The Ressurection of Daphne - a 1932 DL

[keiser31]

I believe that the same tube was used for the 1931 Chrysler CM6, DeSoto SA6 and the Plymouth PA. At least, they all look to be the same.

[Taylormade]

The car was driven by both Phil and yours truly for a number of years, and probably many years before that, so it must have been working to some extent.  If any one out there has a spare tube, let me know.

[Joe Cozza]

I have a spare vent . Do you want it?

[Phil 32DL6]

11 minutes ago, Joe Cozza said:

I have a spare vent . Do you want it?

Watch out, Dick...it might be for his '23 Aussie Built.

[Bleach]

I've been enjoying this thread but I wish there was a way to fix the notifications. I get a notification for every single reply whether I visit the thread or not. Before the change to the current website software I used to get only one notification until I viewed the thread. Does anyone know how to fix this?

[Joe Cozza]

1 hour ago, Phil 32DL6 said:

Watch out, Dick...it might be for his '23 Aussie Built.

Thanks Phil. Next time I'll leave you in NJ.

Dick I'll take it of one of my spare 1931  engines.

It wouldn't be really clean but I'm sure you won't mind for the price.

I'll mail it out tomorrow.

Joe C.

[30DodgePanel]

25 minutes ago, Bleach said:

I've been enjoying this thread but I wish there was a way to fix the notifications. I get a notification for every single reply whether I visit the thread or not. Before the change to the current website software I used to get only one notification until I viewed the thread. Does anyone know how to fix this?

 

Bleach, look at the top right corner you should see a bell icon or symbol. When you hover over it or click on it a "Notification Settings" appears on the upper right in gray. From there you can edit for your specific needs.

[Bleach]

Thanks 30DodgePanel  but the only option it has is "One email per day with all new content from that day" doesn't work that well. I've tried it before and I don't like to wait until the end of the day to see if there are replies.

Other forums I subscribe to have a message this, as well as this one did before the software change, "There may also be other replies, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the forum again."

I guess I have keep getting all the notifications then.

[Taylormade]

5 hours ago, Joe Cozza said:

Thanks Phil. Next time I'll leave you in NJ.

Dick I'll take it of one of my spare 1931  engines.

It wouldn't be really clean but I'm sure you won't mind for the price.

I'll mail it out tomorrow.

Joe C.

Thank you, Joe.  PM me when you get a chance.

[Joe Cozza]

Dick,

The vent tube is on the way. USPO says you should get it Weds. We'll see.

I have the tracking # if needed.

If it's not the right one just past it on, but I'm pretty sure it will fit. I cleaned it off to make sure that the grease/gunk wasn't covering up a hole.

As for the cost, Would you believe the USPO let me ship it to you free(  ), because you did so much at the 2014 meet.

Joe C.

[Taylormade]

Thanks again, Joe.  I'll let you know when it arrives.

[Phil 32DL6]

OK, I had a chance to take a couple of photos. First, that area is a BEAR to get into: the exhaust connection is right in the way, as is the large canister and its various piping and links for the Auto Clutch. It also doesn't help that mine isn't in pristine condition like yours. Plus I've got a BODY to contend with! Underneath it's not any easier to position for a clear shot with the car on the ground. Then there's all that authentic dark grease & grime! I've added arrows to highlight the crankcase breather pipe in both shots.

 

This long curved design may not be what you were expecting to see...and it may not be what Joe is sending. They may have designed it this way to accommodate the Auto Clutch on those that came with that option? Anyway, that's what I have, and maybe Joe's will fit your car without the Auto Clutch.

 

[Taylormade]

Holy moly, Batman!  That is certainly not what I was expecting.  The current tube on Daphne was never curved like yours, that's for sure.  Was the Auto Cluch an option?  I'm not sure if my car ever had one, but there is an extension on the clutch shaft that appears to have a part missing - or, at least is providing a space for a part.  My splash pans and air cleaner have long since disappeared into that great junkyard in the sky, so who knows on the Auto Clutch.  Anyway, my current tube, cut off or not, was not curved.  Thanks for the photos - I hope you didn't throw your back out crawling around down there.

[keiser31]

WOW! That is an odd curved pipe!

[Joe Cozza]

If I was on the ball, I would have posted a picture before I sent it. But like Phil said mine goes straight down. It should be fine.

[Phil 32DL6]

The fact that the Master Parts List has a separate number for the DL crankcase ventilator assembly, and no other year shares that number, that should confirm something we who own '32 DLs already know: they are pretty unique beasts when it comes to parts.

 

What's odd is there's only one number, for ALL '32s, yet here's a page from my Owners Instruction Book that shows a more or less straight tube. It's probable that those like mine with the optional Auto Clutch had that curvaceous vent tube, but was there supposed to be a separate part number for that?

Edited August 16, 2016 by Phil 32DL6
update (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

3 hours ago, Phil 32DL6 said:

The fact that the Master Parts List has a separate number for the DL crankcase ventilator assembly, and no other year shares that number, that should confirm something we who own '32 DLs already know: they are pretty unique beasts when it comes to parts.

 

Indeed. You should try the DC 8 then. I spoke to a parts vendor once and he said "They're a real oddball. You won't get much for those!"

 

What a fantastic photo from the owner's manual. What is number 34?

Edited August 16, 2016 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Taylormade]

Straight down is what shows in the side view of the motor in my Owners Manual.  That's why Phil's photos threw me for a loop.  Just another mystery in the long line of DL oddities.

[Phil 32DL6]

10 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

What is number 34?

That's the "chain case cover plate."

[Taylormade]

50 minutes ago, Phil 32DL6 said:

That's the "chain case cover plate."

