RobertKB

There are some great videos on You Tube that show how to make double flares. All of them say if you’re a novice at flaring, practice lots before making flares for use. I had never made brake lines before but have now replaced all steel lines on my ‘48 Dodge, new lines on my ‘51 Dodge restoration, and replaced half the lines on my ‘53 Plymouth. No leaks when installed and none later. I encourage you to keep trying as you can do it. The videos really help. My flare kit cost about the same as yours. Good luck!

Definite improvement!! It just looks cleaner. Sometimes little things make big improvements.

When first breaking your engine in it’s good to have the car pull at close to full throttle to maybe 45-50 MPH and then take your foot off the gas and coast down to 25-30 MPH. Repeat many times. This sucks the rings out to the cylinder walls and really helps them seat well. The first few hundred miles are very important. I had the 260 V8 in my ‘63 Ford ? Fairlane 500 rebuilt last year and was told again by the rebuilder that’s the best way to seat rings. I was reasonably gentle the first 500 miles until I changed oil. Now I drive it a little harder than I used to. Lots of ring seating advice on You Tube. I liked the one on “piston ring break-in 101”, I think by Luke Shaw. He stresses the engine needs to be worked and not over-babied initially. However your car, your choice. Have fun!

You can buy oil specifically designed for breaking in engines. I got mine at Auto Plus when breaking in the rebuilt engine in my 1951 Dodge D39 business coupe. I put 500 miles on it and then used 10W-40 for next 2000 miles. No need to change more often than that in my opinion. I never took it over 50MPH for the first 500 miles and then drove it however I wanted. I certainly didn’t baby it.

I highly recommend White Post. I have no connection to them but have had master and wheel cylinders done on three cars. Just a happy customer. Never a leak of other problem since. That fire engine will likely do a lot of sitting which is never good for brake systems. White Post sleeves with brass and give a lifetime guarantee. $400 does seem high. I never paid anywhere near that for a sleeved master cylinder from White Post. If parts are ok, they are re-used. Maybe you got a price for a cylinder with all new parts? Worth a phone call.

Congratulations, Keith! Best way to break it in……….drive it like you stole it!?

These latest additions to the thread are beyond fascinating. Really old school!! People now-a-days tend to forget that before the 1950’s there weren’t a lot of fridges around. You either bought fresh food on a daily basis or used an ice box if lucky. To see your old Dodge being put to good use in this way is so wonderful. You use your truck as antiques should be used and not sitting around just looking pretty! Thanks for posting!!

This is where good used parts come into play. Maybe put an ad in the classified forum. Any cars I part out I always keep the rubber parts if they are decent. I had a good spare one of these but I used it on my ‘48 project so I am not trying to sell anything on this forum. Lots of members no doubt have parts cars though. Just my thoughts. Also, if the rubber piece is hard, it can be softened up by warming it with a heat gun. A slippery lubricant also helps. Forcing anything to fit by brute force usually ends in failure.

That’s fate, aka Murphy’s law. I have a lot of spare parts, most of which I will likely never use but once in a while………there it is when needed. My biggest concern is the parts will likely all get tossed when I’m no longer around to need them. Most people, including relates, will have no idea what they are. Probably the fate of a lot of good parts.

I have sent lots of people spare parts but only when I have two spares of something. I always keep one back and always keep the best ones. Very nice of you to help Steve out but I always like to keep a spare. I thought I might have spare hinges for you from when I owned a ‘38 Chrysler, but I checked and guess they went with the car when I sold it. I just checked eBay and there are lots of those hinges listed ranging from reasonable to ridiculous in price.

The first time is always sweet! Glad it went well. ?

Block can also be sleeved.

Looks good! Necessity is the mother of invention! It’s doing jobs like this that really makes the car yours.

If it’s the rod knocking on the crank, I would say no as the crank would have to come out for machining or will need replacing depending on damage. Assuming this is in your truck. I thought you had mentioned you had a good spare engine for it.

Google is your friend.

Don’t waste your time with oil or grease. Won’t make any difference. Hubcaps either fit of they don’t. For my dog dish hubcaps I usually get one side started and then using the heel of my palm I give it a good rap on the higher side and it pops on. I once worked on a ‘47 Chrysler and one cap would not fit but the other three all went on that rim. Upon looking closer, there was a slight difference. Maybe DeSoto was the same. Try an NOS one.

Sorry to hear of your troubles and hopefully all ends well. You are a definite asset to the forum. To me, “getting old” means you didn’t die young or middle aged. I’m 73 next month but I still don’t consider myself old. I have had and likely will put up with other medical issues but “carpe diem” as best you can.

Cool video! Thanks for posting. If you did it in car, you would still have to drop the crank to avoid any shavings getting where they shouldn’t.

Yes, engine was still in the car. Very slight ridge was removed before pulling pistons. Pulled pan and removed rod caps. Bearings were plastic gauged and were right in the middle of factory specs so the old girl still has all original bearings. Oil pressure has always been super. Pistons at that time looked good and re-used. New head gasket but head was not machined. This was like 40 years ago and it’s run well since……touch wood. Maybe I just got lucky but I had help from an old mechanic who was in the same car club.

You’d be welcome here anytime. I have been to NZ many years ago, mainly the North Island. Beautiful country!

Actually second drive as I had my ‘51 Dodge out last week. However, I had my ‘53 Plymouth Belvedere out today for the first time in 2022. We had snow and cold on Monday but another Chinook (see earlier post) arrived and it was 11C (52F) today. Roads were great. It felt a little cool as it was quite windy but the car has a great heater. The 4-Door ‘53 Belvedere was a Canadian only car as far as I know. This one is a survivor including original paint. It has a few scratches and some gravel rash but is pretty good for 102,000+ miles. It had rings and the valves lapped about 30,000 miles ago and still runs strong and uses very little oil. I’ve owned the car since 1975. If you look above the roof in the second picture you can easily see the Rocky Mountains. Although I live on the prairies of southern Alberta, the mountains are only about 80 miles away as the crow flies.

Bad rear axle bearing?

This is why I like getting old cylinders, which were usually made in the US or Canada, sleeved. The new ones made elsewhere are often just not quite right. I’m think the ones with the more space between fittings are right. I agree having matching cylinders is best. Others with more knowledge will likely chime in.

Hand cranking to start, even the thought of it, scares the bejeebers outta me. I know the way you’re supposed to keep your thumb folded but I have heard too many horror stories of broken thumbs, arms, even legs. I know lots of people have done it hundreds, if not thousands of times, without injury. I’ve even done it a couple of times but I brought spare underwear just in case. ? I know you just want to turn your engine over……..that I could do.

Very interesting and unusual cars. Thanks for posting!