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Technical Freeze crack in 1932 Ford Block

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by hotrod--willys, Oct 19, 2013.

  1. hotrod--willys
    Joined: Dec 15, 2009
    Posts: 531

    hotrod--willys
    Member

    My old friend has an original 1932 Ford flat head. It has freeze cracks on the inside of the block , one on each side. He was told by a flat head builder that the block is junk. I can't believe that in this day that there is not an option to repair this kind of freeze crack. Any info from you flat head guys would be appreciated.:confused:
     
  2. BillM
    Joined: May 26, 2007
    Posts: 247

    BillM
    Member Emeritus

  3. Floorboardinit
    Joined: Dec 2, 2004
    Posts: 771

    Floorboardinit
    Member

    I gotta ask....why bother with a '32 block? The were fraught with issues since it was a first year issued block. Your buddy would be better suited to find a '36 LB block where you get all the looks of an early motor but with insert bearings. JohnnyA
     
  4. 1952henry
    Joined: Jan 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,365

    1952henry
    Member

    Had a friend in a V8 club who drove his '35 coupe with stock '32 engine quite a bit (didn't abuse it)-no issues.:eek:

    'Sides that if a '32 block is fixable, they have some value to restorers.
     

  5. flatnut
    Joined: Aug 20, 2013
    Posts: 2

    flatnut
    Member

    Those guys in Marysville fixed my dodge diesel crack abut 6 yrs ago and it is still looking good. They pinned the crack and no more problems
     
  6. hotrod--willys
    Joined: Dec 15, 2009
    Posts: 531

    hotrod--willys
    Member

    This 1932 Ford 3 Window is restored to the 10th degree. He has had this car for over 40 years. It came out of Southern California was a mild street rod. Every part of this car is as original as Ford made it. The car have virtually no rust and all the wood was like new. The engine is a work of art. All NOS parts wire loom, carb, air cleaner and generator. He is 88 years old. Not much time left. I know! He should have had the engine checked out. The engine was complete when he got it. and was told it may have a freeze crack. He could not see any sign of a crack so he went with it.:( I feel so bad for him. His dream was to finish this car before he died. Any constructive information on a possible repair would be appreciated.
     
  7. Andy
    Joined: Nov 17, 2002
    Posts: 5,117

    Andy
    Member

    Is it cracked along the bolts in the pan rail? Cracks thru the bearing webs? I had an Olds I let freeze up. It had vertical cracks from heads to pan rails on both sides. I vee'd it out a bit and stick welded it. No pre heat and no dissassembly. In the car. Worked fine and never a drop of leakage. Somebody that welds big industrial engines can fix it if not in the webs.
     
  8. PackardV8
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,170

    PackardV8
    Member

    Engine shops pin-repair cracked blocks all the time. We just recently pinned a 10" long horizontal crack at the top of a Cummins diesel block. All it takes is time and money.

    jack vines
     
  9. Hogdriver
    Joined: Mar 31, 2009
    Posts: 224

    Hogdriver
    Member
    from VA

    It can most likely be repaired. I have a 67 vette 427/435 that was fixed from being cracked.
     
  10. Saxon
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,157

    Saxon
    Member
    from MN

    Finding another block might be the way. Most dont like the early blocks. Although Most anything can be "fixed", but this maybe a bit beyond as discussed. If you definently need a 32 block then i hope it works out for you. If you could settle for the 33-34 block then you might have some luck.;)

    I hope it works to his favor!
     
  11. hotrod--willys
    Joined: Dec 15, 2009
    Posts: 531

    hotrod--willys
    Member

    It looks like my old friend has found a solution to the cracked 1932 Ford flat head engine. A flat head engine builder in Oregon has accompany in California that has repaired several Ford Flat head V8 for him. So my friend is sending the block to him to have it repaired. Thank you guys for your input.
     
  12. If I was faced with the problem and willing to settle for the wrong (from a restoration standpoint) block I would skip the '33-'34 block and go to a '36 LB or maybe a '37-'38 21 stud. If it is not right it is wrong so you might as well get the advantages of the later blocks.

    Charlie Stephens
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2013
  13. Saxon
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,157

    Saxon
    Member
    from MN

    True enough Charlie. I was thinking more in the sense of availability.
     
  14. Well let me ad a little perspective here.

    To start with none of us can see the block or the damage so we cannot say if it is repairable or not. I would conjecture that it may very well be repairable but how would I know without seeing the damage.

    Now as for a deuce flatty some would wonder why anyone would want one when you consider that there are many more desirable motors out there but when you think about it if you really wanted to build a period correct A V-8 and the era was the mid to late '30s the duece block would be perfect would it not. I would think that this type of build alone would make it worth looking into repairing it.
     
  15. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    Aaah, who'd want a '32 block?? It's just the first of the most important line that led to traditional rodding and racing! Replace it with a '37!
    A '32 block is valuable enough that it is hard to imagine what would make it entirely beyond repair. Find a Brilliant lunatic artist of a welder, when he's done throw in a can of water glass to cover any minor stuff.
    The '32 blocks of course have special problems, as Ford learned to control the insanely complex casting tools needed for passages inside passages inside an unheard of block conformation. Shifting forms led to thin spots and misalignments for much of the model year, and of course any block can be readily destroyed by a gallon of water and a winter so that might not even be relevant.
    As a note on the complexity of the casting...when Cadillac was gearing up for its first one-piece V8 for the '36 model, one of their engineers declared the format impossible-- even though there were a few million Fords already out there with monoblock eights.
     
  16. vonpahrkur
    Joined: Apr 21, 2005
    Posts: 977

    vonpahrkur
    Member

    Contact Mike at H and H Flatheads-cracks can be repaired and they do a ceramic coat in the water jackets that aids in cooling and helps to seal the passages.
     
  17. gicknordon
    Joined: Oct 11, 2012
    Posts: 64

    gicknordon
    Member

    Doesn't anybody ever read the thread before they post a reply?
     
  18. I have repaired many Freeze Brakes without Welding. This leads to no machine work after and a water tight fix. No it's not Epoxy, just time and a little knowhow. Not all freeze brakes can be done by my method. It depends on where it's at.
    The Wizzard
     
  19. Dr. Frankensickle
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 383

    Dr. Frankensickle
    Member
    from Kansas

    my thinking exactly.lol
     
  20. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    The "One on each side" also makes this sound manageable. I've seen a '32 block with cracks most of the way around the bottoms of the cylinders...! I suspect it was done by freezing, but quite likely aided by out-of-position mold cores leaving break-at-the- dotted- line place in the casting.
    I think I read that MH does the pressure coating on all of its engines...sounds like an excellent insurance against non-structural cracks.
    If these are the fairly common flathead lower rail cracks, i think a purely mechanical fix would do the job structurally and a pressure treat would then sealemup.
     

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