drillmastertommy

Thanks all for the info, the next step is definitely going to be to find better rear gears, which being this side of the water is going to be dictated more by available width than just picking a ratio although I will hope to find something around the 3.5-3.7s. To clarify a couple of details, my current engine is a 53' 218 with an Edgy head, Edgy intake with 2x94's, Langdons cast headers and Pertronix ignition. Unless I come across a too good to pass up 218 in the meantime I will still keep searching for a useable 230 to build up whilst wearing out my existing unit but I have been searching now for nearly 3 years! Any of you guys got one you can put in a holiday suitcase? Duds! There'll be more tears when your mrs finds out how much you want to spend on speed parts in your desperate attempt to leave me at the lights!!

Hi all, I finally got to drive my 39 Plymouth pick up legally on Saturday and far further than just up and down my little road and I loved it! My engine has a number of extras like high compression head, dual carbs and headers etc and after recently finishing a ring and valve job it was smoke free and ran like a champ!! Got some looks too. Throughout the last 3 and a half years of rebuilding the old girl I've also been on the lookout for a good useable 230 engine as mine is currently a 218 and the concesus seems to be 230 everytime. Now I know the gearing on my old truck is very tall with a rear end somewhere up in the 4's but one thing I didn't appear to lack was power! As it stands I'm more than happy with the 218 and other than to have a spare I could happily stop unsuccessfully searching for a 230. My question really being, if I swap in a lower ratio rear being somewhere in the 3's would it still be worth me looking for a 230 to build? Would I really notice a significant power increase or am I only gonna lose a second or so from my 1/4 mile time? The current engine sounds awesome by the way!!!!

Got a Ha-Dees heater in my old Plymouth truck and I can confirm it does getta hot!

I used the black discs to strip my entire truck and they were great! I got through a few, edges and angles wear them more quickly and it goes without saying you shouldn't work the same area for too long to avoid the warping heat. They strip non metal material so quickly that you don't need to hang around. I would have liked to have the truck media blasted but between that and the discs there is a vast price gap!

Thanks guys for all of the advice. Regards plug lead postions, after previous escapades 153624 is now embedded in my brain and were set from the distributor with no1 at TDC on compression. I'm still trying to get my head around the oil pump tooth thing. Static timing is something to work out as I no longer have any points to play with given the electronic iginition fitted, as mentioned in my first post it is actually easier here for me to get pertronix spares than stock stuff!! I have installed a vacuum nozzle on my manifold and yesterday I got a highest vacuum reading of 20 inches, RPM picked up slightly at the same time. I've read in previous articles that with vacuum timing you should find your highest reading then retard it ever so slightly? Our standard petrol I believe is similar to your premium, 95 RON standard, 98 Premium and I have ported vacuum coming from 1 carb for the advance which I have currently disconnected for timing. I will try and leave the valve cover removal until the very last test, its amazing how awkward everything round there gets with dual cast headers! I will pop into a local garage hopefully today and see if we can compare timing gun readings as this one has never been used before, I only unpacked it yesterday. I'd have to say no to being sure the timing mark is correct, the engine is a 53 P24 and has a single pulley but no balancer so no slippage. It could however be a pulley from another motor? Markings wise it has the standard centre mark (where I put white mark) going outwards either side to 10 degrees. If the weather improves later today I will see about having another play although I'm sure the neighbour is getting a little annoyed at the beautiful flathead sound constantly stopping and starting in the garden next to hers!

