My 1948 DeSoto 3 window coupe restoration project.

[marcapra]

In regards to the heater blower motor switch, I think the reason that there is no fuse in the power line to the ignition switch is because, like the headlight switch, there probably is circuit breaker within the switch itself.  

[marcapra]

I got my dashboard back on.  I got the windshield wiper motor working.  The push button starter works, the cigar lighter works, the clock works, the blower motor works.  But none of the dash lights work.  Maybe I have to connect the headlights and tail lights before the dash lights would work?  Also I haven't installed the hi/lo beam switch yet, or the turn signal switch.  The electric shop still have my generator and regulator.  Hope I get a call from them soon.  

[marcapra]

I called Richer Auto Electric today to see if they had looked at my generator.  They said it had bad Field coils, so they ordered some new parts for it.  I see lots of car restorers try to fix starters and generators themselves, and I don't see why.  I'd much rather have a pro do it than me.  

Edited June 25 by marcapra (see edit history)

[drhach]

I rebuilt my own generator. I made that decision for a few reasons.

 

1. I wanted to learn something

2. Given that this stuff isn't as common as it used to be, I don't always trust the people who say they know what they're doing. If I fix it, art least I know who to blame if it doesn't work. 

3. I didn't want my parts to fall in the blackhole of someone's shop (kind of back to item 2). I felt it was faster to do the research and do the work myself than to send it to someone else. 

4. Most places who claim to know how to do this work aren't local and the shipping costs played huge part in the final cost of the generator repair. 

 

I claim no expertise at the end of it,but I did repair my generator, I Iearned how to test it and I validated that it works. I agree that sometimes it's better to have pro do things. Deciding where that comes into play is a personal one. 

 

By the way, I really enjoy what you're doing with this car. Thanks for the updates.

Edited June 25 by drhach (see edit history)

[marcapra]

• Posted just now

 

I'm starting to think about upholstery even though I'm not really ready to have it done.  I might even start to puchase some of the materials beforehand.  

I don't think I'm going to need major work on the seat.  There are no mouse nests or rotten padding.  It was upholstered in the 70s and looks like a quicky cheap Tiajuana job.  But the cushsions are still good and the springs also.  I have a collection of pics that I took of other cars, including some pics of a car just like mine with the original upholstery back in the 80s.  There are some variations.  Some cars had cloth on the seat frame and others had leatherette.  Below are some pics of what my upholstery looks like now and other cars upholstery of the era.  Here is my seat the way it came when I bought the car in 1980.

This an original seat back from a car the same make and model as mine.  46-48 DeSoto.  I plan to make a brochure of these pics to show the upholstery shop as a guide to what I want.  

 

This pic shows a kick panel on a 48 Dodge with the windlace.    

 

These are windlace and headliner swatches from SMS.  

 

This is from the old late LeBarron Bonney.  

 

This shows how complex the rear seat would be to do on a 48 DeSoto.  My business coupe will be much simpler than this, which should make the price lower.  

 

These are windlace trim samples from the old LeBarron Bonney co. followed by broadcloth samples.  

 

This pic from an original 48 DeSoto shows valuable details on how the seat back was done.  It had leatherette on the back and the seat frame.  And it had this beige transition broadcloth with a lip on the corner that the hand is showing.    

 

This front seat is from a 46 Dodge.  

 

This is my seat which got a cheap upholstery job sometime before I bought the car in the 1970s.  Followed by the springs which look good.  

Edited just now by marcapra (see edit history)

 

 

 

[marcapra]

Getting back to mechanics, I'm trying to replace my hand brake cable.  I don't know what happened to the old one, except that it has lots of slack and does compress the brake.  I'm trying to remove the cable from the hand lever, but there is a clevis holding the cable with a pin being held by a little cotter pin.  I get can't get a good grip on the cotter pin, even though I removed the dash AGAIN!  I've had to remove it about twenty times, so I have become an expert at that.  I tried to cut the bent part of the pin but my wire cutter is too small to cut through this cotter pin.  I've tried about everything to get it out to no avail.  I may have to go buy a better cutter and hope it will fit in there.  

[GARY F]

How about a air cut off wheel.

