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1937 la salle help!

Started by Beamon Davis, February 09, 2005, 12:21:30 AM

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Beamon Davis

hi guys.   im just 19 yrs old but purchased this beautiful car. She is solid as can be, but hasnt run in about 10 years and I really doont know where to start or what to do!! can anyone help at all?  thanks so much!

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Gday Beamon,

Firstly the question that must be asked is "Is it all there and ready to start, or is it a case of where do I start in restoring her"?

Once you have settled on the answer, please advise, and we can go from there.

This saves typing up lots and lots of words and making our fingers sore.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

JIM CLC # 15000

02-09-05
Beamon! WELCOME!!!
I must admit that you have taken-on a BIG task.
1. Join the CLC, you had to go past the "join" promp to get to the message forum.
2. Buy (or go to your local liberary) and read/copy some of the ads in the "Hemmings Motor News. (they run about $4-5.00 a copy, so, you will only need to buy one per year and dont lose it.
3. You will find offers of "Free" catalogs,start your own liberary.
4.Search the WEB, when you find something that looks good,add it to your list of "favorites".
5.Ask any question you would like on this board,you may not get a correct answer, but you will get an answer.
6.On this message board you will find a "search" function,search "vacuum".
If you live in  or near a mid-to-large city, check for a "bearing" store. These old cars have ball bearings in the front hubs. If yours are still good, Good. But, it doesnt hurt to have a spare set.
7.You will have to replace the battery, most likely, if you have a "Big R" farm & ranch store near you, I would try there.
remember this. Unless someone has converted the system, it is suppose to be POS. ground. (got my last bettery from them in 1996, still going strong).
8.Inspect ALL of the brake wheel cylinders and brake linings.
  (make sure that the wheel cylinders are not frozen. You may want to replace the wheel cylinder cups and seals just to be on the safe side). The rear drums can and will be a bear to remove.
9.Change the engine oil right-away, leave the drain-plue out over-night and all the old oil will drain out just fine.
10. If the carb."Air Filter" is still present, it is an "oil-bath"type, but can be change to a present-day type. I thank the FRAM # is; CA148
11. the fuel strainer is the "up-side-down"glass bowl on top of the fuel pump.Clean it.
Put in some new gas, Regular will be OK. Make sure that there are NO bare wires that can "short"out and start a fire. Try to turn the engine by hand to see that it is not frozen,then put a small amount of gas in the carb. and try to start it, you may have to do this several times before it will continue to run.
What town/city are you in or near, someone in the club may volenteer to help you get it started.

There are a lot of companies that deal in old car parts. Also, keep an eye on the eBay for parts.
Good Luck, and, again, welcome, Jim

Beamon Davis

hi!!!   thank u for your responce

this beauty is 100percent all there i think..both mechanically and body wise. ....or at least as far as i can tell, but she hasnt run in about 15 years.  I really would like to just get it cranked up to start with. I have been able to get the plugs broke free, annd am going to fill them up with kerosine and let it sit for a week or two...an old man told me thats what i needed to do so...  also i went around and sprayed every nut and bolt and moving part that i could find with lube. somthing that has got me stumped is where the battery goes. any chance you know where?   also, the horns are in the back seat...great big ones with what looks like an old filter or somthing with oil in it attatched to it.  i have no idea where these go either or how they even work. One other thing is the carburator.  It has a mouse nest in it! i guess it just unbolts off the top of the engine??  ill be honest..im only 19 years old and have a pretty limited amount of knowledge on mechanics so if there is anything you could help with that would be awesome...its my frist oldy and id like to do it rite...thanks and i really appreciate your help!

                              beamon

Bill Sullivan

Beamon:

Congrats on getting such a wonderful car, I have one and can assure you they can run as well as they look.

I agree fully with Jims comment, you need to join the CLC.  Try and find a local chapter of the club.  If there is no CLC chapter in your area, find another club like AACA or VMCCA, there will be experienced folks there than can help you.

The item you describe in the trunk with horns on it is the air cleaner.  This car had an odd setup where the horns were attached to the air cleaner.  Dumb idea, but that is how they did it.  You dont need this unit on the engine to get it started, you can leave it in the trunk for now.

The battery is located under the front seat on the drivers side. If you take out the cushion you will see a cover for it.

If the engine turns over freely, you can usually get them started after you clean the carburator, replace the points and plugs, and install a new battery.  I usually use an electric fuel pump to pump clean gas from a portable container into the carburator at first, to avoid sucking crud from a dirty tank into the engine. Oh yes, I suggest you drain the oil out of the engine and fill it with clean, new oil.  If it were mine, I would take off the oil pan and clean out all the sludge and crud that probably lives in the pan.    

Be careful with the wiring on these old cars, if it is original, much of the insulation has probably fallen off.  You could burn up your treasure if you install a fully charged battery and connect it to a shorted wiring harness.  I usually bypass the original wiring initially, and just make up short wires from the battery to the ignition, starter solenoid, and fuel pump.

