My intro

[Guest Ydnubla]

Hi everyone,

I recently purchased a 1946 Plymouth Special Deluxe from my deceased uncle's estate. The car was originally purchased new by my great grandfather. My uncle had rescued it from a barn some 25 years ago and started a slow sympathetic restoration project. To be honest, I really don't even know where to start, or where he left off.

What I do know is that the car runs, but has a significant oil and antifreeze leak when running. The brakes are almost nonexistent (Including the parking brake), and seem to lock when trying to drive forward. It is only able to drive freely in reverse at this time. While I'm an experienced DIY guy on car repairs for more modern vehicles, I feel very lost in this newly found classic world of mine.

I'd appreciate any help I can get on this car. Unfortunately I'm finding that information on the web is very limited, and I'm really at a loss on where to turn for support. I live in the Oklahoma City area, and would love to get connected with a local chapter.

For starters on this forum, I'd love to learn more about the very basics of the car. Voltage system, type of fuel and oil I should be using, factory tire sizes, and maybe as simple as the proper way to start the car. We seemed to have to just play with the carb lever and key position till we got the magic combination. I want to make sure I'm not going to cause any damage by doing something incorrectly.

Sorry I know new people can often ask a lot of basic questions and be burdensome, but we all have to start someplace. I'd appreciate any willingness from anyone to help out a new guy.

Thanks in advance!

Aaron

[ply33]

Your best resource on the web will be at P15-D24 Homepage and especially the forum associated with that site. That is the "go to" site for all of the "flathead" Plymouths even though it is aimed at the 1946-48 Plymouths (P15) and Dodges (D24).

To start you off, you have a 6v positive ground electrical system and your engine came from the factory with hardened exhaust valve seats so unleaded gas is not an issue. However modern gas additives are unkind to old rubber formulations so you should replace the flexible hose that goes from the frame to the fuel pump, rebuild the fuel pump with a modern rubber diaphragm, etc.

You'll find about as many opinions on oil as there are old car owners. I figure modern oil is better in all ways than what was available "way back when", but others will swear you shouldn't put oil containing detergent in the engine (even though it was available when your car was new).

Not sure about your starting issue as I have an older Plymouth with a manual choke but people on the forum at P15-D24 will help you get the Stilson choke squared away.

[Guest elmo39]

apart from the P15-D24 site i would try and get a manual for you year car try ebay they often come up , two other alternatives are faxonautolit.com or factoryautomanuals.com

[Guest Ydnubla]

Thank you Ply33. I will check in on the other P15 forum today! Sounds like just what I've been looking for.

Thank you elmo39. That reminds me....I was told by my cousin that he has a copy of the manual somewhere. If I'm not able to get it from him, I will take your great suggestion and see if I can't get my hands on one at the resources you've provided above.

I really appreciate the direction here.

[Rusty_OToole]

RIght off the bat your car has a 6 volt positive ground system (battery goes in "backwards") and the left hand wheels have left hand thread wheel bolts. These 2 things have stymied a lot of beginners.

Your Plymouth is a well designed well made car. The best thing you can do is to buy a repair manual, it will be worth it a hundred times when you get into repairing things. The car is much simpler than today's cars and easy to fix, but you must know what you are doing.

As far as gas and oil goes. Your car has a low compression ratio and can run perfectly well on 70 octane gas. Today's cheapest regular is 87 octane which is better than the "hi test" they had in 1946.

Your engine came with hardened valve seat inserts and hard valves, it is made to run on low lead low octane fuel.

10W30 detergent oil was introduced not long after your car was made. Chances are that is all it has ever used. I have a 1951 owner's manual that recommends what they call the new oils and says they are much better for your engine than the old heavy oils. Your engine is practically the same as a 1951 model.

You will need to go over the car and fix what is wrong. Give it an oil change and tune up then drive it.

The 46 cars came with 16" tires but much skinnier than today's 16". New tires are available by special order. If you had 15" wheels you could use cheap Walmart Marshal tires 205R75/15. The cheapest R75 radials are the ticket because they are narrower than the expensive brands. Too wide a tire can rub on your steering mechanism or frame. 15" wheels off a newer Plymouth from the early 50s will fit.

Good luck you shouldn't have too much trouble if you take it easy. Do not go tearing everything apart or getting ideas of your own. Get a factory manual and go by that. They published thousands of these manuals, one for every Plymouth dealer, and a lot of them are still around. From $20 for a condensed reprint to $40 or $50 for a good original.

[Guest Ydnubla]

RIght off the bat your car has a 6 volt positive ground system (battery goes in "backwards") and the left hand wheels have left hand thread wheel bolts. These 2 things have stymied a lot of beginners.

Your Plymouth is a well designed well made car. The best thing you can do is to buy a repair manual, it will be worth it a hundred times when you get into repairing things. The car is much simpler than today's cars and easy to fix, but you must know what you are doing.

As far as gas and oil goes. Your car has a low compression ratio and can run perfectly well on 70 octane gas. Today's cheapest regular is 87 octane which is better than the "hi test" they had in 1946.

Your engine came with hardened valve seat inserts and hard valves, it is made to run on low lead low octane fuel.

10W30 detergent oil was introduced not long after your car was made. Chances are that is all it has ever used. I have a 1951 owner's manual that recommends what they call the new oils and says they are much better for your engine than the old heavy oils. Your engine is practically the same as a 1951 model.

You will need to go over the car and fix what is wrong. Give it an oil change and tune up then drive it.

The 46 cars came with 16" tires but much skinnier than today's 16". New tires are available by special order. If you had 15" wheels you could use cheap Walmart Marshal tires 205R75/15. The cheapest R75 radials are the ticket because they are narrower than the expensive brands. Too wide a tire can rub on your steering mechanism or frame. 15" wheels off a newer Plymouth from the early 50s will fit.

Good luck you shouldn't have too much trouble if you take it easy. Do not go tearing everything apart or getting ideas of your own. Get a factory manual and go by that. They published thousands of these manuals, one for every Plymouth dealer, and a lot of them are still around. From $20 for a condensed reprint to $40 or $50 for a good original.

Oh wow.....I never would have thought about reverse threads. I think you just saved me a big headache already.

As for the tires, I looked over the ones on there now, and saw no indication of actual sizes or a rim size. I'm pretty sure they are the original rims, so I guess that means I have the 16"s on there now. I'd like to keep everything as close to original as possible, so I would like to try to find some white wall tires if they are not too expensive.

While I'm very excited to pick up where my uncle left off, I will take your advice and make sure I take slow and educated approach. I think this is great advice for me not to get any ideas of my own.

I really appreciate every's input here.

Another question: With this car still having the original paint, do I need to use any specialty kinds of polish and wax, or will any modern formula be safe to use?