Projects My Deuce Coupe Project

Here starts my journey into the build of my first Rod……

The vision is a Deuce, 3 window, Coupe running an 8BA Flathead with twin Stromberg 94's and all the traditional Interior, Brakes and Suspension bits. The colour is still undecided, something traditional but not common…… that will take some thinking through.

It's debut is planned for the Chopped Rod & Custom Show (Victoria, Australia) 2010.

Sourcing has begun and a number of parts are already locked away in the cupboard.

The 8BA was sourced locally here in Melbourne (Australia). It looked like it had just been fished out of the bottom of the Sea……. 60 years of Road muck was caked all over it.



Upon removing the Heads I uncovered that all was OK apart from one cylinder. Whilst sitting idle over time, it appears that Rain had been coming down the Carby, down the inlet runner into one of the cylinders. The Piston & Valves were fused to the cylinder wall. Apart from that, the motor looked OK for a 60 year old.






Rat Bastad came over and we began stripping the rest of the engine.
He began the disassembly work…… Water Pumps, Distributor, Cam Plate, Harmonic Balancer, Sump, Oil Pick-up, all came off without a hint of resistance.



The Main Caps came off and upon close inspection of the bearings we viewed the original Ford stamping….. It was evident that this motor was a Virgin Bore and had never been rebuilt. But the sign of the Copper Head Gasket and silver paint on the Block Deck did indicate that the Head Gaskets had been replaced.

Work continued removing the Con Rod bolts… The Crank them came out followed by seven Pistons. The eighth piston had fused to the cylinder wall and was not going to come quietly…… Some additional persuasion was deemed necessary.



Out came the Cold Chisel & Sledge Hammer……. It was 12.30am by this time and the neighbours were all cuddled up in Bed whilst the sound of smashing metal was emanating from my Garage.



After a long night of disassembly and turning Bolts that hadn't moved in 60 years we were left with a Block with the Cam/Valve & Lifters still in place along with 3/4 of a Piston stuck in a Bore, a Broken Head Bolt and one broken Valve.

Flatoz then stepped in with his suggestion….. A 50/50 mix of Acetone & ATF is proven to be the best solution for losening up those stuborn components. Two days of soaking the piston and then two good hits with a hammer and the culprit was out. This seemed amazing considering we put holes in the piston initially without Budging it.



The Bore didn't look to good….. A possible sleeve would be required, but I'll let the Machine shop confirm that one.



A few weeks later Rat Bastad came back with the Special Tool to remove the Valves. An hour later and 15 of the 16 Valves, Guides, Springs & Lifters were out. The 16th Valve was siezed in the Guide and so will need to be cut out with a Grinding wheel.





I now need to go buy a Grinding wheel small enough to get in the confined space so I can cut this valve out

Once that is done and the Cam is removed, it will be off to the Engine Machiner for a Bath in the Hot Tank. From there it will have a two month Dip in the Molasses for all the rust to be cleaned out of the Water Jackets.

Components are still being sourced but the key component is still missing……. The Frame.

Our Auto Registration Board here in Oz has strict guidelines on aftermarket Frames which is why I need to find an Original frame……. And so the search continues.

Till next time.

 

Wow you got a serious project going with that motor. I will be following the build it sounds great.

 

looks like you hit your thumb. I think you can fill that hole with a piece of sheet metal.
Good Luck to The Oz Rat

 

sounds like its gonna be a bitchen car

 

What do you use to compress the spring. I have an old tool but I cannot seem to compress the spring to get the retainer out. Its a 59AB

 

Good luck...................

 

I've got a new std. bore flathead v8 still in the original crate for sale if you want to start fresh. includes crank. no heads.

 

Cool to see an old flattie rescued..
Cheers from across the ditch..

 

Can't wait to see the progress...RB's coupe is awesome.

 

Looks like its going...got any pics of the body/frame or are you still searching?

 

Thanks, but I think this is fixable and I've already purchased Offy Heads, Timing Gear & other bits for it.

As for the Valve Spring Compression Tool. I'm eying one off on ebay at the moment.

 

Hey, great looking project! The Bastard will keep you on the right track.

Do you really need an original frame?Most inspecting engineers operate on the 'if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck' principal. In other words new stamped rails are fine. Maybe it's different down there? God knows there are a lot of Dueces in Vic and no way are they all on original frames!

 

Good stuff. Give stovebolt a message, he 'may' have an orig frame rails for sale.

 

I'm still searchin for the Frame, if anyone out there has one for sale please PM me.

The body will most likely be a 'Decue Customs' body as he is local to me and I can keep an eye on the progress.

 

never know what to expect from oz....give that flat head hell! good stuff man.

