I got back from Mountian Home Ar. yesterday with a 48 2 door complete with flathead, sideshift trans and column shift. Not sure it it's overdrive, but I also got a couple misc. trannys. One is overdrive with all the solenoids intact. Working? Well, that I have no idea. There is also an EAB (?) Mercury engine, complete with oil filter. No carbs though on either engine. The guy wanted to clean out so I got a lot of extra stuff. A (he said) special grind cam for the Merc (it is brand new in the box however), set of new copper head gaskets, starters, misc odds and ends. A pickle bar and some other valve tools. A Pickup truck bell housing, a couple clutch discs, various old gages, clocks. I also picked up some air sanders, drills, electric drills, an 8" bench grinder (HF Chinese...oh well). I had the truck's bed full, the cab full, the bed box full and the trailer full. I just hope my truck's transmission is still "full". Here's some pics. Loaded up and on the road. Well, pit stop and check the straps. Someone's man cave up on the hill behind us there. Home sweet home. The Merc engine. In looking it over more today I found a tag on the front stating it is a re-manufactured by Ford engine. Bore .040 and .010/.010 on the crank. I hope it's useable... And the much sought after pick up bellhousing.
Well I've gone from no flatheads to three now. This one is pictured on the trailer above. Pretty sure it's a Ford and not a Merc. Only has a 3 3/4 stroke. This is the one in the 48. And a real Merc I picked up today. I had started tearing down the Ford engine. It's an 8BA, '49-53. It came with no starter, flywheel, carb, generator, fuel pump. It did have a good dizzy though. It's actually pretty clean inside. And it turns over...not stuck. I couldn't resist setting my vintage dual pot Sharp manifold on for grins. And I got my bellhousing to put the TKO behind the lucky winner of which engine gets built. (not the 48) I've been reading up on flatheads. The Merc is known as an EAB (also '49-53). A lot of stuff on the internet. And as with anything else, a lot of conflicting information. The Merc came with all the stuff the Ford didn't have. I just hope it's all useable. The guy I got it from said it came out of an old School bus. I gots the Flathead Fever!
I have a couple nibbles on the 48. Now if they'll just come through I can get back a little cash to buy the engine rebuild parts I need. I'm heading out to the shop in a few minutes to start dismantling the Merc and see what joys or horrors await me inside. I've already found a colony of ants living in the carburetor.
I got the Merc engine torn down and found a horror show inside. As long as the crank is not bent or cracked I can still use it. It is a 4" Merc. So, I'll be using this block to mock up my motor mounts and all while the 8BA awaits getting disassembled, vatted and checked out. Hope all is good with that block. But the Merc was complete, so besides the crank, I have a Holley (Ford) 94 carb, flywheel and some other hard parts that were not with the Ford motor. The starter, generator and fuel pump? Don't know if I'll use any of those or buy new/rebuilt. Not important at this point. I need more time to research. Those were positive ground electricals. Not sure how to use them if I go negative ground with everything else. Anyway, I'll be yanking that Cleveland out....soon.
I've got another one. Just about got the block stripped and ready to go to shop. Tanked and magnafluxed. If OK, then I'll start buying parts and getting machine work done. Bore 3 5/16 with the 4" crank.
OK. Time for a Labor Day update. After getting both engines torn down, finding one nearly worthless and one I think will be good, I decided to go ahead with a mock up and make the motor mounts for the "new" flathead. I pulled the body off and rolled the chassis outside to pull the old Cleveland out. Then it got HOT and humid outside again. So, I spent time inside the cool shop banging away on the body. Not much to show really, just sorting out some warpage that occurred while welding in the floor. I also took the time to assemble the new bellhousing to the old Merc block and bolt the Tremec up to it to form a unit. We got a break in the heat long enough for me to set the flathead/tremec unit in, blocked up and then rolled the chassis back into the shop. Today, I made up yet another set of engine mounts. Then rolled it back out, bolted on the heads and other ancillaries for some pics. I've decided to wait on building the engine for a while. No use in a new engine sitting around getting dirty (and in the way) until I need it. I've got plenty of other things to do. Brake lines, clutch set up, rear brakes, more body work etc, etc. Plus it'll give me time to search for the parts I want. Namely Offenhauser heads and a couple Holley 94 carbs. Pretty much everything else will be bought new. The block will be bored for 3 5/16 (276 CI) pistons, bearings, gaskets, rings and so forth.
Since you are willing to take a few steps backwards to get this car RIGHT, are you also going to replace those fourbars on the front with some split wishbones? It needs it.
