JBNeal

If the axle shaft is mushroomed, the differential and associated bearings might have some damage as well. If suitable replacements cannot be sourced, then a modern rear axle swap may be the most cost effective approach. I have rebuilt rear axles and overhauled brakes on the B-series enough to say that upgrading is a challenge compared to swapping out parts but a competitive alternative...

From pics I've seen in Bunn's Bible and from the original exhaust that was intact on my '49 1-ton, the exhaust turns down about 30° right around the rearmost leaf spring shackle and extends another 12" or so...it does not extend beyond the body of the truck and comes right up to the departure angle...in other words, put a string under the rear tire and tie it under the rear bumper (if installed), and that's whereabouts the tailpipe should terminate

additional information - corn head grease testimonial

There could be variations in the geometry of the formed part that would not allow for the holes to line up on the block...these variations could be caused by the blank being misaligned in the forming dies, resulting in the critical bend being out of tolerance...rather than punch slots in the formed part blanks (aka retooling) or having a high discard rate on formed parts, a shim is added on the bellhousing to increase formed part yields...these reinforcements are not even used on truck motors, so who knows if they are even needed ?

Press a piece of paper over the nut to imprint the hex flats, then ya can measure the marks on the paper with a ruler ??

additional information - valve adjustments

Fel-Pro gaskets have done well in my flatheads as I have not needed to replace them in a couple of decades...however, I have heard recently that their quality has declined and some users have switched to Best gaskets...so on my next build, I'll probably look at both out of curiosity...

check your clearances on brakes etc.

sometimes the answer is right around the corner...

Implementing a PCV system in place of the original draft tube setup into your flathead might be a better use of your resources and prove more beneficial to engine operation than re-engineering a part that is readily available from several vendors. When that old WDT comes out and all the coolant passages are flushed of scaly oxidation and crud, the new WDT needs to fit snugly so its not rattling around in that passage. If the coolant system is properly maintained, then that replacement WDT may not need replacing for decades, if at all...the original WDTs need replacing because poor maintenance has accelerated failure or high mileage has worn the WDT to failure. Even the zinc plated steel replacements appear more robust than the original WDTs as zinc plating has come a long way since these flatheads were manufactured. I did a partial PCV setup and noticed the results right away at the first stop light I idled at...whenever my schedule allows it, I'll plumb the rest of the PCV, which I look forward to as figuring out how to make the PCV system from the original Mopar PCV designs was quite rewarding

additional information - cleaning original paint

additional information - long term product testimonials

additional information - Marvel Mystery Oil Effectivity

Sometimes the answer is right around the corner...

One thing to look at if the lid gasket is not sealing is if the filter is too proud and not allowing the lid to contact the housing...there are several types of filters that fit several types of housings for the flatheads, so filter selection is dependent on the housing dimensions, not the year and model of the truck...

additional information - Flathead Coolant Distribution Tube Design Criteria

one of the conversations I had with the guys at Burton L Norton years ago centered around how they set up a reconditioned distributor on a Sun testing machine...in short, they told me that setting points is easy to do IF the contacts were in good shape and the right tools are used; otherwise, any adjustments done with the distributor in the vehicle is just a guess, as the contacts could be not parallel, which throws off the point gap, among other things...

I posted a link in the testimonial in my build thread that I linked in this thread...WP goes into detail as to the services they offer...there are others that offer similar services, but WP is who I chose when I was doing research in Hemmings mags back in the 90s EDIT: to clarify, the wheel and master cylinder castings are salvageable when needed but it is not necessary to recondition immediately. I have 2 big folger's cans of wheel cylinders and a stack of master cylinders that are salvageable but I'm not spending any resources on them until needed...these are USA made castings without any visible cracks so they have value. The only thing I did with these castings was to drain any fluid, wipe down with blue shop towels, and put on a low shelf for the garage spiders to protect from leprechauns and unicorns ??

additional information - White Post Restorations testimonial

additional information - 6 volt battery cable sizing

For zero problems cranking, go with 0 gauge

Build threads are great

I cringe when I see these old cloth covered wiring harnesses as they are hiding a nasty little problem: impedance due to oxidation. This could be a ticking time bomb on an original buggy... additional information - minor starter upgrade

The only time I figured fuel economy was on long trips as it was easy enough to do...otherwise, I'd just put 20 bucks in the truck every few weekends to keep fresh fuel in the tank when I'd be rollin'round the county

My sister's black car was hit during the night at her dimly lit apartment complex years ago...she remembered seeing a big U-Haul truck at one of the nearby buildings when she came in from work, then the next morning her car trunk was bashed from the top, and her fender paint was missing similar to your tailgate, like it was rubbed off from a big heavy sidewall. Since her car got shoved sideways and left skidmarks, the police concurred that something big hit her car and drove off...made the insurance claim go a little smoother...