Projects I Just Bought a Hot Rod Model A Roadster That Was Built In 1959...

That's great! Always good to see them come back to life.

 

Thanks Walt! I looked at Rock Auto and can't seem to find one? (I did find one at Hagen's for $142 (( I will keep my chrome core.)) My part number is 555717. Is that the same as yours?

 

Mike, is this what the water pump looks like? Here's the link on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Water-...729401?hash=item2c8c8ecb39:g:RdQAAOSwFi5Z4Pab

 

That looks like it. Î saw that one as well. I’m going to check around town (Kansas City) and see if there is anyone that rebuilds them as this one is chromed and original to the car (though you really can’t see it under the pulleys.)

 

By all means, rebuild the pump that was originally on the engine if its possible. Damn, this pump is pricey for a little one at that...

 

i have used Arthur Goulds rebuilders and found them to be fast and most times cheaper than a quality new one.
http://arthurgouldrebuilders.com

 

I suspect that 555717 is a casting number rather than a part number. I agree with you on getting the original, chromed pump rebuilt, and the Arthur Gould link above sounds like maybe a good idea.
Unless you have an arbor press and a lathe and mill to make up pusher bars, etc. yourself, you'll have to get them made to do the job properly.

 

Thanks! I’ll give them a shout. A friend of mine also mentioned Flying Dutchman in Oregon?

That number seems to bring up the correct part when I search. What I haven’t looked for yet is a rebuild kit should I try to do it on my own. I do have a press and also have a history of being disappointed when I send things out to have work done...

 

You can buy the bearings from a bearing supply house, that is if you can find a counterman who will look. And water pump seals are the same as hot tub pumps. I have fixed dozens of them. Easy to match up by size.

Just don't touch the carbon sealing surfaces with your fingers and wipe them down with alcohol. We used to lube them with polypropylene glycol.

 

I figured they were similar. I replace swimming pool pump seals occasionally at my job.

 

Tried every source I know about... cannot find a water pump rebuild kit for the 303. Feels like you need to use those companies that rebuild water pumps mentioned earlier Mike.

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"Skips" is well known for flathead pumps, don't know if he services others.
http://www.fordcollector.com/water_pumps.htm

 

And your pump shouldn't be nearly as corroded as the average hot tub pump.

 

Mike, I was so excited today after hearing the roadster run. Like I said. It almost brought tears to my eyes. It was a sound that I had almost forgotten. I sent the e-mail to all three of my boys, and told them this is a sound, you have never heard. I was going to ask you, if you noticed the exhaust ports? I read in an old Hot Rod mag. about porting and polishing. (something new back then) Well I spent hours trying to grind and polish like they said. I thought you might had noticed when you pulled the headers.

 

Those few moments you heard will stay with you for some time. You are one of the very few who will experience this too - now when Mike gives you a ride in your original hot rod will be the crowning moment!

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It's a beautiful sound isn't it?! I can hardly wait to get her moving again! We will all have to get together and tear up the neighborhood, ha!

I did notice that it looked like some work had been done on the ports. While the headers were off I went ahead and blended the welds on the inside to match. She should flow pretty well!


I found a place locally to rebuild the water pump since I couldn't seem to source the parts myself. We ran into a little problem with the hub being a little loose after it got pressed off the old shaft so I had to take it to get reamed for a bushing to get it back down to a snug press fit.

While that is apart I pulled the radiator to flush it out and remove some of the crud that was inside. That old honeycomb radiator is super cool! It's an old Fedder's brand. Not sure what the original application was? A Google search of the number gave me one example that was very similar that said Chevy, Packard, and something else that I forget. I am hopeful that it is up to the task of cooling the old 303!

 

Loved the video, Mike! The engine sounds smooth as silk and no valve noise. I've had a couple 324s but never a 303. Loved my 324s tho. One 55 202 hp and a 56 245 hp.

 

Just wondering what other task you're working on, while you're waiting for the water pump to come back from the re-build. Glad we're back on here from the crash of this site...

 

We lost a little banter here about top end oiling on the Olds (and also Hemi engines) due to the site crash so I will repeat that I ended up pulling the rocker assemblies back off to more thoroughly clean them and make sure what limited oil that gets up to the heads actually gets where it is suppose to go!

While it was out I pulled the radiator to be able to roll it around and flush it out more thoroughly. I also taped a magnet to some wire to go fishing for some of the crap that wouldn't vac or flush out.





The radiator is in really nice shape!


I love, love , Love the way this chassis is built! I believe @Lanyard told me he had a local welder weld it up. I'm not sure who is responsible for the design work? Perhaps Lanny can expound a bit when he has a chance?

 

That is a pretty neat way to mount the rad and grill! Nothing cookie cutter about that! I love it.

 

Mike, is there any difference between your radiator (it certainly is in great shape) and a typical honey comb one in most original cars? First time I ever saw anything like yours...

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I'm not entirely sure of what you're asking exactly? It does not look much different than the one that came with my '34 Chevy. I think that one is a Harris(?) though I'd have to check. ( I had to have that one re-cored as it was pretty beat.) The problem with the honeycombs is that they can't be rodded out as I understand it?

 

Just wondering if your radiator flows efficiently like our modern radiators that we have today. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the honey comb type radiators don't flow the coolant as well for V-8 applications. Lanny installed that neat radiator back in '59, so it must flow well enough. Anything you found on the net about yours?

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Oh ok. Yes this I do not know yet as I haven't had it running long enough to find out, ha! I hope it will do the job. I also hope to find out soon!

 

From what I have read the "heat sponge" type rad is more efficient than a modern rad, just way more expensive to produce and harder to fix and clean.

 

Very interesting, so in theory, this radiator can be compared to a "Be Cool" brand or some other high cooling aluminum type so to speak. There's not too many situations where one can re-use an old radiator - making this so cool that it may be put in duty again!

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Actually aluminum rads don't cool as well as copper/brass. They are like lighter and cheaper to produce.

There was an article on honeycomb rads a few years ago. If I recall they are supposed to be 30% more efficient due to the whole core because my tube.

If it doesn't leak I would wash it out with some dish soap and lots of water.

 

I got the pump Friday from the rebuilder (and then the machine shop due to the hub issue.) it was still cheaper than a new pump and I was able to get it installed Friday night.

Saturday evening I filled the system back up with water (5 gallons!) to check for leaks and ran it for a bit and it looks like I got all the little leaks fixed (knock on wood.) I didn’t quite get it up to temp as a noticed a little fuel dripping down at the fuel pump so that came off next.





It’s a neat little pump. I’ve never seen one before?










A little research shows it to be from the 40’s? This one is 6V But is running on 12 through a shunt (or whatever you call those things?)

 

This one is brass but the same otherwise.



This is where it mounts. There is what I thought initially to be regulator but turns out to be access to a filter screen on the bottom. I marked it to drill a big hole to be able to access it when mounted for future cleaning should the need arise.

 

Mike, that is one UNIQUE Stewart Warner fuel pump. Bet most of us younger generation hot rodders haven't seen anything like it either. Another fine vintage example of your rod that needs to be restored and put back in use to preserve.

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