French blocks use imperial thread with metric head bolts but close enough to use standard wrenches, US pumps are a bolt on deal. Some parts are 8BA some are 59A.
Wikipedia's entry is fairly accurate, these were a mishmash of Ford and later Chrysler (engine wise) bits plus local ideas. They wanted to use the V8 but Ford only sent drawings, not the tooling so the first gen used their version of the Model B banger, and eventually the Mopar flathead 6 was utilized. How on earth did it get to the Netherlands - was it a Soviet embassy car or one caught by the Wehrmacht on the east front and somehow transferred to the west? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-M1 I know you want a coupe but maybe a replica of the factory record breaker would make more sense...
Yesterday i had the change to take some measurements on a 33 ford 5w . Everything matches the Gaz. Only the hood is 7 cm ( 2.75 “) longer because of the straight 6 Gaz used
I was always curious about your Hamb name, - thought it was possibly your nickname and you had a ‘34. (I was half right). I have learned something about ‘34 fords today that I had no idea about.
Since my new shop is not build yet I started with the engine in my home shed. The French 255 has a front sump pan that is no use in a hot rod. I got my hand on a German pan that must be a bit modified. Left the French front sump and right the German pan with vent hole area that will be eliminated and welded shut. Also the lip on the right will be made wider like the original pan to prevent from leaking.
The old ring gear was worn , I could get the old one after with block of wood under the flywheel and punch and some tapping round and round. I put the flywheel in the freezer for 2 hours and the ring gear in the oven for 30 minutes at 200 celsius Ps The wife wat not at home The ring gear just slide on the flywheel without tapping , let it cool down and call it a day.
Time to take the pistons out , the tag says this engine has still standard bore size . Cilinders looks pretty good and some cross hatch is still visible but the measuring will show what I really got. But gonna order new pistons anyway
I work temporally in my small home shed so gotta work with small a small place. Made some stands for the parts and started with removing the valves. Already find one worn valve guide and a few good ones. Tomorrow I will fight the stubborn valves and will see how the others are. I think I'm gonna replace all the valves and guides , better safe then sorry.
The cast aluminum oil pans are neat, late US engines had stamped steel pans, those must have been a Europe-only item.
Hey DutchRod - huge respect from here brother. You are a skilled and driven fabricator. Love what you have done. Based on the link in your sig I jumped over to the 46 sedan to coupe. Just awesome, what a great project. Then the fire, dude - my heart fell when I saw the fire photos from last year. Just horrifying - wishing you all the best even now a year late. In between fighting the insurance company, something for you to consider. I'm a fan of Fordor to coupe projects of all shapes and sizes. I've chopped up photo after photo of Fordors looking to get the look just right. I do love the GazM1 to coupe. Wanted to compare it to a Model 40 and the small differences. (Gaz huh, Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, translated as Gorky Automobile Plant) One difference seems to make the opera windows a bigger challenge than on the Model 40. The Russians left precious little margin around the opera window which exacerbates (makes worse?) the large Fordor opera window. Getting those to look right is one of the challenges you will face. Even if you go with a hard chop, the small margin of metal around those windows will make it hard to get them small enough. In my chopped up photo of the GAZ you can see how large the opera window is. And of course the Model 40 shares the peak in the roof, also made worse when shortening it to a 5 window coupe. Wishing smooth sailing for you. Peace.
Hi Paul , Thanks for your kind words, much appreciated! Just this week we finaly have green light from the authorities to build back the shop. By the end of august i can finally go on building hot rods again! In the meantime i am building my french flatty 255 in my little 8 x 10 ft barn at home and a lot of planning for the conversion. Indeed the opera / quarter window must be shortened and reshaped . And also the bump in the roof and the angle of the rear window and roof. Few months and i can start on the conversion ….. i can’t wait !!! Thanks , Dennis
Maybe I have it wrong, but as I see it, the only usable parts from what he purchased would be the chassis (and maybe running gear), so why consider doing a replica and have that body, hood and grille left unused ?
I have ordered ford coupe quarter panels , i measured everything and it wil fit. The rest wil be reshaped to my liking.roof quarter windows etc. Top will be chopped but undecided if i go bonnevile/ roling bones look or just a 4” straight chop since i drive my rods a lot and keep it a bit comfy. I’m gonna keep the grill but maybe shorten the hood 2.75 “ to ford dimensions. It is gonna be a hot rod so look like a 34 5w coupe but with a twist. Not so easy to find a 34 ford over here
I would not shorten the hood. The longer hood looks better to me and leaves more room for all sorts of engines. I have a blown flathead in my 34 and have now started to shove the engine back 2" to get room for a toothed belt as the serpentine crap started to slip above 3500.
I will decide after the conversion and chop. When proportions look ok the extra room in the engine area is a plus. I cannot stretch the wheelbase to match the longer hood. because of restrictions and rules over here.
To me it seems appropriate - there are tons of Fords, very few GAZs around. But it's not my car, so just a mere suggestion.
Slowly assembling the engine but waiting for parts so i can go on. Gonna pick up my quarters this week , these are hand build in Sweden. So slowly the parts of the coupe puzlle are arriving. My new shop will be finished soon so after summer the real fun starts.
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