Projects garagefind/ survivor 40 coupe build. FIRED IT UP!

PITA update. while grinding on the second cyl head, my compressor made a couple of ominous noices. It's been about a year, so I changed oil and noted some silvery stuff in the oil. I tore the head off and could see some carnage so I tore it down and made a list of parts. It took a while to get them ordered and shipped, but a little over a week later, I'm back in business.

It's a 30+ year old Emglo pump( over $600 in parts). Back to work.

 

If you mentioned this, I missed it: What are you doing with the side trim? Looks like you have masking tape over each of the side trim holes. I've noticed that not everybody keeps the side trim, so they may weld shut the holes for the trim clips. What are you doing?

 

The masking was to keep the black urethane off the out side of the body. I got in a hurry and didn't pull it off. I'm definitely using the trim. I've always thought that there was nothing you can do to improve the appearance on a '40 Ford body.

 

I totally agree Joel!

 

I have a little update finally. I got caught up in the wiring and it's nearly done. I ran the harness to the rear and hooked up the tail lights with a stub to the deck lid handle for the license plate light.

I bought an interior "panel " kit from Lebaron Bonney and installed all except the doors. I put in the screws and trimmed for fit so that when the paint is done, I can put them in easily.

Yesterday, I finally painted the rest of the orange parts for the engine ( the port work on the heads wrapped up last weekend) and I spent a couple of days attempting to weld the plenum divider back into a C4b. I'm debating how much more time & effort I want to throw at it.

This week... ASSEMBLE THE ENGINE.

 

.I made a little progress. One head got assembled today. It was 70 deg. here, so I washed the heads with soap to get rid of the grinding grit and sprayed them with WD and blew them dry with air. I lapped the valves and got one head done.

More tommorrow.

 

Today, I finished the 2nd head and installed them , along with the rockers so I could get pushrod length and make sure the roller tip was centered on the valve stem. I'll install the rest of the lifters tommorrow and prime the oil pump to oil the bottom end. It will probably take a couple of days to get the pushrods.

 

Oil pressure is 35 psi with a cordless drill. I ordered pushrods yesterday, then I added oil and a temperary oil pressure gage and set up the drillmotor to turn the pump. I started getting pressure almost immediately, then pump started sucking air. I only put 2 quarts in and 1 probably went to filling the filter, so I added a quart and ran the drill for about 2 minutes. I saw oil comming out the holes in all the lifters. So far, so good

 

Enjoying following this build. I'm a flathead guy, so am a bit Chevy ignorant. What are those shiny post things in the valley?

Thanks.

Mart.

 

Those are little aluminum pipesd screwed into the center drain holes in the valley; there are 8 holes and 4 are plugged. the pipes are in the other four. They allow crankcase pressure into the valley/ cyl. head area, but the oil has to return down the holes at the valley ends. It's supposed to reduce the oil mist the crank runs in. I thought it might also help reduce oil carryover in the PCV system. I think roundy-round guys do this; it's not stock.

 

Here is a little update for the guys following this. I had some interference using the shaft/ rocker set up and I didn't want to waste the Cometic head gaskets, so I used some Comp " Ultra magnum " rockers.
I have some old Cal Custom valve covers, but they won't clear the rockers. I'm going with the ones in the pic for now; maybe after I'm on the road, I'll make some spacers to use the old covers.


Next up is machining the intake so the bolts and ports line up. I'll have to make a 3 deg. plate to hold the manifold upside down on the mill table.
I primed the whole valvetrain up to the rockers, and it took about 15 min. while turning the engine with a rachet on the damper bolt. 25 psig the whole way, so ,I feel everything is going well.

 

You do what you have to do when problems pop up. You are getting there, keep up the good work.

 

This is the first operation for milling the intake. I squared a block of aluminum and milled 3 degrees onto the surface to go against the carb mount surface of the manifold. The next pic is drilling the mounting holes perpendicular to the 3 deg surface.

The mounting plate attached to the manifold in the next pic; after the screw holes were counterbored for sockethead cap screws. Then I marked and cut steps in each side of the plate ,so I could toe clamp the plate/manifold assy to the rotary table.

