As if there were any wooden boats around here! I got the clutch out. It was kind of stuck from the rodent rust. And I got the engine to spin over freely. The lifters were mostly stuck, once I got them all "up" it turns pretty easily. I've been working them up and down, and got 5 of them out and lubed. The faces look ok, mostly shiny still, so I'm not too worried about rust scale on the cam. I also disconnected the oil line to the filter, hoping that oil will eventually squirt out of it....no luck so far. And under the distributor cap was the rotor...but only one point...the other is MIA. The first part I know I'll need to buy to get it running. oh yeah...the little chunk of carbon in front of the spark plugs is part of the throwout bearing. Oops.
My grandfather had either a 27 or 28 Chevy parked in an old derelict chicken coupe since before I was born. It was ghostly, but the solid wheels always caught my eye. It's amazing how something so insignificant can impact a young mind. He used to tell me that one day he would pull it out, but it didn't move till after he passed. Anyway good luck with it. I would love to get working on something like that, even if like you say it's just to learn how things were done back then.
Just enough to change the wheel base for deep staging with roll out advantages. That should get your brain storming started. New ride??
I don't know what the car hit, but the left front fender and running board were missing, the right side stuff was sill on the car. I guess it might be related. Looks like the axle is bent just inboard of the spring, and also might be twisted outboard of the spring. Might need a replacement, if I get that far. I piddled with the engine some more...got all the lifters out, cleaned, lubed, and back in. Freed up the rockers and lubed them, and put them back on, and adjusted the valves. Some of the lifters even spin! when I crank the engine. Also I pulled the distributor, and spun the oil pump with a drill, and got it pumping. Time to investigate the carb, and maybe order some points.
A little more progress, I had been squirting a bit of PB blaster and oil into the cylinders....hoping to get the rings to do their job. After I got done with just about everything else I could do, I decide to see if there was any compression, by holding my thumb over the spark plug hole while cranking the engine (by hand). #1 didn't seem too hopeful, but #2 and 3 had some action. 4 is kind of hard to reach. So, I added some more PB and some ATF, and cranked some more, then put the spark plugs back in, one at a time. And it acts like it's getting compression. # 1 seemed to come to life, then as I put the rest of the plugs in it got more difficult to crank. Now it gets hard to turn every 180 degrees, like it should. I ordered a set of NOS delco points on ebay, it helps to get a good deal if you know the part numbers better than the seller knows the application...$8 vs $25.
Yer gettin' there.... It'll be started up before you know it. That was some heavy rodent crap in that clutch. Had your Hantavirus shot? Don't you just love getting a true eBay bargain! I did the same with Corvair spark plugs and oil filters - about 10 cents on the dollar when compared to what the Corvair parts places wanted.
I discovered that there's an Autolite plug that is supposed to replace the old AC plugs in the early Chevys...fits Model As, so you can get them for a couple bucks apiece. Research pays off.
Following along....looks like a neat project. I did the research thing and got US made parts for cheap on Ebay...a NOS 50s made front wheel bearing for my Cadillac for $13..and a 60s NOS Standard iginition switch for my T Bird... $8. Beats buying Chinese shit for many times the money..... Good luck with your Chevy....the accident probably parked it years ago....not the motor/trans..
I use adapters so that I can use 14 or 10 mm plugs. Think I got the 14s from Jim Bireliy and the 10 mm from ERC racing fuel. A lot of 10mm plugs around for motorcycles so I like them. Little cold for what you are doing I think.
I'm gonna sit on the sidelines and keep my mouth shut and just wait to see what direction this build takes. There's no doubt in my mind it will be a interesting thread. HRP
I am not sure how interchangeable your '27 parts are with my '30 stocker sedan. I know things changed with the introduction of the six in 1929. I have a few parts including a front axle from a '30. Let me know if you are looking for something specific as you decide what direction you are going.
Thanks! Looks like the axles is the same from 1927 to 1929, but 1930 is different (no brake lever mounting point is one difference)
The one I have is complete with the brake drums and so on. I can take a few pics and see if it may work. However I don't think the Disc wheels will work with the '30 set up. they take 19" wires. I have some of those too.
The wheels on my car are 6 lug which makes them a little different than a lot of wheels you find. Keep us posted. I am interested to see what direction you are going to go.
I poked around in the transmission today. When I got the car, the trans was full of water, and stuck in gear. I pulled off the top cover, and pried the gear into neutral, and the wheels were then free to turn. I also drained the water, and what little heavy oil there was in it. When I removed the transmission, I was able to turn the input shaft, which surprised me. Today, I took it apart, and cleaned the parts in solvent, and scraped off the few chunks of rust on the gears. I put it back together, it seems to be in reasonably good condition. I expect it will make some noise, and it might want to jump out of 3rd, there is quite a bit of wear on the splines where it engages (inside of 2nd gear, and the input shaft gear, aka main drive gear). A few pictures. and video...
Damn Jim, that first picture looks like a Koi pond, complete with clusterfish! Watch, it will probably work just fine!
The Jalopy Journal
