1. My Uncle bought and sold (flipped, if you will) a local Model A coupe in one day. Before the new owner came to pick it up, I went by to check it out and he offered my the chance to drive it. Never one to turn down another entry for my car-driving "life list" (รก la birders), I hopped in and, despite my Uncle saying he didn't bother with double clutching the A's non-synchro transmission, I quickly learned to do so after a couple drives around the neighborhood. Didn't do to badly, either, even if I do say so myself! Here's the coupe; it was to have gone to its new owner today.
2. I got out into the garage, and after photographing the engine stand (for the next blog entry) and some cleaning and futzing in the garage, I pulled the oil pan, flywheel, clutch and pressure plate from the flathead that's going in Twice Lucky. Upon removing the pan, I was astounded to see how clean and sludge-free it is. While I've not opened up many flatheads, the ones I have were pretty thick with sludge inside the motor and pan.
The motor was equally clean inside, as the next picture attests to, despite the outside of the motor looking terrible.
Turns out the block is an 81A, according to the casting mark inside the bellhousing. This, along with the "freeze plugs" probably filled with corroded pennies on mine (in the photo above), indicates the block is 1938 to 1940. Various clues on my engine, combined with what appear to be sleeveless piston bores, leads me to believe mine is one of the 95 or 100 horsepower Mercury 239 cu. in. blocks.
But it has 8BA connecting rods, which means it was rebuilt after 1949.
Now that I have the pan off, I have to braze closed the hole that Pick-n-Pull so unceremoniously punched in it to drain the oil; then scotch-brite the flywheel and pressure plate, install the pilot bushing (that I'm still waiting for from my friend), and bolt everything up. Then (and this is as much a list for me as for the reader) I have to replace the front timing cover (with a two-bolt style for my rebuilt crab distributor) and crankshaft seal. But that will be for another day. Today, after cleaning up, I got ready for the next stop: the speedway!
3. This evening was the inaugural event for our recently reopened local speedway, which closed when the property was to be redeveloped into housing - but (duh) they found the property to be too contaminated from 60 years of racing there - so it's returned to racing again. Tonight were two events I was especially looking forward to: vintage hardtop racers, and the demolition derby! Here are a couple of pics below. The event was great, except for the bitter (for me) temperatures, for five hours on aluminum bleachers. My girlfriend and I only survived by huddling together (like I minded that!). Oh, well, we learned what to bring next time, and met a really nice couple who've been coming to the races for more than 30 years and enjoyed the information they shared with us.
I think that'll do it for me tonight. I'll post tomorrow on the KR Wilson engine stand.
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