Plymouth Owners Club

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......Any one know where to find a Thermostat housing? .     ???      ...Mine is in very bad shape!  


Have a 1954 Savoy and I'm having some heating issues. Going to do several things... Replace freeze plugs, have radiator refurbished, replace the thermostat, flush the system, and go ahead and replace the water pump.


Regards

Cliff54 "Cliff Ward"

All of the 1935-59 Plymouth L-head (side valve) engines were about 23 inches in length and take the same water distribution tube. US built Dodge cars and light duty trucks also used the same basic engine. The Canadian built cars and the Chrysler and DeSotos used a similar looking engine that had a 25 inch long block, so those used a different water distribution tube.

Tubes were either steel or brass. If steel the chances are good that is has rusted out and is bad. Even if it is brass, there is a chance that it has been clogged up and should be removed for cleaning. Sometimes they have been removed altogether. Getting the old water distribution tube out can be a major project. Cross fingers and hope that you can just use a hook and pull yours out as shown in the manual. If not...

If the tube is rusted, clogged or missing then you will have cooling issues. The tube directs coolant at each exhaust valve seat area and you really should have a good one installed for the engine to run cool.

Pictures always help me, so maybe mine will help you.  After removing the water pump and radiator, I used a crochet hook to reach in and snag out the water distribution tube.  I feared the worst, but it slid right out and looked great!  As far as I know, mine is original and brass.

Look for the elongated hole in the first two pictures.  There is a paper towel, soaking up a little anti-freeze.  The tube is still inside the engine block (hole to snag it out is on the top side, not too far in...  less than an inch.

The last photo shows my holding it.  Notice how the end flares a bit.  Hope this helps.

Thanks for the PIX and information. I bought the water distribution tube and water pump! will continue to work on the ol Savoy!
When I get it finished I will show you guys a few shots of my baby!  ;D

Regards

Cliff54

HEY .........I need a thermostat housing !! Any one have one of these, or know how to get one ?????

Regards

Cliff54 (Cliff Ward)


682-556-9607

we ordered a thermostat housing from Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts. at oldmoparts.com

just ordered one for my 52 cranbrook yestarday.

tim t

Thanks to  TIM, and the others that are giving me good tips on getting my ol Savoy back on the road! :)

Cliff54

Ok I bought a themostat housing from Andy Bernbaum but the housing looks different from mine! mine is has a 30 degree tilt and the one Andy sent is straight up like this........

http://www.oldmoparts.com/j.htm.

??? I am guessing that this will work ???


Cliff54

i do not know what to tell you, i ordered the same one but it is an exact match for what i had in my 52' cranbrook, and it work perfectly. does your original match the picture of the other therm.  housing with the bypass?  that would be a bit odd. i have had a few of those experiences with my cranbrook which is all original not matching up to descriptions of what was standard.

call bernbaums and ask if they have one like yours, sometimes they are better with descriptions than catalog numbers

Tim T

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned the "freeze" plugs in the side of the block.   To do a more thorough job,
those need to be removed along with the other things mentioned.  Many guys get a bunch of rusty, gunky stuff
from those openings.   

Try calling Bernbaum and see about the other style.  If you've never talked to him, he's kinda short sounding, but
does know his stuff.   He let me exchange some wheel cylinders several years ago.   

OK Well the local radiator man has finished with the radiator refurb and went ahead and replaced the freeze plugs and flushed the engine. Replaced also the water distrubution tube, and the water pump. I have been bustin knuckles so much... might as well do some house keeping so I also decided to replace the clutch pressure plate and release bearing. I also painted the engine compartment. I should be back on the road in about 2 or 3 weeks.

*I am planning on a fall project of a new headliner,windlace, insulation and carpet!

I bet with another $8,000 I will have a very nice $6,000 Plymouth Savoy!  ;D

Cliff(ready to drive my)54

It take a special person to own a Plymouth. Yes, sometimes we spend more money on our cars than they are worth. I think of it as owning a part of American Automotive History. If we did not invest the money and keep them on the road they would be long forgotten. When you drive the car and get the thumbs up and compliments, you know it was money well spent.

Time for an update.... I have my summer project completed. The ol engine runs like a top .......Many thanks to Andy Bernbaum at
www.oldmoparts.com         I have my 54 engine running and looking very "COOL" Now I took my Savoy to get a new headliner, kick panels and (yes I know Savoys didn't have carpet but ..) carpet!  I will have only one thing left to do NEXT year, PAINT! Ouch that's expensive!!!

I will have my son take some photos of my 54 and then I will up load them to this site so all of you guys can see my 54 Project making its way to .... well a local car show anyway! Don't think it could ever compete with anything that Darrell Davis has, but that's OK because I love my ol 4 door Savoy!

Hope you guys have a great winter.... Me, I'm going to start saving up my (paint) money. 

Regards

Cliff54

good news..not seen hide nor hair of you for the longest time..as for the carpet...go for it...to my knowledge there is nothing available in rubber matting that will fit that is of current age/technology..anything NOS will soon be just that NOS (nasty old splits) at any attempt to install or use..best leave these to the cars that are never driven...that is where they truly belong anyway..