Technical Gear changed 1949 Desoto

Here's what I have

 

Oh - Oh! Someone tried to change it to 12 volts negative ground. No wonder nothing works. What did they do to make the transmission controls work?

Is there a little metal box behind the battery with 4 terminals? That may be for the trans control. If not all is not lost, all you need to replace it is a 12 ohm resistor and a circuit breaker.

At this point you can change everything back to 6v + ground or try to hodge podge a half 6, half 12v system. One problem is Chrysler products were quite advanced and had electric wipers when most cars had vacuum, electric trans controls etc which causes issues others don't have.

 

I presume you got the car cheap because some 'genius' listened to his half baked friend, who told him to convert the car to 12v but didn't tell him how. Now nothing works right, the light bulbs and other electrical parts are burned out, and HBF is making himself scarce.

 

Curious as to how you decided to purchase this '49 Desoto.

 

Honestly i have no idea.. everything works though..the headlights,wipers,and tail lights,,,. i bought the car for 10,000 .

 

i decided to purchase this vehicle because im a huge old school fan,, in love with the bomb style low and slow and also chop tops . i went with the desoto bcus theres not many here where im from .. mostly chevys, fords,plymouths, etc

 

@Rusty O'Toole .. tomarrow i'll post up a video here and show u you all the details and the things that work. if it doesn't let me , i'll take more pictures

 

video works best if you upload it to youtube, then put the link here (there is a video tag on the tool bar above the reply box, makes it easy)

 

Listen Bub, a couple of suggestions, or kinda "must do's", go on Ebay or to Robertmotoparts, Bernbaums and get a Service manual, even the repop.
Visit these sites too, http://www.imperialclub.com/ https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/46-48Chryslers/info
Also go to www.p15-d24.com, there are a re lot of guys who know this car, it's transmission etc.
I know Squirrel and few others are trying to help you out, so post a video if you can, not very difficult to do.

Yup as simple as that, good suggestion

 

I'm glad everything works.

 

OK ! I just finished recording a video of my desoto on YouTube it'll be 1 hour for it to upload and it's in the process . I'll send you the link once it's done uploading

 

Here is the link ! @Flat Six Fix @squirrel @Rusty O'Toole

 

Okay great car, 12 volt conversion complete with a GM 10sI alt, ballast for the coil.
I see the wipers work, possibly a voltage reducer, that motor will work with negative ground as will the heater blower. Issues with polarity, will be with the radio, 6 volt pos grnd only, unless you install a neg grnd digital vibrator in the radio, if it even works.
The control switches on the trans, can work with voltage droppers, or, possibly work with 12 volt, this I do not know, others have done this conversion, but it's more involved than say doing an old Chevy. All light bulbs changed to 12 volts, voltage reducer for the gas gauge, 1949 is a 1 wire sender, so it doesn't care, but the gauge does.
The engine is post 1950, has a internal bypass water pump, as the t/stat housing uses a common thermostat, not a big deal, just a change in the engine design after 1950.
So I dunno man, get in use a go-pro and film this car driving and what the problem might be.

 

Here is my old truck,
I need a set of smithys or porters on it though, but she goes for an old 6,

 

Looks wonderful, sounds pretty good. You might adjust the valves and slow the idle down to 450. Brakes need adjusting, what the book calls a minor adjustment to take up wear. The pedal should only go down an inch before you get brakes. Hard to tell but the handbrake may need adjusting too.

But, you have a sweet ride there. A little fine tuning and you can have it running like a Rolls.

 

A real good looking car !
Two things, as said earlier, get a Factory Service Manual for your specific car.
Other thing, give all those loose wires under the hood (drivers side ) some attention.
Bundle them up, get them attached and secured to a wire harness anchor.

 

I've got a 49 Desoto too, same fluid drive, from the previous comments I take it that converting to 12 volts isn't as simple as for other makes of the same period. I only really thought about changing for the radio and when towing the caravan, This seams to be the right place to get fresh ideas and advice, cheerio from Scotland

 

I've heard several guys say they were changing these cars to 12v, usually when they started asking questions about why their car won't run. Have never seen one completed, that they were happy with. My advice is to leave it 6v + ground. It worked for the last 70 years, it will work for the next 70. If it doesn't, find out what is wrong and repair it properly. A 12v battery will not fix worn out starters, corroded wiring and hodge podged repairs although it may make the car start and run temporarily.

 

This thread has confirmed to me that the car will stay 6v, it runs fine except for a fuel blockage issue which I'll be getting on to in the next couple of weeks,