kencombs

At one time those tools were available at the local parts store. The 'head' was at a slight angle to match the oil hole angle and lay parallel to the crank surface. Back in the day, there were a lot of 'in car/truck' overhauls. Valve job, bearings and rings. Mains were really common on Ford Y-blocks. Most sixes didn't need mains the first time.

That sentence reminded me of the first auto 'work' I remember doing. Must of been 6 or 7 and Dad had a late 40s Olds (I think, GM for sure). He was replacing the dimmer switch but couldn't reach it from above and no floor jacks on the farm. So he recruited me. took out one of those long narrow 6v things that GM used in some cars. In front of the firewall and down near the frame rail. With it gone, Dad stuffed me in that spot and talked me through removing and replacing that switch. On your other observations, Agree wholeheartedly, especially the faulty human part.

The most common cause of grabbing/locking brakes on even a light application has been contaminated linings, that's IME. It doesn't take much brake fluid, differential oil or bearing grease to cause it. Sometimes, a good cleaning soak in alcohol can salvage an oily/greasy lining but not always.

I started working on cars for money in '59 at 16 years old. Service stations then Dad's salvage/garage in '61. Lots of 6v cars on the road then and lots of jump starts, battery charges and/or replacements along with cables in cold weather. I went to work at a big airline maintenance facility in late 61, but still worked on cars in my off hours. At the end of the 11pm-7am shift the huge parking lot would always have some jump starts in progress after a frigid night. So, yes 6v worked, but needed help. Truthfully, cars of the 50s were not as reliable as today's. But expectation were lower because of the owner's experiences. IMO, people wear rose colored glasses when using hindsight. Those expectations color the real experience.

For the slot, rather than protecting it directly, maybe one could dip the hook in Liquid Tape. IF the hole/slot is big enough to accept the hook + coating. For the tab, maybe try some large black heat shrink tubing.

Later pic with her favorite toy. I’ll bet I kick or throw that ball well over a hundred times a day 5 1/2 lbs of fun

Here’s my little girl. Broken leg and all 24 yours after I got her she jumped off the porch. Found out there are doggie orthopedic surgeons so she got a plate and cast. That was 2022

No photos here either. You should be able to tell the engine displacement by stroke alone, assuming the head measures 25 1/2 inches as the variations of that engine had stroke lengths unique to the long block. At least that's what my quick look of the Motors data says.

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In addition to the pump, it will help to provide a vacuum 'storage' container. Storage in quotes because it seems silly to store nothing! Anyway , a vacuum storage can can be found on several older vehicles on the brake system, or make one from a piece of large PVC pipe, two caps and a couple of fittings. Most PVC caps are thick enough to drill and tap for small pipe threads. Add a one way check valve to the line. This will even help a single pump equipped engine run vacuum wipers.

Anti-seize compound on the hub/wheel centers and light coat on the wheel to hub meeting surface for me. Some recommend on the threads too, and I've done that, but you need to modify the torque specs with such well lubed threads. Might break a stud or bolt. It lasts much better that oil, and is intended for that use.

The arm shape and material is not important, as long as the cam contact area is in the same place relative to the mounting pad. The pics seem to show them in the same area.

My guess also. Pedal must fully return after each application. Springs, binding or push rod adjusment are likely causes.

Yes they where. I don't see any cooler stuff on that one, just the throttle pressure rod looking like one.

I think so too, as that seems to be the torque converter laying to the left of the trans, with the hub pointing up open to the elements. Those are really good 2 spd transmissions and a much better converter that the others.

There is also another ''scrub' term that is even more important IMO. Scrub radius, the arc the wheel area in contact with the road describes when turned off straight ahead. It's primarily influenced by kingpin inclination and a vertical line through the center of the tire. Ideally the tire would rotate around a single point. Very few modified vehicles do though. Wheel offset and tire diameter can change that. From past experience I can tell you with certainty, a large scrub radius really messes with the driving feel and tire wear.

Yeah, I'll probably do that, even though Toyota has used lug centric wheels with a fair amount of success. But that requires right and tight specs during wheel manufacture.

I think my original hubs will work with the Explorer rotor with a tiny bit of lathe work on the pilot hole and/or the hub register. I do have a nephew with a machine shop that can do that for me, or if I can talk the local auto parts place into it, that could be done on a regular brake lathe. Several of the kit mounting plates I've seen in pics have short tubing spacers welded on to locate it laterally. I won't know for sure what's needed until I mock it up with a plywood plate.

Dad always kept a normal cluster shaft, cut to the correct length for common trans. He ground a short taper on each end to aid in starting it. In those days is was the 55-64 Chevy and Ford 3spds. use it to drive out the installed shaft and use the 'real' one to drive out the dummy. Or, since he did this almost every day , he could just fill the gear with needles and lots of sticky wheel bearing grease and put it together I used the cheat shaft.

Yes, I plan on it.

Thinking of fabbing my own brackets but I'm conflicted as to material dimensions and actual material. I can weld and grind steel but really accurate cuts or shaping is difficult without a mill. It would be nice to use aluminum as I lack steel machining equipment in my shop but could cut and shape aluminum accurately with my woodworking equipment. I've cut 1" plate on my table saw a few times and 1/4" a lot. Router and shaper also work well at lower speeds and really rigid hold downs. The only issue would be welding if spacers need to be tacked on. I think steel brackets are normally 1/4, 5/16 or 3/8" thick. Is that what those of you that have purchased them have seen? Thinking of 3/8 aluminum, 6061 as it is strong/rigid, readily available and not too expensive. Comments? I have a pair of Explorer disks that I think will work. These are just for fitting as I saved them from a brake job I did. If their size works out I'll get new ones. Also have a pair of calipers, near new from a Mitsubishi truck. They are nice and compact and have nice mounting arrangements. Should be good for the application as Mits used two of each on each front wheel to stop a truck that was 14K loaded. I'll be using one per side.

Flatheads winning races, and a six at that! Wonder what Henry would think of that?

Yes, all.

According to my old Hollander, all 51-56 Plymouth manual trans interchange as well as 53-55 Dodge.