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Technical 1932 Pickup Rebuild Thread UPDATED 1/11/16

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Dennis Lacy, Apr 5, 2015.

  1. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Thanks, Danny!

    The machine is called a drum sander. We've had it for years but I'm pretty sure we got it from Eastwood Company because that's where we buy the replacement belts. It's one of the most used pieces of equipment we have. I don't know what I'd do without it.

    Thanks. I prefer to use original vintage parts whenever possible. All these old parts have soul that you can't buy from a catalog and the quality can't be beat.
     
    V8-m, Runnin shine and volvobrynk like this.
  2. Pewsplace
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 2,795

    Pewsplace
    Member

    Dennis, what a great post of how to do it right using old Ford parts. You have given all of us a lesson in perfection.
     
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  3. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Thanks for that! I don't know about perfection, just doing the best that I can.

    Today I spent a good deal of time filling out a shopping cart at Summit Racing and eventually pushing the "order" button. Lots of back and forth while trying to make up my mind on exactly how I wanted to set up the 283. I ultimately went full circle and decided to go ahead with my original gut instinct to replace the 3-Rochester set up with a single 4 barrel. Some of you might find that disappointing and less cool but I want to keep things simple. If this project was a hood-less coupe or roadster I'd absolutely leave the triple carbs but this truck is going to be a driver/shop truck with a full hood so I don't see the sense in having a fancy carburetor setup. I was also discouraged with the air filter choices available for anything that actually filters the air. The only carburetor tops I really like are the cast "frog mouth" scoops but I don't want to destroy the cylinder walls & rings for the sake of running those. There are some filters available that press into the mouths of those scoops but then the look is ruined so what's the point?

    I did put together a nice fully matched Edelbrock set up including a black coated Performer intake, 600 CFM carburetor with electric choke, black Classic Series finned valve covers / matching round air filter and Edelbrock script black valve cover breathers. I also grabbed some new smoothie ram horn manifolds and Thrush turbo mufflers. I'm excited, it's been a long time since I've made a Summit order this big! Naturally, I'll take pictures when it all shows up next week.

    Anybody want to buy a fully set up vintage Edelbrock intake with triple Rochester 2GC's and a pair of vintage Cal Custom finned valve covers???
     
    volvobrynk likes this.
  4. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

    Quote:Anybody want to buy a fully set up vintage Edelbrock intake with triple Rochester 2GC's and a pair of vintage Cal Custom finned valve covers???
    No, but if you happen to have an original Model B radiator...I'm your huckleberry :D
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  5. NealinCA
    Joined: Dec 12, 2001
    Posts: 3,143

    NealinCA
    Member

    I might be interested in the intake and carbs. Send me some details. Thanks, Neal

    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  6. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Got the check today, Larry. Should have the Walker Tuesday or Wednesday. Then I'll have a box to ship the stocker in. :cool:

    Neal,

    Will get some detailed pictures when I get back to work next week and get them to you with some info. can hold it until the LA Roadster Show. That'll give you an excuse to come by the shop. :D
     
    3wLarry likes this.
  7. Stu Padasso
    Joined: Sep 11, 2008
    Posts: 476

    Stu Padasso
    Member

    I'd be interested in the valve covers unless they are staggered bolt pattern. You could throw them in the pile with Neal's stuff as we live close to one another. Pictures would help, send to [email protected]. Thanks....
     
  8. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    The valve covers are the later, staggered bolt pattern.

    (Edited to say I wasn't thinking straight as the covers to have the later even spacing. Oops!)
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2015
  9. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    Dennis, just a question re the torrington needle roller bearings. As there is no effective seal on the outer parts of the bearing, do you find evidence of dirt getting in or problems with the bearing getting rusty? Would it be possible to fit some kind of o-ring around them to keep the dirt out? Does the grease from the king pin find it's way into the torrington bearing?

    Not criticising, just curious.

    Mart.
     
  10. lowsquire
    Joined: Feb 21, 2002
    Posts: 2,567

    lowsquire
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    Hey mart, I've done Torrington bearings on a few cars, I just cut a half inch wide ring out of a bicycle inner tube and slipped it over the race when assembling . Seems to be working ok. The other thing is to pump fresh grease through the lower bush regularly to flush any dirt out.


    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  11. dumprat
    Joined: Dec 27, 2006
    Posts: 3,479

    dumprat
    Member
    from b.c.

    With all the wicked period correct hot rod tricks you have done why did you decide to go all cheap and modern on the engine?

    A single carb C4b intake and some corvette or cal custom covers would be more to the point would it not?
     
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  12. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    In my personal experience I have not discovered dirt contamination in the bearings to be a concern or experienced any failures for any reason. We also don't have any reported problems from any of the customers we have sold these to. The bearings and hardened washers get coated in heavy grease during assembly so rust has not been an issue.

    If it eases your mind, making a protective covering like this is a great idea. :cool: A felt ring (similar to the one used at the top of the kingpin) that fit around the bearing assembly could also work.

