Sam Buchanan

Spit balling here........lift the engine as high with the hoist as you can to clear it from the car frame. Then attach your truck to the back of the car and drag it away from the hoist, without the engine/tranny the remainder of the car probably doesn't weigh more than 1000lbs. Back your truck up to the hoist and lower the engine onto the bed. Reverse the process when you get home.

Marc, go to a parts or hardware store and buy 1/8", 1/4" and 3/8" NPT plugs and keep them in your shop for "gauges". That way you can skip the parts book and internet back-and-forth and know instantly the size of the threads.

I looked for leather boots a couple years ago and couldn't find any available. Do you have a current source?

Looks like a runner!

The extra zinc is recommended for engines with mechanical (flat) lifters because it offers better wear protection for the hardened surfaces. I've used such oil in all the flat tappet engines I've run for several years (Triumph TR6, aircooled VW's, the Plymouth). Will a good conventional oil work ok? Sure, and with the low mileage we accumulate in our low-power engines it will probably be as good as the high zinc options. The cheapest house brand oil you can get at a 7-11 will be vastly superior to the oils our cars used in the olden days.

I've only seen it the one time at my local Walmart. I ordered 6 qts from Walmart.com once and it was shipped from five different stores all over the eastern US, I can't imagine what they spent on shipping. It's easier to just have Amazon drop a couple jugs on my front porch with free shipping. I used to use Valvoline VR1 racing oil for the higher zinc load but the Castrol is considerably less expensive.

This is my go-to oil for my vintage flat-tappet engines: Found it once at Walmart but now have to buy it online. https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-Classic-20W-50-Conventional-Motor/dp/B09QXWLY2Y/ref=sxts_rp_s_1_0?content-id=amzn1.sym.bf03c8c5-442d-4e66-a4e5-38dc35df3a45%3Aamzn1.sym.bf03c8c5-442d-4e66-a4e5-38dc35df3a45&cv_ct_cx=castrol+classic&keywords=castrol+classic&pd_rd_i=B09QXWLY2Y&pd_rd_r=da9e5fc1-7976-4931-bca3-a64a89a9a5cd&pd_rd_w=h3knd&pd_rd_wg=Zl0GP&pf_rd_p=bf03c8c5-442d-4e66-a4e5-38dc35df3a45&pf_rd_r=MSV7TBC6KN80YZ0R5JZR&psc=1&qid=1658775216&sprefix=castrol+clas%2Caps%2C136&sr=1-1-5e1b2986-06e6-4004-a85e-73bfa3ee44fe

The Service Manual calls out 24 psi for the bias-ply tires. Yes, these tires tend to 'track' irregularities in pavement, a characteristic that can be a little spooky for folks who have never driven anything other than radials. But that's the way it was back in the day. You have a beautiful car...enjoy!

I assumed jfish was talking about having a machine shop build a pair of hubs like Scarebird offers. Maybe he was saying he was going to get a quote for modifying his hubs.........I might have mis-read his post. I do agree that having a machine shop press in new studs while cutting down the old hubs would be the best way to modify them instead of using bolts with unknown yield strength.

I suspect a machine shop would charge far more than that to make a pair of hubs from scratch. Scarebird's vendor no doubt just loads a CAD file into their machine and hits "Start".........

Turn those blocks so the "holes" are vertical, the way they are now can lead to failure. The blocks under the front bumper look much better.

I haven’t seen any indication of issues with the current pilot hearing. I may just keep it and skip the hassle of changing it. But thank you for the suggestions! Got the flywheel back from the machine shop, getting close to reassembly.

Here is the tool I made and posted in the forum 3+ years ago: And the $95 version that was "invented" a year or so later: I should have painted mine and made it purty........just sayin'. ? But I really like Dansk's jack-knife version the best!

Am I safe to assume the new clutch set I received from AB is compatible with the old set from my P15? Both discs are the same diameter. Also, what is the best way to remove the old pilot bearing and install the new one without the factory tool? P.S. Parts arrived in Large Flat Rate box, $19.95 commercial rate. I was charged $54 for shipping.........grrrrrrrrrr...........

The engine was rebuilt in 1987 and when I removed the pan a couple of years ago it appeared detergent oil had been used since overhaul, the inside of the engine is sparkling clean. I wiped out a thin film of residue in the very bottom of the pan. Clean living I guess. ? Where the tranny has been leaking is another matter.....

About an hour later the pan and rear cap is pulled and the flywheel is at the machine shop.....glad I decided to do it right. With the cap removed, driving out the bolts and lowering the flywheel was a non-event. The rear seal is dry, I don't think I want to risk messing with it. Has anyone used Permatex Ultra Black for the oil pan instead of a gasket?

I sure do like the fuel pump on my P15.

Thank you for the comments, I found them to be very applicable to my P15 218. In spite of driving the flywheel bolts as far forward as they would go until they hit the rear seal retainer, the flywheel would not come out. It was THIS close, just needed another 1/16" or so. If the Mopar engineers had given us another 1/8" in the bellhousing it would work. I considered cutting an opening into the top of the bellhousing for some relief but since this is what keeps the engine from falling onto the road I decided not to get out the grinder. It looks like the oil pan and rear crank cap would need to be removed so the flywheel bolts could be sequentially driven all the way out, the service manual states this is necessary for some models. I haven't yet decided if I want to add to the work order or just freshen up the flywheel with some hand sanding. The flywheel isn't scored, but you can tell the clutch disc has worn into it a few thou. I suspect this is the original clutch (48K miles). Thank you for the info on the bolt grommets. After thinking about it for awhile----Aw shoot...I'm this far into it might as well pull the pan and rear cap.......sure would hate myself if I installed a new clutch and it shuttered a little.

The transmission sealing I applied a couple years ago has failed so the tranny has been pulled for another go at it. I decided to replace the clutch while everything was apart--it was a good decision because the disc was almost worn down to the rivets. The flywheel needs to be refaced to complete the clutch job. I've removed the flywheel nuts but it jams against the bell housing when I attempt to extract it. The shop manual says the oil pan must be removed in order to remove the flywheel. My question: Can the flywheel be extracted with the bell housing in place? Do the flywheel studs need to be driven back toward the crank flange in order for the flywheel to come free? I don't mind pulling the oil pan if needed, I have gaskets on the way and I can take a look at the rear seal which appears to be pretty dry. Thanks in advance for advice from those who have done this job. Oh...one more question....is there a source for the rubber grommets for the bearing retainer cover bolts on the tranny? Thanks!

Update: Aluminum hubs are still available for the budget kit as an upgrade: https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=282 $319.58

Update: Hubs are still available as an add-on for the economy kit: https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=282 $319.58

I must have gotten one of if not the last of the full kits for my P15: https://p15-d24.com/topic/58096-scarebird-disc-brake-conversion-p15/#comment-625750 Yes, it is nice to be able to keep the original parts intact even though I have no intention of reverting back to the drums. If a machine shop is hired to drill and install the studs and machine the diameter of the hubs, and new bearings and seals are purchased the economy kit may end up costing more than the 'full' kit.

Yes, these are press-in studs.

As a wise man once said, “It’s not the arrow, son, it’s the Indian.” Good equipment won’t overcome mediocre technique, and good technique will work well with a wide range of equipment. ?