10 day catch up!

 OK, I'm not sure if I mentioned it but we got the gaskets on that were accessible without messing up the timing. Bolted on the alternator, water pump carb etc and got the engine back in! We had a heck of a time lining up the rear motor mount holes for bolts and broke the new distributor cap trying to get the rear clip on. Ordered another one but it has so many factory flaws I returned it and glued the original back together until I get home to get one locally.
 I think the firewall may need to be notched for the distributor to fit better.

New rear main seal

In she goes

Looking good

Ok so I got the rear trans seal in and painted the drive shaft. I also put form a gasket on the side trans cover. After installing the trans back in the shift lever was locked up tight! So back out with the trans. When I put the side cover back on the internal lever slipped out of place unnoticed. Got it back in and re installed the trans. tested and the gears change fine while not running ...started it up and no go!! Inspected the throw out bearing and found it to be installed wrong .... back out with the transmission!!! GRRRRR Got it back in and it seemed to fix the problem. Thanks for all of the help Danny!!

Seal before and after ..yes it was a bear to get out!

Before

After

Cool brass drive shaft ...um gold paint.

When we started the truck it had a huge water leak!!! We had one of the gaskets on upside down, no thanks to me!! I had to go to work the next day so while I was gone Danny fixed that issue for me ... thanks again!!!

2 pinholes popped up in the thermostat cover .... no time to address this so it got the electrical tape treatment until I can deal with it!

I had to load the truck up to haul down to my fathers in SW VA to get the exhaust manifold and exhaust. Pushed the truck on the trailer because it was not quite ready to run ... no water in it yet and no manifold or exhaust.

Got to my Dad's and located a manifold in West VA from a MOPAR guy. Took it back and painted it so it could be installed. Not an easy job! We had to remove the steering wheel and slide the shaft cover up to give us a few more fractions to allow the manifold to slip by the shaft. We also had to remove the 3 studs closest to the shaft as it prevented the manifold from going on.

The steering wheel had been forced on at some point causing damage to the groves, so it was a chore to remove. Also no retaining nut was used because the trim collar had a signal light tab keeping it up flush with the shaft. Too add to the chaos the firewall had 4 tack welds to the shaft cover ...I suppose to keep it from rattling.

After dealing with the steering, welds and bolts we finally got the manifold on. Whew! Thanks for your help Dad!!

BTW this was all done while the truck was still on the trailer and mostly in the dark! Old Skool LOL

I think the steering is from the Plymouth donor car.

After the fix, still need a nut but its tight.

I tried a 3/4 fine and a 7/8 fine ... one too big the other too small. I was told if it is an early Ford it will take a 5/8 ... I will have to pick one up and see.

Got up the next morning and took it to a local muffler shop to take our chances on getting in. The place was packed and it was not even open yet!! But the manager/owner said he would pull it in and out and do it between appointments but it had to be running ..no problem ....yeah right!

We had pushed it off of the trailer before we knew this so I got in it and turned her over ...would not start ...first time ever! OK then I run the battery down trying to get it going. Dad taps the tank and it sounds empty ...so off to get a new battery and borrow a gas can for some gas. Are we having fun yet?

Get back Dad fills the tank ...actually it did not take the full 5 gallons! It had plenty of gas, it just sounded empty! Replaced the battery and she started right up ...the battery was just on it's last leg and did not have enough juice to turn the engine fast enough to start. We also added 2 gallons of anti-freeze so it would not be running dry.

The good news is the shop had a cancellation for their 10 o'clock so there was no fear of it not getting done and delaying my trip home another day.

Cool

Had to avoid the gas tank.

Ok so we drive it about a half block to the trailer to load it back up and the gears are grinding pretty bad. We make a slight adjustment while it is half way up the ramp for easier access. Shifting better but still not right. We load it up and take her to my father's house. The next morning we go out and adjust it again while it is on the trailer but there is no time to test ...had to get back to Georgia.

Back in Georgia, unload and back it in the garage. The next day I go out and try to drive it and the clutch is slipping so bad I cant get up the driveway! Back to the drawingvboard!

This morning I removed the clutch rod and discard the bolt that was being used as a pin at the fork, cleaned up the rod and painted it flat black, adjusted for some pedal play and tried it out. No slipping but still grinding the gears! CRAP ....adjusted it some more ...no slipping, gears still not quite right and a squeal if the pedal is all the way to the floor, about 3 inches up it stops squealing. I was fed up with it for today so I left it that way.

Very little wear on the fingers, Flywheel looks great

Clutch seems to be acceptable

I'm close to solving the clutch problem but of course 2 more problems replace that. This seems to be the norm for the truck so far.

Problem 1 ... The radiator appears to have sprung a leak .... I let the truck run for about a half hour and the leak stopped but the overflow tube kicked in and was letting out some serious water ... I will have to come up with an overflow bottle of sorts. Crossing my fingers on the leak. Oh BTW I think a couple of my welsh plugs are leaking as well. Figures LOL

Problem 2 .... I am getting a lot of blow by since putting the engine back in ...I don't remember seeing it before I took the engine out but it may have been there. Also the truck is emitting white smoke out the exhaust and it's not steam. I am hopping this will clear up ...maybe just some excess stuff burning off from having it apart ... dust oil PB buster etc. I imagine the engine is in need of a rebuild ...not sure if I will take that route or just save up for a replacement .... a flat head V8 would be nice! I'm not going to worry about it right now ...I have a ton of body stuff to do to it to keep me busy for a while.

I also had a problem with the radiator ornament/cap spinning on itself and not allowing me to remove the cap to put water in it. (I just had 2 gallons of antifreeze in it from the muffler install day). I finally got it off and dissembled it, cleaned up the parts and put it back together. It seems the screw was loose, allowing it to slip. Added 1-1/2 gallons of water.

I also took the upper dash out so I could get to the windshield crank to see if I could do anything about the slipping and pretty much not working unit. The two screws holding it to the windshield frame where too tight to get out and I did not want to damage them so I left it in. I did get a better look at the unit though. The gears are pretty much worn to nubs and the thing is shot. Also it is pop riveted together and it would have to be drilled out to access it fully. I took a triangle file and deepened the teeth I could get to and this helps it once you push the window out by hand about 4-5 inches while turning the knob ... after that the better teeth kick in and take it the rest of the way out and seems to hold it there.

Window crank unit exposed

Put the dash back in and and decided to clean the windshield as a last project of the day. The outside windshield had red paint over spray on it pretty bad. I put some degrease spray on it to give me a slick surface and gently scraped the surface with a razor blade ... I can see out of it now!!

Tomorrow I may have time to adjust the clutch again but that's gonna be it for about 3 weeks ... I have to return my sister's trailer to Virginia on Monday and get back to Georgia in time to leave for a family wedding in Wisconsin for two weeks!

Once I return I will most likely spend the winter working on the body rather than the engine and will post here daily ... or close to it LOL.

Again special thanks to:

My sisters boyfriend Danny for all of his help with the engine etc while it was in Virginia, also his brother for the loan of the engine hoist.

Thanks to my sister Melissa for letting me keep it in her garage while I worked on it. Also thanks for letting me grease up and paint her floor. I'm sure the car smells also made it into the house most of the time!

Thanks to my sister's neighbor Tony for the loan of his engine stand and torque wrench!

Thanks to my father(Roger) for his help with locating (thanks Benny) and installing the new manifold. Also for helping with the clutch problem and for ridding shotgun to the muffler shop!

And a very special thank you to my girlfriend Becky for putting up with all of the travel and away time to get this truck home!