Ideas for Rescuing Flatheads... from a Swamp

[ChrisMinelli]

I explored a long-closed junkyard last weekend and found a number of cool old mopars.  I finally have a chance to get some complete flathead engines for cheap so I can take them apart, tinker, etc.  The problem is the land is now a swamp due to a re-route of a local river and the corresponding changes to the water table.  
 

The owner won’t let me bring any equipment powered by a motor onto the property.  I’ll have to pull the engines by hand and wheel them out. 
 

How can I do this?  I’m afraid an A frame with a chain hoist will sink.  (If I could even afford to buy one).  Any other ideas?  Take the whole thing apart in the field and carry it out piece by piece?

 

Are these things even worth the trouble?  I want one to experiment with and take apart but it’s it’s going to be a bucket of sludge and rust it might not be worth it.  
 

Thoughts?

[HotRodTractor]

I'm not sure where you are located... but these are usually pretty easy and cheap to find. I'm not sure what you are going to find there is worth all the effort. 

[tom'sB2B]

Here's my two cents.

An engine hoist can be disassembled and reassembled over the engine. You could then build an engine stand similar to the picture with some type of skis  underneath and have a buddy help you pull it out. Is it worth it....it's a great experience.

[keithb7]

You are a smart man. Tearing into spare engines to disassemble and learn. I did the exact same thing. Fortunately for me I located tired old, assembled 1950's 218 engine in someone's shop for $100. I bougt it, brought it home, tore it down and learned a ton!  I had fun along those same lines with a tranny too. Aside from having a Journeyman old Mopar mechanic here at my side to guide me, I am not sure there is a better way to learn and retain this stuff. Book reading, and lab experiments.  So much fun. @ChrisMinelliyou are defintely up a few ranks in my books. Lol.

 

Taking any engines apart in the field will the a pain in the buttocks. They will be rusted and frozen. Rusty valve train and piston rings are a struggle to get apart at home in your garage. Let alone in a field with limited tools and resources. You could get some ¾" plywood to lay down and support an engine hoist. Can you get your truck in there close, so you can hoist a pulled engine into the back? Keep in mind to get the engine out, you nee to pull the tranny.  To get the tranny out you need to pull the driveline, possibly interior floor pans, etc... Easy at home. In the sticks where they filmed the Blair Witch Project? Not so simple.

 

You have a soft spot probably for old Mopars. It is hard to see them sitting there rusting, mother nature slowly taking them back. In reality you are probably better off to seek out an old flathead Mopar engine in town somewhere. Set up a search for "flathead" in Facebook marketplace. They will send you a notice when anything pops up. An engine will come up. They literally built and sold millions of these engines. I'd be surprised if there is not one million of them, not yet scrapped and or melted down. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by keithb7

[Dan Hiebert]

That's what cars in the field tend to look like up here, too.  Except we still have a few feet of snow covering them right now.  I would consider how far you have to tote the motor(s) once you get them out, how much brush clearing you have to do, etc.  Otherwise, a sheet or two of thick plywood to set a hoist up on so it doesn't sink too far, and so you can pull it back to where you can set the engine on a sheet, then use that sheet as a sled to pull it out.  I wouldn't worry about an engine stand at the getting out out phase, you'll want a lower center of gravity for the sled thing.  Up here (well, up in a lot of northern places), I'd use one of those tote sleds we use to haul cargo in that we tow behind snowmobiles.  They can accommodate up to 1,000 lbs., and if you hit a really wet spot, it won't sink on you.  Up here, that's something I'd do when the ground is frozen, don't know if that's an option there.  Is it worth it?  To me that's one of those "it depends" questions.  For one, I like a good challenge like that.  If they were free I'd do it for sure.  If he wants scrap value, maybe.  The up side, besides some serious learning, is that you may wind up with a couple good engines and some spare parts in the long run.  

[Marcel Backs]

l would remove anything that can be re-claimed for use on other projects. 

Looking a the carcass, any moving parts are likely past their best before date.

[Sniper]

I sheet or two of plywood will keep the hoist from sinking into the ground (I hope).  I can't imagine how you will get under the car to undo that stuff though.

 

Personally, I'd pass if I had to do this without motorized help, snaking that thing out of the car and to your truck will be a trick.

 

A chain saw and a winch to pull the thing out to firmer ground it where I'd be.  Or a helicopter, lol.  But alas, neither option is viable here.

[knuckleharley]

Do you have a truck with a trailer hitch on it?

 

If you do,buy a mount to mount a winch on on a adaptor plate for winches,and buy a winch with 50 or 100 feet of cable and winch them to you. Try to get as close to them with the truck as you can without getting stuck before starting,though.

 

If they are stuck in the mud,build an A frame of pipe that you can roll out to the cars,stand it up,and use the winch to pull the cars out of the muck. If you decide to do this,do NOT get carried away with snatching them out by force. Put some strain on your cable until it gets tight,and then just let it sit there until the strain on the cable pulls it out slowly.

 

Anything you pull out that isn't worth fixing can be stripped for parts to keep or sell,and the rusted hulk and chassis can then be sold for scrap to get the money to pay you back more than you spent for the winch,adaptors,and pipe A-Frame.

 

If you have your own trailer,it would be a simple matter to use pins and clips to mount the A-frame to the rear of your trailer to pull them right up to you for loading. Pull the clips,take the A-frame off and then winch the cars up on the trailer.

