1930 Chrysler CJ build (UK)

[dudford]

Then when I was ready to put it on the new flywheel I waited until the wife was gone to shopping and wrapped the flywheel with Saran Wrap (to protect the freezer contents) and put it in the freezer. Put aluminum foil on the grate to my gas BBQ grill and put the ring gear in the BBQ grill. Left them in there for about 15-20 minutes and the ring gear just fell onto the flywheel.

All it cost was a little propane and the gamble of my wife coming home early to find the flywheel in the freezer.

 

Do people peek over yor fence and wonder why Mr Estes is cooking up a flywheel?  Cheers, I've got a little book I write down all important info in, thats going in!  The flywheel BBQ freezer pizza.

 

AM i imagining it or do I recall Don machined out a bellhouse to get the starter bendix to meet the ring gear therefore negating the need to change for a 230 flywheel and 230 bendix?

Edited February 13, 2013 by dudford

[greg g]

Yep, he found that the starter gear did not move far eough with his modified set up so he had some milling done to move the starter toward the rear of the car.  You should be able to get the info and pics by pulling up the link at the bottom of his posts.

 

Note it the flywheel teeth are worn, simply flip the ring gear over to begin the wear process on the other end of the teeth.

[Young Ed]

Yep, he found that the starter gear did not move far eough with his modified set up so he had some milling done to move the starter toward the rear of the car.  You should be able to get the info and pics by pulling up the link at the bottom of his posts.

 

Note it the flywheel teeth are worn, simply flip the ring gear over to begin the wear process on the other end of the teeth.

 

Yes and you can do that just with heat. Dad and I did it with one. Flipped it quick while it was still hot.

[Don Coatney]

[dudford]

I knew I hadn't dreamt it!

[Don Coatney]

I should add that I had to do this because of my combination of parts. 53 Desoto engine, P-15 flywheel and bellhousing.

[freemansrodnrat]

Hello my friend from the Great Isle!!! Very nice tread. If you want a Straight 8 Engine for your project I have one for you .

[dudford]

It's been a while...

Finally, after a considerable sabbatical, getting the time back to work on the old flattie and coupe! Feels great to lock myself away in the shed and get back to it. Recently bumped into some chaps with a car club at the Edenbridge motor show and that reignited the need to get back to it.

Not off to the greatest start, was tearing down another block and found a healthy crack down the bottom of the block. Looks like it's smacked the side once upon a time though, and I'm sure someone can confirm or nay say this but, I'm pretty sure that the crack is in an insignificant area? See pic:

Hope everyone is well and look forward to catching up with everyone's projects!

[Dave72dt]

Your crack looks like it goes all the way to the cylinder, plus into the bottom of the water jackets. You may want to pull the crank or at least rotate it a bit so you can see the cylinder itself. but I'd say the block is scrap iron at best now.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Dave72dt

[RobertKB]

I agree. Boat anchor. Too bad, but it does look like you have others. Good luck with the project.

[Joe Flanagan]

I was wondering where you'd gone off to. Glad to see you back at it.

[dudford]

Hmm... I assumed the vertical "line" was a seem from the original casting that just happened to intersect with the crack but, if like you say, it extends up to the jacket then I think it's coffee table material.

The second thing that strikes me as strange on this teardown is the lack of collets holding the valves... They're all held in with what look like washers with a slot cut out to slip them on. I fear a "bodge it" job has transpired.

Good to be back Joe

[Andydodge]

Duds, I see you are still having fun.......lol..........when are we going for a ride around the block.....lol......regards, andyd

[B-Watson]

Chrysler bought the American Briggs Body operation in late 1953.  Briggs at that time were building bodies for Plymouth and Packard.  Chrysler served notice on Packard who then leased an ex-Briggs plant to build their own bodies.  Back in the 1930's Ford was the biggest customer for Briggs, and Packard was signed up after Ford cancelled their last contract with Briggs around 1940. 

 

Ford bought the British Briggs Body subsidiary who were still doing business with Ford UK.

[dudford]

Back in the 1930's Ford was the biggest customer for Briggs, and Packard was signed up after Ford cancelled their last contract with Briggs around 1940. 

Great, I love a bit of history thanks B-Watson. So would it be safe to assume that the bodies built by Briggs in the 30's for all their manufacturing partners, Ford Chrysler etc, would have been very similar or would they have been completely different?

I had another cursory look in the block this morning, I'm now certain that the line that appears to be a crack heading up to the water jacket and cylinders is a casting line as it's repeated twice in the block:

I think that while the crack doesn't affect anything essential, I won't be taking it to the scrap metal merchants to be melted down just yet. However the mind now boggles over the collet situation. I have two differing sets of valves with two different types of collets!

I'm just guessing that the chap who worked on the engine before me just couldn't source the correct parts.

Anyway, Andy yes, still having fun!

[RobertKB]

The valve on the right has the correct keepers.

[greg g]

Well my guess is that the left one is also correct, butb not for mopar. I would imagine that some creative sourcing was used to provide a workable substitute for a bent or burned valve. I believe that style of keeper is pretty common for other engine manufacturers as I have seen similar on other engines. I believe a couple of fellows on this forum have replaced valves with newer pieces from the GM stock pile.