What flathead is this?

[40CanuckD15]

Hi everybody,

I'm wondering if I anyone can shine some light on a motor I have in my garage. It came with our 1940 D15 when we bought it. It looks like any other 25" (Canadian) flathead, except it has a blue/ turquoise paint and has this 'rebuilt' tag on it, along with a serial I have never seen. Block serial reads OR 14 1912. My guess is it came from a Chrysler Canada authorized remanufacturer. Were these common?

According to the tag it has a bore of 3 7/16, which means either a 251 or 265.

Any thoughts?

 

Dean

[greg g]

Well pretty clear it was rebuilt by a Chrysler authorized company in Ontario.  Pistons bored .030 over, both rods and mains ground .010 undersized and assigned a non chrysler engine number.  The .030 bore adds about 7 or 8 cubic inches depending on the stroke.  You can measure the stroke by pulling the small plug in the head, over cylinder #6.  Insert a piece of wire about 7 inches long, till it contacts the piston, then rotate the engine and measure the stroke.  With the stroke measured, you can determine if it is 251 or 265.  4 1/2 = 251,  4 3/4 = 265.  I would then try to hook up the starter and do a compression test.  If it turns out well, install that puppy!  Make sure there is oil in it to do a proper compression test sequence, and either hook up or block the oil pressure gaugelin before turning the engine over with the starter.  Also, mind how far you screw the compression gauge adapter in if too far in it can contact the valve, not a good thing. 

Edited September 18, 2017 by greg g

[dpollo]

The rebuilder's tag is stamped O  instead of C    C 14 is   1937  but I am not sure about CR 14

[greg g]

"O" in the number probably refers to Ontario.  Here in the States Jasper rebuilders used a blue green paint on their rebuilds.  Wonder if this company was the Canadian version of Jasper. You might to try to contact the engine rebuilders in the Toronto area to see if they might be carry ons of the company on the tag.  They might even have records of when the work was done. And maybe the original engine number.

[40CanuckD15]

Thanks for the replies. Would it have had a serial number originally that they would mill off and replace with their own? Here are a few more pictures of it. I didn't have time to measure the stroke, but I will this weekend.

[Andydodge]

Dean, not sure if I have asked this before but can you post some pics of your D15.........I've tried a couple of times to send a PM but my computer has a hissy fit every time I try to do this so any chance you can post a couple of pics of your car?..........BTW the engine doesn't look as tho its seen a lot of work, either way it should be a good base for any side valve powered mopar, if its a 265 plus 40thou would have to bring it up around 275 cubes........wacko!!.........lol........as you may have guessed from my pic I have an Oz D15D..........regards, Andy Douglas

[dpollo]

A closer look at your picture reveals several things.   It is a Chrysler Method rebuilt,    The blue color was typical.

                                                                                              It has the  O ring groove at the back of the oil gallery for the Hydrive  option.  The return passage is there too.

                                                                                             It has had a truck front sump oil pan installed.  The rear sump dipstick tube is still in place. not a sign of a mechanic who cares

                                                                                             It does not have the full flow filter so is intended for use in Canadian Plymouth or Dodge and with a 3 7/16 bore that would suggest 55 up.  

                                                                                              The temperature gauge opening is not typical of 57-59   nor is the plate behind the timing cover.

 I think this engine, whatever its merits,  has had what might be called a  chequered past.   On the up side,   Chrysler Method rebuilds often used new crankshafts some of which were 010.to start with.     

[Roadkingcoupe]

Ontario Reman (Toronto) was on Caledonia road just North of Lawrence by what I believe was owned by Fenwick Automotive or Levy Auto Parts?

the motor was tagged from a rebuild by them and it was an authorized Chrysler rebuilder.

[greg g]

All par web site says Mopar sold unnumbered blocks to licensed rebuilders.  That 

Hydrive was a 54 only set up would suggest that would be the year of origin. Looks like it wasrodehard and put away wet a time or two since thee rebuild.

[RobertKB]

Most likely rebuilt and put in a car, hence the car dipstick tube. Later in life likely pulled and installed in a truck, hence the truck dipstick tube. Well worth your while doing a few minor diagnostics on it like compression and if you get it running, oil pressure. It may well be better than it looks, although it doesn't look too bad to me.

[40CanuckD15]

On 19/09/2017 at 7:43 PM, Roadkingcoupe said:

Ontario Reman (Toronto) was on Caledonia road just North of Lawrence by what I believe was owned by Fenwick Automotive or Levy Auto Parts?

the motor was tagged from a rebuild by them and it was an authorized Chrysler rebuilder.

Wow, do you have any more information on Ontario Remanufacturing? How long they were in operation etc.

Thanks for the info everybody that's good stuff. It's interesting to find this stuff out, about a bygone era where they actually rebuilt things. I did get around to measuring the stroke on the weekend, engine turns over fairly easily with a wrench on it, which is nice. Unless I made a mistake the stroke is 4 1/4" Which would make it a 237 (236.6). While I only thought there were two engine sizes at that bore (251, 265) it turns out there is a third smaller one, and that is what this appears to be.

That's nice that it has a truck pan as I am looking to pick up a C-series truck soon.

Andy, I did put up a few pictures on a thread probably a year ago. They should be here: 

Dean