[Darrin Wright]

Going by my Repair Manual for Ford V8 engines, 1937 to 1947, (pic attached) it states that "one has to coat the upper & lower rear main oil seal retainers with shellac and install the upper half of the retainer in the cylinder block.
Engines built since April 1944 have the lower oil seal retainer integral with the cap. On earlier engines, install the lower half of the retainer in the rear main bearing cap".
There is no clear pic showing the bearing journal at the rear of the crankshaft.

The book leads me to beleive that the seal retainers have the rope seal and the retainer listed as one item.
When the engine was pulled apart there was a rope seal in the seal retainers, this does not neccesarily mean that it was correct.
The gasket kit that I bought has the rope items in it, possibly a modern day way of economically supplying the parts as seal retainers do not wear out (unless incorrectly installed).
The engine rebuilder did give my a bit of V8 history regarding my engine, it is a 1940 block but he thought it had a 1949 crank whick is quite rare (ie a good crank for hot rods & racing). That all means that this engine was possibly rebuilt at some point. The engine number confirms that it was in a BGC as referanced to the AWM records.
I beleive that the rope seal has to go back in to the seal retainers and runs along the edge of the slinger, I think it will be a very effective seal.

I am open to any input and corrective advice at this point in time...