Just got the November 2010 issue of the VCCA magazine Generator & Distributor. On page 16 is an artical on magnetos. Shown are pictures of the '20-'21 Sampson mag, front cover and oil pump setup. The author also discusses John Gerber's car and the mag setups he used. neat stuff. I'd copy it but reprints are by written permission only. It's interesting that the artical is using reprinted pictures. -Norm
Here is a pic from the pre WW2 thread recently posted by Twin6 - a thread that I know a lot of you follow. Looks like a 26 roadster with a 27 rad shell. Would be interesting to know more about this vehicle. May be of interest to Jimmy B's chev roadster thread also.what are those wheels? they look like they are mounted with split rims.
The wheels look to me like they use the standard Chevy demountable rims of the era- but the wires are neat looking aftermarket. Also it looks like the wheels may be different front to back, as the front ones don't seem to have large enough hubs to incorporate the std. Chevy 6 bolt hole patteren. Cant tell what the situation is on the back, but there either has to be a ring of bolts, or a spline drive--not likely with the hubcaps that are shown. Herb Kephart
i unfortunately had to scrap a 28 chevy drive train but i did save the original crank handle so if you want it..............
Everybody go into hibernation for the winter? Not a single post this month Common guys--just because the Chev4 is three times more expensive, and a lot more work than a Ford--is that any reason to give up? Hmmmmmm- Herb Kephart
Mine is just sitting there waiting for the Dodge bros. to be done. When that is going to happen I can not say. I could show a picture of the new, way cool, finned tappet cover for the Dodge. But this is a Chevy thread.
I haven't even SEEN my banger in a month. It's just patiently waiting in my mother's barn. I don't know that my build is going to be terribly exciting, either, compared to what's in this thread: Just a warm-stock rebuild with the inefficiencies addressed. I'm even thinking I'll source an updraft carburetor off a '40s GM COE. The only thing I could call progress, is that a friend who works at the Henry Ford says he can get us instruction on pouring babbit bearings (he's restoring an Overland roadster - so he's only got two mains!). -Dave
No hibernation here, I was forced to sell my 28 chev project, but have since aquired a 26 chevy coupe that I am looking for a chev 4 to put in.
By popular demand. Well noboD. Here are pictures of fins on my "Other Brother" banger. You can see the exhaust port plugs and the water in fitting as well as another block off for a hole that I don't know what it did. On the other side there was a hole into the tappet chamber that got it's own little finned aluminum block off plate. And the old intake port which I think will get some of the oil draining back from the rockers. So I ran a line from it back to the crank case. As you can see I do believe that fins make it faster.
Hi, just a quick note to say that I am following the thread closely and only just picked up my 28 short block on the weekend. Goes off to be crack tested and resleeved in the front two cylinders shortly. Cheers Damo
It's been a crazy week or so here in GA- visited the inlaws in Charlotte and Raliegh and then came back home for a root canal today (the novacaine is JUST starting to wear off). Did pick up a spare block and some other goodies lately- will share more when I can get some pictures up. Hope you all had good Thanksgiving!
Far away from hibernation (although it has been even below -20 degrees [Celcius] here in last days). However, I've been socially limited for the past months, since I've been finishing my doctoral dissertation. I Left the manus to the dept. office last friday and now I can only wait and look for new jobs (anybody need a brilliant car enthusiast archaeologist for post doctoral fellowship? ). The Chevy has been in the carrage completely untouched during this period.
I started to pul my engine down, to change to higher compression pistons. One of my homemade pistons on the left, a used piston from a 270cid GMC straight 6 on right. If the wrist pin holes are lined up, the flat area on the piston crowns line up. The GMC pistons are 3 25/32", and the wrist pin hole is .010" under 1". The Ford A wrist pin is 1" and I am using Ford rods, so I will have to hone the pin hole on the 270 pistons. Also, the hump on the 270's is inconveniently located on the same side as the skirt slit, which either the split would be on the thrust side (not good!)or the hump would be right in front of the sparkplug (almost as bad). The plan is to heli-arc the split, then refinish the pistons to 3 3/4", turning them into solid skirt. View before starting on job- shot of homemade rockers, and rocker stands. Note that these use the inner origional shaft bolts, the outer end is held by a head stud. Studs made from 1/2-20 grade 8 bolts, threaded 1/2-12 to fit hole in block. D**n GM! Since I don't use a head gasket, here you can see the O ring grooves that I cut into the deck around the water holes. The hole on the far left has a large O ring, because the head hole is large. If your block and/or head does not have the two little holes at the top of the picture, be sure to drill them- they can be located with a head gasket. The holes only go in the rear. Herb Kephart
Man I love your work Herb- great to see what the O Ring cuts look like! Any idea waht your compression will be with the 270 pistons? Oh, you wouldn't happen to have a "spare" water outlet for the Olds head kicking around, would you?
Hi Mate Is it a stock 26? I have mostly 28 and 29 bits and bobs but am missing a whole bunch of stuff. I have access to a complete 26 but not sure what is interchangable and what isnt in regards to steering etc. Cheers Damo
Michael- Nothing catastrophic -- I think that the factory came to the conclusion that the rear cylinder was running hotter than the others. Easy enough to do if every thing is apart. Herb Kephart
Mac- Was about 7 with the flat tops. Will let you know how much the dome adds. No extras on the water outlet. Herb
All I can say is wow! It's taken me nearly a week to wade through all these pages, I had a model A RPU with a Banger and had a ball, unfortunately it went 2 1/2 yrs ago, I still have a bunch of F!#D bits to go again, I bought a job lot from an ol fella out here a few years ago which came with a set of I believe 36 plymouth adjustable lifters?? I've also got a 2 speed supercharger from a Czech built aircraft to screw to the side. All this info is amazing, I'm glad I stumbled upon it. Glenn
It's probably not much use to any of you, however there is a guy about 45 mins away who re-babbits early engines, for an A about $1000aus for big ends and Mains..... Jimmy there is a mate of mine here who is a pattern maker who does old bike and car bits, who may be able to help with your Rocker Cover if you ever need it. Cheers Glenn
Herb I was investigating various pistons pistons several months ago and one was a 270 GMC. I tried it with the Model A rods and the chev rods. I'm not sure what year my 270 pistons were or if there is a differance in pin hight. I found that the Ford rod put the piston above the deck. The pictures show 270 pistons mounted on both ford and chev rods in a '28 block. A comparison between 270 GMC and 300 Buick pistons is also shown.
That's really an interesting piston swap. To bad I got rid of all my GMC stuff. I kind of wish you never posted this.
Norm- My guess is that Buick piston would be about 5 3/4 - 6 to 1 with a Fraud rod. I think that someone cut the top of your block sometime in the past- and it looks like some more was taken off recently. The GMC domes stuck up above my block by 010"-.020", so I took .070" off top- remember that I don't use a head gasket. Hope to finish OD's of pistons this afternoon, then going to cut a radius in the bottom of the skirt under the wristpins, just to lighten them up a little. Then match weights. Busy,busy,busy On second look- are you sure that that piston is from a 270? If you didn't turn the OD down a bunch, or the block isn't way o/s, it shouldn't have gone into the bore, as the stock 270 is 3.781" bore, and the stock Chevy bore is 3.687"--My block is bored to 3.750" and I'm taking .015" off pistons. Also the Fraud rod is too wide to go into the GMC piston, without milling 1/8" off each side. So if you didn't go through all that, it might be for a different GMC----- Rich- sorry--- Herb Kephart
Herb, Sounds like fun- looking forward to the "after" pics!!! How available ARE GMC 270 pistons guys?
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