[marcapra]

I went to HD and bought a good Milwaukee dyke about 6 inches long.  That was good enough, along with my long needle nose pliers to do the job.  I reassembled the hand brake handle, and while doing so I discovered what may be the remnants of a hand brake warning light switch.  I don't know how it works, but I do know that it uses the turn signal dash lights and flasher to warn a driver that he didn't release the hand brake after starting the car.  I plan to put the cable on the hand brake clamp tomorrow.  I have another question:  What are these clips for near where the visors go?  Do they have anything to do with the visors, or they for the front bow for the headliner?  

[keiser31]

Pretty certain the clips are for the first headliner rod.

[keiser31]

Are there any clips like those at the rear of the roof? Is the front rod wiggly?

 

Edited June 28 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[marcapra]

All the bows are wiggly if you wiggle them, but the rear bow has one bracket that is like a hook that comes out from the dome light bracket.  If you look at my new pics below where I try to put the bow in the brackets, it looks they might go in the middle two, but I would have to severely bend the bow to put it in there.  Besides these brackets are the type for electric wires, so I don't think they are for the front bow.  May they're for convertibles for the motor wires, but doesn't make any sense either.  

Edited June 29 by marcapra (see edit history)

[marcapra]

I guess I'll have to wait until someone cuts their headliner open and looks and see what it's for!  I guy on another site said he had a 52 Plymouth and there was a wire going to the automatic passenger door in those brackets.  Maybe that's it.  Right now I'm having tons of trouble installing a new hand brake cable.  After connecting it and adjusting the band clearance, I can't get the brake handle to make the racheting sound that it's supposed to make.  The handle just pulls back with no resistance.  And I don't have to pull the trigger to release it.  I've taken it apart and put it back together several times and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.  but I did figure out how the handbrake warning light works.  There is a spring loaded switch on the handbrake handle that connects when you pull the handle back, and releases when you push the handle in.  When the ignition is on, the left turn light will flash if the hand brake is on.  

[marcapra]

Today, I found out two things:  what those four clips are for, and what I was doing wrong with my hand brake lever.  The four clips are on all bodies, but only used on 4 door cars.  They are for carrying the wires for the RR auto door switch.  So they have no purpose on my coupe.  C49er gave me some great advice on what I was doing wrong on my hand brake lever.  I was not placing the folded over part of the spoon spring over the bottom part of the pawl.  Once I did that, I had the racheting I needed.  

 

 

[marcapra]

I connected the hand brake cable today, and made it as short as possible to take out the slack.  But it still doesn't tighten the brake.  I noticed that the hand lever could only pull back about two inches, so that may not be enough to tighten the band.  So I'm thinking of lengthening the cable tomorrow. Or maybe i just need to adjust the screws down at the brake band.  Or maybe I need to do both.  I got my generator and regulator back from the electric shop today.  They did a nice job on the generator and put in new field coils.  If you look closely, you can see the stamped letters at each terminal, A, G, and F.  They said my NOS regulator was fine as is.  The cost was $292. 

Edited July 2 by marcapra (see edit history)

[marcapra]

Today I installed my new generator and put the wires on it.  I put both the brown 29 wire, which is a ground, and the thick red wire 31 on the A terminal as the wiring diagram indicates.  But many people say it should go to the little ground screw on the generator. Does anyone with one of these cars put the brown wire on with the red A terminal wire? Of course, I didn't follow the wiring diagram as far as where the A and F terminals are, since the manual gets that wrong.  The A terminal, armature, is in back and the Field terminal is in front.  Someone said that the ground wire goes to the A terminal so that if you accidentally push the starter button when the engine is running, the starter will not go on.  

 

I continue to struggle with my handbrake adjustment.  I can't seem to get it where it will apply the brake band when I pull back on the handle.  I guess I'm going to have to continue fiddling with it until I figure it out.  

[zdillinger]

6 hours ago, marcapra said:

I continue to struggle with my handbrake adjustment.  I can't seem to get it where it will apply the brake band when I pull back on the handle.  I guess I'm going to have to continue fiddling with it until I figure it out.  

 

Silly question, but have you confirmed that the cable is actually moving and isn't broken or stuck inside the jacket?

Edited July 3 by zdillinger (see edit history)

[TerryB]

9 hours ago, marcapra said:

Today I installed my new generator and put the wires on it.  I put both the brown 29 wire, which is a ground, and the thick red wire 31 on the A terminal as the wiring diagram indicates.  But many people say it should go to the little ground screw on the generator. Does anyone with one of these cars put the brown wire on with the red A terminal wire? Of course, I didn't follow the wiring diagram as far as where the A and F terminals are, since the manual gets that wrong.  The A terminal, armature, is in back and the Field terminal is in front.  Someone said that the ground wire goes to the A terminal so that if you accidentally push the starter button when the engine is running, the starter will not go on.  

