50 desoto custom

[warren mcdonald]

Hi, I am very new to both this forum and to the 50 Desoto I have. So lots of questions to begin with.

1.  All the wiring has been cut out, will it be better to rewire for 12 volts.

2. Although I have the fluid drive trans, is there any standard trans that can be used in place of fluid drive

3. Do I really want to do all this.

[Guest]

Converting to 12 volts is never better.

[keithb7]

I own two old Mopars. A 38 and a 53. Both are stock with 6V system and generator with regulator. I have the utmost confidence in the 6V system. There is no need for 12V. The Chrysler engineers had the system dialed in for these old cars. 12V was required for the higher RPM valve-in-head V8 engines with higher compression. Not the flat head 6 cyl and 4 cyl engines. My old flat heads start incredibly quickly as they are tuned up right using a vacuum gauge, timing light, and dwell meter. Hot or cold, the engine fires up before the starter can crank the engine 1 complete revolution. Is your fluid drive a semi-auto tip-toe shift model? If so, you cannot find a 12V solenoid for the tranny shift. It needs to see 6V to live.

 

"Do you really want to do this?" Well only you can answer that question. I thrive on repairing, maintaining and driving  my old Mopars. My 1938 has become my daily driver for 7 months a year up here in Canada. I park it during the cold snowy months. The looks and enquiries from the general public that I get are very satisfying. My 38 looks like it just left the farm yet it drives and is reliable like the day it was new. Great old cars that I prefer over anything new today. 

 

It's quite a feeling, driving home just as the sun sets on a summer evening. The roads quiet. Your head lights and dash lights on. Your old car purring up the twisty road home. The warm evening air from the triangular vent windows hitting you in the face. The engine purr, the bounce, the sights, the smells.....Extremely satisfying.

Yes I want to do this....Do you?

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Keep it 6v. Chryslers were an expensive well made car with a lot of electrical equipment not seen on cheaper makes, like electric wipers where Ford and Chev used vacuum, the electrically controlled transmission, the fine radio, etc. This makes them almost impossible to change to 12v. There is nothing wrong with the 6v system if everything is working correctly. For your purpose the 6v system is much better than 12. We sometimes get agonized questions from someone with an old Chrysler that some "genius" tried to make 12v, nothing works right, and the only cure is to go back to the factory 6v setup.

It is possible to change to a manual trans but a lot of work for not much benefit. Again, there is nothing wrong with the stock setup. It is simple, reliable and long lasting. The wiring is not very complicated there are only about 4 or 5 wires to the transmission. Simple if you understand it.

Best thing to do is buy a wiring harness and rewire it according to the factory wiring diagram and it will work great.

Whether you want to do it, is up to you. They are great cars when working right but they are not for everybody. Best suggestion do NOT change anything. Either repair to factory specifications, or sell the car to someone who can do it justice.

[keithb7]

More support for the 6V system:

 

 

[marcapra]

That's showing them Keith!  Good job!  

 

[c49er]

On 8/30/2020 at 1:05 PM, warren mcdonald said:

Hi, I am very new to both this forum and to the 50 Desoto I have. So lots of questions to begin with.

1.  All the wiring has been cut out, will it be better to rewire for 12 volts.

2. Although I have the fluid drive trans, is there any standard trans that can be used in place of fluid drive

3. Do I really want to do all this.

Seems like you might need to find a car more to your liking.

Too many things to remove and replace with non original parts.

A twin stick Rambler would be nice.

[Brooklyn Beer]

Stick with factory.  My all original 1950 Chrysler works as good as the day it rolled off the line.  Learn the car.  You'll love it.  Factory spec harnesses are much easier to install then then trying to cobble together something into 12 volt.

[Chry54]

many people go to 8 volt. my car was that way when i got it. like everyone says, if the 6 volt system is in proper condition it will be better than trying to make up for other issues like bad grounds,generator, and a host of others. this site will guide you thru what you need to know, along with the manuals you should get for the car.  chry54

[Itchy Acres Garage]

Hi I have a 1950 Custom

  I love my DeSoto  , unlike the other guys who responded to you , I like to put modern tweeks in my car because it’s fun!( whole point ) 

 so I have converted the thing to 12 V it makes the 6 V starter a really happy part

But I suggest to rebuild  it as a 6 volt. 

 use the Powergen which is a product made by Powermaster that’s an alternator in a generator case so that’s the easy Bolton.

 I put 

 a HEI 12 V negativeground distributor in it . So no more problems at points being dirty and sticking and stuff,  and a  Msd six- a  box that’s an electric ignition that spreads the spark over 20° of the cycle and makes up for the worn out engine parts that affect the timing

  I found a Edmonds aluminum dual intake for the in-line six and ran progressive bore  Carter Webbers

 I have dual exhaust there is a company name Reds Headers that make them remember that the De Soto block is the 25 inch longer blocked in the usual 23 inch block it made him for trucks and De Soto up in Canada.

 so the intake manifold/  exhaust manifold are a little harder to find.  I finished it off with dual exhaust Porter Mufflers  from oregon,  the girls are nice throaty rumble

I recommend while you’re in there Have steering box rebuilt (but not cardone paint and send back one )

The tiptoe transmission is as reliable as everyone said but your car will never go very fast so if you like drive and 55 on the highway that’s fine, yes it’ll last forever,  but if you wanna go 70 , might do a transmission swap

 there’s two that are common ;  700 r 4

 you can get an adapter for the back of the engine From a company called I think Wilco .
 you’ll have to use a new starter with that .
   transmission requires a cable to be attached to the Carburator throttle linkage .
 

another really nice alternative is the Chrysler 727 which has a vacuum controlled switch that locks  the torque converter and gives you a fourth speed overdrive! 
you’ll have to shorten the Driveshaft are still in a bit but that’s easy to drive shaft shop. 

 What I did was I got a manual three speed with a Borg Warner overdrive

   I found a Plymouth three speed that had a long output shaft and then took out the fluid drive and the long output  shaft  allowed me to use the original Bellhousing. 

this means you will still have a clutch by the way the clutch that went in the De Soto called it  a “ladies clutch “ it’s a little 9 inch thing that I think helped people shift the car into reverse . they made a nine and 11 in at 12 I found that I had to switch to the 11 inch clutch with the increased engine power from fooling around with it , because the 9 inch slipped

There’s a company called asche mechanics that can supply this trans and a clutch All ready to go . 
I can’t remember who supplied the hei plug in sorry 

painless makes a basic universal harness 

painfull unless you can have someone else put it in 

if you don’t you are sure to have weird /wired problems for as long as the original cloth covered wires are there touching each other I promise i curing the car catching on fire 

go with the force ! 
live long and prosper!

You’ll end up with a rugged /reliable /comfortable /way cool daily driver you could take to Alaska and back