Projects My GN Cycle Car tribute build

My distributor and fuel pump parts arrived last night, so this morning I started on my distributor rebuild.


Link to build thread on the Barn...

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=292865

No excuses now not to get my Allen Synchrograph workkng. Lol!

 

I just had to attach it to the intake assembly! Haha!

 

I also got my new oil pan plug. I blued it as well as some of the clean out plate attaching hardware. IMHO, the blued, black oxide/phosphate finish looks better than the clear/yellow zinc finishes. Of course it is application specific.


Wbile passing by just a minute ago I noticed this...


Damn. This pan really is a PITA!

 

Rebuilt the fuel pump last night as parts came in with distributor parts. Was a royal pain to line up the two-piece lever arm with the pivot pin. Also discovered, I’ll need to order the “cup” that goes under the glass sediment bowl. I wonder if I’ll ever find those parts after putting them somewhere safe. Lol! An old nut will have to suffice for now.

 

Picked up the bolts etc yesterday I had ordered from Battlefield/Cat. Going to blue them as well. I’m hoping the engine will look good with all black oxide hardware. Also had to return the exhaust clamps as they were just a tad too small to fit over the flex pipe. The larger ones should be in today.


Had to do a bit of tweaking on the distributor. Apparently, the point gap needs to be set with the advance assembly installed as well as ign coil, and vacuum brake piston. The first pic shows a slight gap between the points on the DS (dual poin dist) after being installed in the hsg. Point gap was good when adjusted outside the hsg. Also forgot to lube the cam. D’oh.

 

A few parts I ordered arrived the other day. Fram oil filter, ballast resistor for ign coil, and my cheap engine start switch.


My Rigid flaring tool also arrived. Still awaiting on the double flare adapters and my sparkplug crimping tool.

 

My voltage regulator and starter solenoid came yesterday from RockAuto. I’m hoping I can transplant the guts to the original housing to keep the period correct look. Hoping also to start back up on attaching stuff to the block later today or tomorrow.

 

Bakelite? Beautiful even if it isn't. This is gonna be a phenomenal vehicle!

 

Yep. All orig Ford rebuilt. Haha! Was thinking of getting an old electric blade switch for main power cut-off.

 

Finally finished “blueing” and drying all the black oxide hardware. I missed some, so I’ll need to pick up some more on Monday. The larger bolts and flat washers are from Battlefirld/Cat, and the smaller bolts and lock washers are from Roy Nacewicz/Third Gen Auto. I couldn’t find any black oxide lock washers in the Caterpillar hardware catalogue, whereas the lock washers are probably period correct. I think when I was at General Motors Diesel Division we were taught not to use lock washers due to inconsistent torque readings and the risk of breakage. In any event, I’ll be using non-permanent thread locker on all threaded fasteners. Off to cleanimg the workshop so I can work on the engine.

 

Started the mockup of parts on the block . I’ll need to order some more head bolts as I seem to have lost one of the short ones, and should have ordered 4 more of the intermediate ones. D’oh! Going to be tricky trying to paint the block inside the house with all the fumes...

 

Did a bit if digging in the shop and luckily found my hogshead trans adapter and the “extra” clutch inspection cover I had purchased.

 

Do a search on Fram filters and you'll be scared straight. I always use Wix.

 

Hsha! I stopped using Fram filters on my vehicles back in the 90’s. The flathead originally didn’t come with an oil filter, and it then became optional, and even then it is only a partial flow system. Would I run it without a filter - no. I got a thread going on the Barn because the gasket that came with filter doesn’t fit, so I will likely change to another brand/supplier.

 

I use a c3p which is listed as a partial flow. The c4p is listed as full flow. There is an online part number conversion but it does not list a wix equivalent. And the gasket never fits. I made one from sheet cork and reuse it till it starts to leak, then make another.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thanks. The devil is in the detail in spades with this build. Seems like I spend an eternity researching solutions/parts from things like my oversize oil drain plug, carb fuel fittings, crank pulley, water/gen belt, sparkplug wire terminals, etc. I guess it is all part of the journey, but is does take a lot of time away from the actual “build”.
On another note, I ordered the rest of black oxide hardware from Battlefield/Cat for the rest of the engine components. Should be in tomorrow. My exhaust splitter arrived in Ogdebsburg, NY this morning. Once I have one other item I ordered arrive there, I’ll get them to ship it to my place. Called Hellsgate Hot Rods about seeing if they would do a custom size for me on their beautiful flathead flange, but they’re too busy to make a one off, which I completely understand. Still may order it anyways and enlarge the primary holes myself.

