Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Re: You friends method of using old bearings. THAT'S BLOODY CLEVER. Wish I had thought of it! I don't have a lathe of any sort so I suppose it's a moot point anyway.
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I whiled away the hours this morning, working on my version of bearing installer (well.....Ford's really).
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Two sizes have been made. That will cover diff bearing cup, output shaft seal and inner hub bearing cup. I have not yet had the parts welded together, but will have someone do this during the week, all going well (which it rarely does!).
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The 'T' handle will ultimately have a nut welded to bottom of the shaft, and the turning of handle draws the bearing/seal towards it....slowly. An hydraulic press would be much easier, but not cheaper. I do have one on my wish list for next years budget.
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Through good fortune, the large size pipe is just a 'bees dick' smaller than the bearing cup & grease seal, and it even fits the grease seal lip on the inside of the pipe too. The smaller size is not as perfect a fit but should be no problems.

[hrpearce]

Looks good Tony. I made a tempory hydraulic press using a 20 ton hydraulic jack a short chain and a couple of lengths of 4X2 hardwood and used 3/4 drive sockets as chasers. Unfortunatly no pictures as I didn't think it important at the time.

[Private_collector]

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The engine I got last weekend is now sitting outside the workshop, as opposed to filling the trailer! I have no intention to start work on the engine for now, but couldn't resist taking the heads off for a little peek inside. Couldn't stand not knowing what lay beneath the surface. Looks quite good doesn't it? It didn't before I did a bit of wiping with petrol.
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Would I be correct in believing that this had never been rebuilt before?
I ask because of the "Ford" script piston tops which are also stamped "STD". Don't worry about the scratches I left on piston, there is slight pitting to the bore so these pistons will be removed and replaced once cylinders are honed.
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The intake manifold and heads were all easy to get off. No broken studs, and while heads and intake are OK to reuse, I have another intake and carburetor I have been rebuilding over the past few months. Mostly at night.............on the lounge room floor! I hope it is compatable with this engine!!!!!
My wife wants me to ask "does anybody else clean or wet sand parts in the shower?" We have our own water supply so don't worry about wasted water!


One thing did concern me. Upon removal of the intake manifold, I found small amount of water in some of the valve chambers. I had not been expecting this, but have been informed it is not a great problem as engine is to be completely rebuilt anyway. The water was removed and replaced with a spray of WD40. I did same to cylinder walls. Why is there a little 'divit' in middle of the pistons?

Try though I might, I couldn't seem to remove the valve assembly retainers, so I retire shortly to read my "Restoring Flathead V8's" book to see what I have been doing incorrectly. I do have the original Ford tool for relieving the valve spring and that's not the issue. The problem lies with being unable to budge the retainers. Suspect that may involve another tool!

[Private_collector]

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After a full days work, the rear end is back together and finished with exception of new brake lines and brushing damaged paint on wheel nuts, brake line bracket & tailshaft attachment. Brake flaring tools won't arrive until late next weekend so that will not be done for next 2 weeks, so I can practice a few flarings prior. I bought new brake line and brake line nuts, but the nuts are longer than the originals and i'm not sure if I will use them. No luck with replacements yet, but I haven't run out of sources to check either.

Not sure which of two paths I will take next. Plan to do either the front axle/diff or pull the truck out of the shed and strip down the chassis, to start on that. It would be nice to have something to put bigger bits back onto rather than slowly filling the workshop floor space.

Nose panel has been returned from engineering works, and welding repairs are very good. They have left repaired areas with excess weld above desired level but this is how I wanted it to be. Any grinding/filing I want to do myself.

[Mike K]

The split valve guides can be a pain to get out . I had a aftermarket tool that Ryans used to sell ( remember Ryans in the city , Melb., with the overhead cable payment system, a employee sat in a little cubicle in the roof and the cash was sent up by a overhead cable system, the change returned the same way).

You inserted the specially shaped tool down around the valve head ..onto the guide and hit the guide downwards ( after removing the C clip ) . The tool is made from round bar with the end grooved to fit around the valve head ,it's a odd shape..like a C shape at one end , its curls upwards. Don't know if you can still buy them . The bar is awkward to use. MIKE

[Howard]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

...You inserted the specially shaped tool down around the valve head ..onto the guide and hit the guide downwards ( after removing the C clip ) . The tool is made from round bar with the end grooved to fit around the valve head ,it's a odd shape..like a C shape at one end , its curls upwards. Don't know if you can still buy them . The bar is awkward to use. MIKE

I have one of those tools, and have seen them in the Mac's catalogue. I am not home at the moment when I am I'll look up the part number.
H

[Private_collector]

Thanks for the information on valve tool.

I have a Macs catalog here somewhere and will see if I can find it in there.

Mike, I don't know of the business in Melbourne, but your description brought back memories of the old pneumatic transfer system used by businesses and large supermarkets in the 60s. The ones that had a plastic or glass capsule with opening to put $$$ inside (or other things I guess), and it was then sent back and forth between checkouts and..........well, buggered if I know, but I suppose it could be the accounting dept or similar.

Ah, the memories! Wish I had those days back for many reasons.

Years later when I worked at a large hospital in Brisbane, they STILL had the same device. Never used it myself, but I believe it was to/from the pharmacy department and was in use at that time. From memory, I think that one was called a "Lampson Tube". Someone told me you could also send a softdrink can but I never saw that done. Wish I had tried it now!!!! Though I am sure you wouldn't have got it back. If you shook it up first then sent it, it would have been funny as hell, even if you weren't at the other end to see the kaos.

[Private_collector]

Engine & gearbox are now out of the chopped chassis piece they came on.
I have been working on the trolley required to have engine mobile within the workshop and on/off trailer.
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It's nearly finished, with just the bell housing mounting plate to be done & a couple of bits of reinforcement.

[Private_collector]

Got a lot of useful bits off the piece of chassis that came with the engine.
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For example:
Front crossmember, front engine crossmember, gearbox mount crossmember, cab mounting brackets x2, axle bump block brackets x2, full set of spring mounts, pedal mounting shaft & bracket, brake master cylinder, brake vacuum booster and associated hardware.

The pieces don't look like much now, but will be good as new once I run the blaster over em.

[Howard]

Originally Posted by Howard

I have one of those tools, and have seen them in the Mac's catalogue. I am not home at the moment when I am I'll look up the part number.
H

Just re-read these posts and realised I did not follow this up. Sorry!
The tool is listed by Mac's as being for '4 cylinder Model B" but I found it usefull for freeing stuck guides in my V8.

Link to Mac's
Cheers, HH

[Private_collector]

Yesterday I got the truck out for the first time since it arrived here around nine months ago. A solid tow link has been made to enable me to shunt it forward & backward using the car.
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This is the engine block that came with the truck. Previous owner (a mechanic) left it out in the weather for years without covering it. This is the result. Engine had been a nuisance, just sitting on the cab floor, in the way and a dead weight. It isn't the original engine from this vehicle. Original engine had been 'rebuilt', but got cooked when it was run. He had bought this engine to rebuild one day. Did I mention he was a mechanic? After I got the engine block down from the cab floor, I had a play around practicing swearing, bruising & valve removal. It now rests (rusts) peacefully at the Gympie dump!
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More to follow, once I find out why attachments are not loading as they should!