Hot Rods UPDATE - last. Tales of the '33 Ford 3 window garage find - it now moves under it’s own power

I’ve been rocking the car back & forth, but with the trans is Reverse (I was guessing that Reverse was a lower ratio than First gear). I was hoping that this rocking motion might break the corrosion enough to allow the oil to seep through enough to allow the pistons to begin to move.

 

Your going to need a little patience to be successful. I've had it take weeks not days. Also don't use the front crank bolt, Your right it will brake off. Not Good! Go the the ring gear through the starter hole. It will pay off in the long run if there is any hope of having good results. You don't want to Drag the rings up and down a totally dry cylinder wall. They also will have a light tan color on them if you lifted the Head and took a look. That's from moisture and the air in the Cyl's with intake valves open and time. You want to drag MM up and down to help wipe it off. I've done this several times and have a 51 Ford coming in a few weeks with the same issue. Last ran in 1972. First thing I will do is put MM in it and let it just set for a week while doing other things. I also use a Squirt can with a Flex tube and through the Plug hole find all the valves standing open and shoot MM on the valve stem to help loosen them in the guide. Rocking the car can work but your not going to have a Feel for what is going on inside the motor. If your lucky it will have Cast Iron rings and once it comes up to Temp while running it will be just fine. If it has Chrome rings your luck may not be so good.
The Wizzard

 

Put me in the high gear camp too. And yes, the slack in the trans and rear gears helps "tap it loose" in a way. And, as has been referenced already, that 1st move is the 1st step. It's gonna have a ways to go before it's loose-loose. Now I don't wish to be a buzzkill, but even if you do loosen it up and even get it running, plan on a minimum of rings and gaskets, but whole rebuild is likely. Maybe now's the time for that running flatty to use as a spare til you get this one sorted (if it's important enough to keep). Freeing this one up necessitated new rods, which then led to cooling system woes, then holes in the block, and now it's being completely overhauled... This where xray vision could be handy

 

Baby steps - knew an old mechanic that would use marvel mystery oil and just took his time and would free up after working at it for days - sometimes longer - as he told me - no need to create more work to do. Happy fer ya sir - keep us posted

 

Oh man, that is a really nice car. Hope you get it going without too much trouble.

 

take your time , kool car

 

Last week, the engine finally broke free. I’d rock the car back and forth (with the trans in 3rd gear - thanks for that suggestion) each evening. Hopefully, I won’t be needing my Charlotte Swapmeet score of the SBC/early Ford adapter kit.

 

Use the adapter.

 

LOL.. Get thee behind me, Satan.....and push! ;-)

 

highlander: how 'bout a thread on the Duesey? (or at least an update??)

 

Great looking car...

 

take the adapter back to the swap meet. oil it up and get er runnin

 

LOL. There’s a ‘64 327 sitting on an engine stand, beside the car. I’ve teased folks by telling them that I’m using that to threaten the Flathead with “you can be replaced”. My plans haven’t changed, but if there’s something major wrong with the flathead, I’d have no problem with using the adapter and swapping in the old 327 (it’s just bolts). Besides, Mr Penley (the previous owner told me that he had considered doing this same thing). My preference is to keep the car very much like it is, now - except for upgrading the lighting. I’d hate for some cellphone driver to run into the car because they failed to notice the brake lights or a hand turn signal. The car will get turn signals and the taillights converted to LED.

 

yeah, flatheads are expensive to rebuild compared to the small block, but they make better music. that car you have is so nice i would hate to see it go too far from where it is now. luck fella you are, it took me two years to find a 34 3w and its a wreck compared to yours

 

Yeah, that’s why I’m being as careful as possible in order to not damage anything. I feel very fortunate to be the current caretaker of this time capsule. Mr Penley said “all I ask is that you don’t chop the top”. I assured him that the idea of chopping the top on this car wasn’t anything that I’d EVER consider. The only changes that I’m considering are a dropped axle and a set of real set of magnesium Halibrands (kidney beans in front and big windows in the rear). Other than that and safety related items (lights, seatbelts, & LED bulbs), I’m not excited about any other changes. This car makes a nice garage mate to my ‘34 5 window project.

 

Congrats on getting the flathead loose...a good first step.

