To continue my update, here's the work I did reinstalling the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate, and checking the fit of the starter after trimming an 1/8" off the mounting end plate.
What I neglected to photograph, apparently, was driving into the crankshaft the two dowels that help position the flywheel to the crank end. This motor didn't have them originally and, when it became obvious I had to rework the starter, my friend convinced me to do the right thing and remove the flywheel to install the dowels.
Next, I got out the stainless safety wire (don't recall where I got this? Maybe Total Performance when I bought front suspension parts for when I was originally going to run the hairpin setup that came with Twice Lucky's chassis parts) and my trusty (although admittedly not really trusty) Harbor Freight safety wire pliers.
Wired up the bolts as before, taking care to ensure the bolts will tighten themselves under stress (wires always pulling the heads in clockwise rotation).
Used an extra transmission input gear to align the clutch and bolt on the pressure plate.
Installed the oil pan
Rotated the Bendix into position and backed it out, to ensure it clears the ring gear; it does!
To get the starter and Bendix to work with the '49-'51? Mercury flywheel and 9-1/2" clutch assembly, we had to trim 1/8" off the starter's mounting end plate to push the Bendix an 1/8" deeper into the "can" recess on the oil pan, thereby clearing the ring gear, where we discovered it was hanging up.
Unfortunately, two of my trusted early Ford friends, questioning my rebuilder that left the starter alone when fixing the shaft and Bendix mounting, insisted I turn down the armature and install new brushes. So, I turned the armature over to the one friend, who turned it down, and went to my uncle (the other Ford friend) to get new brushes.
He questioned the first friend's turning job, insisting it's necessary to use a hacksaw to clear the material (mica) between the copper (whatevers) on the end. Then, we tried removing the old brushes, couldn't get the screw out of the first one, cut it out, and realized the other pair is soldered in place. So I left dejectedly with a questionably turned-down armature, a starter case bereft one brush, and a pair of mismatched solder-style brushes, with the instructions to have the rebuilders install all new brushes, using the new pair, and buying a new pair of the screw-on type.
Now (I know this is long-winded, but it's my venting and documenting the ridiculousness of a fixing a part I should have left alone, because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"), I went back to friend one to let him know I'm taking this mess back to the rebuilder, who questions what he can do now, since he didn't fix it the first time, finally telling me just to get some fiber washers to help push the armature forward against the (now 1/8" shorter) mounting plate.
SO, when I get to the rebuilder, he insists the armature looks fine, and so do the brushes, that they're hardly worn down, and I should just run them, that I can reattach the cut one with a crimp-on eye, and be done with it...if I'd known all this before, I would've just left the whole mess alone and run it, saving cost, work, and aggravation! To conclude this mess, I'll have to solder and/or crimp on a new eye, get out the old screw, and reattach the cut brush. Oh, and I did inquire about what it would take for the shop to do it: very little cost, but lots of time; they're really backed up right now. But, he did give me the fiber washer for free!
Frame
To conclude this post. I went ahead and added two additional bolts (one each side) to the bottom of the Tardel k-member. It's unclear from the photocopied instructions they include with the part if bolts are to go there, but it seemed logical to me, based upon looking at originals, rebuilds/repops, and guesstimating at how the torque and frame forces will twist the center crossmember. Can't hurt, right?
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