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Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests
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HeyMoe
Practically Family
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Hey fellow loungers,
I have another question that I hope someone can help me with. I replaced the speedometer cable in my car last night (my old one was accidentally crimped and snapped when I was working on the car). I went out and was testing the car and noticed that the speedo is about 10mph slower than the car (verified via two GPSs). I never noticed it last year when I got the car but to be honest, I only drove it a few times before the clutch went.
I do know that I have larger tires on the car than the original ones so I suspect that is what is causing the issue (0-10mph is dead on after that, I am running 10mph short). I now with modern cars you are able to adjust the speedo to account for larger/smaller tires. Anyone know if this can be done on a 1939 dodge d11?
I have another question that I hope someone can help me with. I replaced the speedometer cable in my car last night (my old one was accidentally crimped and snapped when I was working on the car). I went out and was testing the car and noticed that the speedo is about 10mph slower than the car (verified via two GPSs). I never noticed it last year when I got the car but to be honest, I only drove it a few times before the clutch went.
I do know that I have larger tires on the car than the original ones so I suspect that is what is causing the issue (0-10mph is dead on after that, I am running 10mph short). I now with modern cars you are able to adjust the speedo to account for larger/smaller tires. Anyone know if this can be done on a 1939 dodge d11?
LizzieMaine
Bartender
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According to my 1941 shop manual (which should be about the same for 1939), there's no adjustment control. Speedometer adjustment was a function of the gear ratio in the rear end, the tire size, and the gear and pinion combination used in the speedometer. If your car specified 6.00 x 16 tires, which were standard for 1939-41, there were three different gear-and-pinion combinations for the rear end and speedometer, along with a fourth combination for 6.50 x 16 tires. These all had to match for the speedometer to be accurate.
I have a similar problem -- I have 6.50 x 16 tires, because that's all I could find locally, but my car is geared for 6.00 x 16. So my speedometer is slightly slow, just like yours, at least according to the "Your Speed Is" radar sign up by the golf course. I just live with it.
I have a similar problem -- I have 6.50 x 16 tires, because that's all I could find locally, but my car is geared for 6.00 x 16. So my speedometer is slightly slow, just like yours, at least according to the "Your Speed Is" radar sign up by the golf course. I just live with it.
HeyMoe
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Thanks Lizzie!
I figured as much. When I had my Jeep with larger tires on it I did much the same, just lived with it. I keep looking at the Coker 6.00/16 white walls but those things are crazy money!
May I ask where you picked up the 6.50/16 tires and are they radial or bias?
I figured as much. When I had my Jeep with larger tires on it I did much the same, just lived with it. I keep looking at the Coker 6.00/16 white walls but those things are crazy money!
May I ask where you picked up the 6.50/16 tires and are they radial or bias?
LizzieMaine
Bartender
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Bias -- got them at my local independent tire store. They're "STA" brand from Specialty Tire of America, and are apparently sold for light-duty mail trucks and such. I think they ran about $85 each.
I have a set of mickey-mouse whitewalls that came with the car, and I just slapped them over the new tires -- most people can't tell the difference.
I have a set of mickey-mouse whitewalls that came with the car, and I just slapped them over the new tires -- most people can't tell the difference.
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HeyMoe
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Lizzie,
When you get some time can you snap a pic of your tires (some what close up?)
When you get some time can you snap a pic of your tires (some what close up?)
LizzieMaine
Bartender
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Next time one of the kids comes over I'll have them do that (my own camera takes a couple weeks to develop the film!)
ingineer
One Too Many
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Every single motorcycle I have ever owned , all 17 of them, the speedometer read fast, as much as 10MPH.
There are little conversion kits for some of them, and auxiliary bicycle speedometers.
But I have always resorted to a red grease pencil to mark off 55 and 30, using LizzeMaine's speed check way.
Richard
There are little conversion kits for some of them, and auxiliary bicycle speedometers.
But I have always resorted to a red grease pencil to mark off 55 and 30, using LizzeMaine's speed check way.
Richard
Stanley Doble
Call Me a Cab
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A speedo shop can calibrate your speedo (if there are any left). All they do is change the little plastic gear in the transmission. Takes about 10 minutes.
If you can use a GPS or phone app to find out exactly how far off you are, it will make things easier. 30 and 60 MPH are convenient bench marks, speeds you use all the time.
