Technical Cured My Flathead’s Occasional Overheating (The Hard Way)!. Updated 1-30

Been on a 10 day vacation, doing Thanksgiving with family, so no work on Fatso.

It may be a while, as I came home to the bad news that my lift cylinder is unrepairable, or so the hydraulic shop says. But they were glad to quote me some exorbitant price on a new one!

I’ve e-mailed BYB/Advantage for a price on a replacement.

Unless I win the lottery, it’s back to the old-fashioned, but time honored, tradition of raising it on jack stands. I hope these old bones can get both down and back up, and the results are positive.

Reporting as things progress. Or not.

Over and out

 

No closure on the cylinder yet. No word from BYB.

Did manage to get the Gennie Shifter boot installed.
Another PITA, even with indexed and pre-drilled screw holes.
Still doesn’t lay right.
It will have to do until the junk carpet is replaced.
Beats the ragged carpet and the oversized hole.


On another front I picked up my half priced Brookville 32 steel fenders for the roadster that I bought off the HAMB.
Thanks to BlakeTerry for hauling them from Concord, NC to Elizabethton; only had to drive 50 miles , instead of 200 one way

 

I heard back from BYB on the cylinder.
New OE one shipped to me for $695 + tax + $50-100 shipping.
Sounds pretty good, since the hydraulic shop quoted $12-1400!! Screw them!
I think either they missed something on the first rebuild or contaminated the inside of the barrel.
Only other option is to haul it to Knoxville and get a price on just a new barrel and seals.

 

Still waiting on BYB to send me an invoice.
We do have computer service here in 10-UH-C.
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.
C’mon, how difficult can it be?
Going on a week.

 

Well, whatta ya know. Merry Christmas to me.
Got in touch with the right guy at BYB and finally got an invoice from them.
Cylinder is going out FedEx Ground on Monday, hopefully.
FWIW, shipping, delivered to my door was $120. A little more than estimated, but I don’t have to drive 40-50 miles to pick it up at an LTL terminal. Fair enough on the heavy 4”x72” SOB,
Maybe get back to it on Fatso 40 in a week or so.

Merry Christmas, ya hooligans!

 

That’s a true Christmas Miracle! Merry Christmas!

 

Ahhhhh - always nice when a plan “starts” to come together and there’s light at the end if tge tunnel - Merry Christmas indeed!

 

Santa stopped by today!

We were coming home from Nashville, and my Ring camera app went off. It was a FedEx van.
Since I had not received any shipping notice from BYB, there was no chance that it was the cylinder. Plus the van was just that, a 1/2T van, and the driver had parked where I couldn’t see what he unloaded. Figured it was a package.
We got home at dark and there it was, wrapped in a cardboard tube and all taped up. The cylinder!
It was on the front porch. Don’t know how he got it up there, it’s a heavy son of a gun.
I’ll get it unpacked tomorrow and maybe get it installed, if my neighbor is available.
Stay tooned.

 

Is it in yet? Cmon man the sun is almost up....

 

Not yet!
Neighbor Bob is out of town, but I did get it from the front porch back to the shop in my truck. Found the RING vid of the FedEx guy with the heavy SOB on his shoulder , climbing the steps and carrying it to the porch!
What a gorilla! HA!
Anyway, got it unpacked and of course it hooks up different than the original one.
The box that came with it has two lengths of hydraulic hose, some 1/4” plastic tubing, some fittings and a check valve, but NO instruction sheet!
Rather than do it wrong I’ve got to send pics to BYB and wait for them to get back to me. WTF!

 

Still NO response from BYB as to what they sent and how it hooks up!
Yeah, there was a holiday. Yeah, people take vacation.
But if you’re taking off does no one pick up your slack?
Are you closed for the week?
Just crickets.

 

Finally a day without rain or snow, just cold and sunny, so me and good neighbor Bob rolled the 40 outside and got the heavy ass cylinder installed.
Of course, with different plumbing, some improvisation will be required, plus I want to install an in-line filter to protect the new investment. Looks like Monday for BYB.

Stay tooned for more swell adventures on the road to clutch adjustment. Shit’s getting old.!!

 

Update on the project that never ends.

Well, I mocked up what BYB sent me. FUBAB

The hose that replaces the old rigid steel inlet tube on the old cylinder is a foot too long!. Guess I can either loop it to take up the excess or have my local parts house shorten it and pay for a new end.
Regardless the elbow fitting they sent hits the release linkage for the safety stops. That won’t work! Will have to drill another hole in the side of the track once I figure out where.
Tried another call today and left a message but no return call! Imagine that!
Maybe they’re snowed in at Hanover, PA?