 

You might also want to go somewhere like Harbor Freight and buy 4 dollies with wheels to roll the cars around that don't have axles,or that does have axles that won't turn. You will be glad you spent this money because later on you can use them under your car in the garage to roll the car around and even sideways if you need to move something around. I can practially guarantee you that you will never be sorry you bought strong dollies.

Edited March 11, 2021 by knuckleharley

[Eneto-55]

14 hours ago, ChrisMinelli said:

I explored a long-closed junkyard last weekend and found a number of cool old mopars.  I finally have a chance to get some complete flathead engines for cheap so I can take them apart, tinker, etc.  The problem is the land is now a swamp due to a re-route of a local river and the corresponding changes to the water table.  
 

The owner won’t let me bring any equipment powered by a motor onto the property.  I’ll have to pull the engines by hand and wheel them out. 
 

How can I do this?  I’m afraid an A frame with a chain hoist will sink.  (If I could even afford to buy one).  Any other ideas?  Take the whole thing apart in the field and carry it out piece by piece?

 

Are these things even worth the trouble?  I want one to experiment with and take apart but it’s it’s going to be a bucket of sludge and rust it might not be worth it.  
 

Thoughts?

 

 

Any Amish in your area?  If so, get someone to come out with work horses and pull the stuff out that way.  (No motorized vehicles...)

 

Edit:  All joking aside, would he allow you to use a small winch on skids?  What about the vehicles themselves, were you wanting to pull the whole cars out, or just get the engines?  (In other words, if you removed the front fenders, lift the engine with something braced down to the frame, then attach skids to the engine and pull it out that way, with either an electric winch & a 12 v battery attached to a tree in the direction you need to go in order to get it close to your access point.  Or, what about this? - When we built the airstrip in the jungle down in Brazil, we had a 4 horse diesel engine mounted on two 3 ' skids.  It did take about 4 guys to carry it, but then once we got it up out of the boat & on site, we could move it around with the winch itself.  We strapped it to a bigger tree, then ran cables with pulleys to produce pulling advantage, and pulled the stumps out in the runway area piece by piece.  Something like that would not make deep tracks or get stuck, if that is his concern.  (But of course if it's too much work, then it may not be worth your time & effort.)

Edited March 11, 2021 by Eneto-55

[greg g]

Go old school! Team of oxen, stone sled, acetalene torch, block and tackles.  Couple hoods for sleds.  Cut off the sheet metal,rear cross member and front motor mounts torch the engines out slide them onto a hood slide it onto the sled.  Grab the transmissions and radiators and voltage regulators.  Check early 50s cars for bullseye head lamps.  They are getting rare and are very sellable.

Edited March 11, 2021 by greg g

[47 dodge 1.5 ton]

There was a story my grandfather used to tell that is not fit for today’s world. (Sensor the following) Said they had a mule that was lazy, one day the old mule lay down while plowing ground. His father told him light a fire tight to the mule and that would get it back to work. To this day, can see my grandfathers grin when he said “ I can still smell that mule burning” but that old mule jump back on its feet.

[MackTheFinger]

I'd advise you to consider applying for the renowned MTF Training Program. You'll have flathead Mopar engines to remove, rebuild, and re-install without spending any of your hard-earned cash. An instructor with decades of experience will be available to guide you on your journey to automotive nirvana! Only your labor is required! Parts, tools, and a work area will be provided by MTF! Other makes of engines and vehicles are also available if you'd like to expand your knowledge beyond the Mopar realm. There are paint, bodywork, upholstery, and automotive electrical wiring opportunities available to a select few candidates. Just imagine, days filled with vehicular bliss, blood blisters, sore muscles, and busted knuckles all at no cost to you! The only requirement is your willingness to learn! Imagine the sense of pride you'll feel and best of all, a valuable certificate of completion with a greasy handprint from MTF himself will be awarded when you're finished! Nobody else could offer this once in a lifetime opportunity! Even fewer would accept the challenge! Act now while there's still time!! Limited positions available!

 

 

All vehicles will be retained by MTF.  Payment for tutoring will be required at a rated determined by MTF.  Enrollment acceptance at MTF's whim. Offer can be withdrawn at any time.

[greg g]

You forgot must relocate  to Missouri.  Is there a uniform allowance?

[Tooljunkie]

7 hours ago, greg g said:

Go old school! Team of oxen, stone sled, acetalene torch, block and tackles.  Couple hoods for sleds.  Cut off the sheet metal,rear cross member and front motor mounts torch the engines out slide them onto a hood slide it onto the sled.  Grab the transmissions and radiators and voltage regulators.  Check early 50s cars for bullseye head lamps.  They are getting rare and are very sellable.

I have one of those headlights. Cant remember if i tested it. 

[MackTheFinger]

1 hour ago, greg g said:

You forgot must relocate  to Missouri.

It sounds like you might be interested in a franchise! These have by some coincidence just opened in New York! Franchises are available at a nominal fee, just how nominal will be determined at a later date when I find out how much a small island in the Lesser Antilles costs. I'm too humble for the Greater Antilles.

As for uniform allowances, while we can't provide free uniforms second hand t-shirts will be available for purchase by the bale at a discounted price at a two bale minimum.

We only accept cash or negotiable securities at this time.

 

[MackTheFinger]

In all seriousness it seems that the owner of the cars in the original post is trying to say "Get lost!" in a nice way.