1917 dodge touring, a few questions

[Guest rayjay1902]

just a few dumb questiones on a 1917 touring...... how do i open the windshield? do i have to loosen the bolts on the side first? mine seems stuck. ..the top bow over the drivers head is broke..how do they come out? screw or nail through metal sleeve? do they come out better if the top is up or down?.. what is the oil can for on the firewall? .. what does .. DIM ..mean on the ign. switch...im guessing low beam, but it doesnt work...any ideas how to fix or replace.....unless its so dim i wouldnt need it anyways. im thinking on getting side curtains, does anyone know where to get them in CT? i live in a very hilly part of the state , 3rd gear is almost unusable and 2nd is too low..is this normal or could it be a timing thing? once i get to florida the hills wont be a problem anymore. i did find the original owners manual , just waiting for it to come in, hoping to learn more.

[Willy]

I think the oil can is to prime the engine in the little cups next to each spark plug. Look in your owner's manual. The stuck windshield could be several things - the swivels could be rusty inside (PB Blaster would fix that); the fittings too tight (loosen). I think the bow would come out better with the top down, but someone that knows what they're talking about might want to respond to that. If there are two bulbs in your headlight, I would suppose one is like a parking light (DIM). Don't take my word for these things, I'm just supposing.

[72caddy]

Oil can is for oiling the distributor and generator bearing. These are small openings that you will have to search for.

DIM is a kind-of low beam. There is a little wire coil on the back of your key switch that steps down the current to the headlights.

Removing the front bow will involve removing the fabric (probably staples - and lots of them) and then removing the nails that hold the wooden 'shafts' in the metal top bow. Wood tends to swell and rot in these so going to Sears and getting a 12" long 3/8" bit would be a wise investment.

[MikeC5]

Hi Ray,

I doubt you can find side curtains ready made. These old DB's don't have the huge network of reproduction parts suppliers like the old Fords do. Someone on the forum might have patterns for the side curtains and maybe the name of who made them. On the DIM, I suspect you are right that it would be rarely used. I would check to see that the resistor coil is present on the back of the switch and not broken. I haven't driven my '25 yet and so can't comment on the power/gearing situation.