austinsailor Posted January 3, 2013 Report Posted January 3, 2013 Last year I picked up a truck big 6, the 331 CI version. 30" head. I'd hoped to find a 413 but haven't yet. So I think I'm just going to rebuild this one and try to figure out a use for it. Not sure what that will be yet, but it's too cool to just let it sit on the shelf till my kids send it to the scrapper after I die. We have a local old time machine shop who'll do a turn key job on old ones. He's the one who had the fire a couple months ago, but he's up and running again. I hope this is interesting enough to get done without too much time. He's told me he can send old bearings off, get new babbet and align bore them. Olsens has gaskets, pistons can be made. It's got 12 ports, so intake and exhaust are wide open. I bet I can figure out an individual port fuel injection system for it. Bump the compression up a few numbers, grind the cam a bit and it should have a lot of torque even if it's not a high reving thing. Any thoughts? Any parts around I might need for it? Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted January 3, 2013 Report Posted January 3, 2013 You might ask your machinist about using std babbitt rod/main bearing materials as the original rod bearings in the moly blocks were a "CP" copper lead alloy/tin overlay type bearing material for much higher industrial truck loads than the std automotive "SB" babbitt bearings. Factory bearings are the same type as used in the heavier diesel engines. No cut corners here! Who would you have do the pistons? I'm in the same situation on one of these engines too. I have not found anyone who can make bearings out of anything but soft babbitt material and am concerned about beating the bearing material with the stroke length and rod and piston weight and RPM work out driving these big blocks. I have a 377 to do. There is a company in California that does high end custom piston work.I'll be watching this project! Bob Quote
austinsailor Posted January 3, 2013 Author Report Posted January 3, 2013 I have another friend who has a small machine shop, but he's not interested in the old stuff. But he's been a circle track dirt racer for 30 years and knows of several companies who make pistons. He suggested lighter custom pistons to solve some of those issues. As we get into it I'll quiz him and some others about options. He says around $100 - $125 per piston is what to expect. I'm guessing that a 3 ring piston with narrower rings for less drag would be the choice here. It won't be doing heavy lifting regardless of what I use it in. Occasional quick acceleration (everything is relative!) and making cool noises will be it's main function. Quote
wayfarer Posted January 3, 2013 Report Posted January 3, 2013 Interesting subject! By chance, does anyone have any good links to details on the 331-413 flatheads? I would like to learn more about the monsters. Quote
Frank Elder Posted January 3, 2013 Report Posted January 3, 2013 Who was it that had a picture of the car 6, a straight 8, and the 413 6 together? Sure would like to see those again. Quote
austinsailor Posted January 3, 2013 Author Report Posted January 3, 2013 Gaskets are on the way. Should get to Mo. about the same time as me - this is Texas time right now. Overhaul set cost $331, I wonder if I had a 413 would it cost $413?? :<) Probably take a year to get it done. A few years back a local car guy showed up at the machine shop with a birthday cake with one candle. Machinist asked what that was for. Car guy said "My motor's been here a year, I thought we should give it a birthday party!" Even though it was a few years ago I just heard about it and thought it was pretty humorous. Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted January 3, 2013 Report Posted January 3, 2013 Who was it that had a picture of the car 6, a straight 8, and the 413 6 together? Sure would like to see those again. Here they are... Quote
BeBop138 Posted January 3, 2013 Report Posted January 3, 2013 Interesting subject! By chance, does anyone have any good links to details on the 331-413 flatheads? I would like to learn more about the monsters. Over on the Inliners forum there is a guy that is doing the same thing---the 413 was bantered about--I think he has one.....Lee Quote
austinsailor Posted January 3, 2013 Author Report Posted January 3, 2013 I've talked to him, he never decided to sell it, but hasn't done anything with it. Someone there saw one in a junkyard in Texas. Post was 2 years old when I found it. Tracked it down, the junk yard guy had sold it to a guy in Europe 2 months earlier and stuck it in a container. I've got to be quicker. Quote
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