Got to pull and rebuilt flathead 6 from 41 plymouth and curious to see if anyone else has did this. Do you have to pull the front clip off or can it be done with the fenders etc. still on ? Really didnt want to dissassemble it
I did my '47 without much. I pulled the hood and radiator, and the front crank pulley/hub. By doing that I snagged it right out, even with the long OD trans still attached. I used my engine hoist with 3 chains: two heavy ones from a short beam to forward/aft positions, and one light one sideways for roll control. When it finally cleared it was pointing waaaay up in front.
I have heard it could be done on 44 up but they thought older then that the front end had to come off. Just hoping they might be wrong
I'm pretty sure there was never a '43 or '44 model made. They were busy building Jeeps or something war related.
I pulled the flathead from my '40 and only had to remove the hood and radiator. But you will want the balancer attachment on your engine hoist.
It can be done with out removing the front clip. I removed mine in 1954 as an 17 year old. It is a difficult pull as much more complicated than similar Ford, in my opinion. This is the same car I put a red ram in, in 1955. I did remove the clip when I put the Dodge in as it was too wide to go through the opening. Great car, been looking for it. Be hard pressed to put a red ram in another one though, but after more experience, I would certainly do it differently. Jack
The easy way is it pull the entire front clip. Just unbolt the fenders from the body only, then remove the bolts from the bottom of the radiator frame, disconnect wireing and lift the front end off in one piece. This will give you the best and easiest access to the engine for removal. .........................Jack
I agree that removing the front clip will make the work easier, and it will make real cleanup work possible too. I removed mine, but 20 years after I removed the engine. LOL. But those fender studs to the cowl can be a bitch. I soaked mine in oil for days before I ever tried to take them loose, and of course 3 had to fight me. Those 3 were a big PITA, and I was pretty sure I was gonna rip the weld-nuts loose on every one. They're behind the kickpanels if you want to oil them. Anyhow it is a simple job to remove the clip, if the rusty nuts don't fight ya, and if your original wiring insulation doesn't crumble to dust when you pull on it. I took the whole harness out with the dash. I just pulled it all through the firewall intact. Now I can rewire the car from the dash out, rather than crawl under the dash at the very end of it all to hook up those 50 little rings with nuts & washers.
Thank you all, i tried removing the bolts at the cowl are frozen so im tryin the soak and pray method, i guess in a couple days i will find out how it works !
Not sure about a '41. I pulled one out of a '46 without removing the front clip. EDIT: I guess I should have read all the posts first. I see that some think that '41 may be different.
The factory recommends removing the front bumper, front clip complete with rad, hood, driveshaft, transmission, then lifting out the engine with clutch and bellhousing.
Some of my nuts came off the studs, and some of the studs came out with nuts frozen on them. Anyhow it helps to spray both sides, since they're not really bolts but studs.
Yep soaked both sides. I just hope any side comes loose.. think this is getting alot deeper then i am wanting to get. I workout of my shop at home at nite and this is a friends car.
Wire brushing the threads on the firewall studs makes them more likely to unscrew instead of breaking off, or pulling the nuts out of the sheet metal. On my 48, it didn't make any difference, everything broke or had to be cut, but on previous cars the oiling and wire brush deal helped a lot. Gene
I used PB Blaster too, and I have a Dremel with a tiny wire brush I used to dress the threads, but still there were a couple that were galled and just fought me. Of course one was in the tightest spot. But once those bolts were out it was pretty easy to take off the frame.