40 Ford P-up Build Thread

Good info, Tom. Thanks for sharing.

 

Based on this, I was using the wrong port off the aEdelbrock carb of which presently I am set for a smog motor - I need full manifold vacuum, I should probably get that vacuum canister, and I should set the timing off the back port of the carb where you would hook up your power brake hose, not off one of the front ports. So, this is where I will start - after that, we shall see ….

 

Meh. I do not run vacuum advance on any of my cars right now. The 442 hasn't had one for 20 years. My blown flathead? Nada. Air cooled dune buggy? Nada. All run wild on the street and idle below 900, with decent fuel economy for what they are. There is no "absolutely, positively" in life or in car building/tuning. I don't lock them down, I use the centrifugal advance only.

I tune by running the RPMs up until the timing mark (using my timing light) no longer moves do to engine RPM, usually around 3000 RPM, set my timing light to 35-40 and twist the distributor until I get there (27 on the dune buggy). I am not a timing guru, I don't write articles and books about it, I'm just a guy that tunes his own cars and expects them to perform with anything along side of me.

My PU has a vacuum advance hooked up though, and I will never change it absolutely, positively.

 

I have some parts on order that I am waiting on and I have yet to determine whether the water pump I am using is a reverse flow wp or not. But I am just about out of time with my upcoming hip surgery and that will put me out of commission for a while and then we are into the holidays. As always, I will work on it when able and there’s free time updating here what I find out ……

 

Good luck with the hip surgery, Tom. Hope all goes smoothly.

 

Advanced best wishes on the surgery.
Hope for smooth procedure and a fast recovery!

 

Yes Tom, best wishes on the procedure and quick recovery. Hopefully you won’t have any temperature issues

 

You old hippy.
Best wishes for a good recovery.

 

Thanks fellas - you are like a singing group - you all harmonize well! Lol! But I appreciate it very much …..

 

I had another sbc swp lying around and I opened up the back of it ….

… this looks to me to NOT be a reverse flow wp. So, once I am up and about again. I will install this one.

Once the old one is off I will open it up as well ….

One less thing to be questioning …..

 

So it’s my first day back in the garage - dropped the antifreeze and began pulling things apart:


… and I have found my problem ….

… and the pump is/was the issue. I guess this is what a reverse flow water pump looks like. My previous post is what I will be installing. I have done about all I can do today and will start re-assembling tomorrow.
I am glad I started with the pump! Saved a a step or two I think ….

 

Am I missing something or are both those pump blades moving water the same direction?

 

Bandit - you are probably right - I just do not know what the first one is to be truthfull!

 

So, to be sure, I ordered a water pump for a 66 Chevy Impala 283 ….

…. I will now start reassembly of the engine and see what happens. I do have some house things to do now that I am able but will try and get some time on the project when I can. Hopefully, this will do the trick …..

 

Got sone time to out things back together. Once tge alt and ac compressor were in I thought I would put the belts on good and tight and see about upper hose clearance getting them engine and rad on the same plane …

so from this pic you can see thexangle neck thermo housing was mot going to work. I then stayed with the non chrome housing I recently installed ….


And experimented on how it would line up …

I then installed the radiator ….

… and I then changed some rubber hosing around for the best fit ….


This is the best I could come up without major mods so this is a go for me. I will keep plugging away at it when I can and fo a test run ….

By the way, the hose is down from where it was …

 

I'd plug that front PCV port on your carb, if you're not using it.

 

No - I am using it - just unplugged it to get at the back thermo housing bolt …..

 

Merry Christmas and. a Happy New Year to all ! Unfortunately the project will have to wait until next year - life just took over.
Stay safe, gents, and all the best to you and yours in 2024!

 

Merry Christmas, Tom!
We will wait patiently for your return to the shop.

 

Merry Christmas, Tom. Have a great 2024.

 

Finally got some garage time in to start putting things back together ….

Yea, I know, it doesn’t look much different but I am getting closer …..

 

So we are almost ready to fire it back up - I have to check the timing and go for a spin as next week looks to be in the 60s during the day and sunny. The lower radiator hose gave me some trouble and I also noticed the pass shock mount bolts had come loose and it’s pretty tight n that area. I did put the old antifreeze back in it figuring good or bad, I would be flushing it all out anyway. Not too bad a day since more than half of it was honey-dos ….

 

Got the engine and radiator all back together and started it up, adjusted the timing, and let it idle a bit. With the cap off I checked the water flow in the radiator and it moving swiftly - nothing like the trickle of the other wp. Went for a ride around town and a short stretch at 55 - temps stayed low around town but when doing 55 my temp gauge read about 185 or so but got no higher. Then things cooled down - electric fan was running the entire time. I am running a 180 thermo and my best guess is that the thermostat opened and things cooled down. I used my heat gun and at the temp gauge sender it was a little hotter but I was way below any danger. Yes, it’s about 45-50 out so this test says nothing about when the heat cones back. But it did not puke so that’s good. More tests at speed are needed and I need to have my throttle cable checked out as it will not go into passing gear and acceleration seems a bit lethargic. I will take another drive Saturday to Koppy’s place and have the cable checked out.

But, so far - things are looking good!

 

Glad to hear things are looking up for you!

 

Thanks - at least we are leaning towards the win column! Lol!

 

With a 180 thermostat (good choice) the engine should come up to 180 and stay there, or slightly above.

 

That’s exactly what it looked like it did to me since the temps went down after that.

 

Do you run your electric fan all the time or it is on a thermostat switch?

 

It’s on a thermostat and turns on at about 125 degrees - I set it this way so my overheating problem would not get out ahead if me. If things continue to go well I might change that but now I am getting ahead of myself ….. lol!