This is the skim cut after a days worth of set up, centering the manifold and squaring it on the table and then shimming the manifold to get the surfaces to be cut parallel to the mill table. The cut in the pic shows how the manifold/head mating surface was distorted. It took about .004/.005" for cleanup.
Then I cut an additional .020" from each side. (below)

I then removed the manifold and test fit it on the engine. It seems to be about right, although I still have to machine the flat rails on the end of the manifold. I also found that I had to remove a lip from the valve cover rail to clear the manifold runners.
View attachment 2881088
So, it looks like a little more machining, some cleaning on the manifold , maybe fix one of the carb stud holes and I'll be bolting on the carb.

 

Hi Joel, I am a little confused (That's not unusual) This manifold looks different than the one you were welding in in post 125. Why did this one require the machining. A mill is one of those tools I have not acquired yet but would like to have. I just have a hard time justifying the expense and space issues for the small amount of work I would think I would have for it.

 

You're right, it's not the same manifold. I went through the welding process because that one was the earlier style and it was in the worst shape ( needed the most repairs), but realistically why go through all that for a unit that is hopefully temperary. I want to use the Manafre down the road.
The machining is required because I had the heads milled .020" to get the static compression above 10:1. I had access to a mill and all it's supporting cast for over 25 years at work ( after hours ) and after I retired it seemed like I couldn't do anything without one. I think it would be more economical to find a person/shop that can provide the service and quality you need. JMHO.

 

It's been a long time (1964), but isn't a man a fre hard to drive on the street? They are great on the drag strip, a two barrel carburetor over two intake ports. Poor mans fuel injector!

 

Oh,OK I get it now. I had access to mills at work also and a few years ago had the opportunity to buy a nice used one. But the guy would not sell any of the tooling with it and I could see that it would cost as much or more to buy the cutting tools I would need or want to make it useful in the shop so I reluctantly passed on the deal. Fortunately I do have some friends that have mills so I can get an occasional project machined that way.

 

The info I have on tuning the Man a fre is that there is effort required to balance the carbs and align them with the linkage. The tricky part is setting up the "afterburner" system which is a constant flow injector system triggered by a solenoid at WOT. How does it go... If it was easy, everyone would do it.
However, I would love some advice from someone who ran a Man a fre when I get there.

 

Finally ,the engine is complete carb to pan. I have plug wires and air filter element coming Wed. I used a clear epoxy from Eastwood to protect the manifold and I pulled the brake lines and cleared them also. Tomorrow I'm going to get a thermostat and o-ring for the thermostat housing. I also made a shim for the dist.

clear sprayed on brake lines.


shim is .045"

 

What kind of distributor is that Joel?

 

Looks like a flat top Mallory dual point.

 

Who makes those headers?

 

HotrodA is correct; the dist. is a 4 lobe Mallory YC. I have enough parts to use it , but I've been looking for replacement consummables ( points ,rotor, cap ).

 

The headers are home made. I bought the flanges and tubing from Speedway, but I made the transitions.
This is the only pic I took during header construction. I had to make them 2 piece to install them after the car is assembled.

 

Very nice. I should have figured that after looking through the build thread. You're one of those tallented fellers that I hate so much!

 

Thanks for the kind words; I think most of the time, more stubborn than talent. I first thought of that design when I was a kid, but when no one made it commercially, I was stuck doing it.
P.S. I have since seen a company on the web ( can't remember the name) that makes those transitions.

 

I've been piddling with little things; I strung the plug wires and as soon as I finish the dist. I'll have all the holes in the engine plugged. I put the break-in oil in and as soon as I pull the mock up block I can have the trans. case, bell housing, and flywheel to mount to the engine. I have to remove the hood and grille ( at least) to remove that stuff from the car. Sooo.. I'm test fitting the shields that fit between the grille and fender first. I also started washing the transmission parts for reassembly. I found a bearing that needs to be replaced.
Nothing fancy, but I can't wait to fire it. Next pic is that shield or air dam.

Last is the cluster shaft & a couple of gears

 

Looking good !

 

Really good thread, enjoying it. Your profile says you're from Osceola, Indiana, I used to go to the drag strip in Osceola, Indiana in the early 60's, great time there.

 

Thanks for the update Joel, The motor looks great! You must be a genuine gear head judging from that pile of trany parts!