Hi all, after sifting through pages of old posts from search results I thought it was time to ask some questions. Let me start by stating that I have just completed a ring and valve job and the previously ever present smoke is now gone! Also you need to know my 218 has dual cast headers, an Edgy intake with twin 94's an Edgy head and Pertronix electronic ignition (in the UK it's actually easier for me to get Pertronix parts over stock stuff!). The engine starts and idles no problem but with everything else I've done I wanted to check the timing also. I have a good quality vacuum guage and have just treated myself to a brand new timing light and now the head scratching begins. My manual says timing should be around 2 degrees adv going no more than 4 degrees. After cleaning my crank pulley and painting a white mark in the centre between the two 10 marks I have checked with the light only to find I have to dial the light up to 20+ degrees before the white mark lines up with the pointer?? I've got good starting, easy revving and sensible vacuum at this setting and even though it is not essential I have disconnected the vacuum advance line. Loosening the main bolt at the distributor base makes very little difference to the vacuum reading or the engine running so I located the 2nd bolt under the distributor, loosened it, moved distibutor and now I've got adjustment! I move it until the light is showing 4 degrees adv and I'm getting ok idling but not great throttle with some popping. Adjust again and I find a point where the rpm rises ever so slightly and I get the highest vacuum reading to date! Check that with the light and it's showing as being around 26 degrees advanced!!! I think I have over thought the process now and have started to confuse myself so before I turn to the demon drink can anybody give me some pointers, point out any glaringly obvious mistakes I've made or just plain and simply tell me what to do (in lamens terms, I am a novice).?.??

Chichester, about 55 miles SSW of London!

This may sound like a daft comment from an amateur but was any assembly grease applied to the bearing faces when they were first fitted?

I've nearly parted with cash for that one on a number of occasions, sounds like I made the right decision!

You'll notice I didn't mention any names yet but if you fancy giving it a go I'm happy to buy the beer........

Being a blacksmith by day means I am not unused to a burn or two but doing this hot is pretty much a guarantee! I am really liking idea number two though, I just need to work out which of my friends is gullible enough to go for it but also mechanically competent enough to hold a spanner! It's amazing how many people I know that, for all their other talents would struggle to recognise the working end of a screwdriver!

Hey all, I finally got some good weather yesterday and the family allowed me to get stuck into some work on my old flathead which was great! Soon I'll have new piston rings installed in freshly honed barrels and a whole row of freshly lapped valves. I'm lucky enough to have some great speed parts on my old 218 which, the further I delve into it appears to be either quite low mileage or rebuilt not too many moons ago. Amongst the hop up parts is a pair of cast headers that came from Langdons and I love them! Only thing is they make access to the valve area really difficult! Even getting valve covers of is hard enough. It's a long shot but I was wondering if anybody has pioneered a workable way of doing the clearances with the headers still in place? Right now I have all manifolds off the engine and am setting the clearances cold according to the manual specs after lapping the valves but I know they will be most accurately set when hot. Anybody got any tips or is it a non starter? (Unlike my engine which always starts brilliantly!)

Hey Wayfarer, certainly not going to toss it aside, even if it never reams a cylinder again. Austinsailor, I've confused myself reading and re-reading your first post. Are you telling me it should only have one cutter? Surely it still needs something in the other openings to keep it central?. Jim and JIPJOBXX, this is the UK, we don't have a setup so convenient that we could rent obscure tools from an auto parts store. In the nicest way possible all bar one local motor factors to me is manned by knuckle dragging goons who just want to sell me a cheap chinese exhaust box! Todfitch, good luck finding your reamer! RobertKB, I've lost count of how many times I've dreamed of a heated workshop! Sadly with the space we have available it's just never gonna happen. Won't stop me dreaming though. And yes, Chichester is a beautiful city, I live about 4 miles out of town but can see the cathedral spire from the front of my house. And Duds, careful with the jessie comments or your atomic t-shirts might arrive in skin tight sizes! I've worked on my truck through some pretty horrible weather but the older I get the less tolerant I get of all things wet and cold. I'm just hoping the sun comes out by the time my head studs arrive......

Thats the very one I bought, although it appears to have gone up in price since I purchased it! I should have sent it back but I've been so busy that a little too much time has passed, destined to become garage art/clutter I think....

Hey guys, as soon as my ARP head studs arrive I'm finally going to be able to do my long overdue ring and valve job. Whilst acquiring all of the relevant kit for the job I bought a used Beard tools No173 ridge reamer. Frustratingly it turns out that it is missing 2 of the 3 inserts that actually do the cutting. Do any of you guys know where I may be able to get some spares or even if it's possible to get spares, I have no idea how old this tool is. It doesn't look that old. Anybody got any bits lurking in an old tool box I could acquire? Alternatively can anybody recommend an alternative to a ridge reamer? The lip at the top of my bores is very fine. The timing of this job is entirely weather dependant, I decided to give starting it a miss the other day.

