Hot Rods BChrismer's Survivor '40 Ford Convertible

I agree. Anyone who wants a flathead in his hot rod should be committed.

 

I can totally understand.
I will see your piston


And raise you mine


And the culprit two holes down. See the crack

 

Well, I guess I am not THAT committed to keeping a flatty in the convertible.

I've got the '58 283 in the corner of the garage that I had originally had in my coupe, but the 2.79 gears and TH350 just didn't work well. When I stuck it in the '40 stake truck, it ran pretty good, but smoked like a freight train and blew oil out like the Exxon Valdez. I sent a message to a local 283/327 guy, asking him for a good machine shop recommendation so it could be rebuilt.

Next thing I know, he offers to sell me a fairly fresh '57 283 that is currently in his '57 nomad, as he's going to put one of his old race car motors and a 700r4 in the nomad. I took a drive out to his house, insisting that I needed to hear it run. We struck a deal, and once we have a string of good weather, he's yanking it out.

I've got all the stuff I need for the swap with the exception of a 168 tooth flywheel drilled for a 10" clutch. The bolt circle diameter on those measure 11 5/8" if any of my local buddies have one lying around, but I will likely buy a new one from Summit when the time comes. On the wish list is a set of 265 exhaust manifolds. Again...any local buddies who might have those, I am definitely interested, otherwise I'll wind up using a passenger side 69-72 manifold on the driver's side to clear the steering box like I did on the stake truck.

 

I wish you an easier road than the one I'm going down with SBC swap in my 40 coupe.

If you wish, feel free to use or discard anything you find in my thread.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...verheating-the-hard-way-updated-12-4.1265297/

 

Bret, my 39 sedan had 80's 305 manifolds, they kinda look like a 265 manifold. It had a right side on the left to clear the steering box. Just another option. I'm partial to the ram horn truck manifold that kicks forward, that's what I had on the varmit.

 

Wishing you a smooth adventure installing that 283. You should be pretty happy with that combo!

 

I got a text message from Butch, letting me know that he got the 283 yanked out of his '57 Nomad and I could come pick it up. Since I have the stake truck in the storage building, I took the '05 F150 over to pick it up, which is always a pain in the butt because of the hard tonneau cover.

A last minute "how the heck am I gonna haul that pig?" solution came to me, so I threw in my MorFab front motor mount and my circular saw, and made a stop by the Home Depot for a 4x4, some bolts, and a couple of lag screws. Figured that would keep it from rolling around in the back of the truck from his house to mine, then out to Meeker's.

I dropped the motor out at Mike's on Sunday, and hopefully can get some time in the next week or so to head out and do a "Krylon rebuild". He's got some projects that he needs to get done, so we won't get on the motor swap for a few weeks or so. That also allows me time to gather up the flywheel, an Alan Grove alternator bracket, and a 10" clutch disc with the early Ford 1 3/8" 10 spline hub, and the pilot bushing.

 

I have suddenly found myself scurrying around trying to locate the few "missing pieces" for this puzzle. I picked up a Hayes dual pattern flywheel for the 283 today that will work with the Wilcap pressure plate that I had been hoarding. I figured it was worth a hour round trip to pick it up plus the $75 cash.

While having a conversation, he asked if I had any 4 speed shifters that I didn't need. When I got back home, I found the '55-57 Chevy shifter I had initially used in the beater panel truck and sent him a picture of it. He decided it was what he was looking for, so he offered me my $75 back. LOL Very worthwhile to me, as that $75 will go towards the clutch disc that the local clutch shop is gonna build for me, if they decide a 10" flathead clutch disc that they stock won't work with it. I also asked if they might have the pilot bushing that would work between the early Ford transmission and the 283, and he told me to get the ID, OD, and length, and he'd see what he can do. If not, I still have one in the back of my '58 283 that is in the corner of the garage but needs rebuilt.

I think an Alan Grove alternator mount and a set of 265 exhaust manifolds are about the only things I need to come up with beyond what I have, plus a fan belt and radiator hoses.

 

Great to hear of progress!
I'm hiding inside, the non-powered garage is hovering around 30 degrees and I am not doing that!
Please give your opinion on the mount once you bolt it up. It's what I've chosen to go with once I move along some stuff and free up funds.

 

Does Alan Grove make a mount that places the alternator over the valve cover or just the one that puts it above the intake manifold?

 

I think he makes both? Either way if you drive up to get it from him let me know and I’ll see if we can meet up

 

Last I looked they make them for just about anywhere you would want to put it.

Btw; mine is over the valve cover.

 

Because I bought my first one when I had the 283 in the coupe, I used his 200R - Alt. bracket, because it doesn't require the bolt holes in the head and it allowed for the oil filler neck. I used the same for the stake truck, when I put the '58 283 in it (before once again removing the 283).

Now that I have a '57 283 for the convertible, I will need another one.

In other news, I did a lunchtime run over to the clutch shop. They had a 10" clutch disc, but I didn't buy it because the springs wouldn't clear the flywheel bolts. I decided to run by Jim Pike's house and found a decent 10" clutch disc that will do the job.

 

Is there a downside to the low/driver's side position, if you have the side engine mounts?

 

Well, I would think the '40 crossmember would be in the way. I know that when a side mount is used, to run a mechanical fuel pump, you have to notch the top of the crossmember where the motor mount biscuit use do go.

 

Off topic, regarding the motor swap direction of the discussion, but I am needing the rear license plate light stuff, if any of you have spares lying around. My understanding is that it is the same from '40-48, and there's gotta be someone who's shaved a deck lid that has these in a box of junk they don't need.