gray haired or bald headed mechanic who understands the old cars. Or sell it and buy a newer car such as a 1955 or newer Chev that already has V8, automatic, 12 volts etc. It will be a lot easier and cheaper than trying to hack a DeSoto into something it was never meant to be.

What use of the edit button? If you edit, it shows up at the bottom of the post. No edits in mine.

Old Cars Value Guide, available at most magazine stores, has a section on old trucks. What you describe is a parts truck. Value as such would be not much more than scrap value but I agree, it should not go for scrap if someone can use it. Try advertising locally on Craigslist and Kijiji.

Be sure you clean out all the old varnish, it will ruin your motor if you don't.

Cars of that era commonly had 3 or 4 inches of play at the steering wheel. Partly because the wheel was so large in diameter, partly because of the way they were built. If you adjust the steering box follow the factory manual exactly. I have had the sad experience of adjusting out free play in an old steering box, then the box wore out in about 2 months. You should also check the bolts that hold the box to the frame, if they work loose your steering will be sloppy. Did you get an alignment and fill your shocks with jack oil? These 2 things can transform your Packard's ride and steering.

Have you checked bearing fit with blueing, and scraped the bearings as necessary for a perfect fit?

You mean like Christine? I've never seen a car possessed by the devil but have seen them repossessed by the finance company.

One thing about it, the Corvair would probably be the easiest car to convert to RH steering.

Probably find some in Canada. The small engines were popular here due to the high cost of gas and the high cost of cars. Straight six Mustangs and Camaros were popular with ordinary motorists who wanted a stylish coupe that was easy on gas. You used to see them but most have been changed to V8s and hot rodded since those days. A real cool car was the early Firebird with OHC six. A friend of mine had one new with 4 speed. It was as fast as most small block (stock) V8 cars.

How many people these days know a suicide blonde is one dyed by her own hand? lol.

Generally a convertible has wind up windows in the doors, a roadster doesn't. A runabout is even more basic and may not have a top or doors. There is no real hard and fast rule because no matter what, some manufacturer made an exception, or used the terms in different ways from everyone else.

7 years ago I traded a buggy, a wood stove and a cord of firewood for a new chimney. The mason remarked that he doubted anyone had made a similar trade in 100 years. Good luck.