    I'll give it to you that I went a bit modern with the engine parts I purchased, in the sense that they are all newly manufactured parts. Cheap? Certainly not. I like putting parts together with a matching theme and using all Edelbrock components allowed me to do that while using quality, USA manufactured parts. I also don't think that there's anything untraditional about a Carter-style 4-barrel carburetor, finned script valve covers and ram horn exhaust manifolds?

    The engine currently has vintage Cal Custom valve covers on it. Unfortunately, using the Zip's water pump riser conflicts with using an early intake with a breather/oil filler tube at the front necessitating valve covers with breather holes. Instead of taking a hole saw to the Cal Custom's I elected to purchase new covers properly designed for breather holes. As it happens, there is an air filter housing that matches. With theme I have planned for the entire engine, I think it will all look bitchin'.

    At the end of the day we can always find a way to justify the things we do. One thing is for certain, it's my hot rod. :D
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2015
    studebaker46 and 3wLarry like this.
  13. dumprat
    Joined: Dec 27, 2006
    Posts: 3,479

    dumprat
    Member
    from b.c.

    Each to their own I suppose. Wasn't being rude, just don't understand it. I am not at all fond of the newstalgia components.
     
  14. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    I know you weren't being rude, you had a valid question. I put the smiley at the end to hoping to convey my reply as friendly.
     
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  15. dumprat
    Joined: Dec 27, 2006
    Posts: 3,479

    dumprat
    Member
    from b.c.

  16. volvobrynk
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,587

    volvobrynk
    Member
    from Denmark

    We need more pictures of the engine, to see if it traditional enough. Lol

    Or in the words of a famous/infamous HAMBer:
    Patiently waiting for pictures

    And if you wheat to that work to do a tech on the front end, I doubt that the mill would be to modern looking, despite being a SBC
     
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  17. jimbo121
    Joined: Jun 15, 2006
    Posts: 126

    jimbo121
    Member

    Looks fantastic. Thanks for the detailed photos too.
     
    Dennis Lacy likes this.
  18. TigerFan
    Joined: Oct 29, 2010
    Posts: 148

    TigerFan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Athens, GA

    A great thread and a great truck. Thanks for taking so much time to record your work with descriptions and pictures. You've really gone above and beyond, and I'm confident many people (including me) will benefit. Very, very cool.
     
    Dennis Lacy likes this.
  19. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    Dennis, at risk of sounding like a broken record, can I ask another needle roller question? (It's good to get this stuff out in the open).
    I can see the bearings listed as 17 mm, 3/4" (19.05mm) and 20mm. Which size do you go for? 17mm is a tad smaller than 11/16", do you use these and hog them out, or go for the 3/4" and accept they will not be a close fit on the pin?

    Thanks for letting me pick your brain on this.

    Mart.
     
  20. dumprat
    Joined: Dec 27, 2006
    Posts: 3,479

    dumprat
    Member
    from b.c.

    King pins are 13/16" look again. But the number was posted on the Hamb a while ago.
     
  21. continentaljohn
    Joined: Jul 24, 2002
    Posts: 5,504

    continentaljohn
    Member

    Great stuff ! thank you for sharing your knowledge and all the time spent on posting .
     
    Dennis Lacy likes this.
  22. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Early Ford kingpins are .812" (13/16".) I do not recall the bearing size that we use off-hand, I will have to check when I get back to the shop tomorrow. The inner diameter is slightly larger than the kinpin. In the first couple of kits we packaged we did machine some thin spacer rings that fit inside the bearing stack and took up the extra room. One of the issues with doing that was that they were incredibly tedious to make, especially in large production numbers. The other is that with that inner ring in place any grease pumped through the lower grease fitting has no hope of getting to the bearing because it's effectively sealed off. To make the kit less cumbersome to produce we tested the bearings on a vehicle without the machined inner spacer rings and determined that the spacers were essentially redundant so they were dropped.

    Despite the bearings being a slightly loose fit on the pins we have not encountered any issues as a result. Once they are loaded against the bottom of the axle the bearing stacks stay in alignment. I don't want to sound like a broken record either (or come off indignant) but I would think that after 12 or more years of selling this kit and many hundreds of them being out there (and on our own vehicles with thousands of miles) that if there was going to be any kind of issues that they would have presented themselves by now. As I said before, we have received zero negative feedback from anyone we sold a set to.
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2015
  23. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    Sorry Dennis, I goofed when looking up available bearings and thought the kingpins were 11/16". I don't know why I did that I do know they are 13/16", but looked at sizes around 11/16".

    Doh!

    The next size up from 13/16" that seems to be commonly available would be 7/8".

    Thanks for replying.

    Mart.
     
  24. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Another piece of the puzzle arrived yesterday. At first I was considering trying to make my original radiator work without modification. The more I thought about it the more I wanted a purpose-built radiator so last week I ordered a shiny new Walker through Speedway. Thanks to joining their E-mail list I scored a free shipping coupon code that came in handy big-time, saving me $54 in shipping costs! Today I packed the original radiator into the Walker box and sent it on its way to its new home in Oklahoma with 3W Larry. Thanks, again, Larry!

