blueskies

Looks good Ed... Pete

As Don mentioned, I had a similar issue with my flatty. It was a 218 converted to a 230 with a 230 crank and rods, and was running a vintage Edmunds dual intake with a pair of Holley/Webber carbs, a new Edgy 9:1 aluminum head, Langdon HEI, tube headers, and bored 30 over. At about 5 thousand miles after I did the rebuild, it started a faint ticking sound when it was cold. I could hear it come and go reving it. I couldn't figure out where the noise was comming from, even with pulling plug wires one at a time. I decided to just drive it. I put another 5k on it, and by that time, the noise was constant, hot or cold. I still couldn't figure out where it was coming from, even pulled the pan and checked all the bearings, inspected everything I could see from the bottom end and found nothing amiss. Put a couple more thousand miles on it, and then did the plug wire test again, and it was clearly coming from one cylinder. I pulled the head and pan, removed that piston, and found that the wrist pin had spun in the rod, and was cracked. The piston was fine. Had a new wrist pin put in, and the noise was gone. Put another 3k on it before selling it without any other issues. I suspect that it was running too much advance with the HEI, but I don't really know... I bought the rods reconditioned from Vintage Power Wagons, and the one that went south might have been too loose to begin with, causing it to spin in the rod. The car is still on the road as far as I know. Side note, when I pulled the head with about 12k miles on it, it had a tremendous amount of carbon build up... Here's a couple of pics of the wrist pin bushing. If you look close, you can see the crack in the edge of the bushing. Pete

Yep, I too miss the glory days of this forum, and my Plymouth... I had a ball with Don, and it all culminated in the BIG RACE smackdown! Don "doubled-down" on his claims to speed and power, but in the end had to "walk-back" his words when my hopped up flatty claimed sweeping VICTORY for Team Blueskies. Here are a few pictures from memory lane, taken over the years leading up to the BIG RACE... Don trying to get his motor up to speed- Typical view from Don's car- 2nd place- Don racing my wife- And the poster for the BIG RACE, that was distributed far and wide for the main event... A framed copy was hand delivered from Idaho to Tulsa for Don. Parked for lunch after the settling the score, with Bob's 'vert- The BIG RACE was a long term goal of the build of my car, and kept me on track and motivated to git-r-done. My son Joseph and I drove the car 3,300 miles round trip from Idaho to Tulsa, OK, covering many miles of old Route 66 along the way. The sideshow of the BIG RACE was the Buried Belvedere event, which had almost as many folks in attendance. It was an incredible trip on so many levels, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Sadly, I had to sell my Plymouth before the BIGGER RACE could be held... A reunion on the salt would be killer, Speed week is in August... All in all, it was a great 10 year ride for my boys and me. And My ARCH RACE RIVAL Don was there riding co-pilot all along the way. Good Times Don, thanks for the memories. I hope to build another Plymouth one day, and get back in the game... Pete

FYI... Found a few more items, and put it all on ebay if anyone is interested- 218 Head: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964793161?item=110964793161&viewitem=&vxp=mtr '50 Grill: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964784450?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 '50 Front Bumper: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964508968?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 '50 Owner's Manual and Accessories Book: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964049215?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 Plymouth Bulletin CD's: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964086577?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 '50 2door Fastback fender trim: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964089913?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 218/230 crank pulley hub: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964093296?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 218/230 Crank Pulley/Balancer:http://www.ebay.com/itm/110964094483?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 Pete

Doug- you are right about the mounting points. I bought three grills for my '50 trying to find one good one. Wound up using my original which was better than all the others. The one I have left isn't perfect, but other than the dent and one missing mount bolt, it is very nice. The missing mount bolt isn't in a critical point, I think it could be used as is. I can take pics of all the mounting points, if anyone wants them Pete

Hi Bob... sorry for the late reply, for some reason I no longer get email notifications for topic replies. We are just moving a few blocks, from a rental to a house that we are buying. When the architecture world collapsed a couple of years ago, I sold my house (along with my Plymouth) to survive. Things are picking up again, and found a good deal on a decent place, so we are back in the home-ownership game. It is moving all the same though, which sucks no matter how you slice it... especially since we will be moving the last week of November, likely in the snow. I was hoping to do it this month, but no...