It extends out like that to form the top support for the front Floating Power rubber mount.

[Spinneyhill]

OK, I see it on the clean, nicely painted version a couple of pages back now! Thanks.

[Taylormade]

Joe,

The tube arrived today and it fits perfectly.  After a little wire brushing and a bit of metal straightening it's out in the shop with a fresh coat of paint drying.  Thanks again!

[Phil 32DL6]

Whew! Glad that worked out for you.

 

Sorry I threw you a "curve."

[Joe Cozza]

2 hours ago, Taylormade said:

Joe,

The tube arrived today and it fits perfectly.  After a little wire brushing and a bit of metal straightening it's out in the shop with a fresh coat of paint drying.  Thanks again!

Great!! Remember me in your will.

Joe C.

[Taylormade]

1 hour ago, Phil 32DL6 said:

Whew! Glad that worked out for you.

 

Sorry I threw you a "curve."

Yes, we straightened things out.

[Taylormade]

Working on the last greasy part, the shift mechanism.  This is another Rube Goldberg device that does make sense, but you have to wonder...?

Since the entire engine and transmission is rubber mounted, it moves while the frame doesn't.  But this means that if the shift lever were solidly attached to the transmission, it would wobble like a son of a gun.  So, the lever is solidly mounted to the frame brace and a pawl or lever on the bottom passes through a gate and then down to the levers on the transmission.  I guess it works because the lever never wobbled when i owned it.  Here's the gate in place, held to the transmission brace by the three bolts in the rear.  The shift lever fits on top in the two open holes.  This part does not contact the transmission.

 

I also got the fuel lines in place.  Like the brake lines, they go on the outside of the frame which exposes them to damage, but that's the way they did it back then.  That's the old line on the floor.

 

 

[countrytravler]

Taylormade.

Great shots!! What kind of camera are you using? Thanks for your and sharing.

Dave

[ply33]

Was there any steel wire wrapped around the brake and/or gas lines around the front wheels? I've seen that on other Mopars of a little later era and I assume it was to protect against damage.

[Spinneyhill]

Are those fuel and brake lines on the o/s of the chassis covered and protected by the valance there between the body and running board?

[Taylormade]

I'm using a Canon T6i with a 18=200mm zoom.

 

There was none of the spring wire around my brake lines when I got the car, but they could have been replaced before I owned  it.

 

The valance above the running boards does protect the lines for a good deal of their run.

[Spinneyhill]

I would expect steel wire coiled around the brake lines would be a bad idea. It would abrade the line, causing weakness(es)..

[Taylormade]

1 hour ago, Spinneyhill said:

I would expect steel wire coiled around the brake lines would be a bad idea. It would abrade the line, causing weakness(es)..

 

My 48 Plymouth had them.

[Johnthistle]

My '31 DH had the protective wire "spring" around the steel brake lines in vulnerable places.   JLT

[keiser31]

18 minutes ago, Johnthistle said:

My '31 DH had the protective wire "spring" around the steel brake lines in vulnerable places.   JLT

The splash apron bumps out a bit to allow line clearance....

My two 1931 DH6s have the spring, too.

[Taylormade]

Mine probably had them, too, but I'm not about to go and redo the brake lines at this point.  Just something someone can point out at the next meet, "Hey, did you know your brake lines are all wrong?  Just saying..."

 

I got the emergency brake lever and the shift lever restored and back in and was going to proudly say that the chassis was finished!  Then I remembered i still have to finish the rear shocks.  Oh well.  And the new crankcase ventilator tube is now in place, which should relieve all the worried minds out there.

 

 

 

 

[keiser31]

Beautiful!

[Spinneyhill]

Um, not quiet finished perhaps. The steering box and drag link are still to go on! I am hanging out waiting to see what you do with this: I just took mine off and it is in poor shape like yours was.

 

Looking good! It must be interesting to see the gear lever and hand brake lever moving around independently as the engine and trans wiggle about.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Taylormade]

3 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

Um, not quiet finished perhaps. The steering box and drag link are still to go on! I am hanging out waiting to see what you do with this: I just took mine off and it is in poor shape like yours was.

 

Looking good! It must be interesting to see the gear lever and hand brake lever moving around independently as the engine and trans wiggle about.

 

Caught again!  I'm considering having Lars Corporation rebuild the steering box, but it ain't cheap and I'm not sure it needs it.  They say it will never leak after they install new seals and do some machining.  I have a complete rebuild kit for the steering arm but I'm not sure about the slots in the arm itself.  They are worn, but not that badly.  I have heard that mid-thirties Chevy drag links available from The Filling Station can be adapted using the new ends and the old shaft.

[Spinneyhill]

I rebuilt my steering box myself.... well, I took it to a local engineering shop who had old cars in the yard, so I thought they would know how to do it. I couldn't get any steering box bearings; luckily I had some that weren't too bad tho the bottom cup had to be Locktited in. The sector arm was rebushed and ground to fit and a tiny O-ring fitted to the outer end of the outer sector shaft bush. A modern seal was fitted at the bottom of the column. The free play in the steering wheel went from 50 mm to about 15 mm (the worm and sector are worn and there aren't any more to be had for anything less than the cost of cutting new ones!).

 

I note some wear on the outside of the ball seats in my drag link, meaning the drag link housing is worn inside too. That is harder to fix. I haven't yet thought about whether it needs fixing.

Edited August 21, 2016 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[ply33]

What is the Chrysler part number on the drag link? It might match some slightly later Dodge/Plymouth drag link which can be purchased from Rare Parts in Stockton, Calif.

 

Even if it does not match a later Dodge, the Rare Parts policy is to use an original to create the drawings and tooling and then make it and, better yet, add it to their inventory for the next person.