If you can use a GPS or phone app to find out exactly how far off you are, it will make things easier. 30 and 60 MPH are convenient bench marks, speeds you use all the time.
1930artdeco
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I know there are a couple of guys that rebuild Model A speedos. But I don't know about Dodge, check with the National club they would know. But if you are off by exactly 10 mph I would just do the mental Calculation, that is what I do on my bike. 70 mph indicated is about 65 real.
Mike
Mike
But does a 1939 Dodge have a convenient set of "little plastic gears" in the transmission that can be changed? Relatively late-model cars do, but that also apply to pre-War Dodges? I suspect (but don't know for a fact) that a pre-war Dodge would have bronze, brass, or steel gears.
Boston Gear still produces a wide selection of general purpose metal gears, so you might find what you need if you can find an expert (Dodge restorer or mechanic) who either knows or can determine what you need in terms of a gear or gear set.
Boston Gear still produces a wide selection of general purpose metal gears, so you might find what you need if you can find an expert (Dodge restorer or mechanic) who either knows or can determine what you need in terms of a gear or gear set.
LizzieMaine
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The specific data will be found in the "Service Standards" section of the shop manual, under "speedometer data." Here's the table from the 1941 book. Since very little changed in Chrysler products between 1939 and 1941, and these were standard ratios, the information should still be good for 1939.
Axle Ratio / Tire Size / Teeth in Speedo Gear and Pinion
3.9 to 1 / 6.00 x 16 / 6 -- 17
4.1 to 1 / 6.00 x 16 / 6 -- 18
4.3 to 1 / 6.00 x 16 / 6 -- 18
4.3 to 1 / 6.50 x 16 / 6 -- 19
Axle Ratio / Tire Size / Teeth in Speedo Gear and Pinion
3.9 to 1 / 6.00 x 16 / 6 -- 17
4.1 to 1 / 6.00 x 16 / 6 -- 18
4.3 to 1 / 6.00 x 16 / 6 -- 18
4.3 to 1 / 6.50 x 16 / 6 -- 19
Can any of you here help me in identifying the old cars in this photo?
Today was homecoming at Nebo Methodist Church, the church I attended as a small boy. In preparation for homecoming, I went through some of my Dad's old slides and made copies any photos he had that related to the time we attended that church. This photo was one of them, and was taken Easter Sunday, 1960. I can recognize my aunt Hazel's car in the back right of the photo. It's a 1949 Chevy Coupe. She had that car until November 1960, when she traded it for a '61 Chevy Bel Air (the car I now have). The other three cars in the foreground belong to church members. The car on the left that is partially hidden behind the tree (with the big fins) I believe belonged to Lew and Margaret Hartley, the man and woman in the photo. I think I remember them driving a car like that.
Any help identifying the make, model, and year of those cars would be greatly appreciated.
Today was homecoming at Nebo Methodist Church, the church I attended as a small boy. In preparation for homecoming, I went through some of my Dad's old slides and made copies any photos he had that related to the time we attended that church. This photo was one of them, and was taken Easter Sunday, 1960. I can recognize my aunt Hazel's car in the back right of the photo. It's a 1949 Chevy Coupe. She had that car until November 1960, when she traded it for a '61 Chevy Bel Air (the car I now have). The other three cars in the foreground belong to church members. The car on the left that is partially hidden behind the tree (with the big fins) I believe belonged to Lew and Margaret Hartley, the man and woman in the photo. I think I remember them driving a car like that.
Any help identifying the make, model, and year of those cars would be greatly appreciated.
Talbot
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Congrats to the Dodge owners on thier anniversary:eusa_clap
ingineer
One Too Many
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Big Man
Guessing
Left Buick Century 54-58
Right Plymouth Fury 56?
Richard
Guessing
Left Buick Century 54-58
Right Plymouth Fury 56?
Richard
1930artdeco
Practically Family
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The yellow car in the middle is a mid-late pontiac or oldsmobile.
Mike
Mike
My guess would have been an Olds.
Anyone here have any experience with a 1928 Plymouth? I ran into someone today that thought they might have a line on a '28 Plymouth. Don't know what kind (4 door or 2 door), but it did sound interesting when they said they thought the asking price was $5,500. A quick look at values shows that to be a reasonable price, depending on specifics. So, anyone here have any good information on this make/model/year car?
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