Rusty_OToole

I use the hydraulic fluid in both tranny and fluid drive, as do some others who post to this board. I think it is better for the transmission.

My info came from 1951 and 1953 owner's manuals, did not know 47 was different. Do you know what year they changed?

All the ads and many photos of Chryslers from that era show the small caps and white trim rings especially the more expensive models. To me they really add something to the car. I would definitely use them, expect some odd questions and comments at car shows!

GM plants used to shut down in late July - early August for summer vacation. Model changeover took place at this time. First cars came off the line near the end of August for an early September introduction date.

In The Big Sleep there is a scene where Bogey parks his Plymouth coupe outside an apartment house he is keeping under surveilance. At the beginning of the scene there are 2 stickers on the windshield at the end there are 3. Not sure what they are but at least 1 must be a ration sticker. They are on the right side of the windshield.

Roadkill it may be possible to add turn signals without making any changes to the car whatsoever. I recently saw an ad for a temporary tail light and turn signal set for towing cars. The lights stuck on by magnets and operated by radio. It should be possible to rig up a switch and use them on the road then stash them in the trunk at shows.

1972-89 Mercedes SL convertible. Possibly the last car built like a "classic" with real chrome, real steel, real V8 etc. Right now they are fairly common and good ones can be bought cheap. But I expect in time they will go up like every other Mercedes convertible. With the change, buy a few Porsche 911s. Another iconic car that will become more and more rare and desirable. In any case buy the best original low mileage example you can find. If it is a rare and desirable model so much the better. At today's prices you should be able to buy a couple of each in real nice shape. Enjoy them to your heart's content at least on nice weekends and maintain them by the book. You should be able to enjoy them for 10 or 20 years and sell them for way more than you paid. Sort of like buying a Duesenberg in 1951 or a Porsche Speedster in 1970.

Most people go the other way because solids are better. If they are adjusted properly they should be dead silent and stay that way for the life of the car, but they need to be checked and reset every 20000 or 30000 miles.

One problem is the transmission is controlled by solenoids and electric switches for which there is no substitute. Once again, the six volt system works fine if it is kept up. And it is easier and cheaper to fix whatever is wrong with it, than to change to 12 volts.

Your car came with 2 keys. One had an octagonal head, it was for the ignition and door locks. The other key had a diamond shaped head and was for the trunk lock and glove compartment lock. Keep trying the different keys. One may work.You never know your luck. If you are not lucky with that plan, any locksmith can make new keys. Try and find an old lock smith in the oldest shop in town, he may have the old key blanks. Or you can get them from Ebay or from antique car supply shops.

The information you seek may be on the build sheet. I don't know where Buick put them but common locations were in the springs of the back seat, behind the glove compartment and between the gas tank and floor. Sometimes the manufacturer can supply a copy of the build records for a price.

If it has been sitting for a while the gas will evaporate on its own. If the engine is flooded now, hold the throttle open and try to start it. If it starts OK. If it is too flooded to start take out the spark plugs. They will be covered with gas and black. Turn the engine over to clear the cylinders or blow out the cylinders with compressed air. Squirt about a spoonful of oil down each cylinder to lubricate the rings. One squirt from an oil can should do it. Clean the plugs and put them back in. The engine should now start. If not, the plugs may be too fouled up and need to be replaced or sandblasted. This assumes the ignition and carb are OK and the engine got flooded by mistake because someone pumped the gas too much. Naturally, if the carb is flooding or the ignition weak these problems must be addressed first.

When did Chrysler Corp make a six with seven mains? They made a 198 CI slant six but it had 4 mains. Every flathead six I have seen, had 4 mains.

I agree about the clear liquid being water, slowly condensing in the crankcase over the last 30 years. If the engine had been started and run the water would have mixed in the oil to make a grey goo resembling whipped cream. Or at least made the oil look milky. The fact that it is separate from the oil, indicates that it was not there when the engine was running but accumulated while it sat It is unlikely that it did any harm. It can't hurt to take the pan off for cleaning and inspection but I wouldn't tear it down any farther unless there was definite signs of wear, damage or rust. I would clean out the pan and put it back on then put in fresh oil and start the engine.

What about the Grocer Mercedes? Lol.

Most common last words in the South: "Hey everybody! Watch this!"

My dog eared Motor's Manual (1954 edition) identifies the Chrysler C52 as a 1951 or 1952 New Yorker. The 51 and 52 Chryslers were practically identical. I know of one way to tell the New Yorkers apart at a glance. The tail light and back up light are separate on the 51, together on the 52. The 53 was completely different, similar in appearance but no body parts interchange.It is also quite a bit shorter, on a 7 inch shorter wheelbase. The 49-52 body has the rear fender completely behind the rear door, on the 53 the front part of the fender is on the door. If you want the lowdown on every Imperial ever made, here is the place to find it. 1952 (Chrysler) Imperial Home Page

A few years ago a local man tried to sell 2 restored WW1 era Indian motocycles on Ebay. They refused the ad, saying it must be a scam since the bikes were not known to any Indian club, collector, expert, book or list. But they were real, 2 brothers had them, they bought them in the fifties and had them restored in the seventies. I know the mechanic who rebuilt the engines, a tool and die maker and antique motorcycle collector who did antique motorcycle engines on the side. The owner's name was Elliot and the bikes were in a private collection in Bowmanville Ontario Canada. So, it is possible for rare finds to turn up. These bikes were known to a few local enthusiasts but were never shown publicly. So, is there a chance an unknown Duesenberg might surface? I wouldn't bet one will, but I wouldn't bet my life one won't.

Reproductions are never as valuable as the original.

Old Cars Price Guide gives dozens of values from $960 to $43000 depending on model, body style and condition. If you tell us the MODEL, BODY STYLE and CONDITION and post a few pictures it will help narrow it down. Or spend $4.98 at the magazine store and get your own Price Guide.

I have seen the same problem on a Model A Ford that had recently been rebuilt. The problem was that the new pistons were much heavier than the originals and threw the engine out of balance. There should be no such vibration. When they were new they did not vibrate like that or no one would have bought them. You say you replaced the pistons but did not balance the engine. That is bad. 4 cylinder engines of that period were balanced to quite fine tolerances. They had to be, there were no rubber engine mounts and road speeds were climbing. It is very common for modern pistons to be much heavier than the originals. If you check the weight of the original pistons and rods you may be surprised to find they are significantly lighter than the replacements and practically identical to each other. You may have to take the engine apart and have it balanced, or at least make sure the pistons are the same weight as the originals. To drive it the way it is, is to risk rapid engine wear and possibly a catastrophic failure or in other words the rod through the block.

I don't think they published specs for those bolts. There are tables of torque settings as Martylum pointed out, they are generic but should be accurate for your use. They did not specify torque settings where they are not critical. Mechanics used to tighten them by feel and they were close enough.

In 1927 Henry Ford changed his mind, repudiated his former views, shut down the Dearborn Independent, issued a public apology and burned a large collection of valuable, but anti Semitic books. Too bad the Ford bashers can't learn by his example.

There should be a metal plate on the distributor telling the make, model, etc.

Auto stores sell O rings and so do hardware stores. They are used in plumbing and many other things and they come in many sizes.