 

Are you using myus address to forward your parts up here.

Thanks Phil

 

Yep, but not happy since they never decided to open their Canadian office across the river. Now you have no choice but for them to “push it north” to your residence which costs a fortune. I have a set of trans cooler lines that have been sitting there since last June because the cost to “push it north” was as much as the parts and shipping costs to get it to Ogdensburg. I really feel they are totally taking advantage of the border closure. Rant over!

 

My ARP head bolts arrived today from Allen Fasteners. The 7/16” hex head looks way too small for me (left side of head). Too bad because their stuff is top quality without a question. The larger black oxide Cat head bolts look more “industrial” to me and more representative of that prewar era.



Was fooling around with the routing of the spark plug wires. I think I will take about 2” off.

 

I had wondered whether there service was good deal. I've only ordered stuff from the US that I can't live without. Engines looking really good by the way.

Thanks Phil

 

Thanks Phil. Almost everything that I’ve ordered recently from the US, I’ve had shipped to my place. Shipping takes longer for sure, but I can live with that. Only exception were some eBay sellers that would not ship to Canada. I’ll have to bite the bullet on my exhaust splitter and have it “pushed north”. Will be intetesting to see how much they’ll charge me for that. I think it only took 4 days for it to arrive there from the UK!

 

Ordered the Hellsgate flange today. Also my carb parts arrived yesterday, so lots to do. Also ordered the Wix 51006 oil filter and a Gates B55 v-belt from CarQuest. They actually ordered three different lengths for me to try (he quickly measured a B44 belt and came up with a 44” length), so we decided they must be using the “outside” length to designate belt length. This assumption is not entirely correct though. As per Gates; “The effective length of a belt is the length about the effective outside diameter of a sheave under a specified tension”. I used the old string trick around the pulleys using a plastic lid of approximate diameter to mimic the crank pulley (it was not going on easily), and came up with roughly 54” (inside length) which seems to match the stk 53.5” length. So much info/misinfo out there on what size belts should be used on the Ford “wide” belt pulleys. I threw out my original water pump/ generator belt, but kept the shorter fan belt. I measured a belt width of 11/16” (0.6875”), and the Gates “B” section belt is supposed to be 21/32” (0.6563”) wide. That is close enough for me, but it seems some “purists” believe that is too much of a difference. On that note, there was even talk about the pulley/sheave angle not being the same (34 deg vs 37 deg), and as such another reason for concern. Even according to Gates, the pulley/sheave angle for a “B” section belt can vary between 34-38 deg. The stuff should be in tomorrow so we shall see. Stay tuned... Oh, the joys of hot rodding. Lol! Back to my bottle of Shiraz...

 

Picked up my hardware from Battlefield/Cat, oil filter (CarQuest) and Gates v-belts. My Shell/Fram sticker arrived as well, so threw it on. Haha!

 

A couple more. The other two stickers are in Ogdensburg, NY. I will have them pushed north today, along with the exhaust splitter. Will start my carb rebuild today, along with other niggly stuff like resizing the spark plug leads, trimming intake gasket to match, prepping the block for paint.

 

Tried the longest of the three Gates v-belts I picked up yesterday (B53), and it is way to short as it just is able to clear the crankshaft dia. They were supposed to order a B54 and B55, but ordered a B51 and B52. Lol!
Seems to fit very well within the pulley groove, but hard to see in pics.

 

Just did the on-line quote to have my US$5.00 sticker shipped to my place. Get ready for this - CAN$54.02!



Spoke to their manager. Nothing they can do...

I’m beyond pissed!

 

?? Why not a business-size envelope, a piece of foolscap, a couple of stamps, tuck in the stickers, and drop it in the mail like any letter??

 

That's beyond appalling.

Phil

 

After a couplr of hrs and 4 attempts of soldering/ filing, I managed to get the throttle shaft tight enough so that there is practically no play. There is still one high spot where it sticks slightly, but too much sanding makes it too loose, and I’m back to adding some solder. Good enough! Lol!


Before. Worst wear area.


First attempt...


Other end.



Final.