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Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
About the gas and oil situation. The cars that are in danger from the lack of zinc in new oils are the pushrod OHV V8 and 6 cylinder engines that were common in American cars from the early fifties to the early nineties. Newer cars either have roller type valve lifters, or overhead cams, or both. It is the flat tappet OHV engines that need the additives.

Your engine is a flathead. The valves are worked directly by the cam, no pushrods or rocker arms. In other words the valve mechanism is as short, light weight and direct as a new overhead cam model. You could call yours an underhead cam engine LOL.

This means you do not need to worry about the zinc additives although, they don't hurt.

Should also mention that detergent oils were introduced in the late forties, and multigrade oils in 1951. 10W30, heavy duty, detergent oil was the default choice in every garage and car dealership from the fifties through the eighties. This means your engine has probably used nothing else since the Truman administration.

So don't listen to the donkeys who tell you to use good ol' straight 30, non detergent oil. It was not recommended by the factory, as soon as better oils became available, and is not necessary now.

As far as gas goes. Your car was built when low lead, or no lead, low octane gas was the only kind made. It came with hardened valve seat inserts and hard valves to use unleaded. The gas today is actually much higher octane than what they had in 1941. So it will run perfectly on today's cheapest regular.

In fact, some old car enthusiasts add 10% kerosene or diesel fuel to the gas for their low compression cars. They say they run smoother, cooler, develop more power, and are not so prone to vapor lock. You don't need to bother with this but it might be worth keeping in mind, if you suffer from hard starting or vapor lock in hot weather. Today's gas is formulated for fuel injection which keeps the fuel under pressure. This prevents it from evaporating, which can be a problem in hot weather, if you have a carburetor.

If you want to add anything you could toss a little Redex, Bardahl or similar additive in the gas. It is not necessary but if it makes you feel better it can't hurt. It may even extend the life of your engine by lubricating the valves and piston rings, known wear spots on old engines.
 

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
About the radio. You need to be careful, some of the old Chrysler radios came in 2 parts. The receiver was in the dash, the amplifier and speaker were a separate section. You need both to have a functional radio. Not sure if the 1941 radio was this way or not. These kind of questions can be referred to the P15D24 BBS linked above.
 

vitanola

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,254
Location
Gopher Prairie, MI
The 800 is a one-piece set, save for the speaker. As I recall the 1941-42 sets use some sort of plastic knob, the 1946 sets use metal knobs, but both versions are physically identical. The 800 is really a premium quality radio, with a 7A7 RF stage, 7B8 converter, 7A7 IF, 7B6 2nd Detector/AVC/1stAF, 7A4 inverter, push-pull 7C5 output, and a 7Y4 rectifier (NO cranky 0Z4!).
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,722
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
The 800 receiver unit seems to be pretty common, but I haven't had much luck tracking down the speaker unit. I believe it's a field-coil speaker, which means you can't replace it easily with a modern speaker unless you fiddle with power resistors and such to keep the voltages straight, something I'd rather not do. So, the search continues.

The dash grille will be an issue too, since there's currently a delete plate in place -- there's a Plymouth Special grille on ebay right now, but I'd prefer to find the Dodge version just to keep everything reasonably correct. Nobody reproduces such parts that I know of, so I guess it's just a matter of searching.
 
The 800 is a one-piece set, save for the speaker. As I recall the 1941-42 sets use some sort of plastic knob, the 1946 sets use metal knobs, but both versions are physically identical. The 800 is really a premium quality radio, with a 7A7 RF stage, 7B8 converter, 7A7 IF, 7B6 2nd Detector/AVC/1stAF, 7A4 inverter, push-pull 7C5 output, and a 7Y4 rectifier (NO cranky 0Z4!).

The OZ4 tubes were not that bad and now they are easily dealt with---they make transistorized versions that you replace them with. :p
 

vitanola

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,254
Location
Gopher Prairie, MI
The speaker used a 6 volt field coil, and may be replaced with a PM unit should you not be able to find the correct speaker, but this speaker is relatively pretty easily had.

The grille, on the other hand may be made of unobtanium.

As a possible alternative you could use one of those under dash Philco speakers in the round can, as used on the mid-1930's cars, until the correct speaker grille can be found. I have a couple of spares, sould you choose to go that route.

I have a couple of the mid 1930's round cans should you decide to use one.
 
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vitanola

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,254
Location
Gopher Prairie, MI
The OZ4 tubes were not that bad and now they are easily dealt with---they make transistorized versions that you replace them with. :p

I suppose that YOU would use transistorized vibrators, too, and FETs in the place of UV-199's. ;)

0Z4's are at least longer lived than 607 rectifier, but I always prefer to wire the heater contacts to the battery and sub a 6X5 for the gas bag.
 
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LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,722
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
I think I've sorted out the wiper problem. I pulled out the electric motor someone had pegged in on the driver's side and not only is the wiper drive stud binding up tight against the binding nut, but the motor itself is clearly stamped "12V." Something tells me it was a project that never worked as intended, and was abandoned.

Fortunately, an original wiper linkage assembly for a '41 Plymouth was on eBay for $12 this morning, and it is now on the way here. I'll reattach the driver's side to the vacuum motor, and that, at least, will be functional.

I found several random 12V bulbs stuck in various sockets around the car, so obviously someone wasn't paying attention.
 

Rathdown

Practically Family
Messages
572
Location
Virginia
There is quite a bit of chatter about radios, so perhaps I may make a comment or two? First, when your car was new would it have had a fender mounted whip antenna, or would the antenna have been mounted under the car, or above the windshield? Second, if you really want to enjoy listening to the radio as you drive around, might I suggest sending it out to a specialist to be rebuilt and made Sirius-XM compatible? I was touring with some people in their '40 Packard a few weeks ago and the radio was tuned to a '40s music station. It really enhanced the entire experience...
 
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I suppose that YOU would use transistorized vibrators, too, and FETs in the place of UV-199's. ;)

0Z4's are at least longer lived than 607 rectifier, but I always prefer to wire the heater contacts to the battery and sub a 6X5 for the gas bag.

I would. :p It warms up much faster and lasts nearly forever. No more replacing tubes. :p Saying that, I just had several tubes and capacitors replaced in my 1938 Sparton radio. It still sounds great. :D
images
 

vitanola

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,254
Location
Gopher Prairie, MI
One must specialize, I suppose, but I must say that I find the repair of a typical radio to be a darn sight simpler than the repair of a Charley Weaver doll!

My hat's off to you!
 
One must specialize, I suppose, but I must say that I find the repair of a typical radio to be a darn sight simpler than the repair of a Charley Weaver doll!

My hat's off to you!

I don't do Charlie Weavers if something is wrong internally. I have been working on one recently and I am reminded why I don't do that anymore. The Bartenders are much easier to fix. The Picnic bear is one of my favorites to fix---that and the Mad Crazy Indian. :p
 

dhermann1

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,154
Location
Da Bronx, NY, USA
Vitanola: I have a similar Grebe Synchrophase that was given to me a couple years ago. It's completely in pieces, and one escutcheon is missing. (Saw one for sale on Ebay a while back and am kicking myself now for not grabbing it.)
Would you consider taking it on as a project? PM me if you're interested.
BTW, I think we should give this thread back to the car people now. Don't you think?
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
There were some auto radio guys that made modern raiod that had the old style grillso they looked right in the dashboard -don't know if it would work right in a 6v car but they were supposed to be quite nice sounding. I wish i could recall the name.
 

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