martybose

I'm surprised at the low torque setting. I always thought that the spec was something like 75 for head bolts and 55 for head studs, due to the fine pitch most studs used for the nut. When I blew my head gasket was soon after I bought the car, and I found that the head apparently hadn't been retorqued after the gasket was changed, and most of the headbolts were hardly tight. I replaced the gasket with a FelPro (sounds like same construction as your Reinz) using Gasgecinch (sp?) on the copper side of the gasket, torqued it to 75 initially, then checked it a couple of times after driving for a while. Most of the bolts did tighten up a bit. When I put on my Edmunds head I used the same gasket and process but with new head studs, torqued to 55 pounds, and have never had a gasket go. It normally runs about 200 degrees, and did see about 220 when I was experimenting with the timing curve of my HEI. When I pulled the head off for my latest upgrade project the gasket was in perfect shape. Marty

I blew a gasket between 5 and 6 once. No water leaks at all, because there aren't any water passages in the area between the two back cylinders where they tend to blow. I seriously doubt that it had anything to do with the bearing issue. Marty

I haven't yet, but from comparing the two it should move my adjustment from the far end of the slot to just short of the middle. Marty

Don't forget that with a boxed carburetor you also have to have a way to raise the fuel pressure with boost, or you can either wind up with not enough fuel volume or no fuel at all. Marty

I couldn't find the original thread, so that I would start a new one. Several people commented on the fact that with the stock length belt (49") on an alternator with a smaller pulley, the alternator is way out to the side, right up against the battery tray. This weekend I talked to my favorite parts guy, and he checked his cross-references and came up with a wide belt that is about an inch shorter (48") than the stock one. The Gates part number is TR24476. They also had a listing for a 46" belt, sorry I didn't get the part number. Marty

Most horn relays are not designed for continuous duty, which you need for the OD's. There is also the minor detail that the solenoid is actually a double solenoid, and you need both to shift, then just one to hold it engaged. Marty

So you like trick flatheads? How about a 1914 LaFrance roadster, built in England maybe 15 years ago from a LaFrance fire engine frame (complete with a BIG chain drive to the rear wheels) that has a monstrous 6 cylinder flathead gas motor, with no less than 4 sparkplugs per cylinder, two each from a dual plug distributor and the other two from a dual plug magneto! It is driven on public roads in California during vintage Mille Miglia-type events. Marty

I would bet that there wouldn't be any need to spin a flathead too tight with that setup. Don't forget that the T-bird motor was only 2.3 liters, and ours are almost 4 liters, so it should spool up quickly. I had one of those 2.3 turbo motors in a Merkur, and it would make over 15 pounds of boost at 4000 RPM. As far as the carburation, more turbos with carbs are about a 50-50 split between blow-through carbs and carbs in front of the turbo. I had a turbo on a 1200 Honda car that used a Harley Davidson sidedraft carb in front of the turbo. Ran real good, until I proved (twice!) that stock Honda rings couldn't take the heat and would lose all of their tension, leaving a huge smoke cloud when they died. Did I mention that the race car I work on occasionally uses a Suzuki 1500 cc (90 ci) motorcycle engine running 25 pounds of boost and makes 350 HP on gasoline? It takes lots of expensive parts and a good fuel injection tuner, but it is fun! Marty, thinking about the old days .......

The truth about my motor is probably somewhere in between. It was rebuilt a number of years ago, but has only driven about 2100 miles since being rebuilt. It got all new bronze guides and new hardened seats on all valves. It has never had a long continuous run, I have mostly just driven it around town. The head is off now being reworked, and most of the bores look pretty good, although one has some light scoring. Not enough that you can feel it, but you can see it. In my case, I think the majority of my oil loss is leaks, judging by my garage floor. It definitely got worse when I put 100% synthetic oil in it, will be trying Rotella 15W-40 oil when I get it together again. Marty

This is particularly true if you bore and hone the cylinders to modern clearances and finish. Of course mine was done this way, and still burns a little oil, so YMMV. Marty

A better question might be this: How do you know that it will remain unexploded? Marty

Here's one place with a good assortment. http://www.julianos.com/ In particular they make a special nut plate for the throughbolt floor anchor that is a good choice. Marty

A few years ago I purchased a complete replacement set of tubes for my 802 radio from a guy who wound up selling about 5 sets of them. I've never needed any of them, but you never know ............ Marty

I didn't advocate using plain water, just a mix less than 50-50. If I mix my own here in sunny California, I tend to use 20% antifreeze and 80% water. Marty

One caution about a 50-50 mix of antifreeze; unless you really need the low temp protection, you might be better off with less antifreeze and more water, as water is a much better heat transfer agent than antifreeze is. Marty

That's a classic pricing strategy from Frank Mitchell. Come to think of it, he must have been asleep on this one, as he is usually about 5 times market value! Marty

Assuming that you converted to 12V negative ground, the - (minus) side of the coil would go to the distributor and the + (plus) side would be to the ignition switch. Marty

My parts book is the Plymouth passenger car parts list, model series P15, revised October, 1948. it lists high beam indicators with and without turn signal indicators. No drawings of the turn signal indicator version that I have found, though. Marty

My parts book shows multiple deck lids, but only two different stop light assemblies. So apparently there are only two different curvatures in the area where the stoplight mounts, and the other differences are elsewhere. My deck lid is all original with no damage or repair evident. The Technostalgia prototype stoplight matched the curvature of my OEM stoplight, and I don't have any clue as to why it shouldn't have fit Tony's Club Coupe the same way, as the parts book would seem to indicate that the two body types use the same assembly. Marty, still clueless after all of these years ...........

Just checked my parts book, and it lists only 2 different "shell, stop lamp assembly"; 1148 895 for the 3 passenger coupe (aka business coupe), the club coupe and the convertible coupe 1148 894 for the 4 door sedan, the twn. sedan (?), the 2 door sedan and the utility 2 door sedan. The picture of the 2 dr sedan has the same fastback body line as the 4 door sedan, while both the 3 and 5 passenger coupes have a more vertical rear window and a distinct separate trunk line. Also, here's a picture of the dash turn signal indicator that I picked up a while back; apparently it is a Dodge unit. Marty

There's no supposedly about it; it was my business coupe, and it fit fine. I did document an error in their main casting regarding the angle of the ridge line, but the base fit my car perfectly. Marty

It might be easier to help you if your location was something a little more descriptive than "my place". Marty

When we were dragracing Champion provided plugs, and we changed them weekly. When they stopped supplying them we went with Autolites, and rarely changed them at all. YMMV. Marty

The biggest reason the stainless manifold/bike carb setup would run cooler is the total lack of any exhaust or water heat into the manifold. The material is almost irrelevant. Marty