 

Had a delightful interlude with a fun filled, three day, house wiring issue, followed closely by an out of commission clothes dryer!
Priorities rapidly change, if you know what I mean. “Yes Dear!”

Well, whatta ya know.!!!
Didn’t need BYB and their “team” of experts!!

Got everything plumbed up, by myself. Had to drill a new hole in the rail for an JIC elbow bulkhead fitting. Of course the old hole was too big diameter.
Pulled off and cleaned out the reservoir. BYB said it screwed off. WRONG!! Four small machine screws hold it to the pump base!
Replaced swivel (JIC) end on the new hose to fit the pump (NPT) thanks to my local parts store.
Rigged up the new vent hose back to the reservoir, Drilled a hole and added a grommet.
Added three gallons of new oil and. VOILA!!

TAKE THAT, FATSO!!

Thanks again to Good Neighbor Bob for helping, including the house wiring!
(Disregard the drooping handle. Door’s not shut.)

Next: that aggravating clutch adjustment!

 

Well, the lift is working great! The clutch linkage not so much.

Extended the clevis on the threaded rod to give some more travel on the throw out bearing, and now it hits the opening in the frame x-member!
I think that’s from the SBC (CE mounts) sitting higher in the frame that the flathead did.
Got to pull it back apart and grind the lip on the x-member hole or heat the pivot arm and bend it in a little.
Still won’t know if the clutch will release until all that’s done!
Lots of work on the supposition that this time it will finally work.
FUBAB!!

 

Is thus an up and down or left to right issue? Sorry - can’t picture it in my head.

 

@TomT Up and down. Ground a little off the clevis arms and bent them slightly. Just enough to clear.

 

SUCCESS!!
Hopefully.
Clutch adjusted AGAIN.
Engine cranks with trans in gear and pedal down.
Creeps with about an inch of pedal travel up.
Still on the lift.
Been shoveling snow and ice off driveway to pull it out tomorrow.
Still freezing but sunny.

 

I just re-read the thread because I didn't see if you fixed the steering stops. That is the stop nuts on the back side of the axle; which means the axle lock bolts enter from the front side of the axle. The disc brake caliper should not be in the way. If this is taken care of, ignore this post. Congratulations on getting on the road; the engine sounds great and the car looks great. Happy motoring!

 

Thanks, @joel
Yes, I used stock Ford stop nuts.
Haven’t driven it to see if it cuts down on the inner fender panel and tire rub, but fingers crossed.
If the clutch release issue is resolved, I ‘ll take it out as soon as the roads clear up. Maybe Friday.
Perpetual optimism.
Or simply not knowing when to quit.

 

Well, finally!
Pulled Fatso off the lift and outside the shop under its own power today!
Clutch seems to be working ok.
Made a few up and down passes outside but our road hadn’t cleared enough to go for a spin. (or hit some ice and go for a spin!)
Too bad, cause rain and snow with single digit lows is coming tomorrow for 4 days.
Oh well. I’ll take the small victory

 

Looks great!

 

Thank you! This project has been a PITA. Hopefully finished up.

 

Always nice when a project comes together - lookin hood!

 

Thanks @TomT for sticking around through this L O N G, drawn out ordeal. Hopefully it’s over.
Time that I can’t get back.

 

Big day today! Took Fatso for its first outing.
Went about five miles and back, with Good Neighbor Bob riding shotgun!
Clutch did good, trans shifts great. Pulled up the steep driveway good.
Wiring, lights, horn, wipers, turn signals all work.
New 525 Borgeson box steers great!

Only negative is the steering wheel is 90* off; fix that later. And the 2 bbl is leaning out.
All in all, it gets a B+ and I’m stoked! Maybe run some more tomorrow.
Rain’s coming in, back in the shop for now.

Thanks guys, for all your encouragement!! It’s been a long haul!

 

I see you have a plaque on your dash - 40 80. I was on 2 40 Ford tours, The 40 is 50 and the 40 is 60 tours both byArt Branum of Mr 40s Fatstuff fame. Both were sensational …..

 

I'm getting ready to drop a sbc in a stock 40 and use the stock tranny. I figured I could get it done in a long weekend. After reading this, I'm now guessing a year and a weekend.

 

Looking good! So glad you are on the road!

 

Thanks, Tom! Theoretically any way.
I’ve had to deal with a surprise medical issue that fortunately came out OK, and some needed, but postponed, home improvement projects so no driving time. You know how that is.
Hopefully that will change now that the weather has.