 

I continue to struggle with my handbrake adjustment.  I can't seem to get it where it will apply the brake band when I pull back on the handle.  I guess I'm going to have to continue fiddling with it until I figure it out.  

That idea of grounding the armature at the generator seems wrong in basic electrical practice.  For safety, I would start with the brown ground wire attached to the screw on the generator body, not on the armature lug.

[marcapra]

I was adjusting my hand brake today and I think I got it.  At first I thought I had failed again.  I was testing the hand brake by rolling the rear wheel.  When the rear wheel turned, I thought that the hand brake had not applied.  So I went under the car again and the drive shaft is tight as a rock!  So maybe the wheels are still able to turn when the rear axle is off the ground even though the drive shaft can't turn?  

[Dan Cluley]

Yep, that's what the differential will do.  If both wheels are off the ground they will turn on opposite directions.

[TerryB]

9 hours ago, TerryB said:

That idea of grounding the armature at the generator seems wrong in basic electrical practice.  For safety, I would start with the brown ground wire attached to the screw on the generator body, not on the armature lug.

I see on your post in the technical section the wiring diagram is included and the brown wire does indeed go to the Arm terminal.  Another Chrysler unique way of doing something.  Sure sounds like that it’s the right way.  

Edited July 4 by TerryB (see edit history)

[marcapra]

Now that I mastered another component in my restoration, the hand brake, thanks to you guys givng me tips, I'm trying to button up any undone wiring under the dash.  I noticed that there are no wires coming out of a connector that would go to the automatic passenger door switch.   So if Egge didn't include them, I will make them.  I also found out that Egge didn't include the headlight buckets.  Those are what they call the wires and headlight plug that go to the headlites.  I asked YnZ if they would make the buckets for me and they said yes for $184.  My original headlite buckets still look useable if I put some electrical tape on the frayed wires.  So I'm not sure what I'm going to do.  Maybe new buckets would be the safest bet.  

[marcapra]

I am trying to button up my under dash wiring and I looked at how do I connect the wires to the dome light switch and the auto door switch.  They both take a stripped wire end that goes into a hole, which is secured with a set screw.  The set screw is a very small #4-48 X 3/8 and I need three more.  I tried to find them at my hardware store and Napa, but they didn't have them.  Hank's hardware had the #4 screw but it was 40 thread, so it didn't work.  But this is nothing really urgent because I can still install my dash and connect those switches later.  The hand brake switch looks easier.  It take two bayonet end wires which are on my harness.  I am anxious to get my dash back on and engine running again to see the generator and ammeter working.  

[marcapra]

I am asking about the dome light switches above.  I put my multi-tester between the two brass wire holders and pressed the button and got no continuity.  No continuity on the pillar switch either.  Is that normal?  I got the dash back on tonight finally.  I had to take it off to fix the hand brake and now it's fixed, so the dash is on again.  I went over the wiring again just to make sure everything was connected and tight.  I compared my wiring to the wiring diagram, and was concerned because it showed three wires going to the third terminal of the fuel gauge.  I only have one!  But Egge, the manufacturer of my harness, just wired it a different way.  The only wire going to the fuel gauge is the from the GA terminal of the ignition switch.  But the wiring diagram shows the wiper motor wire and the starter push button switch going to the fuel gauge.  But Egge just connects those two wires to the GA terminal of the ignition switch.  so tomorrow I'm going to fill the radiator, prime the carburetor, and start the engine.  Since my car now has a working parking brake, I just need to bleed the brakes and I will ready to make a maiden run, just up and down the cul-de-sac, since I don't have a windshield or head and tail lights, or insurance yet.  

Edited July 9 by marcapra (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Go man, go!

[marcapra]

Just to show that Murphy's law is alive and well, here's what happened this afternoon.  I filled the radiator and installed the battery again, and primed the carburetor.  I got in the car and started the engine from the driver's seat.  Then I heard a spraying sound so I got out and looked at the engine.  Oil was spraying out the bottom of the oil filter.  During the wiring of the engine, I had to remove the oil filter for access.  And I didn't do a good enough job re-installing it.  In the few seconds I had the engine running, I probably lost a quart of oil.  I kind of wish I had a Chrysler with the full flow filter.  So now I'm taking a break from tightening the oil filter nuts before I start the engine again.  I'll get back to it later today and report back.  

