Hey all, I’ve starting pilling parts up for my AV8 rod. Yesterday I picked up 2 v8 flatties. One a 8ba and the other looks to be a later 59ab. The 59 short block is crusty but looks like it will clean up to be rebuilt. I’m looking for some direction in what to build and what I can expect from it. Now this 8ba bottom end looks to be rebuilt recently. Pistons pop up pretty close to the deck surface aswell. Like a 1/16” from the piston shoulder to the block deck. Appears to have a bit of a cam in it aswell. Stamped J on the end and has rounder lobes. Crank is 3.75” stroke. I also grabbed up a random lot of parts from a friend which included 2 sets of 8ba steel heads and 4 intakes. One intake being a d and s unit. Needs some welding and repair to a few spots but it is different. Also got a set of 8ba rods, a 8ba block and some other random parts. So I guess I’m questioning what this 8ba short block really is. Is there anyone that can spot if it has some goodies in it? I’m hoping to pull the green 8ba apart and clean it inspect it and run it. What can I look for or do to insure that this is a good engine? Pics to follow
https://postimg.org/image/t6qvswbiz/ https://postimg.org/image/btgldyg6z/ https://postimg.org/image/8mm1ufqmz/ https://postimg.org/image/kohfohkez/ https://postimg.org/image/qcnqfdh1n/ https://postimg.org/image/y5ee7g2h7/ https://postimg.org/image/bgp77wfyj/
Its really hard to tell from the photos what is what but one of the two has adjustable lifters in it which would indicate they where changed at some point, probably when the cam was installed. Which might indicate it was rebuilt at some point. Pull the pan and check things down below. If its clean and looks good it might be ok to run as is. Pull the distributor cover and check to see if it still has a fiber gear. If it does I'd replace that. Does it turn over without a problem and do the cylinders look good? If so you might get away with throwing some heads and intake on it and getting it to fire up. The right way though if you have decided you want to use one of these is to pull it all down and have the block pressure tested and magged to check for leaks and cracks. Once one of them proves worthy of being used I'd go ahead with whatever plans you might have for it.
When I realized that the "junk" '51 Mercury engine I bought cheap seemed to be in pretty good shape, (all 8 cylinders over 100 lbs.), I went to the FLAPS and bought some "Plasti-gage", pulled a couple of bearing caps and confirmed that I had indeed, really lucked out. Subsequent test runs and installation into my '51 confirmed all of this
Sorry for the dim lighting. It has been in the single digits here for the last few weeks and my fluorescent lights aren’t much help in this cold. And I wasn’t standing around out there waiting for the them warm up. I’m a sissy like that haha.the green block is the 8ba and it does have the adj lifters. The pistons have a dimple right in the middle. The bores actually still show honing marks in them. Not much of a lip aside from maybe just exhaust and oil . Engine turns over and feels tight. I need to get another engine stand this is getting me excited haha
Flatheads can be fun, frustrating, and expensive! Sounds like you may have one that you can finish putting together and use. I on the other hand paid a guy to machine my block and put together the whole lower engine. I added the rest and when I went to fire it for the first time it wouldn't fire. Tried and tried but no luck. Have to pull it all down as there is no timing mark on the crank gear that I can find and I have no idea how it was timed but it wasn't correct? So be careful who you get to work on it if you use outside help. I too am waiting for a bit of warm up as we don't usually get into the teens here in NC!
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