Projects My GN Cycle Car tribute build

Managed to get a couple hrs in on the speedster. Got one one drain petcock installed. Will need to install the other one in the pipe coming off the water pumps. To do that, I’ll need to remove the exh collector supports to do that. Also, had to make some wooden spacers to lift up the rad as I had welded that rad support crossmember a little lower than previously.

 

Leak tested the brass boss. Didn’t see any bubbles. Would like to pressure test it for longer and watch the gauge, but don’t trust the plug to stay put in its own. Re-installed, and noticed this. Will have to have a word with the CAD operator. Haha!


Got the pipe off the water pump outlets without having to remove the exh collector supports. Only had to remove the U-bolts on the PS rear support to help clear the pipe. Ready for solder, but my other test plug won’t be arriving until something after late April. Will probably come sooner, but can’t wait. Will McGuyver something.

 

Had these wood cut-outs lying around. Plugged the pilot home with a carriage bolts with some silicone. lol! Fingers crossed. Going to try it outside, and of course we had a blizzard this morning.

 

Hard to tell all by myself. Heard some leaking which sounded like it was coming from the ends with the wooden plugs, but then stopped. Can’t fully check as I need to hold onto the inflator at all times as it wants to slowly move out. From what I could see with the soap/water, there were no leaks. Will still need to pressure test the whole system. Got antifreeze and distilled water, and want to fill the system, but reluctant to install the new rad for fear of buggering it up before I start this mess. Might just install it to do the system pressure test and then remove it. Still got to leak test the pipe off of the heads.
You gotta love this weather. Can’t decide if it is spring or winter.



Forgot to mention, it took three attempts to solder on this boss. Solder wouldn’t flow and fill the joint the first two times. So, sanded everything again, and used some brake cleaner. Also cleaned up my greasy hands. lol!

 

Coolant system all buttoned up with new rad and coolant gage sensor probe installed. Not sure if any thread sealant was required. It was a double nut, with an external washer. Inner nut had fine threads, and seemed to seal by compressing a copper flange behind the probe. Will see if it works as is. Going to leak the system with the coolant pressure test kit.

 

Could hear a leak that seemed to be coming at the coolant sensor probe. Removed it. Added the thread sealant and replaced the orig steel washer with a copper one I had purchased for this. Could still hear a leak, but with the hand pump, by the time I dropped it, and went to check things out, I only had a few seconds before the pressure dropped to zero. Decided to use my shop air. There were two male disconnects supplied with the kit that fit the hose that attached to the hand pump. Unfortunately, neither fit the female quick disconnect fitting that I had on my pressure inflator I had used previously for leak testing. Luckily, I had a new female quick disconnect that fit one of the male fittings. Connected everything up again to the rad fitting, and found the leaks were actually at the two 45 degree fittings next to the coolant temp sensor boss. Will test other joints before pulling the pipe tomorrow for a re-solder of those fittings.
Also, had a hard time fitting the rad test adapter to the new rad. Fit easily on the old rad. Interior of new rad opening looked more shallow and had a slightly different interior design. Sprayed some silicone lubricant on both the rad adapter and inside the rad opening, and managed to get it on. Damn! So much work…

 

Wanted to mention how well the new rad was packaged. Was vacuum sealed to a piece of cardboard on each side and placed in an outer box.

 

Went down to the workshop to check on something, and while looking at the engine, I realized that I hadn’t tightened down my fan coolant temp switch as well as the brass plug on the other head. So, added the thread sealant and re-installed. Then looked around the block some more and noticed the two other brass plugs I had installed when I built up the block. They were tight, and looks like the same thread sealant was used. Then decided I should finally tighten up the dipstick tube. Had to use a vice grip to do that and marred the paint, but there were already some chips on the upper portion. I don’t like how much it sticks out past the block, might shorten it, or bend it upwards. Then noticed I only had paper plugging the oil return boss on the pan, and the draft tube opening was taped over. Will really need to do a thorough inspection before attempting to start this thing. Been so long since the engine was built. Got to decide if I ad the external filter with all the associated lines for the initial startup.

 

Rad pressure test adapter.

 

Decided to work a bit on the oil line to the oil pressure gauge. Decided not to install the remote filter after doing a search in my build thread, and found a post from way back in 2021 where I had mentioned that the machinist had told me not to install the remote filter with the oil restrictor, as I need to see how much oil pressure it builds up on its own. Couldn’t find the correct adapter fitting to go into the block (male 1/4 NPT to female 1/8 NPT) which I should have ordered, but luckily had enough fittings to build this monstrosity. lol!





Missing fitting. Also, need a 1/8 NPT plug for the oil return line boss on the oil pan. Damn! Always somehow miss getting stuff!



I want to hook up something to force the oil through all the passages. I have something I used to remove/fill the oil on my boat, but need to check if it can build pressure. If not, I’ll have to see what the Googler says about cobbing something up. Haha!

 

Had to go into town to get some vacuum hose and brass fittings. Going to get all the vacuum lines from the intake manifold sorted out and sealed. One goes to the dist, two tapped holes were added to the manifold at some point, so I decided to use them for the vacuum gauge, and there is a forth hole that I need to plug. The factory tapped holes are unique and you need the special Ford fitting which pinches on the tube (3/16”) as you tighten it.
Spoke to my buddy in Chicago about the tach. He’s an electronics genius, and says he can build a board to make it work. lol! I should see him in 6-8 weeks. Hoping I get it started before then. Will have to figure out something to measure the rpm to break in the cam.

