What I find interesting about this is, You discovered an old speed secret that was used before the cookie cutter engines came about. Back in the day you had to think your way into the winners circle. And the cool part is you had great help that knew to look further before just ripping down the engine. This is a History Lesson for sure, just one engine at a time !!! >>>>.
Yes, the original shell type lifters with big slots are startlingly light, even in comparison to old production Johnsons with fully hollow construction. Very appealing because of that. This tech began disappearing in the '50's (except for racers) because sometime in there the roughly dollar-per-lifter cost of Johnsons began to look cheaper than the skilled labor of fitting to length.
Glad you and the boys got it back together. You're living the dream, no one here wants to see you drive a late model!
I fit a couple valves a similar way in the engine I let go in the roadster. (not the Mercury) They were together, measured, apart, machined and back together surprisingly quick, and we hit the clearances dead on. No lifter modifications we decided to add material to the valve stem and cut back to size. Having the right tools available makes it a realistic way of fitting them.
The daily driver experiment continues! Was that motor set up to race at one point? Or just a creative mechanic?
This usetawas a NORMAL mechanic, and a modern mechanic who owns the proper elderly measuring tools and a valve grinder capable of facing lifters might well like the advantages of doing it this way over the other advantages of adjustables. The adjustables are ridkier now, also...I believe proper hollow Johnsons are still unavailable, finding and refacing old ones is expensive as hell, and some of the several kinds currently available have disastrous metallurgy.
You didn't say, but I guess it was originally brazed with brass, or brass alloy. I figure you used the same going back. If it were mine, I'd put a lot of faith in that setup using a silicon-bronze applied with a tig. Thoughts? And I agree, go buy a lotto ticket.
I'm sure you finished the job off with fresh oil. Also, I find whenever one service item (like your lifter) from a set goes out, one of the other ones goes out within a week. Just be prepared for that before your adjustables come in. Good job! jay
Cool, glad it's back on the road. The picture of Silva and Reggie is pure 50's...... We don't need No Dang Fender Covers !! LOL
Many modern engines in fact, only they have "buckets" to hold the shim in place. Still a chore to adjust though.
I don't find them a chore, you don't have to do them that often, hell I love Ducati's and their desmo valves, I must be a glutton for punishment.
A Mexican blanket for a Fender Cover? Is that traditional? Wish you would have got a Pic with the shim welded back on. Your son looks like he is just looking to see what to get into next.
Often, some of us put up with things like this forever. You just have to bite the bullet, tear it apart, have a look. Often, you can be pleasantly surprised .......
Glad to here the '39 is back up and running. Great to have pals willing to jump in. I'll ask my grandad if he remembers doing this on non-adjustable lifters back in the day. He is 87 and still works everyday in our oilfiled engine/machine shop. He's been building engines,compressors and machining since 1940, he's already forgot more than I can learn.
My dad had a 51 flathead done and was too cheap to install adjustable lifters,the machine shop must have taken all the valves out and threw them in a pile and when got down to the last ones they were too short and installed them anyway as it sounded like two were tapping excessively,if they would of called we had another motor completely apart to get more valves from. Never did take it back apart to install adjustable lifters as after dad died I sold the car but wish now I would of sold my 53 olds and keep the 51.
Old guy,s like me just smile when we see people like you and your fellow hot rodders figure out the problem and solve it in a timely manner. I have a fresh ready to install flat motor with twin 97,s and a manifold I have been lugging around for 53 years waiting for the right body to come along. It,s out there and ready for some good times once more. Keep up the good work. Enjoy your son as well as he will soon be under there looking for a oil leak. Olie Olssen
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