    [​IMG]Hosted on Fotki
     
  25. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

  26. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    '32 Front Axle Set Up - Part 7

    Today on my lunch break I made my adjustable drag link rod. I see so many hot rods built using original non-adjustable drag links, probably because the user thinks they look neat. Have you ever seen a hot rod at a show with its wheels straight ahead and the steering wheel at a 45 degree angle? It absolutely kills me when I see this and, unfortunately, it's not a mistake that just the average home builder makes. What I don't think a lot of people realize is that all early Ford worm & sector steering gears have a built-in high center point on the gears. This is so that as the worm and sector gears wear the resulting slop can be adjusted out without the steering box binding when turning left and right. When the front wheels are pointed straight ahead the steering box needs to also be on its high center point so that the steering does not have slop when traveling in straight line down the road. Without an adjustable drag link it is impossible to achieve this and the result is sloppy steering when traveling in a straight line. I also think this is why a lot of people condemn early Ford steering gears. If more people understood how to correctly set up the steering system with a worm & sector steering gear, the early gears would get a much better reputation and there would be a lot less Vega boxes used in hot rods!

    For 1932-1934 (and Model A) I make the drag link from a shortened early tie rod so that it matches the style of the tie rod and the original non-adjustable drag link. I prefer to start with reproduction tie rods rather than sacrifice good original tie rods because they are getting hard to come by. For '32 I start out by cutting the rod exactly in half. ('33-'34 and Model A are shorter.)

    [​IMG]Hosted on Fotki

    After facing and chamfering the cut end I clamped the rod in the lathe with 1.5" sticking out. The rod needs to be threaded to 2" but my die holder is only 1.5" deep so the last 1/2" has to be done by hand.

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    Die holder with 11/16"-24 LH die ready for action. It looks like hell but it gets the job done!

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    Cutting threads!

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    Threads cut!

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    The rod is clamped in the bench vise with a mark drawn 2" from the end.

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    Threads finished cut to 2". At this point the drag link rod is finished.

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    After finishing the rod I selected 2 nice original tie rod end housing from our stock. They will get cleaned up and drilled/tapped for screw-in grease fittings just like the tie rod ends in one of the previous installments.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2015
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  27. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Today at work it was like Christmas in May! Three big boxes from Summit Racing showed up.

    As I mentioned before I decided to go with an Edelbrock theme. Black coated Performer intake, black Classic Series valve covers and air filter, black script breathers and a 600 CFM electric choke carburetor.

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    Also from Edelbrock is a carburetor stud set and inlet fitting for the carburetor which will replace the standard hose nipple it comes with and will allow me to plumb a steel hard line. The carburetor also came with a free chrome fuel line but it won't be used.

    [​IMG]Hosted on Fotki

    Thermostat housing, 180 degree thermostat and gasket.

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    Valve cover and intake manifold gaskets.

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    ARP intake manifold and thermostat housing bolts to carry-on the black theme, ARP clutch bolts and a stock-style coil bracket that attaches to the top of the intake, next to the distributor.

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    Brand new iron ram horn exhaust manifolds.

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    Thrush turbo mufflers because I love the sound of these behind an SBC.

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    Lastly, I grabbed a pair of bolt-on headlight stands in the style of a cut and modified headlight bar. Now I won't have to butcher my original.

    [​IMG]Hosted on Fotki
     
  28. volvobrynk
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,587

    volvobrynk
    Member
    from Denmark

    This thread should be a part of tech week! It started out as a above average build thread, and took a turn too and landed between epic and awesome.

    Just a few questions: how do you reconnect the drag link again, and keep the era perfect look you did on the rest of the build? Because I doubt you just makes up something that ends up looking like a "farmers cut'n'try" solution on a dirt track car.

    And second of all, will you run the air cleaner as is?
    Will you try to make a road draft tube, for an era perfect looking SBC?

    Sorry if I doubted you intensions toward the look of that little mill, because those valvecovers, ram horns and blacked out intake will be perfect!!!
     
  29. Dennis Lacy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,393

    Dennis Lacy
    Member

    Thanks for the nice comments. I told you guys the engine will look good! ;)

    To clarify, the tie rod was cut in half and will make two drag links. I thread the ends where it was cut. It will have early tie rod end housings on it, just like the tie rod. I would have pictured them but ran out of lunch break to get them cleaned up and photo worthy.

    The engine does have a road draft hose on it but I don't know that I will hook it up to the air filter since I don't plan to use a PCV valve. With breathers in both valve covers I don't think I even need it?

    Tonight I did order a complete set of reproduction 1958 spark plug wire holders spark plug shields from Classic Industries so the wire routing will look period and I have new Raja clips that will replace the ugly orange boots. :cool:

    I plan to paint the engine Ford dark engine green (flathead color) and have all of the accessories black. I don't want a lot of shiny stuff. I want the truck to be a truck and be kind of plain like Ford did originally.
     
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  30. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Hoping to see a pic of the finished drag link
     
    volvobrynk likes this.

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