 

you have two? thats cheating

 

I sold this in order to make room for the 3 window.

 

i sold 5 cars before shopping for a 3 window. none as nice as that vette. it must have been painful to see it go, but you got to play for a while and memories last forever

 

I have a stock 35 Ford pick up with the flathead motor. I had the truck running 24 years ago and has sat most of those years in a garage. I have a stuck engine also and had tried the oil down the cylinders and rocking thing but no success. Let it set for 4 months. Will give it another try in a couple of weeks.
Great that you are able to free your engine . By the way real nice score on the 33.
Vic

 

If it comes to it, let's all remember that the same guy who pushed the flathead into the hot rod world also pushed the SBC later. While it's fashionable to be against it, both have the same DNA.

LEDs? Really? EEww... Before you go there try painting your light housings flat white inside and using 12V bulbs with the higher candle power on the high side. You're not building it for me, I get that, but I did it to my 39 lights and it's a major difference without that instant-on LED effect. Did a street rod with LEDs and, well, uh...eeww. Full disclosure, I'm an old opinionated bastard. I hope the flatty roars to life soon. Good news it broke free.

 

I'd love to but she's still being built. There's no "1-800-Duesy" market for those. I'll find my thread on it and throw the car in there. She's a bare frame, new rear body panels, new chrome and more. I guess it qualifies for HAMB topics being a founding father of high performance. I'll have to ask her keeper if more progress info is ok too.

 

Very nice find, I've been pretty lucky but you get 1 st prize. What every guy looks for.

 

My love of LED bulbs is from the dramatic improvement they made in the rear visibility of my Harley. Without affecting the appearance, the activated lights are very, very much brighter. I still use the same lens. The same Harley LED conversion can easily fit within the stock ‘33/4 Ford taillight assembly. I’ll gladly sacrifice “period” appearance if it helps prevent some brain donor from severely altering the total appearance of the car. Whether I’m on the motorcycle or driving one of my cars, I watch behind me almost as much as I do what is ahead of me. About 10 years ago, I was riding my Harley Sportster by a local golf course. Luckily, I saw the golf ball coming and avoided it. On a car, it would have left a dent... on me, it would have been much worse. I wish other drivers spent time riding a motorcycle. It might teach them to watch their surroundings much better.

Thanks for the feedback. If another’s opinion differs from mine, I’m not bothered. Besides, a different opinion might be one that I’ve never considered. I hope that I never become so arrogant that I’m unwilling to consider another person’s idea or viewpoint. Thank you, again.

 

I'm no fan of LEDs either, but I run them on my old cars. It only takes one good swat in the rear from a mouth breather who couldn't see your brake lights to make you a believer. Of course they do have to actually be looking up, but every little bit helps. I don't like chasing old parts and fixing bent stuff that much, and my cars aren't typically shiny enough for the body shop to blend.

You really scored on your 33/34. Jealousy incoming!

 

Looks like you are on your way! For the less fortunate...keep on soaking for a while. It can useful to pull the front cover and remove the upper timing gear, easy for most, awful if you have an early press on gear.
Stuck valves in guides are VERY common when a flathead sits too long and can stick an engine themselves or add to the violence and ill effects of a stuck piston. You can also dribble oil down the filter fittings at rear of block, likely not real useful but easy insurance and keeps you entertained while you WAIT.

INCREDIBLE car!!! As a '32 owner, I don't often say that about these late-model parts cars!

 

Man, that interior is so bitchin! What a great car

 

ATF and Acetone, soak all the cylinders for a few days then use a breaker bar and long pipe on the crank, it'll happen.

 

Man I saw the thread when you were getting the car. You are blessed to have met the previous owner and been able to purchase the car. I'm not so sure I would pull the flatty for a chevy. I would go ahead, pull the flatty and make it right with a nice re-build and some cool parts if it was me. A lot of cars benefit from a SBC but I don't think this one would. If you put a chevy in it, it wouldn't be long I bet you would be changing the trans and rear too. I could be wrong, but there goes the car JMO. I would spend whatever it took to keep her period correct and soup up the flathead. Damn that's a neat car. Like I say though, 35 cents and my opinion won't buy you a cup of coffee. . Bitchin car bud.And I bet reverse is higher than 1st. Just guessing. Lippy