[marcapra]

I finally was able to screw the bottom fitting of the oil line into the oil filter.  As much as i tried, I couldn't screw the fitting directly into the opening.  I had to take the side fitting off and remove the clamp.  Then i could turn the whole oil filter onto the fitting, and it worked.  But now I'm having the same trouble with the side fitting.  It won't screw into the side opening.  These fittings won't screw in unless the fitting is absolutely square with the opening.  Anything less, and the threads won't mesh.  So I'll have to try again tomorrow.  

[marcapra]

I took the whole line off today, the one on the side.  I also took the brass elbow off and saw that I had crunched it bit when I wrenched it trying to get the perfect angle.  so I went to NAPA and bought a new elbow with 27 pipe thread into the oil filter and 24 thread for the oil line.  I was now able to screw the nut into the new elbow, but now I am not able to screw the bottom nut into the engine elbow.  I must have tried for over an hour trying to screw it in, but no dice.  My line has a lot of curves in it, so maybe tomorrow I will try it again with a new 12" brake line.  It seems to be a matter of angle.  Either you have the perfect angle to go in straight, or it won't thread.  

Edited July 11 by marcapra (see edit history)

[marcapra]

Today I bought a new 12" brake line, 3/16, and put some bends in it to make it fit.  It was hard, but I finally got it installed.  The engine started right up and ran well.  Then I shut it off, and then heard water dripping.  I checked the usual places where coolant leaks and everthing looked good.  Then, I realized it was just the overflow tube on the radiator.  So my next step is to put the steering wheel back on and connect the horn wire to the horn ring.  

[marcapra]

tonight, I static timed the distributor using a test light.  I'm not sure I got it right.  When I rotated the distributor to the left with the test light on, when it got to the end the test light went from bright to dim, but not off.  I think it's supposed to go off, so I might need to take the dist. out and do a major adjustment to get in the sweet spot.  I was suprised to already get my headlite buckets today from YnZ.  I only paid for them on Monday and they are here and look like a great job, so I can recommend YnZ.  I have a rebuilt generator on my engine, but I still haven't seen the ammeter go above 0.  I checked the battery and it read 6.2 volts, and 6.0 volts under load.  So I think that's a little low.  Maybe it's my ammeter, not sure.  I still don't have any lights on my dash.  Could it be because all the exterior lights are not connected yet?

[marcapra]

Engine running after dashborad install.  Not sure if timing is right on yet.  Also dash lights don't go on for some reason.  Exterior lights and rear of car wires not connected yet.  

 

 

[marcapra]

Today, I called the guy who rebuilt my generator because it isn't charging.  He told me to do some electrical tests of the generator and regulator.  The shop manual has some techiniques, but they are hard to understand.  I recharged my battery with my Neco charger.  With the engine running I checked the battery voltage with my multi-tester and it read 6.3.  Then I tested the regulator BAT terminal to ground, and it also tested 6.3 volts.  Then I tested the A terminal of the generator to ground, and it tested 0.  I don't know if that is a real test though.  I also tested the regulator terminals to ground and there was continuity.  So I think the regulator is grounded.  So I need to read up on how to do further testing to find out where the trouble is.  

[marcapra]

After thinking about it, I thought I don't have to do any complicated tests on the generator or the regulator.  They work fine like my electric shop man said.  It has to be something simple, but major.  It probably has something to do with the wiring.  So I asked myself how could I change the wiring just to see?  Well, I wired the ground brown wire to the A terminal like the wiring diagram said.  Others have said I should mount that brown wire to the generator ground screw.  So I sanded the black paint off the ground screw hole and put the brown wire under the ground screw.  Immediately, the battery voltage started going up!  Then I checked the ammeter and it was going up to 30 amps when I gunned the accelerator.  Problem solved!  

