1946 1.5 ton

Picked up this truck last week.





All intact, all original, couldn't pass it up. showing 96,000 miles. Been in Colorado I believe since 1976 due to some stickers I found in truck. I knew it had been sitting for 10 years where I found it. What is going on in these cylinders?


believe original head gasket




Some cylinders look better than others. Can I get some initial thoughts. Can a machine shop save her?
hot tank/sonic clean, Pressure test, sonic sound the walls, put some sleeves in her?

Does not appear to have been bored previously.

Pitting so far seems the worst between valves and piston chamber. As long as the valves can seat should be fine? slightly lower compression

Or make a coffee table out of her and search for a better block?

I thought she would be in better shape in there. Doors and windows work fine

New to flatheads.

I believe truck is a 1946 1.5 ton, model 69U, with 59AB

Any thoughts are appreciated

 

Good project. Pull it out and clean it up so you can see an obvious cracks , defects or.... then decide...Drop it off at your local machine shop and let them give it a look over before proceeding with any machine work .

 

I think you can just soak the engine in simple green and be ok.

 

Not one visible cracks thus far. Engine will get pulled in next week or two. I've only had it in my shop 2 days

 

I hope you are ready to spend lots of money ! Everything about Flatheads is expensive, and finding a machine shop capable of doing the valve work correctly is getting rare these days. That truck would be a great candidate to purchase some adapters, and drop a 283 in it.

 

Considering it's 3/4 century old it looks pretty darn good to me. As said taking motor to a good machine shop they can tell if can be rebuilt.

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So what are your plans for your new truck? Keeping the dump bed, going with a flat bed, or what?

 

Keep the dump bed

The Trans has the pto for the dump bed, so engine swaps are somewhat limited as I am wanting to keep it mostly original.

There is another 59 AB where I bought this one. Probably in similar shape. I told the guy I'll probably be back.

 

No big name flathead machine shop I can find in Denver area. Think I'll give Western Engine Supply a call first. Ask how many flatheads they have worked on in last few years. They seem to be biggest in Denver area. I've only been in this area 5 years. I just need one good guy. Maybe I'll mail it lol. I could have them clean/inspect and reassess from there if they don't feel comfortable. Here is an old valve cutter an old timer, grandfather, gave me. Im not looking for 400 h.p. I am actually surprised how reasonable many parts are (alternator, starter, water pumps, pistons, valve assembly) but you are correct If I rebuild I want someone familiar with this piece of iron.

 

A fellow here in River City has a ‘47 w/dump. Dropped in a plain Jane 327 and proceeded to cater to the homeowners needing small loads of dirt and rock.

Dark green and black it is/was. Nice spiffy little truck, useful to boot.

 

This truck is as utilitarian as it gets. makes my f-150 crew cab and benz look like plastic grocery getters. O wait, that's what they are designed for. Useless. Nice leather and AC though

 

I'm 100% with old Ford. Keeping original as possible. There can't be that many left like that, and lasted all this time.

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‘Stubby Bob’ is a must see on Roadkill on the Motor Trend channel.

 

In Denver, check with Gunn Machine. On Federal north of Alameda by a couple blocks. they have been there for many years. .

 

keep the flathead, you will like it. if you have never torn down an old ford you will need some tricks to get the valves out. there is a must have driver for the split guides, and a pry bar too. many folks just torch out all the springs to start. lots of youtube stuff on the subject, and our member Mart has a complete series on how to tear down a stuck motor. search "marts garage" on youtube

 

i see you are a new guy, welcome ! i gotta add more, if you watch marts video series on "the crusty flatty" you will see a complete story of a rotten old motor like yours brought back to running in a car for as little $ as possible. it can be done! i just want to say, while taking it apart, keep all the bearings marked as to where they go, you may get to reuse them. these old fords have floating bearings, which is a superior design for longevity, excellent materials, sometimes silver, and often times in good shape. check out marts video's, you will enjoy his entertainment.

 

Copy that

 

Thanks for the welcome. Ya I just finished watching his, Mart's, series. I came across it while researching. That was a fun story to follow.

 

Check with Bert's Model A center in Denver, he may have some recommendations for machine shops as well. Great truck and keep her all original!!!!!

Mike

 

My first big truck was a 46. When I ruined the flathead. I bought a JC Whitney Adapter and installed a 1961 FE 352 two bbbl car engine. I could smoke the rear 750 x20 duals. Then I installed some 825 x 20 and could smoke them also. Easily hauled 4 cords of green oak wood. However without any booster brakes stopping was marginal. I simply drove like I never had any brakes.

 

great story old wolf.

 

Good news and bad news today. Popped off the intake today. I ordered one of those fabricated plates that bolts to intake; it's suppose to be here Tuesday so I should get to inspect bottom end of motor and do some cleaning next weekend. Good news was I found some oil (more like varnish but better than rust) under the intake. I cannot believe the accumulation of metal in air inlet chambers. Might need minor porting... lol The material is metal as I took a magnet to it out of curiosity. Going to wait until engine is upside down or upright to clean further.

 

Another thing. Here is a pic of inside of oil bath. Why so much water? from being neglected while it was last driven? moisture accumulated from driving in rain? condensation? Tablespoon of oil. Cup of water??

 

Hood open or no hood at all plus many, many thunderstorms has funneled water into that engine.

 

Yesterday I got pistons and crank out.
Piston removal tool. I was using 100 plus year old rough sawn true 2x4 blocks.
2 pistons wouldn't budge
The truck came with an old wheel wrench so I poked a 3/4 " x 1" adapter in it wrapped a little electrical tape around it (didn't want to damage the tool) and hit them with sledge. wood wedges holding apparatus in place. They both popped out.

 

Most cylinders look good. Two look kind of scary. The one I've been most concerned about since I've popped the heads off I believe is cracked. Time will tell if it can be bored to clean up/repaired with a little weld and sleeve. It doesn't appear to make it to entire length of cylinder wall. No other visible cracks to my eye.

 

hard parts done! get a long screwdriver and scrape the shit out of the water jackets. vacuum, blow, scrape, repeat. you will get a pile like this from each side

 

Today I worked on trying to expose the top of valve guides/valves through intake port. Solid caked rust :/ I use small chisel and hammer and tap away. I got them all exposed and soaking in atf/tranny fluid for night. I can move cam .1 of 1% and spin a few lifters by hand. I have very rigid movement in like two valves. Such a shame water made it in intake. Valley and bottom end are all nice and greasy. The worst cylinder #4 by the firewall probably had water gravitate to it the worst as it is lowest and had inlet valve open As 36 Driver above mentioned, probably hood up/off for awhile.

We'll see if I get movement in valve train tomorrow. May need to get more aggressive w/ torch or grinder. I'm trying not to, maybe I'll let everything soak another week since penetrant is actually able to the guides now.