Do you really need all the bolts???

[Big John]

So... I haven't updated anyone on my progress with the Chrysler. I got it running right after I got it, but there was an issue with oil pressure... or more accurately the lack of oil pressure. The water jackets are full of mud, and the oil pan full of sludge. I decided its time to pull the engine and go through it.

First issue, the engine is a 251 from a 1950 Chrysler, my car is a 1953. That's not too big a deal but the '53 has a 265 cubic inch engine. The big difference between the two engines are the crankshaft and rods. The blocks are the same, as are the pistons and everything else. I couldn't seem to find a 265, but I found a crank and rods in Seattle.

I got ambitious today and started getting the engine ready to pull. Here's what I found... this scared me...

In the first pic, you are looking up at the driver's side of the engine. The black thing in the top of the pic is the starter. Its missing one bolt at the top and the brace that goes from the block to the bellhousing.



Second pic is the passenger side from the bottom up. This time there's a bolt in the top hole, but its sticking out. No brace on this side either.



OK, there's two bolts on the side... what about the top of the bellhousing? I couldn't get a pic... but the two bolts at the top of the bellhousing are missing too!! There is only two bolts holding the engine to the bellhousing!!! WTF????

The third pic shows my "Poor man's lift".

 

[moparchris]

Its funny to find things like that, even better after you have driven the car! My 69 had 11x2.5 shoes in the front drums which are 11x3! Missing half the hardware too. It makes you realize how much we care and want to do things right. Are you going to do a stock rebuild or are you going to spice things up a bit?

 

[Roadcuda]

That's scary John. It has to make you wonder what else is going on with the car and what may be missing.

 

[Big John]

Its funny to find things like that, even better after you have driven the car! My 69 had 11x2.5 shoes in the front drums which are 11x3! Missing half the hardware too. It makes you realize how much we care and want to do things right. Are you going to do a stock rebuild or are you going to spice things up a bit?

I'm not sure exactly which way I'm going yet, but I've decided to go with a Pertronics ignition and I'm gonna have the head cut enough to bring the compression up.

I bought a 47 Desoto engine mostly for the odds and ends that seem to be missing off the engine. The big one was the bellhousing brackets but I just discovered the driveshaft that was in the pile that I almost didn't take is identical to the one in the Chrysler. The Chrysler shaft is made of two pieces. Instead of the front yoke on a spline that slides in and out of the trans, the shaft is split and it telescopes in and out there. The Chrysler shaft seems to be frozen, but the Desoto shaft is nice and free.

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna convert to 12 volts too and use a Chrysler alternator. That goes against advice of pretty much everyone else that uses the one wire Delco alternator, but it seems to be being scared to connect more then one wire then anything else.

 

[ACME A12]

Bellhousing bolts are highly over-rated... :basketcase:

You probably paid as much in freight as you did for the crank & rods...

Soundsl like a good plan, John. That is a neat old car...

 

[Big John]

One other very cool thing about buying the Desoto engine is it has ALL the bolts I need. Granted, this isn't gonna be some show car, its gonna be a driver, its still cool to put the right bolt in the right place. The bolts have a little crown to the head. Nothing that really jumps out until you put a bolt from Home Depot in the hole next to it. If nothing else, getting a bolt out of the coffee can beats a special trip to the fastener store.

 

[69hemibeep]

That's a fun looking project,and I never thought of using the trailer like that

 

[Big John]

That's a fun looking project,and I never thought of using the trailer like that

That's a throwback to my racing days. Guys used to do that all the time in the pits to work under their car. I've seen more then one transmission changed in the pits that way.

 

[Basketcase]

maybe someone was in the middle of pulling it apart? I've had cars like that. Some of the stuff I found on Freebird was downright scarey though. rocker shaft bolts and spacers on the door hinges, the steering column half unbolted, which I wouldn't have found except I pulled the dash to redo it.

 

[Big John]

Pulled the engine and trans today. Found this:



No nuts on the studs! The fluid drive wasn't fastened to the crank!!

And I actually had this engine running!

Also found why I didn't have oil pressure. This gasket was cut by hand by some "mechanic" for the oil filter housing. First mistake... well... it doesn't use a gasket, it uses a couple of O rings. Second mistake... It wasn't on right and it blocked the oil passages.

 

[69hemibeep]

Looks like it needs a little of your luvin John, good thing you didn't try and go anywhere far with it.

 

[george68hemirr]

its cool that you found the problems before things got ugly