Many Hours, Many Tasks

Been working the hot rod "to do" list lately. Put in a 12 hour day on Saturday. Unexpectedly put in an hour or so tonight.

I'll let the pictures and captions tell the tale.

First, the previously promised picture of the Snap-On "Super Charger" 550 Battery Charger I got from the shop that recently closed up. Had to wait 'til the very end, since he was still using it. Didn't know what a workhorse this machine has been for automotive repair shops until I Googled it, looking for (successfully!) the instruction manual.


Next, just a shot to show how nicely this flathead valve lifter removal tool cleaned up with a little wire brushing.


Here is the front of the flathead after I installed the rebuilt distributor.


My working notes for "re" resetting the valve lash. I somehow got lost along the way the first time I started this (5/30/09, according to the note), so went ahead and redid them all last weekend (6/6/09). As you can see, I set the adjustable lifters (cold) with a gap of .011" iNtake, and .015" eXhaust. You can also see the way Ford numbered the cylinders on a flathead. My thumb is where the front of the motor is.


After that, I removed the dummy block (no easy task by myself), dragged it across the floor and set it on the base of the engine stand.


This cleared space for me to place the center crossmember and legs in place, and add the rubber ball (removed to avoid melting when welding on the wishbone "splices") to the wishbone yoke, and re-bolt it in place.


Next, I got out the rosebud torch and heated cherry red a bent part of the frame rail, right where one of the legs would mount, and beat it flat with a big hammer. Real blacksmith kinda stuff. Well, I kinda felt like one, especially when it was sparking as I hit it.


To further clear the mounting area inside the frame rails for the k-member legs, I had to air hammer chisel and grind and drift punch out the rivets holding the mechanical brake rod brackets below the cowl.


Since I'd removed the dummy block, which was mounted using my new Speedway flathead water pumps, I decided to take my friend's good advice to just replace them for cheap insurance. No one's going to fault the look of the front of the block to have new pumps, and I was not distracted by them on an otherwise run-as-found flathead at the West Coast Kustoms car show (pics to follow at some point).

However, replacing Ford flathead water pumps is no easy task, as can be seen in this link. As seen in my pictures below, it required a torch on both bottom bolts and "extractor" type socket heads on the rounded and rusted heads. One of these, of course, snapped off, which merited a second torch job, candle wax on the hot threads, Liquid Wrench, and finally another extractor pounded onto the remaining stud. Results: me 2, flathead 0.




After removing the water pumps, I was disgusted to discover and remove probably another 2 cups' worth of rust and flakes from the front of the water passages. Removal was facilitated by tipping the motor nose-down and using the air gun to blow the crap out from any and all angles I could use.




After getting some fresh air after breathing rust dust for an hour or so, I filed the front of the block, and the mounting surfaces of the new water pumps, and installed them with their (strange) rubber gaskets. RTV silicone sealant was not "required" but suggested, so I used it on the first one, only to have the gasket repeatedly squeeze out upon tightening the bolts down to the recommended 25 lb. ft. of torque. So, I installed the other one without RTV, had no problem, and proceeded to remove the RTV from the other side and installed the pump, tightening the bolts 'til the gasket just barely began squeezing out. Done.




Having futzed with the frame, I added the old water pumps to the dummy block (as they're also the front motor mounts), bolted the bare transmission case back on, and lowered it back into the frame (once again, a somewhat scary operation by myself) to final-adjust the motor mount and center crossmember locations. While I would prefer to do this with the actual motor (with fan) and transmission, I'm still waiting for my friend who redid the flywheel to come by and see why the starter bendix won't clear the ring gear. So rather than wait for him, I forged ahead. I'm glad I did, as tonight I discovered when I mounted the radiator for kicks that I'd BETTER use the real motor, fan and all, to ensure that once the motor mounts are bolted in place and the motor's in place, that the fan clears the radiator.



As you can see in these photos, I barely have clearance on the side and bottom (although the vertical spacing is adjustable on the fan-to-generator mounting), which might be taken up by any backward movement of the radiator while "in flight," although I've set the radiator perpendicular to the frame, as indicated by the framing square, by adjusting the radiator-to-cowl rods.



Finally, tonight I bolted in the front crossmember in anticipation of my friend coming by this week to weld up the (typical) crack across the spring bolt and clamp mounting holes. I was surprised to discover that, at least by my measurements - I might be wrong once the motor's in place with its lower double pulley, I won't have to cut away the back of the front crossmember as is often recommended when building an A-V8 (although, of course, I'm actually building a T-V8). We'll see what happens when I put the real motor in, but I'm crossing my fingers.


Until the next installment,

-30-