The grill does have a dent, but could be easily fixed by a competent stainless guy... One of the mounting bolts is missing, the rest are good. Pete

Make me an offer I can't refuse... I paid $125 for the grill ten years ago. I sold the rear bumper that was in worse condition a few years ago for $75. This one is pretty nice, hoping to get $100. No idea what the head and flywheel are worth... Shipping will be $$$ from 83333, all this stuff is heavy. Bumper is 20lbs, head is 40lbs, flywheel is around 40lbs. Grill isn't heavy, but will be in a big box... Pete

Thanks for the note Andy, good to hear from you. We are doing fine. Back to tinkering on stuff, we are building a '53 Willys wagon for my son Joseph. He's just getting started, but hopes to have it roadworthy by the time he gets his drivers license. Time has flown... he was 2 when i started my Plymouth project... and now ten years later... Pete

Moving again, and I'm not sure why I'm still dragging around this stuff... I have a good head, removed from my running 218 when I replaced with with a finned aluminum head. Also have a nice front '50 bumper, a nearly perfect grill, and a good 218 flywheel. See attached pics, and let me know if you want any of this stuff... If not, it's going on ebay... Pete

A quick update... Amazing how time flies... My son Joseph, pictured above with the flatty at the time we started our Plymouth project in 2001, bought his first ride yesterday with his own money... We drug home another Willys Wagon, this one a '53. He gets his learner's permit next spring, and his full time driver's license in about 2 years. After our last trip to Moab in May, he decided he had to have one of his own. He's hoping to have it road worthy by the time he can legally drive it. All those years of helping turn wrenches on the Plymouth will come in handy. And, I will be the one handing the wrenches this time around. The Next Chapter has begun... Pete

Maybe, but you'd have to sport a Mullet to drive one of those, which just wouldn't be worth it... Pete

Yes, you are right. What's done is done. Here's what the boys and I have been up to since... My wagon- and The willys rally I helped organize- I can still hear my old Plymouth flatty, hoping to do something similar with the 6-226 flathead 6 in my '60 Willys wagon at some point. Pete

Sad that I no longer own my Plymouth for a rematch... maybe I'll get it back one day- Pete

Wow, this thread was dredged up from the bottom... All anyone remembers is that the Blueskies Team kicked-a$$. Pete

Great videos James, really enjoyed them... Here's a couple of pics I snapped on the salt in '07, just for grins- Hope you are well... Pete

I used the gears from my stock three speed in my OD rebuild. The reverse shift rail in the OD case is longer, and extends into the overdrive half to the reverse lockout switch. Pete

Your truck looks pretty good Joe, I hope you post progress updates so we can follow along... I'm still in love with my first car, my '53 chevy truck. I've had it for 30 years now, and my 12 yr old son has his eyes on it. I think in a year or two it will get it's much needed face lift and some mechanical re-do's so he can drive it for his first ride too. Pete

Cool... and the price was right. If you haven't already, check out http://www.oldwillysforum.com I started this forum a couple of years ago because there wasn't a good place on the net for Willys wagons and trucks. The site has quickly become the go-to place for these rigs, we are nearing 1300 members already. Have a look when you get a chance, and post your photos there. Pete

Here's what I did- I used a hood release cable, and mounted it on the right side of the wheel. Pete

Glad you got it sorted out Joe, I feel for you having gone through the same thing to get my Willys Wagon delivered. Pete

The only roadside failure my '50 Plymouth ever had was the fuel pump pin... and 75 miles from home... Pete

If you come through Idaho on your big adventure, be sure to stop for a cold one... Pete

Hi Joe- Congrats on your new purchase... I'm an old chevy truck lover at hear. Still driving my '53 regularly. On the transport... When I bought my Willys Wagon last year, I searched for a good shipper, and settled on one that seemed to have a good reputation. Then I waited, and waited, and waited... After 3 1/2 months, I gave up on them. Turned out that the major shippers are simply brokers, and the actual carriers tend to pick up and drop off only on major routes. If the brokers can find someone who wants the work bad enough, they will go out of their way to get your ride on the truck. My wagon was in Arkansas, WAY off the beaten path in some backwater duelling banjo tooth optional swamp, and I think I'd still be waiting if I hadn't poked around on the HAMB for someone else. I posted my need on the HAMB, and just happened to find Marcy, who was planning on taking a race car in Arkansas to Seattle. The load was cancelled and she was looking for something to fill her trailer because she had to make the trip anyway. She happily collected my wagon and had it to Idaho in three days, and charged me $400 less that I was planning on, in an enclosed trailer no less. So, I would ask around on the HAMB, and see what turns up. Might save you some headache, and you'll get someone honest you can deal directly with. Pete