When and if it starts, it will make your day.  When the smoke clears, you will probably discover that it needs plenty of more work to get it on the road, but your adventure will have just begun!  Look for help Beamon, and enjoy the ride....

Bill
Albuquerque, NM  

John Washburn CLC #1067

Beamon,

I have a 37, so if you want to drop me a e-mail we can take it from there.

The advice so far is great, but if the car set for 15 years we need to rebuild the carburetor (new gas will eat the needles, if they are not already stuck).

Second the distributor points might be corroded, so we need to check this also.

With taking the spark plugs out, I agree let the oil drain for a day or two, especially since you put kerosene in it (highly flammable). Then put some marvel mystery oil or 10 weight in the spark plug holes and let it sit. Then turn it over manually to see if the enigne is seized.

Also, join the club then you can find a memember close by who can help you out...

John Washburn
CLC #1067
Elizabeth, Colorado

JIM CLC # 15000

02-09-05
Beamon,
What the others have posted is correct.
We need to know a little more about your abilities in order to give you better advise.
I would not put karosene in the spark-plug holes, diesel fuel would be better or a light weight oil.
The horns are behind the grill.
The horney thing you found in the back seat,sounds like the air filter.
The battery on my 38 coupe is under the right front fender.
The vehicle S/N is on the left frame just to the rear of the steering box.
Most NAPA auto parts stores will have or can get a lot of the parts you will need. As for the rats nest, vacuum it out with a shop vac. Yes, the carb. just unbolts from the intake manifold.
Good Luck, Jim


Jerry Whitmore

Quote from: Bruce Reynolds # 18992Gday Beamon,

Firstly the question that must be asked is "Is it all there and ready to start, or is it a case of where do I start in restoring her"?

Once you have settled on the answer, please advise, and we can go from there.

This saves typing up lots and lots of words and making our fingers sore.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
It is fully restored and there is at least 1 auto show trophie to go with it. I have driven this beautiful car. Im trying to find out what kind of information a collector might want to know. TY for your reply

Jerry WHitmore

Quote from: Jerry Whitmore
Quote from: Bruce Reynolds # 18992Gday Beamon,

Firstly the question that must be asked is "Is it all there and ready to start, or is it a case of where do I start in restoring her"?

Once you have settled on the answer, please advise, and we can go from there.

This saves typing up lots and lots of words and making our fingers sore.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
It is fully restored and there is at least 1 auto show trophie to go with it. I have driven this beautiful car. Im trying to find out what kind of information a collector might want to know. TY for your reply
OOPS wrong message, sorry

Beamon Davis

hi!   thanks to everybody for all the help so far...

    can you tell me by any chance the difference in a pos ground system and a regular vehical...like if theres anything special i need to do...is it a 6 volt or 12?  and if its a 6 will a battery like out of a lawnmower work??    also, does anyone know the best way to clear out the carb?  should i just pull it off the engine and get all the trash out and whipe it down, or do i need to go in and replace stuff?    also the horns and air filter...can you advise on where they hook up?  i know i dont need them yet but it a puzzle to me as to where they go.  that ones really got me stumped!   ok...thanks again for all the help!!  cant wait to hear her fire up!    

JIM CLC # 15000

02-10-05
Beamon, you shouldnt be too concerned right now about the horns,unless you choose not to check-out the brakes, in which case you may want to install an air-horn. But, as I posted in 02-09-05, the horns are between the grill and radiator.

There has been a lot of posts written pro and con about the 6Volt system used in all of the older cars.Use the "search" function and you will find more then you care to read.
To answer your question re-garden tractor 6v battery, the answer is NO. The garden tractor battery does not have the necessary amps to start the engine. Or it will not for long use.

The carb.air-filter mounts on/above the generator. You will/should find a bracket that is held in place by the generator mount bolts and has a small bracket welded to the top with a slot in it where the long bolt that goes thru the air cleaner connects. The long bolt should have a "wing-nut" that you tighten-up when the air cleaner is in place.

Tape-up any "bare" spots on the wires that you may see, this should suffice untill you can replace the wireing harnesses.
(assuming they need replacing).
Good Luck, Jim

MARK HEWITT

BEAMON; WELCOME ABOARD SON AND GET YOURSELF SADDLED UP TO THE C.L.C. YOU NOW START ON YOUR JOURNEY OF FUN AND DISCOVERY. I WAS THE SAME AGE AS YOU WHEN I KICKED OFF 33 YEARS AGO.
BUY YOURSELF A MANUAL FROM THE PEOPLE WHO REPRODUCE THEM THESE DAYS AND BECOME A STUDENT OF YOUR CAR. IN YOUR REGION COULD BE A BRANCH OF THE C.L.C. NOW IS THE TIME TO START ASKING QUESTIONS WHILE THE PEOPLE ARE STILL AROUND TO HELP YOU. PLEASE DONT TURN IT INTO A HOT ROD THES CARS GO SO WELL THERE IS NO NEED TO.