This is a very instructive thread on the new focus of this forum, as well as showcasing a rebuild of a cool, old traditional hot rod. As a builder of nothing with total purity to an era, I have been confused if I can post any of my rebuild efforts, and this thread helps me understand what is ok. I am currently rebuilding my 1960's high school four banger hot rod and may now consider posting it on this forum. The Focus thread in the General Forum, being closed, was where I had intended to comment. The Chelsey Auto Parts Coupe project car started out with many newer hot rod (street rod) elements and, over time the build appears to be evolving toward bringing some of the traditional elements back into the car. It looks like the TKO600 and Tanks tank are going to stay, regardless, but I am guessing the four bar suspensions, rear coil overs, cup holder seat, and disk brakes will be gone sooner or later. I look forward to watching the progress.
Thanks Russ. I have changed my mind so many times over the years it ain't funny.... At the start...well the last one...my intention was to build the car as if it picked up technology over the years. Hence the disc brakes, the four bars, TKO (500 actually). It will have A/C. Just too damn hot here in Memphis in summer. Enjoying a ride while gasping for breath and sweat pouring into your eyes is not enjoyable. Some will balk at the car not being 100% traditional. For those I say: read my tagline.
I like how your ride is evolving especially using the original body. I started about 15 years ago building a 50 Chev business coupe gasser. Started collecting parts and got hooked on using a Olds engine. That 324 has been through three mockup up bodies and two frames. It is now finally making it into a 50 Stude gasser which is gonna be a keeper.
Jeff, I understand. In the earlier post, the car that I mentioned and am now rebuilding is very close to traditional, excepting a modern 3 speed OD tranny, Tanks tank, and a couple bits of modern banger speed eqpt., that may yet be ditched for older stuff. It does take time, money and dedication to get a pure traditional car built. Compromises are a fact of life for most of us. My avitar car is close to early sixties high school parking lot traditional, as a mild custom, but for a tilt column and radial WWs, and some unseen stuff. ...but it is a driver with an 8 deuce RetroTek efi 392 hemi. The tilt column may go by the wayside one of these days, but the rest stays. Ryan's efforts to push the board content to being more traditionally focussed is commendable, but will be a tough job in balancing the realities that most of us here love traditional cars, but our own cars have a compromise here and there using an occasional modern piece or feature. I see your car as a realistic HAMB build, and the moderators apparently agree. Keep the updates coming.
I keep beating myself up over letting so much get away from me. But that doesn't help any. I just have to keep plugging away. I've tried that Robert, not as a tag line though. The nay-sayers seem to get really quiet afterwards. I have a friend that used to have (maybe sill does) a 54 F1 and a 53 (I think it was) parts truck. I need to see if he still has the parts truck and try to get it. There would be my brakes and steering plus another 8BA. If the engine is still in it. And maybe some other misc. parts.
"Rollercoaster" Now you know part of the reason it's taking me sooooo long. I am looking into wishbones and drums for the front.
Geeze! Well, once again I've been sidetracked. But I now have several flatheads to chose from and ready for the engine build. Late Santa or early Birthday, I don't know but I got my Flathead guts today. Scat crank, H-beam rods, Ross forged pistons, rings and bearings. I got the whole kit from Speedway. This is the block I'm going to use. This is a factory relieved block. Probably a truck block of the 49-53 vintage. The relief will eat up some compression ratio, but I plan on compensating with heads. Whether aluminum or start out with wedge-cut stockers is yet to be determined. The bore is 3 5/16" (don't ya just love the non decimal bore size?) Stroke will be 4". Which will net me 276 CI or 4.5L for those metric folks. Now let's see how long until my next installment...
Jeff, you've had the car this long, what's another day, week, year. Looks like it's headed in a good direction, so that's what matters.
Wow, what a great story about the car. The craftsmanship you've put into it is awesome. Then going from the Pontiac, to the Cleveland, then to the flathead, is truly impressive. Good luck on your build.
Ok! Once again life and family matters have kept me away but I'm back at it. A previous post showed a block I was going to use but after conferring with local (Memphis TN) flathead guru Paul Kosma it was decided to use a block he had already machined. He continued on with a mild port and relieving of the block and it's almost ready to come home for assembly. I've been spending money like water for a (maybe) 200 horse engine. But hey it'll be a beauty when done. Pics to come.
First time reading this thread, toward the beginning I really winced when I saw what was going on, but now I feel like it's in good hands. I'll be following along from here on out, and I look forward to seeing the car come together with the flathead engine. Good choice!
Just found this thread and went all the way thru it, a lot of twists and turns, you had me scared when the '48 was on the trailer, thought the coupe was going to take a back burner to it. Glad to see its for sale. Flathead and 5 speed should be a good combo, give it some gear so your 200 hp moves well, OD to cruise. Keep the updates coming, great build.
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