Some photos of the new to me 1949 Chrysler New Yorker - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TylerH860 · #1 03-23-2012, 05:16 PM

Craigslist has yielded fruit for me once again. A 68,000 original mile barn find that the previous owner fixed up to make a nice driver. Valve job, all seals, rebuilt brakes, cooling system completely gone through, and the suspension sorted out. Has a straight eight called the spitfire (nothing British in the car that I know of). Only thing not stock is the carburetor and an add on electric fuel pump to make starting easier. Unlike my 1941 Buick this car is much easier and comfortable to drive. Has less trouble getting around in traffic than a 240D automatic.

The body is as rust free as you can get, floors and trunk are rock solid too. Has some granny marks and various imperfections. Not the original paint, but a nice old laquer job; door jambs and under hood are original, sporting all the factory quality stamps and oil change stickers. Interior is totally original and has held up pretty well, especially the cluster and steering wheel, but the seats do have some tears in the front and sun damage in the back. Rather than spoil this car's originality with some cheap upholstery, I bought some 1950s wool picnic blankets on ebay and put them over the effected areas. I'm not sure what to say with the dash. The way the leather has deteriorated is pretty interesting.

I'm looking forward to taking her to a few shows or cruise ins.

PaulC · #2 03-23-2012, 05:23 PM

The last gasp of Chrysler quality. A decade later, they had the worst body integrity of any of the Big Three, although the Imperial appeared to be an exception.

strelnik · #3 03-23-2012, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

The last gasp of Chrysler quality. A decade later, they had the worst body integrity of any of the Big Three, although the Imperial appeared to be an exception.

I'm looking for a 46-48 DeSoto Surburban, if you come across any.

strelnik · #4 03-23-2012, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

A trerrific car!

A terrific car! about 231- 242 cu in.
I'm looking for a 46-48 DeSoto Surburban, if you come across any

Carleton Hughes · #5 03-23-2012, 07:31 PM

I'll wager it has the M-6 semi-automatic tranny. I know them well. The most bullet proof tranny ever made from a durability standpoint.

I've always had old Chryslers, a 49 Royal, 51 Windsor and New Yorker, 52 Imperial and a 52 Saratoga. All with the semi-auto. Fun to drive. You can start the car in gear, when you're ready to upshift lift your foot off the accelerator and a second later you're in high. You don't even need to use the clutch when stopping, only to go into reverse or to shift between high and low ranges. but 99 percent of the time you just leave it in high.

TylerH860 · #6 03-23-2012, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

I'll wager it has the M-6 semi-automatic tranny. I know them well. The most bullet proof tranny ever made from a durability standpoint.

I've always had old Chryslers, a 49 Royal, 51 Windsor and New Yorker, 52 Imperial and a 52 Saratoga. All with the semi-auto. Fun to drive. You can start the car in gear, when you're ready to upshift lift your foot off the accelerator and a second later you're in high. You don't even need to use the clutch when stopping, only to go into reverse or to shift between high and low ranges. but 99 percent of the time you just leave it in high.

Yes, it is the semi-auto, and it is a very nice system. It shifts so smoothly I usually don't notice.

TylerH860 · #7 03-23-2012, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

I've always had old Chryslers, a 49 Royal, 51 Windsor and New Yorker, 52 Imperial and a 52 Saratoga. All with the semi-auto. Fun to drive. You can start the car in gear, when you're ready to upshift lift your foot off the accelerator and a second later you're in high. You don't even need to use the clutch when stopping, only to go into reverse or to shift between high and low ranges. but 99 percent of the time you just leave it in high.

What do you think you'd sell this one for, Carleton. I'm going to eventually move it along though it will be hard to part with. I used it all day for my work errands (about 50 miles). It was fantastic!

Xlimodriver · #8 03-23-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

I'm looking for a 46-48 DeSoto Surburban, if you come across any.

