Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Linders
Hi would it be better to change my engine to the 8BA 24 stud head instead of my old 21 stud 1937 flate head in my FGT
Any help would be great
Thanks
Jason
|
Neither of them is a blitz motor Jason, so it doesn't really matter, just use whichever one gets you on the road quicker/cheaper. However you need to consider your options for the future, which will depend on a whole range of factors as the resto proceeds. For example if you're aiming for strict originality you may want a 39-48 motor eventually, and you may even want to rebuild one. In that case you'd be selling your existing motor, so if you have a complete 8BA you should leave the heads and dizzy alone, as you'll only devalue it by changing them. They're worth good money complete and running, but only to 49-53 car/pickup enthusiasts, who don't want to see early heads or CMP twin belt pulleys!
On the other hand if you have a good running motor you may be happy to leave it there indefinitely. There's more than one CMP getting around with a 21 stud motor, and likewise 8BA motors. As Lynn mentions you can change the heads and dizzy for appearances, and likewise the crankshaft pulley, water pumps and generator if you want to fit twin belts. Of course you can't do anything about the bolt-on bellhousing, which gives the game away to the experts! Also you need to be aware that changing the heads and dizzy is a backward step. You'll lose the extra power and fuel economy of the 8BA, which is owed entirely to the higher compression heads, and you'll lose the much improved engine cooling, particularly around the problematical rear pots. This was corrected on the 8BA with greatly enlarged rear coolant passages, which will be mostly blanked off by an early head. As for the dizzy, we all know what a pain in the neck the crab is for changing/adjusting points, but that's easily solved by fitting an electronic breaker plate. More importantly you'll lose the 8BA timing cover, which unlike the early motors has a timing pointer. That means you'll never be able to time the motor accurately, and instead of using a timing light in a few minutes, you'll have to pull the whole dizzy off and fiddle around with a timing jig to even get close. That particular problem is discussed here:
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ight=Milesmore
These are just a few of the factors that could influence the decision, and just like any restorer your plans will change along the way as other stuff becomes available. Which may include cash! As a general resto strategy it's useful to aim for strict originality, but don't hold up the entire project for want of a particular component. That includes motors, which can always be changed later, and often need to be changed, for various reasons including smoke inhalation! One of the best things about strict originality which is never mentioned is that it eliminates difficult decisions. For example in this case I wouldn't have to think twice, I'd simply stick the best motor in as a temporary measure and get on with the rest of the job.
On the question of accelerator cables, one of my F60L wrecks has an 8BA motor fitted with one, which is quite a tidy job and works well. I'll take some photos in daylight and post them as a guide to what's involved.