Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Good luck to you and all those other poor buggers up there getting a soaking Tony.

Yes, I feel for them too, it must be heartbreaking to go through this yet again. Seems they built Gympie in the wrong place, time to move to higher ground when you find yourself cohabiting with fish.

[Private_collector]

I agree, Gympie was not built with flood mitigation in mind.

Like a lot of gold mining towns, Gympie evolved around the mines themselves, with little thought for the future. We still get the occasional collapse of an ancient mine shaft, resulting in a sink hole. I think the last one appeared in the middle of a road. This has happened in peoples backyards too. All the current rain may contribute to future sink holes.

[cliff]

we got some damp inside this time as the overland flow water down the hill behind us banked up against the rear wall of our house and entered through the weepholes in the brick cladding. Not bad but we need a week of sunshine to properly dry out. Forecasters are promising more rain next week

[Private_collector]

Guess that's one promise you would be happy for them to break, eh Cliff!

This time the water is going down VERY slowly. Rain continues off & on, to the extent that the river is getting a little top-up, slowing draining of flood waters.

Buy the way Tony W, that wasn't a fish. Just a tadpole. Frogs grow real big up this way
That's how we lost our cat, you know.

[Private_collector]

Called into the upholstery shop this afternoon. The new mud flaps are finished and they look really good. Only one of the two guys was there at work, the other fellow was kept away by flooding, on the other side of town. The chap that I spoke to said I could take the flaps with me, but he couldn't take the money at the time, because he wasn't the one who does the costing. I chose to leave em there until they are paid for. That will be after the water goes down again, which might be Friday. I'll post a couple of pics when I pick them up.

Now I need to make a second, shorter, pair for the front. I had originally thought front ones were the length that I made the current ones, but that does not seem to be the case.

[Private_collector]

20130302_185155.jpg 20130302_185223.jpg
These are the fresh mud flaps. I still need to put the eyelets into bolt holes, but that can wait till I get around to it.

It's about time for me to start assembling some of the new bits that will be needed for the engine rebuild (not my job ). There are many Ford flathead water pumps for sale, but most are single pulley. I don't suppose it is a simple task to remove single and substitute double pulley on the same water pump, is it?

A google search has not been helpful in identifying any businesses nearby (~200km will do) that can do chemical stripping of engine block and heads. Not greatly concerned about this just now. The first thing that needs to occur is the successful removal of engine parts, while keeping each one labelled as to point of origin and orientation. I would be fairly safe in saying I will need at least 2 new cylinder sleeves. Two of the originals have a fair bit of pitting, and i'm not keen on oversizing to extent that would be required.

[Keith Webb]

I'm fairly sure they are a different beast to the single pulley ones with different housings and bearings.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

A google search has not been helpful in identifying any businesses nearby (~200km will do) that can do chemical stripping of engine block and heads.

Try some hot rod shops Tony, I'm sure there'd be a few in Brissy. Those guys know flatheads inside out, unlike most engine shops who rarely see one. Plus they're doing high performance flatheads so they're very fussy about blocks - descaling water jackets, testing for cracks, sonic checking wall thickness, etc. I believe most blocks can go out to 3 5/16" if required, and even 3 3/8" sometimes, so the pitting you mention is unlikely to require re-sleeving unless it's already well oversize.

If you do give it to a hot rod shop just make sure it doesn't come back like this: