mastertech Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 I work as an auto tech at a chrysler dealership in my area, well yeasterday the temp outside was a nice 18 below zero in aur area. My wife leaves for wirk at 6:30 am so i start her van since it set outside, well it barely started turning over slowly but starting, now this is a 2002 Dodge. I leave at 7:15, go out and start my 89 plymouth, no go justs turns over to slow to start. Now thinking of what to do, I can call the garage and they will sent someone to pick me up or........try my other car which hasent been started in at least 3weeks, well lets give it a shot. Now everyone is always giving me a hard time beause of this car which is not restored but in good shape for the year. Put the key in the ingition cross my fingers, turning over slowly at first the faster then it fires and runs. I let it warm up a few minuites and off I go. Getting to work i notice that only 2 other people are there, after picking up the others in the car they make fun of all the time, they now have respect for the old beast. The beast was the talk of the day with both workers and customers. The car .... a 6volt 1951 Desoto. Just wanted to share my pride in my old car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 A mechanic friend of mine used to do a great impression of a Mopar trying to start in the winter, glad to know there is an exception to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_PackardV8 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 ok Mastertech, BUT, will that 51 MoPar start when there is a little dew on the grass not to mention high humidity??????The reduction gear starter that MoPar used (starting 1958???) up thru early 80's that i know of is no doubt the finest starter system EVER made. To bad MoPar never had any good electrics otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastertech Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 drive it all summer long rain or shine with no problems. But then I specialize in auto computer and electrical systems. Havent done anything special just made sure everything is up to par. Now if i could get the brakes to work just as good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Reminds me of my 39 Plymouth on COLD Tallahassee mornings many years ago in college. Could hear all the other cars cranking and cranking trying to start. Would hop in the old Plymouth, pull the choke out 1/2 way, would always start right up. And I'd be driving away while the newer cars were still cranking to try and start.My neighbors made fun of that old Plymouth (it was just an old car back then), but they did learn to respect it in the wintertime.Have heard that 50's Mopars had starting problems though. Think they changed the distributor manufacturer sometime after WW2 and that screwed things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brh Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Had a 65 Plymoth Fury if ya spit on the hood it wouldn't start. My 70 New Yorker always started no matter what. Winter never bothered either car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novaman Posted February 1, 2003 Share Posted February 1, 2003 My Dad was in the Air Force, stationed in Fairbank, Alaska back in the mid 50's. When the temp during the winter got down to -40°F, the only vehicles on base that would start was the Mopar Products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Mastertech,Great story! My DeSoto (1941, un-restored, and tired @ 89,000 miles) is the same way; although it is absolutely the last choice of vehicles when there's salt & crud on the roads (which has been nearly daily since Christmas, here in Scranton & Wilkes-Barre!).Mine will sometimes sit for over a month (outdoors) and I'll walk up to it with nothing more than the key, and slide behind the wheel and pump the gas a few times, then step on the starter, and she'll crank pretty slowly, but always starts up... never more than 30 seconds from "door to moving" ! The most astonishing part about this (to my little mind) is that I'm going on year six with the same "36 month" group 1 six-volt battery...from Sam's Club!Packard V-8 - (I know that what follows is probably akin to throwing gasoline on a fire, but I'll go there anyway <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)I believe MoPar used the same "crummy" Autolite electrics as Packard did for many years.The only MoPar I've ever had a "wet-start" problem with was a '61 Plymouth Belvedere with a 1st-generation 318: in really damp weather, sometimes enough condensation would accumulate inside the distributor cap to prevent starting.I've never found the need to put an "Ever-Dry" spark-plug waterproofing kit in any of my flat-head MoPars.All bets are off for post-'64 cars- I try to stay away from those "new cars" <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dube Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 Great story. If I wasn't getting over a hernia repair, I'd go out a try my 2 oldies. The '63 F100 I know would start, and I'd bet money the Auburn would too. I wouldn't dare take either of them out tho, with all the snow and salt we've seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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