Project Alf's Ageing Autos

[Jimmycrackcorn]

Really love that style Chevy, I'm hoping to build a really mean 1 Ton COE this year.

[alf892]

Another couple of months has slipped by but I have been less idle! In fact I have worked at least one full day every weekend in this time. Sadly I am shit at taking photos as I go so I can't really give a nice write up. Will try harder!

 

Brakes.......

I started on the front because it was easy. New shoes fitted with new cylinders - both very cheap. The new bits in this photo cost about £16.

 

When i cleaned up the wheel bearings I found one inner was buggered and a couple of others were a bit iffy. This was a bit of a bugger as when I took it apart I had a quick look and thought they were all OK. It has old style 3 piece ball bearings......

and I was quite happy to keep these as upgrades were £150 a set. On the Monday I spent quite a bit of time trying find a bearing factor with stock but found they were specials. A local firm did come up trumps in the end but they are nearly £300 for a set. Suddenly the upgrade looked cheap and an unexpected Christmas bonus from work helped.

 

So thats the front boxed up.....steering done, brakes done and wheel bearing done. That just leaves the broken spring which I will need to come back to.

 

I am writing this retrospectively......because it takes me ages to get around to siiting down to type.

 

Rear brakes next........oh the excitement!

 

 

 

 

 

[danthecapriman]

Good to see this updated. Those are some expensive bearings.

 

Will it be on the road this summer?

[alf892]

Yes should be on the road fairly soon.........will remain a project for a good while but hoping to have it on the road in June.

[alf892]

Doing my head (in)

This post jumps forward a bit as I haven’t written up all the work I did to actually get it on the road….this will follow at some point!

Since I put my truck on the road in August it has been making a bit of water in the oil. This has gradually got a little worse to the point I started to drain the water out of the sump before using it. Not ideal and a bit of a twat as it runs lovely…….

 

It’s a straightforward enough job although I was expecting a few seized bolts.

 

Got the head off (fooking heavy) and no fault on head gasket. Bugger.

Google investigation followed and it seems that water gets in via this fitting in the tappet chest. It is the oil feed from the oil pump to the rockers and it passes through the water jacket. At the tappet end it is soldered into a brass fitting and it is here that it leaks. Looks to be the case too. I knew it was leaking a bit on the other side and had left it until I had time to deal with it properly. Like now.

 

Suppliers in the USA do a kit to use a compression fitting each side…….but general opinion is that it is too tall. It would also take two weeks to get here and I’m too impatient to wait that long. After trawling around various fitting firms I hit lucky and found a really helpful bloke who could supply something to do the job…..male pipe nut means that it is nice and short when fitted so I wouldn’t have to modify the tappet cover too. All I needed to do was drill them so the pipe could pass through…….

 

Cleaned up parts......painted head and tappet cover.

Fitted inlet valve stem seals…….valves all good.

Got all the bolts cleaned up ready

Repair rocker oil run off pipe……..was tied on with locking wire!

 

Oil and water in and loaded up for tip run/load test. At this point I was chuffed to fook.

Then I saw water dripping. The clue was in this pic but I didn’t want to see it……..observe the rusty line which I chose not to really look at……..

 

It seems the block is rotted through along the bottom of the water jacket……..must be leaking internally too. So the engine is basically toast.

I’m now looking for a Chevy 235 engine – mine is a 216 and these have splash lube to the big ends while a later 235 is conventional pressure fed. A good upgrade just not one I was budgeting for just yet.

 

So I retired to drink beer and search the internet for a 235.........if anyone knows of one give me a shout!

 

[Squire_Dawson]

That's a shame, I'm surprised the block has rotted through. American engineering seems really conservative and out-dated, splash lubrication at this date?!

[brickwall]

My mate says most of the engines kicking around are 350s!

 

I'll keep my eyes open for a a 235 if you want.

[alf892]

My mate says most of the engines kicking around are 350s!

 

I'll keep my eyes open for a a 235 if you want.

yes..please do

[Junkman]

Whoever still says most of the engines kicking around are 350s should start to consider living in this century.

It's been a while since 350s were kicking around.

[Junkman]

Now, my first few enquiries to old contacts regarding 235s yielded the dreaded "not seen one in years, m8" responses, as expected.

Apparently all the people who bring in old Jimmys and replace the sixes with V8s bin the sixes afterwards.

 

Two things:

 

- It may be better to go for a 251.

 

- Would a 3.8/4.3 V6 with automatic be considered?

[Junkman]

Also, search for old pick ups on eBay that have been converted to V8s. Maybe one of the sellers still has the six.

[AMC Rebel]

Now, my first few enquiries to old contacts regarding 235s yielded the dreaded "not seen one in years, m8" responses, as expected.

 

 

This.  My Chevy had a 235 six for most of its life, and being the contrarian I am, I fancied reverting to one (it currently has 283 V8).  In the 16 years I've been looking I have seen precisely 2 for sale - both quite expensive and of dubious heritage and I missed out on both.  

[AMC Rebel]

That's a shame, I'm surprised the block has rotted through. American engineering seems really conservative and out-dated, splash lubrication at this date?!

 

It's a curious mix of outdated stuff and stuff for ease of use/maintenance/to cater for very dim people - I love it!  

 

Don't let's veer off onto US trucks or washing machines

[alf892]

Now, my first few enquiries to old contacts regarding 235s yielded the dreaded "not seen one in years, m8" responses, as expected.

Apparently all the people who bring in old Jimmys and replace the sixes with V8s bin the sixes afterwards.

 

Two things:

 

- It may be better to go for a 251.

