Projects My Deuce Coupe Project

Getting very hard to build a performance Flathead here in australia for under ten grand..I just costed one out and it came in at ten..and already had adjustables, edelbrock heads ,very good block and merc crank..its insane how much money dissapears in engines.
Id guess you made a good decision going with an american assembled engine..as long as it is well put together.

 

You got that right Ben.... over $3K on Block Prep & Machining, assuming I needed one sleeve. Then there is the purchase of Parts and assembly and I already had the Heads, Intake, rebuilt Water Pumps, Carbys & other trivial bits.



This engine sounds well built and he seemed to know his stuff. I did my homework on him also and he checked out. The basic details on the internals are as follows....

It is an unmolested 1949 Ford core engine, which I was told had factory hardened valve seats on both the intake and the exhaust

The block was fully ported and relived. The ports were opened up to the size of the gasket and smoothed and blended. Relieved in a milling machine to a depth of .125

Block was bored and honed .125 oversize

Ford 3.75 stroke 1BA crankshaft and Ford 8BA connecting rods. They were oven cleaned, shot peened, and magnaflux inspected

The rods have been resized on both ends, the small ends have had new bushings installed.

Offenhauser 4 ring pistons with Grant rings and Egge Machine bearings throughout

Cam is Iskendarian 88 with Johnson Adjustable Lifters

The valve guides are Speedway motors cast iron hard faced, valve springs are Reds Headers Lincoln Zepher reproduction

The valves are oversize 1.55 on both the intake and the exhaust

New Edelbrock Heads, Restored & Recoloured 94 Holleys & Rebuilt water pumps


I have plenty more info & pics on it but will blow more wind up his skirt once I get it here and it checks out.

 

Gee Jim there are a lot of red engines but dam she sure looks sweeeeeet

 

I picked up the Engine today. It looks as pictured in the sales pics I was sent.

Aside from two broken Spark Lead Ends, due to tight Shrink Wrap packaging, she looks pretty good. The Paint covering seems quite thin, which is good as It's all coming off.

I only had time to investigate the Lifter Valley. Everything looks good so far, but I'm not sure how the Fuel Pump would have worked as there was No Pushrod in there.

I won't have time to take the Oil Pan & Heads off this weekend as I'm interstate from tomorrow. More info to come when I get back.

 

Great to see Jim,

wise choice to by from the US, seems they can build a motor cheaper than we can, looks like your pile o parts is starting to come together.

 

Hey Oz glad the engine all worked out for you, Looks real good, jeez 10 grand for a flattie is just stupid !!!

 

Lookin good JT - keep em comin man.

Ill be over to suss out this bucket o bolts


Rat

 

Sweet mill Jim!

F L A T H E A D

Says it all.

HC.

 

The Steelout of the Body continues.....

The doors have been steeled out, complete with Intrusion Bar and will now be hung on the body before the outer shell is put over the top. I'll get some POR15 paint on those bare metal pieces before they get sealed up with the outer skin.



The Kick-panel bracing has been made. I decided on a laser cut single piece, with access holes, rather than the steel bar bracing option. I reckon it looks nicer and gives me the option to leave them exposed rather than covering them.





The Roof bracing has been installed and braced to the sides.

 

By hell the guys are doing a great job.
Might have to go look at it soon

 

Good to see progress is still going on.
I bet your hanging to get that motor in and started.

 

Good progress Oz, you will be driving it before ya know it

 

Your not wrong there. I've taken the Heads off. The Relieving seems a little uneven between chambers so I'm gonna cc them and see if they are drastically different. The bottom end looks ok, The Crank turns over nice & smooth but I'll still be taking all the Caps off to check the Bearing wear and re-lube everything.

I'll be installing Head & Main studs also. I did find that one bank had 6 Heli-coils and the other Bank had one Helicoil.

The Waterpumps turn nice & smooth but I'll get them and the timing cover off to check the gears out. Still a little way off starting it.

In another decision I'm gonna ditch the Holley 94's for Strommy 97's. A better carb and easier to tune imo.

 

The Body steeling out continues to move along.

The Centre Bracing has been started. Some Cross Bracing will be added to this.

The Trunk opening side supports have been mocked up and will be finalised in the coming week. This will allow the Trunk to be hinged and mounted.

 

Certainly getting there Oz, bet you can't wait !!! Great stuff


Sent from my iPhone using TJJ

 

I've gotten into my new Flathead.

I cc'd the Edelbrock Heads that it came with and also the Offy ones I had.

The Edelbrock's measured consistently between 67 - 68cc.



The Offy's were a little more varied measuring between 60 - 63cc, with one chamber at 58cc. Some some carefull relieving will be required to get all chambers even.



Then I decided to cc the relieving in the block. A slight complication had to be accommodated as the valves sit proud of the deck by 2mm. This required me to relieve the Perspex to accommodate the valves.



The chambers measured 79 - 82cc. The measurement was taken with the centre of the Piston (Dome Piston) 10mm off deck height.

I think I'll be using the Offy's. The smaller chamber will counteract the material taken out in the Block relieveing.

 

I trial fitted my Offy Heads, Powergen Alterator and my Eddie Meyer intake to check the look and clearances. Some grinding of material on the intake is required to fit the Powergen Alternator/Generator Bracket. It all looked pretty good (sorry I forgot to take pics of that).

I had the Offy Heads Hydroblasted to get rid of the paint. They came back looking great, but the previously polished Sides & Fins now looked fairly Shaby, so I took to them with the Buffing wheel to bring back the shine.









I polished up my HAMB Plate Topper whilst at it.

 

Nice work JT !!

Keep em coing

Rat

 

Way Kool!

 

Here is a close up of the Topper...... A bit of Arty Photography and my new PC Screen Background.


HAMB by jimtz, on Flickr

 

I think I have the same shop assistant as you. Is yours as lazy as mine?

 

I want one of those plate toppers! Are they still available?

 

I got it off the HAMB store... but I just checked and it said 'Sold Out'. I think Ryan made a limited run. Have a word to him to see if he is making more.

Yeah.... He likes my company but is a bit hesitant in getting on the tools.

 

Steeling out is continuing. The Trunk section steelout is near complete. The Trunk lid has been mounted.

The Centre brace & rear window steelout is complete. The Sash Seatbelt mounts finished.











Hot Rod Assembly Line by jimtz, on Flickr

 

ooooo....that line up of hot rods makes me itch

 

Pete, Its been said before "Boys get your hands off your groin when you're in the company of hot rods"

Nice steeling out there Jim - Wombat and Spider do great work.

 

Not that kind of itch!!!

 

They sure do Mark. They are both genuine bloke's. Spider in particular is such an interesting guy to talk to, full of great idea's & stories.

I also made time today to pick up my Radiator from the shipper.

The search for a period looking Alloy radiator took me all the way over to Alabama. Phillip Cochran who runs 'Brice Thomas Radiators' (www.cgj.com) was able to understand my requirements and specs and built the example you see below. All furnace brazed, stamped top tank, he makes his own cores (no China parts) and great welding.

You guy's in the US should consider him for your radiator needs.

 

What crabs

 

Thanks for the radiator recommendation, they look really nice. I will soon be ordering one and their prices are a lot better than some of the others I have been looking at.