'48 Dodge engine back together

[RobertKB]

I recently had a battle with my manifold removing it and put a few threads on the forum as I went along. I have just finished eight days of looking after my one and three year old grandsons so I had some time to get back to the car. It came as a real reminder how constantly busy young kids are. Good thing you have your kids when you are young enough to have the energy needed. I enjoyed them immensely, however, and would do it again.......a bit down the road.

Anyway, got out to the car today and put the manifold on, added the carb and necessary lines, cranked her over for a while, and she fired and ran smooth as can be. Got her nice and hot as can be seen by looking at the heat riser and already burnt lots of paint off the exhaust manifold. I debated leaving it unpainted as it doesn't seem to matter what you use it burns off after a while. I just used good old aluminum Tremclad (Rustoleum).

Now all I have to do is get the old girl back together and drive her another 30 years. Then someone else can worry about the maintenance needed to keep her on the road 'cause then I'll be 90!

[greg g]

Looks great Robert. That exhaust manifold was way to shiny anyway.

[RobertKB]

Looks great Robert. That exhaust manifold was way to shiny anyway.

Thanks Greg. It won't take long to have the "used" look. I seem to remember that you did a similar job on your coupe a couple of years ago??

[greg g]

I painted mine a hi temp cast iron color, now it's a rusty cast iron color. Actually, I think there might be some paint left.

[pflaming]

Your hot water return to the radiator has as bi-pass to the heater so that you have water to the heater from the top of the engine and from the water pump. I have that kind of therostat top but cannot connect to my water pump. Is it important to be able to have two sources of hot water?

edit: How long will the paint last on the engine? Your's sure looks nice.

[RobertKB]

Your hot water return to the radiator has as bi-pass to the heater so that you have water to the heater from the top of the engine and from the water pump. I have that kind of therostat top but cannot connect to my water pump. Is it important to be able to have two sources of hot water?

edit: How long will the paint last on the engine? Your's sure looks nice.

I would think that you only need one source for hot water going through your heater as it basically works just like your radiator. The fan blows air through the hot core which provides the heat.

I originally painted that engine about 30 years ago and you can see what the side looked like until I painted it. I had painted the head last year as I had all the all the wires off and plugs out as I was doing a tune up. I just put in some old plugs to paint around and used a brush with Tremclad (Rustoleum) aluminum which is about as close as you can get to the original colour. I lasts quite well but does dull up after a few years. A careful repaint of the parts you can get to using a brush does not take that long.

Edited January 15, 2010 by RobertKB

[Rollie���]

Looks nice Robert!

[greg g]

The heater is fed from the right rear corner of the head, the return lies ges to the waterpump assembly. Whay can you not connect it? Is the elbow missing?? The should be a pluged taped hole of a block off plate.

[pflaming]

Greg: I do have what you noted and have connected accordingly, It looks like the second outlet from the snout to the radiator is to allow more hot water to get to the heater, maybe its a snout for cold winter cars verses warm winter ones or maybe some heaters required more hot water and thus more heat.

Edited January 15, 2010 by pflaming

[greg g]

can you post a picture??? I guess can't think of what you might be describing.

[Don Coatney]

This is my exhaust manifold after 30,000 miles. I sand blasted it and painted it with the paint in the second picture.

[RobertKB]

Don, I know I should have gone that route but an exhaust manifold that has lost its paint or is a bit rusty does not bother me as it shows the car is used. Your manifold sure looks good for the miles it has on it since painting. Funny how the intake can take a lot more use before paint peels but of course it is only near the heat, not getting hot exhaust gasses from the race car.