dudford

I'm well aware of Mr Tom, he's only 40 odd miles down the road from me and yeah our infrastructure does suffer under poor weather but i wouldn't have anything said against the fire in our bellies and passion for vintage tin and working on them I also agree with you on Chichester, gorgeous cathedral city, used to go out with a girl who went to University there... hazy days!

Call me strange but I think I prefer the COE

Ah, that aint so bad! Get out there you big jessie! Wouldn't advise talking the bike out in this weather though!

Oh and heres a strange thing These Flywheels are all different. Two have 146 teeth (218) and one has 115 (??!?!!?) and they are all different thicknesses?!

Had a look through the bits i got today, wanted to tidy up some. I'm aware that some parts are truck parts and thats fine I can make that work, for what i need at least. Having said that I am curious about a few parts I have, wondered if anyone could shed some light on them. First up is this carb: Second is the two manifolds, one with a homemade split: Last thing to mention is the casting on the pistons. These say 230 on them, I've yet to measure the rod length but thought it was odd as I thought these engines were 218's?!

Hope it aint considered swearing to make reference to the HAMB on here, if so apologies, however, Ryan did write a nice little piece on wiring up a *insert generic mp3 playing device*. You can keep the stock radio that way but have the *insert generic mp3 playing device* hidden wherever you like. Hopefully I dont draw any heat for that but I think its a pretty sensible approach

I think we all start with 10... we are all made equals i guess

Ooh! A bit of luxury! Dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, do i need to scrub up and get the grease out from under my nails when on this now?!

Both 23" so I got 3 all together, spoilt rotten. Yeah I got a chap whose workshop backs on to my folks house, he can handle all that you've mentioned. Like you say though, these engines really are Iron Cocktails! No chance of getting out there today though, Snow being dumped on the UK as we speak and the schools out so sitting at the computer ruminating over what I want to get done on the coupe.

Thanks Ed, yeah definately 50's blocks, the truck bellhousing works out great for my 30's chassis because its completely compatible. Seized block came out of a 1946 Dodge Pickup (so not original either). I'll look at the rod castings but Im 99% sure its all 218 stuff, chap i got it off knew his stuff.

evening all, just sitting down after a road trip to visit a friend. managed to do a great deal on some spare parts for my engine rebuild. I'm yet to go through it all with a fine tooth comb but essentially its two complete engines, one seized but both stripped down. Got some block numbers before i came indoors; P20143900 & P23384928. my first thought was, and still is, that they are 218's but i looked at the pistons and they have "B-230" cast on the inside?! is that purely coincidental random numbers? i've not measure their height or diameter, as night fell and I had to get in for dinner with the kids. Its great to get hold of this Mopar stuff in the UK, really good day!

aaww, jeez, what a mess, someone has to either save that or put it down

Still plugging along! Pre lift... After the lift... Any ideas what was here before someone chopped it off: This is on the outside of the chassis, hidden by the "skirt" over the chassis. On the opposite side of this is where the rubbers are attached to the inside of the chassis to receive the bellhouse. Anyone got any thoughts? Looks like whoever cut a part of it off made a real mess... annoying.

Another weekend off work... Just had a message from a buddy and those parts from Iowa might set me back a few quid so I'm gonna have to ask for a piggy bank this Christmas! I would've posted this update yesterday, but there was maintenance, anyhoooo... On the weekend just gone I tasked myself to strip the remaining ancillaries off the 218, unbolt the block from the bellhouse, pull the block out then take out the bellhouse. All of this had to be done without an engine lift, one thing I dont have, I've got a rig to mount it on, just nothing to make my life easier getting it out. Remarkably nearly every bolt was loose, i didn't skin my knuckles AT ALL! Initially I assumed I could unbolt the block from the bellhouse and lift the block out, I was woefully in the wrong. The flywheel impeded the movement to come away without lowering the engine right down below the inner wall of the bellhouse. This I did not want to do because the further down it is, the higher I have to lift it back up without a jack underneath it. I'm sure some of you have obvious alternatives to what I did but I was just getting on. So I made a ramshackle jig to hold the engine while I whipped the bellhouse out to take the strain off my back lifting the chunk of iron/block. For those that have read the entirety of my posts, you'll know that the bellhouse was the original 1930 CJ bellhouse which was never able to accomodate the starter against the 50's block. It was finally time to drop it out, and drop out it did. To my surprise, once I unbolted the bellhouse from the chassis mounts the chassis mounts fell off... I just didnt expect them to drop, does that make me naive? I had no idea the bellhouse would be held, in part, by compression. I understand the theory that the vibration is limited through the rubbers but I still laughed when they hit the deck. A little bit brute force and ignorance and that engine was out and I'm another step on the restoration road. So, next weekend off is the 22nd December, might throw a Christmas party, invite some people round and coerce them into the garage to pull the body off! Until then I got tidying up to do...

