Projects I'm 18 and building my first flathead 59AB+merc crank for my chopped 34 4 door sedan

Thank you, old stuff is so much cooler than new stuff and I'd hate to see interest in classic cars die. I'm doing my best to keep old hotrods alive.

 

You Sir have some style and class. Class to hang out here.

 

Lets see some pictures of the car you were planing on putting it into.

 

I'll post some tomorrow

 

Not to be discerning but the pics that come up for me are absolutely awful looking. Maybe some kind of resolution problem at my end?

 

It may be my extremely crappy phone

 

14 posts on your first day. Move over HRP, there's a new kid on the block.

 

Is that impressive? I'm obviously new here lol

 

Best Of Luck To You And The Flatty Is A Great Place To Start...

 

5150 that is a car motor with narrow belts.

 

Does the motor turn over? I'd measure the stroke before you pull the crank and rods out. It's not uncommon to find a Mercury motor with a Ford crank in it. Almost all of these motors have been swapped/rebuilt at some point and it was common for parts to get mixed and matched. I've had two Mercury engines, one even came out of a mercury, with the shorter stroke Ford crank.

 

Jesse, you are very young to be taking on a task like this so try and stay focused as you can be turned off if things go astray. A flat head engine is not the cheapest engine to take interest in at such an age. As I said previously, you have style and class. Life will take different turns and your interests may change as life gets in the way. There are alot of very willing and helpful people here and some that need to be taken not so seriously. Do not let other people affect your direction and go where your heart desires. I hope that you will succeed in your endeavors and get what you want which is at this point to; get this engine running and find a suitable vehicle to put it in.

 

Thank you very much for the advice.

 

The motor is frozen so I was planning to let it sit with something in each cylinder to help motivate it to free up

 

Do not force it. Take it easy and let the penetrant work. Kroil or other home brew penetrants do not always work overnight and may take a week or two. Once you get the initial break soak it some more and take your time then eventually it will turn completely over and begin to really loosen up.

 

Ok, I'll stay patient

 

Congratulations on the acquisition Jesse! This is a great opportunity to build your tool collection, expand your critical thinking ability, and keep your hands busy turning wrenches! If I could make a suggestion it would be for you to pickup some literature on the ford flathead. There are some pretty great resources out there dedicated to this motor. I found 'How to Rebuild & Modify Ford Flathead V-8 Engines' by Mike Bishop & Vern Tardel as a great initial read. Cheers and good luck on the endeavor!

 

With a flathead some times the valves stick and keep them from turning. Try removing the cam gear and try turning it.

 

To keep your mind off the engine as it soaks.. Grab a couple of old Stromberg 97s and break them down, clean and rebuild..

 

Great to see a young'en playing with a flathead!
As others have stated, these can get expensive pretty quick. I have limited experience (rebuilt one) but learning the differences between the many variations kept me from buying stuff that didn't work or fit. Jesse, ask many questions even if you think it's stupid. I kept mine on the cheap by ridge reaming top of cylinders, re-ringing pistons, and cleaned the crap out of everything myself. It can be fun. . . . Enjoy!

 

As you're tearing it down, remember not to FORCE anything. Soak the bolts if you need to and let them soak for awhile.
Be careful with this motor. Don't rush it.

 

This is the 34 ford 4 door sedan that was chopped in the 50s that might be what the motor ends up in. It's rough around the rear floor but it'll be cool.

 

Looks like it is pretty much there. Can you knock the vegetation down around it to help it dry out? Is it on your property or somewhere that you have talked to the owner? It will need wood work or metal, whichever way you decide to go with the roof. So; mechanic work, wood working skills, metal fabrication and welding. You should be a well rounded hot rodder when you get it done. PATIENCE. Ask questions. Those are the key words is the with every stage of the learning experience. In the end it will be gratifying when you can drive it down the street.

 

I got the oil pan off today, I'm guessing it's a good thing that there was oil in it?

 

That '34 would be awesome to build! Best of luck to you getting with your new flathead project.

 

Other than the fact that it would affect bearings, I think I'd be tempted to do an oven cleaner/pressure washer clean up, then soak it in citric acid for about a month before I turned any more wrenches. Might make life a whole lot easier and prevent a few broken parts.

 

Citric acid may be better than molasses but with the one exhaust manifold already broken it will not hurt it. Try to get the water pumps off then the solution will also get in and help clean the water jacket.

 

What exactly is citric acid and do you have an idea where I could find it?

 

Welcome, Jesse!
Boy, did you come to the right place. Can you BELIEVE the knowledge these guys have? They always amaze me. And they're always willing to share... especially with a young guy like you with such an obvious and refreshing love for the old stuff, and a willingness to actually listen and express just a little appreciation for the help.
You're awesome.
You're proof that traditional hot rodding will be around for decades to come.
Good luck!

BTW... As a side note, I'm sure we'd all be interested if you shared with us...
How did a young guy like you in this day in age get so interested in traditional hot rods?

 

Google it and it will come up as a dry powder and can be found at hardware stores or ordered on line. It is not that expensive either. You can search it here and get the low down. Have you used the search function here yet?