I'd think the 2-door DeSoto is even rarer than the big airport limo type Suburbans. My buddy used to steal the keys to his dad's big 4-door Desoto and we'd go joyriding till 3 in the morning back in the 50's.

Pic of a 2-door.

Thirdem · #9 03-23-2012, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xlimodriver

I'd think the 2-door DeSoto is even rarer than the big airport limo type Suburbans. My buddy used to steal the keys to his dad's big 4-door Desoto and we'd go joyriding till 3 in the morning back in the 50's.

Pic of a 2-door.

Naw that looks more like our '47

strelnik · #10 03-24-2012, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

The last gasp of Chrysler quality. A decade later, they had the worst body integrity of any of the Big Three, although the Imperial appeared to be an exception.

I would agree with that, the Imperial was a separate division of Chrysler and was made in a separate factory. The workers were told they were making the "American Rolls-Royce." I would not have done it that way, but if you motivate any work force with pride, that can work.

LaRondo · #11 03-23-2012, 05:25 PM

That's a very cool car! I wonder if it's repainted, compared to the interior. What type transmission?

TylerH860 · #12 03-23-2012, 05:34 PM

It is not the original paint, but a very good old lacquer respray. Transmission is kind of hard to explain, but does its job well.

Fluid Drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

LaRondo · #13 03-23-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

It is not the original paint, but a very good old lacquer respray. Transmission is kind of hard to explain, but does its job well.

Fluid Drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think the transmission might be similar to same year Buick Roadmasters, what's the name of it? Funny, another German engineering principle.
That paint looks good, like thick enamel.

What's the displacement?

junqueyardjim · #14 04-16-2012, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

It is not the original paint, but a very good old lacquer respray. Transmission is kind of hard to explain, but does its job well.

Fluid Drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The paint does look very good. Wife and I bought one like that when I was stationed at the Brooklyn Army Base in Brooklyn, NY. I think we bought it in April of 54 for $500.00 plus $55.00 for a 4 wheel brake job! As I recall, it had about 50,000 miles on it and was in beautiful condition with a very dark Green interior and exterior. It was a good running, easy to get along with big car and we probably put another 50,000 miles on it. Brakes were not a strong point, no power assist yet, but very smooth hydraulics. Straight eight engine of about 300 cu in and probably 130 hp. The transmission was Chrysler's idea of an early automatic. GM was selling quite a few hydramatics and Chrysler needed an automatic. This was was called the "Tip Toe Matic" aka the "SelectoeMatic" on DeSoto and Dodge. I think the Plymouth "HyDrive" used in 53 and 54 year models was the same transmission It was the standard Chrysler fluid drive which had been around since 1939, which did allow for shiftless driving, but it was painfully slow to start those big old heavy cars in high gear with the "Fluid Drive Clutch". I think Chrysler first came out with the Tip Toe Matic in 1946. It was a standard simple 2 speed gear box with an internal automatic overdrive built in. Standard driving would be to start out in "High Gear", but the transmission would be in direct drive under 15 mph. So it was kind of like starting out in second gear, then at anyspeed over 15mph, you let off the accelerator, give it a second and it would shift into overdrive, and then you were in high gear. Probably had a 0/60 time of about 22 to 24 seconds. You could of course start out in low gear, (second gear position on the column shift) and then shift into OD at about 10mph. But that was not a good shift, and manually shifting from low gear to high gear was not smooth and easy. It was clunky/funky. No Synchronization. But so long as you were satisfied with rather slow acceleration in that high range, it was smooth, satisfactory, slow. Ride was great, car was quiet and it had a lots of room. Mileage was not great, but we could buy fuel from the army for $0.11 per gallon and on the road, fuel was still probably less then $0.20. On the new New York Thruway I remember paying as high as 25 cents a gallon and the car at the other side of the pump was a brand new red T Bird. Wow!, how time does fly.

elchivito · #15 03-23-2012, 05:37 PM

Pretty car. That dash looks sort of like a cylindrical projection map of the continents, with
Antarctica curiously absent.