Joe, just looking at Vintage Power Wagons now... it might be sad but I'm actually quite excited at the prospect of being able to order a plethora of engine parts! Thanks for the tip!

damn, no small or mediums... i just have to get by without *sobs*

Definately going to be replaced Robert, hope the damage doesnt go too far thereafter. I also noticed that the Inlet valve highlighted below appears sunken just like the exhaust valves... Whats the diagnosis here? An incorrect valve installed, high heat and wear damage?

Had a great weekend working on the CJ. The body is completely unbolted from the chassis now but is retaining its floor pan which is probably helping to retain the shape and rigidity of the body. I dont know why but i thought the body would come up off the floor pan and then I'd have to unbolt the floor pan from the chassis but evidently I was wrong. Also interestingly there was wood seperating the floor from the chassis in the cab section but not behind, I guess thats noise deadening. Now this stumped me, I had no idea that this hole was for doing a static setup but i think its a great idea... I really dont like the look of these pistons, I spoke with my Dad and he seemed to think that they may have been damaged when installed but others have suggested its just running damage/knocking/pinking etc an its perfectly fine?! Well thats a little update of progress, I'm hoping my Mrs will be splashing out on some car parts for my christmas present and I'm pretty sure Santa would agree that I've been very good and deserve a set of Fenton Headers and an Edgy Head... a guy can dream huh?

Thank you all for your kind wishes for my new little addition to the family, Sia Lyles Lacey Palmer. I'm fitting her out for some overalls now OK point taken. I did notice a pressure bleed off tube out the bottom left of the rad feeding out through the chassis. Would it be a good idea to install a small expansion vessel? I just assume that the engine might run hot and so perhaps a good idea to conserve fluid on the cool down rather than incesant top ups? Thanks for the outline on the history, I love all that. I looked up Mr Briggs of Briggs Mfg Co, turns out like Walter Chrysler that Mr Briggs was also a Walter... Must've been a popular name in the late 19th century. I dont think there are any rubbers on the bellhousing mount, but then that makes sense with it being the original bellhouse mated to this newer engine. One last thing, if there is anyone in the southern part of the UK who has any engine parts or whole engines for any P24 or equivelent for sale please contact me. Thanks chaps!

Evening, just taking a moment away from my new born daughter (2 weeks old) to update all on my progress on the CJ, and yes, I did get permission to work on the car while the Mrs held the baby! Spent Saturday pulling everything I could off because I really want it stripped and blasted before Christmas catches up plus getting the use of outside while the weather holds up. That radiator popped off very easily, I was suprised. Essentially the rods holding it attached to the firewall were all i had to disassemble. I'll get it flushed and pressure tested as I love the honeycomb. The fact it was still holding coolant was a good sign Not ever having dealt with anything like this I was also a little suprised to see the engine mounts didnt have any rubbers on the chassis mount, instead its rubber was below the water pump mount bit. I managed to remove the headers really very easily! One casualty though, penance for having it so easy, I snapped just one of the rotten exhaust header bolts in the block leaving about 1/2" in the block. I'll get over that. It could've been worse. Had a bit of a pig of a time removing the doors. The pins being in there real good. I heated them and drifted them out but not the most fun i've ever had. Doors are in really good nick too, a blessing. I'm a very keen genealogist researching my own family history as far as I can and generally very much into any history at all which is why i'd be interested in finding out anything I can from the Body Number below? If I'm allowed to get an hour or two next weekend I plan to lift the tub off, gotta have a plan!

After what seems an eternity I'm back at working on the coupe... The strip down has begun and my oh my what a rusted pig she's turning out to be! I certainly knew I was getting in to something quite labour intensive the day I bought it but its just so relentless! It seems like one nut & bolt in ten wants to play ball! Its now become pretty clear that where nuts have corrodded to something that barely resembles a nut im having to break or drill every fixing out. She's over 80 years old and i know I have to be understanding but its that moment of realisation that i'm going to be here some time that finally dawned on me on Sunday. Oh well, its my first real project that I'm doing, more or less on my own, and I'm enjoying it. I've managed to unseize the engine, diesel down the bores worked out well enough, and I started to strip her down fenders/wings first... If anyone has any tips on getting these pins out the door hinges I'm all ears, they're in there tight as tight. I'm guessing penetration oil heat and patience?! Duds

All good, been informed that its a 23" and the bore is 3"1/8" Might make an offer... now comes the question do i mention it to the Mrs or do I keep her in the dark? I know she was talking about maternity this and baby clothes that the other day but i was under the car concentrating and what i think i heard was "this car would be great to get the family about, go buy all the bits you need"... wishful thinking?

Thanks Ed, I'll let you know when I know. Apparently we have to be careful in the UK as alot of the longer, i think Canadian, blocks came over to the UK so the likelihood of finding a 25" is high. Cheers Dudley

you win the smart *** trophy print THAT out