42 De Soto SIA Drive Report

[the 42 De Soto guy]

I'd be interested in comments from those who've read the Drive Report article in the latest issue of Special Interest Autos on the 1942 De Soto Custom Coupe. I was curious about the claim in the side bar 'Living with a '42 De Soto' that talked about "the valve seats being so close together, you cannot put in stellite vavle seats to use inleaded fuel, so you must use lead additives"(p 38)
My understanding is that all the flatheads beginning in the mid 30s already had factory installed hardened valve seats. Anyone else having to use lead additives with your flathead?

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Always looking for surviving 42 De Sotos!

[rlh]

There must be a mistake. I know that Chryslers and Plymouths had hardened seats starting at least in the late 30s. If they went into a Plymouth, they must have gone in everything.

[Stoga]

It's always been my understanding that Mopar flatheads have always had hardened exhaust valve seats. It's not that I've had every one of their engines apart, it's just that an old mechanic I knew when I was a kid, answered one of many similar questions for me. He said that Chrysler products always had hardened exhausts seats, and the only time they burnt a valve was when ran lean, misadjusted, or if something was dropped in an engine. And considering Walter P. Chrysler's experience as an engineer, As well as the reputation of his engine designers, Zeder, Skelton and Breer, I can't see them putting out an engine with such an obvious weak spot, especially considering the fuels of those early days. If anyone else has better information, it would be much appreciated, but I think Mopars flatheads have always had hardened exhaust seats.