35 5 window coupe progress

[Guest gafletch]

SLOW!!! ha-ha. But it has good compression and no fuel-system sediment. We had to send the starter out for a rebuild. 12 years is a long time in storage. I could use resources for some parts, like running board rubber, window sweepers, door and trunk seals, outer handles , interior panels, carpet and upholstery. Any help appreciated. Thanks, flash

[Ian_Greenlaw]

Hi Flash,

Rubber parts mainly Metro Rubber and Steele Rubber - I've bought from both and have good products.

Andy Bernbaum - Supplies a lot of different stuff for 30's cars

Outerhandles I'm sure one of the other guys has a contact but original arn't readily available as they use to be.

Interior panels ( I'm assuming you mean the trim ). Your motor trimmer should be able to help there.

Running Boards - Depends on the condition. Mine were not too good and it was cheaper to buy a new set from America with the original pattern vulcanised to the steel than it was to repair my old ones. I think I got mine from Buckeye Rubber.

Carpet & Upholstory - Depends on Cloth or Leather - Try Veteran and Co. They have a good supply of the various materials or could point you in the right direction.

Not bad for an Aussie....huh ?

Ian

[1936 D2]

- Runningboard rubber is a fully patterned part with a border so a piece of "stock matting" may be close but not "correct". See this catalog Restoration Supply Company catalog.pdf on page 35 for stock stuff (1/4" ribs with six smaller ribs in between). And you can try a company called: Running Board Rubber Mats has the only ability I currently know of for producing the original style matting. Check out their site. They are in Canada.

- Window sweepers: I am guessing you are speaking of the parts in the side door bottom window opening that rubs on the glass as it is cranked up or down. Try this: Belt Weatherstrips and see if the right shape is there. (I am not sure of the '35's shape).

- Door and trunk seals: We spoke of: Steele Rubber Products - Search for your car before. Check out their listings. They seem to have the parts that fit correctly more often than others in my opinion.

- Outer Handles: These would be best to find as a used part. Watch eBay for listings of cars being parted out. There are handles sold by some restoration suppliers but they usually are for other specific models and they just list a spread of years because they look "period" and fit the shafts correctly. But they may not be "right.

- Interior panels: The cardboard or fiber board can be purchased from various suppliers but you will have to pad them and get the correct fabric from upholstery suppliers. There are a few but none that I know of that make "kits" for Chrysler product cars of your vintage. This is the same for Carpet and Upholstery supplies. They will all have to be hand made so some research will need to be done on your part to know what the fabric is and what was correct for your model Dodge.

That then begs the question, what model coupe do you have? Is it a business coupe or a rumble seat coupe? Also, have you located the "Serial Number" and/or "Engine Number" yet? Those will give you quite a bit of info. You can also send the "Serial Number" and proof of ownership info to: Chrysler Historical Services - Walter P. Chrysler Museum Foundation and find out all the particulars for your car from its Build Record Card.

Check out some of these links and get something going on your "Serial Number" search from Chrysler Historical. That should keep you busy for a while! Have fun!

[36 D2 Coupe]

Here is a link to Hunley Acuff's website. You might want to look there for running board rubber. I had him do the running board covers for my '36 Dodge RS Coupe and they are just excellent - an exact repro of the originals. With the '36 I had to supply the cores for the mats - these attach to the running board itself with multiple tabs that fit through holes in the running boards. My cores were shot so it was a bit of a process to make new ones with the correct tabs.

He is not cheap but if you want a really nice job, I'd recommend him. He also did the running boards for a '34 DeSoto Brougham I had maybe 20 years ago and they turned out very nice.

Best of luck with your '35.

Jim

http://hunleyacuffrunningboards.com/