I got this email - can anyone help Marie?
"Can any one please help me. I live in New Zealand and need new 1/4 vent rubbers for my 1937 Plymouth convertible they are the older kind for that year( there were two kinds for that year) where they roll down with the whole window. I have written to so many places may be some one might have a bright idea to help me.S/N 10189804 B/N 9044x0098 there are so few of these cars in N.Z.
I would like to buy a new hood for this car I think you call them raggtopps where can I buy one of these or a kit set? Hope some one can help we have been members of the Plymouth Bulletin Club for about 40 years. I need your help. Thank you Marie."
Her email is mlbennett(at)xtra.co.nz please replace the (at) with the regular symbol - this is to help prevent her from getting spam.
Reputedly the '37-41 Chryco cars, regardless if it was a Chrysler or a lowly Plymouth, all used the same externally mounted wind wings, with a slight variation between early '40 and mid year '40-41. My initial research shows that the VIN listed for the NZ car, 10189804, would indicate that the car is an early Detroit car, VIN ranging from 10101001- 10468044.
The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942, second addition shows a '37 Plym P4 convertible coupe on page 1166, if the picture is viewed very closely there is no evidence of there being the common bolt on type of wind wing.. The wind wing appears to be incorporated into the window assembly. On page 1167 of the SCAC there is a picture of a '38 P6 conv with the typical '37-41 style of bolt on wind wing.
I am going to do some further research in my Master Parts Catalogs to see if I can turn up some clearer info about the apparent wind wing anomoly.....Bill
Bill,
All existing examples of the '37 Plymouth Convertible that were exported to New Zealand have this style vent window as opposed to the full wind up window and external deflector style that seems to be more common in the USA.
I have attached photos to show the rubber Marie is after.
If you have a look at page 39 of Plymouth Bulletin 295 (March - April 2009) you will see Maries blue '37. (Unfortunately her surname incorrectly shows as Faithfull instead of Bennett in the credit)
Nelson.
http://www.convertibletopguys.com/convertible/1191/1935-1941-Plymouth
Check out this site, they advertise new convertible tops for Plymouths.
Hope this helps,
Bob
I researched through my 1936-42 Chrysler (Mopar) Master Parts List, printed 7/46, I found no mention made about any style of wind wing for the '37 ChryCo's other than the common bolt on stanchion type, '37-40 right 764184, left 764185....'40 after body number 4101 and '41.... right 886183, left 886184.
Based on the photos that Nelson attached in his posting, it is obvious that the "down under" cars had a completely different wind wing assembly in 1937. If my interpretation of the VIN is correct, which indicated that the basic vehicle started out as a US built body, then it would appear that the window assembly, including the vent windows were out sourced from a completely different vendor other that a ChryCo supplier.
In viewing the photos I see a very close resemblance to the General Motors convertible vent windows of the '35-36 models.... This might be the best source of replacement seals for the car in question.
As a point of information.... A couple of years ago there was a man in Argentina that had a '37 Ford convertible coupe that he was trying to document via the Early Ford V8 Forum as being a correct open car. The car had a US VIN and US import documents into Argentina, from there on everything was different... The car had the same style of vent windows as the NZ car. Ford did not use a built in vent window on their convertibles until 1940. The Ford open cars of the 1930's used Briggs to build their convertibles, as did ChryCo.
The '37 Ford also had a V6 engine, auto trans and hydraulic brakes..... HELLO... not correct.. Most of the contributors to the EFV8 forum classified the '37 Ford as being "A Havana taxi".
In summary, my suggestion would be to go to Steel's Catalog and look up '35-36 GM convertible vent window rubber seals.... Bill
After going thru my photo files, I hav 5 cars with the built-in vent wing. One car is in a factory photo so I have to assume it was an early production car. Body number X0066 was an export car and is in South Africa. Bennett's car is body X0098 - also an export car and in New Zealand. Body 114 is in Pennsylvania; body 539 was built in Los Angeles but is in Canada and the highest number is somewhere in excess of body 848, a car in Texas. All the cars with higher body (and serial numbers) appear to have the add on wind-wing. Perhaps it will take an export parts book to locate the numbers on the parts for this particular type of vent wing!
Great info Jim... I have exchanged a couple of emails with Marie, where-in I relayed to her what info I have been able to dig out of the various catalogs and parts books I have.
Earlier today I sent an email to Marie about some research I did in Steele's Catalog... I had told Marie earlier that there could be a strong possibility that the early '37 conv vent windows might be very similar to the seals used in the '36-37-38 GM cars..
I know... heaven forbid that Chrysler would stoop so low as to use GM parts in their cars... So far I have found that the door check arms and the rumble seat deck lid weather seal for the '37-39 Plym conv.s is the same as a '36 Ford..
Searching through Steele's Catalog I found that all of the '36-37 & 38 GM convertibles, regardless of what make or model, used the same rubber seals for the vent windows. I suggested to Marie in the email I sent her earlier today that she consider purchasing a set of GM type seals, Steele lists them for $119. to $131. per set... Once the seals are in hand they can be compared to her car... If they wont fit, re-sell them.
Short of someone stepping forward that has actually done a quality restoration on an early '37,..... fat chance with only 5 know examples.. Thinking outside of the box may be her only option....Bill
I think before she pops over a $100 U.S. for the rubber parts, I'd take some careful mesuremnts and send to Steele to see how close they match to her car. I have a good, close-up photo I took of the Canadian car (they drove it cross-country and spent the night with us many years back). I photo'd the car quite extensively at the time. They were club members at one time and I don't know if they are still living or have the car......