[marcapra]

I've just started trying to install the wiring harness up and over the driver door to the rear of the car.  This would include the tail lights, the brake center light, the fuel sending unit, the license plate light, and the electric fuel cap.  I connected the two wires to the sending unit and plugged them in the plastic connector where you connect wires going to the rear.  So I plugged them in, but I didn't get any action on the fuel gauge when I turned the ignition key.  I thought maybe the wires are not connecting to each other inside the plastic connector.  So I connect the wires with two jumper wires.  Still no action on the fuel gauge.  I watched the guy who fixes Chevy trucks on YT, and he said the major cause of a fuel gauge not working is either ground, ground, or ground.  He said maybe your instrument panel is not well grounded to the body.  So maybe I will put a ground wire from the instrument panel to the body and see if that works?  Hey, that might even solve my problem with the dash lights not going on too!

Edited July 17 by marcapra (see edit history)

[marcapra]

Today, I thought I should take a look at my governor on the transmission.  Back in the 80s, I used to look for NOS parts for my DeSoto, and luckily one of those parts was an NOS governor cover complete with new silver points.  I was suspicious of the governor because when I was testing the shifting on the transmission, it didn't seem to upshift when I let my foot off the gas pedal.  I didn't hear the clunk.  Maybe my governor points are bad?  So I removed the old cover and noticed a difference.  The old cover has no insulation on the top of the cover and the NOS one does.  Did the insulation crack off of the old one?  I don't know.  Is the insulation very important?  I don't know.  But as long as I have a new cover, I'll use it. It didn't come with a new gasket, so I had to make my own.  This is probably the first time the cover has ever been taken off of the governor since the car was made!  I just checked my parts books and saw that my NOS governor cover part number is for a 1950 M-6 transmission.  But they look mostly the same, so I'll use it.  and the Autolite part numbers are the same: TG-4205R.

Edited July 17 by marcapra (see edit history)

[marcapra]

Oh, I just noticed something.  If you look at the box, it says the Autolite part no. is TG 2075D.  but my cover has the same number as the cover I removed, so I think it is the correct cover for 1948.  

[marcapra]

Today, I put the stick shift back on and started the engine.  The engine no longer needs me to prime the carburetor to start.  As soon as I turn the key on and push the starter button, it starts up.  so I think the static timing I did is good enough for now.  I practiced shifting the gears from neutral to high range and low range.  I wanted to see if the transmission was shifting automatically into 2nd and 4th gear when I released the gas pedal.  But as before, I didn't hear the clunk.  my engine is a bit loud without the car having glass yet, so maybe I can't hear it.  I think it is supposed to upshift even with the rear axle in the air.  I will have to watch my hydraulic transmission filmstrips again because I think there is a way to test for the upshift with a test light.  I'm very close to taking the car out on my cul-de-sac for a test run after I bleed the brakes.  

[keiser31]

EXCELLENT!

[marcapra]

Good news!  My handyman Sergio is returning to work for me after a year's absence.  After he works on some sprinkler issues in my backyard, we are going to bleed my brakes so I can take the car on its maiden run since 1980!  That's right, I have not actually driven the car since 1980!  That's what I get for making the very poor decison to start a complete tear down after rebuilding the engine in a community college class.  I should have got it running again and enjoyed it, and waited until I had more time and money for a complete restoration.  I read the directions in the shop manual on bleeding the brakes.  I didn't know that you are supposed to back the adjusting cams all the way off first.  It allows the fluid in the cylinder to move faster and take the air bubbles with it.  You are also only supposed to open the valve about a half to 3/4 turn and close it again every four seconds, as the driver pumps the brake pedal in half strokes and lets the pedal return slowly to avoid air being drawn into the lines.  You start at the right rear, then left rear.  Then the right front lower, then upper.  Then the left front.  Repeat if necessary.  Adjust the adjusting cams again.  

[marcapra]

I finally did a test drive to see if the car could run ok.  It didn't.  Stalls constantly.  I think I have a weak accelerator pump which causes a stumble when accelerating in neutral, but with a load it naturally stalls.  I found out I had not connected the vacuum advance line and I have not checked my idle rpm with a tach yet.  So I have some troubleshooting to do!  

 

 

 

 

[marcapra]

There are parts of the carburetor that could cause stalling, the anti-stall dashpot on fluid drive cars, and the accelerator pump.  Both of these were replaced when I rebuilt the carburetor, but I didn't soak the acc. pump in ATF.  So, today I'm checking the dashpot and the acc. pump to see if they need attention.  The acc. pump is below, and the dashpot is the one with the purple diaphragm and the hole at the top.  Most carburetor kits don't include the dashpot, which is only for fluid drive cars.

Edited July 28 by marcapra (see edit history)