 

1. Oil return line in pan plugged.
2. All intake manifold vacuum lines installed incl the one for the dist. Plug installed in rear factory opening. Wasn’t sure if sealant was needed on these special Ford fittings, so created a thread on the Barn. Answer was no. Thread attached below.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348254

3. Fuel line nuts from pump to carb tightened down

Will pull the coolant pipe with the lead and re-solder after lunch. If it’s leak free, will add the antifreeze/water mixture. I’m using distilled water.

Funky whirlly whirl vacuum lines for vacuum gauge. Was a fan when I first made them many years back, now not so much. We’ll see if they stay.



Oil return line boss plugged.



McGuyver plug in intake manifold.

 

Damn! Just realized I got nothing to plug the boss for the coolant probe. Don’t want to installed the probe while soldering just in case it gets too hot. Guess, it’s back into town to look for a bolt.

 

Couldn’t find any bolts to match either the internal or external threads. After spending 10 mins in the hardware isle , I decided to go to the sectionwith the brass fittings, and voila! It was a 3/4” NPT male external thread! I just assumed it was a normal SAE thread. Noticed when I removed it, that the copper washer was not in contact with the flange on the nut. Not sure why there was a washer and nut with on it when I purchased it. That’s why I assumed it was a straight thread.
Also, picked up my cutting lube which arrived yesterday. Fingers crossed in getting the pipe re-soldered and leak free. I want to be so done with this coolant piping.

 

All McGuyvered up. Decided not to test in situe. Good thing I got a couple extra 1/8” NPT plugs so I could plug the air bleeder bosses. Just used Teflon tape. Not sure if it will hold up to the hear. I need to start thinking more than one step ahead which almost leaves me two or three steps behind. lol!

 

One leak fixed. Maybe? Pipe rotated as I was applying solder. Don’t see any bubbles, but pressure drops quick due to other leaking joint.

 

Second attempt on other joint. I could see the gap. Not pretty, but hope this is it. Will see shortly. Will let it cool down, then test.

 

Success! Don’t see/hear any other leaks!

 

Got the coolant system buttoned up and ready for system pressure test. Lost almost 45 mins looking for the wooden spacer that sat against the breather/fuel pump support tube. Ended up making another, only to find the “missing” one under the chassis. I swear I looked 2-3 times under, but the bugger blends in with the particle board. So, removed the one I just made, and re-installed it. Got to change the quick connect on the inflator, and then time to start the test.

 

Great work, building this kind of car is a huge job. Good to see you pushing on

 

Got a leak. Was at the rubber elbow coming off the PS head. Was at the clamp where the elbow attached to the copper tube. Clamp was sitting too far back from the bead, so moved it closer. Next test, leak now on DS elbow at same junction with the copper pipe. Tighten it up. No leak. Next test, leaking at the elbow coming off the rad outlet where it attaches to the copper pipe. There’s a theme here. lol! Likely, the expanded copper pipe with the bead I made is not “perfectly” round. Tighten it up. Now no leaks, but only went to 12 psi. Before it was 20 psi - 22 psi. I want to see if it will hold at 12 psi. Damn hard to see anything through the scratched lens on the inflator.

Leak #1.


Leak #2


Leak #3


Inflator gage.

 

Pressure appears to be holding, so went ahead and installed the fuel and vacuum lines. Not sure if tiewraps are considered traditional. lol!



Calling it night. Have to travel to Montreal tomorrow.

 

Brass p-clamps back to back work & give you a way of securing to the body

 

I recall looking for vintage clips many moons ago. I think I found a company, but can’t remember. Found this company just now after searching for “brass P-clamps”.

https://www.classicbulbs.co.uk/products/552-container-brass-p-clip

Just checked pressure, and it’s down to zero overnight. Will have to now check to see if I can find the leak, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

Tightened up all the hose clamps before I left yesterday, and left it at 12 psi. Was back down to zero when I checked this morning. So, will be digging into that. Just hope the leak(s) are not in the block.
Also, when I tightened up the nuts for the fuel line from the pump to the carb, I noticed the line would “wobble”. So started this thread on the Barn. Turns out I forgot that there should be ferrules on the line. D’oh! Will be addressing that after breakfast.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2383169#post2383169

 

Ended up making a new fuel line from the carb to the fuel pump. Buggered up the old one trying to tweak it. Also used new nuts and ferrules I had. When I removed the orig l line, it actually had the ferrules installed, so not sure what the issue was. The ferrule on the end going into the pump was flush with the end of the tube, so that might have been the issue on that side, but on the end going into the carb, it was about 1/8” from the end of the tube. There is a female “pilot” hole in both the carb and pump, so it seems the end of the tube should protrude past the ferrule a bit. Now the line is “tight” at both ends and there is no “wobble”. Didn’t even imagine that this would become an issue.

 

The line from the tank/fuel filter is still “loose” at the pump. Also just realized it is made from copper and not the proper copper clad steel line I had used on the other section between the carb and pump. Will now replace that line with the correct stuff. Oh vey!

 

Filled the coolant system up with tap water, then pressurized to 20 psi. Checked all the joints/hose connections. Didn’t feel any wetness, then noticed this…

 

Geeze! I could give the plug another 1/2 turn before it tightened up good. Hope this is it…

 

Plug no longer leaking but pressure is still dropping slowly. Don’t see/feel any water leaks, but each time I add a bit of air to keep it at 20 psi, I hear a bit of “gurgling” in the rad and rad inlet/outlet pipes. So, not sure sure if pressure is still equalizing inside.
Made a new fuel line from the in-line filter to the pump/filter assy. Used the remaining proper tube. Fitting/ferrule/tube are solid at the pump. No wobble.