 

Well looks like you will be catching a ride for the 2009 show. What are you doing for a body & frame?

 

You dont need an original frame in Victoria just get some American stamping rails.

 

Ah Ha!

Or, some JW ones from Riley (HAMB vendor), they are super nice.

 

I think you do if your running a glass body and want to rego it as a 32 not a 2009, well thats what i am lead to belive anyway.

 

This is what I have ben able to uncover from Engineers I've spoken to about my project to date.

As far as they are concerned, as stated earlier, 'if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck' they are happy. Who I have to really prove it to is Vic Roads (Our Registration Board). They need paperwork, details of the purchased item with Frame Numbers etc.

'Human Fly' was spot on. If I'm going to put a Glass body on it I need the original rails. The Glass Body presents it's own issues. I need a 3 point seatbelt, Padded dash & seat mounted to the floor to ensure visibility through the chopped rear window. All these are do-able & then un-doable.

Different states in Oz have different rules. These are the Victorian rules.

No Engineer would release any further info without $$$ crossing their palms. So that's gonna be my next step.

 

It's funny what you see and then are told what the 'rules' are. I'm sure you'll have mates who can steer you through this.

I know in a lot of states you get one story if you ring the rego office bu in practice it works differently. Depends on which public servant you speak to, what mood they're in, whether they actually know anything or not. Often they operate on the basis of 'if I don't know I'll just say no.' Can be frustrating!

Anyway, good luck with it. As I say, great project.

 

Ive managed to convert another from the dark side into all things traditional and era correct haha !!

Jimbo has attacked this project with all the passion/enthusiasm/excitement of an 18yo which is fantastic to see. He's been doin his homework/research on what is correct and what aint - needless to say he gets it and asks millions of questions to make sure he gets it right. Builders lessons always come in handy when undertaking a project like this and I KNOW first hand what it means to have someone around who been down this path before and "gets it".

The flatty came apart real nice as as far as Flattys go, this thing is in pretty good shape - I've seen worse. It will need a sleeve in that trashed cylinder. This will go over to 3 5/16" and will run a 3 3/4" arm ( or if we find a decent 4" arm it may be used for more TQ as a 3W is heavier) for around 258ci. It will run Offy 400 heads, adjustables, a Schneider or L100 cam, will be ported and relieved, modded elec ign, headers and possibly a Thickstun PM7 or Edelbrock Super Dual intake with dual 97s. Trans will be a 5spd as this car will be driven.......not trailer sailors here !!

Re the frame and having been thru this bullshit rego requirement progress here in Oz...IMO Oz will be better of finding/boxing/using an original frame which will eliminate a heap of issues.

Jase/Tony, as you know, you will hear different stories from different folks, but it is what it is and I have been through the process myself so this WILL be the best way to go in the long run, particularly if you want less headaches come registration time. As always there's exceptions but this way you cover your ass and eliminate any dramas. Besides, frames are "transferable"..................right??? LMAO !!

You can take a risk that the engineer will let it slide or you can eliminate all that crap and just use a gennie frame altered to suit. Either way, youve still got to fab up a frame so it may as well be a gennie one, sourced either locally or Stateside.

Ryan if you know of one locally.....sing out brother.

Roll on....

Rat

 

Bitchin'...looking forward to this one!

 

Great start 'Oz Rat'!!!!

You've got the right person (Frank) helping ya mate.

I'm sure you'll do a great job.

Don't let Frank get carried away though and start building half the thing for ya because we know how much Frank loves it!!!!!

I'll be keeping a close eye on this build.

Hopefully we'll see it at Chopped 2010!!!!

As you said..... Till next time.

Later...

HC.

 

Thanks for everyones feedback & support.

Yeah your right HeyyCharger - Rat Bastad is just as excited about this project as I am. He is good inspiration & motivation..... but no worries, I'll be spilling much sweat & scuffing many knuckles with this build.

I was so excited with the feedback that I went shopping on ebay and lucked out by nabbing this great Arvin Heater.

 

hi oz rat i know what you whent through with getting those pistons and valves out nice start though
What type of frame exactly are you looking for, because most engineers wont know one frame from the next. ive seen 20ish chev chassies cut down and dodge chassies cut down, there is a bloke up this way tat has heaps of 35 through to 40 somthing chassies that can be used and and many axels and rear ends as you want. pm me if you need more info im going through the same stages as you are with engineers.
GOOD LUCK

 

At least here in NZ all our cert engineers are Hot Rodders first, engineers second.

 

Oz Rat, don't stress the rego thing, Frankie will fill you in, and the offer is there if you need it.

 

Thanks dude, I know where your coming from.

 

Shit, that's what's going in my sloper! My chrome is shot though.