 

- Would a 3.8/4.3 V6 with automatic be considered?

Thanks JM............I'd like a 235 because it is an easy change. I don't want to turn this into a longer project...........just want to stick another engine in and go. Let me know if you unearth anything!

 

Similarly I don't really want to put a modern engine in..........for one thing I'd then have to make it stop quicker.........and there you go....... project again.

 

I'm keeping an eye on rodders sites.........had a lucky find on some brake bits before.

 

I spoke to a hot rod builder earlier who may know of one coming up so not all doom and gloom.

[Junkman]

I'm admittedly not the most straight six savvy one, but wouldn't the post 1962 250 be a straight swap, too?

 

 

 

That's a shame, I'm surprised the block has rotted through. American engineering seems really conservative and out-dated, splash lubrication at this date?!

The engine is actually a 1929 design.

[danthecapriman]

That's great work, just a shame it hasn't fixed it. I know exactly how you must be feeling about it!

 

Is this engine any good?

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/24449/rr-spotted-thread?page=315

 

About halfway down the page there's a Chevy pickup having a BMW transplant and the old 6 looks like it's of no use. Might be worth getting in touch with the guy doing the work?

[alf892]

Thanks Dan..........I forgot I even had a log in on there......have messaged the guy.

[vulgalour]

Is there a word for simultaneous joy and sadness?  I bet there is in German.  Anyway, that's what this post is.

[AMC Rebel]

I had an idle search on US eBay - there do seem to be a fair few 235s on there - surprisingly expensive though, for an engine that apparently nobody wants.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Anyone here know Alvechurch near Birmingham?

 

There used to be a scrapyard just for American cars. Miserable chap who owned it but loads of stuff there. That was 20 years ago though and I can`t remember what it was called or exactly where it was! Ian Mumford I think his name was.

[alf892]

I'm admittedly not the most straight six savvy one, but wouldn't the post 1962 250 be a straight swap, too?

 

 

 

 

The engine is actually a 1929 design.

not sure on the 250..........I'll do some research on that one. And thanks for the suggestion.......I know FA on this stuff.

[Junkman]

Is there a word for simultaneous joy and sadness?  I bet there is in German.

 

Wechselbad der Gefühle.

[alf892]

So this is still pretty buggered engine wise. I used some Wonderweld stuff which has slowed the water flow into the sump.......especially when I drain the water off between uses.

 

I needed it last weekend for a big garden clear up......but found a bit of a pool under it.

 

This time it is petrol because this

 

It was Saturday morning so couldn't get a new one.........but I had a metric straight connector

 

So cut one side off this.....and then the other side off my existing one. Drilled both to allow a very short piece of pipe to be fitted between them and soldered them together.

 

Then fitted. Tip vehicle now operational.

 

As advised on here I have been scouring Ebay for an engine. During that I found a bloke who had a couple of proper front springs........so I'm off to Bath this weekend to collect. Bonus is that he has a couple of engines that might be what I want.

Mission to Bath now upgraded to Romantic Break with Mrs Alf......she is having a look around the shops while I go a look around this blokes spares pile.

[danthecapriman]

Nice job, it's great to see creative repairs like that, proper mechanic-ing and using your head instead of giving up because you can't get the part there and then.

 

Fingers crossed you can find an engine too!

[alf892]

Yeah.....on the engine I've got till spring really so I'm trying to be relaxed about it.

 

I was already planning to put a wood floor in the bed, sort the cab out a bit nicer and fit a new screen frame in the winter.....and I can't see the point in rushing about trying to get an engine.

 

If one comes up I'll get it but in the meantime I'm going to carry on as planned. And continue to use it......if it goes bang I haven't lost anything.

 

First job is to get the Rover moved so I've got room in the garage to paint bits and sort the bed floor

[alf892]

Found an engine!!

 

Seller is just checking engine number and sticking a camera down the bores but it is looking good.

 

Cost is about what I was expecting at 80p per Lb........

[danthecapriman]

Found an engine!!Seller is just checking engine number and sticking a camera down the bores but it is looking good.Cost is about what I was expecting at 80p per Lb........

Nice one!

What did you get in the end? Like for like of a different type of 6?

[alf892]

235 Chevy........should bolt straight in......ish. We will see

[alf892]

I need some room in the garage to work on bits of the truck.......one thing I want to get done in the winter is put a wooden floor in the bed. Also loads of bits and pieces to paint so I can have some kind of interior.

 

So the Rover has been turfed out and put in a barn........not sure I'm all that happy about the barn to be honest. It is open front so will get plenty of air but I would rather it was totally inside. Cost is not too bad at £25 month

[alf892]

I've been running around happily with this but haven't really touched it since the new year.

 

I've got a big list of stuff to do this winter........but so far I've achieved FA.

 

I hopped in this morning just to move it over a foot and it wouldn't start.

 

It always fires up straight off.

 

All I got was a phut through the carb.......like the timing was massively out. Bloody odd considering I haven't touched it since switching it off last.

 

While checking it over I managed to loose the rotor arm.

 

Nothing wrong with points or cap.......just farting through the carb.

 

In the end I decided to go from basics so nipped the rocker cover off to set it up for TDC and rocking on 6.......so firing on 1.

Checked dizzy.......deffo not pointing at 1.......so took all the leads off and started again.

 

And it fired straight up.......bit flat so moved the dizzy around till it ran nice.

 

But I don't get wtf happened. I've had a look at the pic up the page and the dizzy had definitely moved from when I had the head off........but how? Actually a shame I didn't think to check my own thread a bit bloody earlier as it would have saved some head scratching.

 

I suppose all is well that ends well......but I really don't get it!