It certainly is a beautiful car! Do you know if it's privately owned or part of a Chrysler/museum collection?

Frustratingly there is likely to be much more of this so we shall have to adapt and overcome. Get some planning permission for a big canopy too. My American iron is most definitely not outside by choice and I can only dream of having the cash necessary to get a Brough in my workshop but dream I will, the Harley getting covered was just me being lazy! Roll on a sunny day so I can fit my new rings and hopefully have a smoke free truck.

It's no shock that a little bit of snow can cripple the British infrastructure but it very rarely affects me significantly. I've waited a month for my new piston rings and head gasket to arrive from VPW and now they 've finally arrived this happens! I've not got a garage only a workshop big enough for my bikes and even though I've braved some horrible weather to tend to the old girl I've decided to hang up my workshop keys today, leave the tool cabinet untouched and have a cup of tea instead. Maybe should have put the bike away last night too.....

Thanks Ed, its a 39 PT-81 and I'm still running the stock 3 speed box and stock rear! Very slow but I can tow houses!! Am hoping to upgrade the rear sometime this year for some slighly more cruise friendly gearing. Thanks also Rockwood, I do like the old Chevys but the Mopar flatheads are my favourite, it's got a stock cam right now but when I eventually locate a good 230 to rebuild I'll get Earl to sort me a cam then. No useable video's at mo, am just about to do a ring and valve job, parts arriving today hopefully. I'll post up a video when it's all done. Apologies Pumppy10 for kinda hijacking you're thread.

My Plymouth at Goodwood after the Revival event last year and an old pic of the flathead. Our 49 Fleetline at last years Hotrod Hayride and it's trusty stovebolt (just before we 12volted it).

Yes I left the 6 volt starter and it spins like a champ especially after I changed the brushes not too long ago. The speed of the starter on 12v is definitely a big help in getting the engine going. Yes I am a big fan of the Pertronix ignitor coupled with Flamethrower coil. I have no issue with points but I believe the Pertronix kit creates a better more reliable system. That and over here in the UK I can't just walk into a motor factors and get a new set of points. Also have Pertronix on our 49 Fleetline, zero problems. I fitted electric pump after the original died and again, getting those here is not that straightforward. I also found it easier to set up dual 94's with it. Go 12!

I left my 46 Ford 6v as the whole set up and engine was in great condition and therefore started without issue. My 39 Plymouth pick up engine was a little more tired and therefore more of an issue on 6v. Changed it to 12v with an electric fuel pump and a Pertonix ignitor in the dizzy and it starts as easily as the wifes modern VW.

I hope you've got a big suitcase ggdad1951! You best be careful or we'll have it filled in no time!! Sadly there are so few of the old Dodge and Plymouth trucks over here that doing any form of group order could take a lifetime to put together. Realistically we have to accept heavy shipping/parts costs as part of owning one of these ole wagons. Once you get your head round it, it's not too bad although I did just pay $87 to get a set of piston rings and a head gasket sent over from VPW (not inc the parts price obviously). I've purchased from all of the above vendors at one point or another successfully as well as Langdons and EDGY Speed shop. I got a very stern look from my sister though after getting her to bring an EDGY finned head home in her hand luggage! Worth it though. Oh and you'll find no Euro's in the UK thanks, they are for the continent (and Southern Ireland) and they can keep em! Great British Pounds all the way here. Welcome TrOjAnUK, any particular bits you are looking for right now?

I'll be following this thread TnVol51, I am very partial to the old 39-46 Dodge pick ups and I'm lucky enough to own a 39 Plymouth PT-81. I've tried using the yahoo group and even though there is some great info there I just can't get on with the format, I'm seconding the suggestion of another group for these trucks here. This is a great site, easy to use and filled with knowledgeable, enthusiastic people! Good luck with getting your truck sorted!