29 Ford roadster/chevy powered

[DozerII]

I found making a sand bag full of good dense sand works great for starting a nice curved shape in a piece of sheet metal. Allows you too beat the heck out of it without creases

 

[mdlahotrod]

1929 Ford Roadster/chevy powered

Good day guys,
Had to cut 5/16ths off either end of this alternator adjustment tube. It wouldn't let me loosen it enough to get the belt on and off. Now it's good. However, I'm open to suggestions for where the Gilmer belt is gonna rub against the alternator support. Not sure if grinding the allen bolt that holds it on will work, or.......take the entire bracket down to a machine shop and have them gride a 1/4" off the back side and get shorter bolts if they're' too long after that. I would try it myself but it has to be perfectly flat on the back side. Sure will be gridin and awful lot of chrome off though.
I can always paint the back side. You really can't see it anyway.
I'm certainly open to suggestions from all youns with a ton of experience......and those that don't.
Thanks guys

 

[mdlahotrod]

1929 Ford Roadster/chevy powered

Thanks Dozer. I'll pick one up.

 

[willyD]

Looks like you will rub even with shorter bolts. It's hard to tell in the picks though. If you think that getting the bolt heads lower would do the trick though, you can buy "low head cap screws" that have heads that are about half the thickness of regular socket cap screws. That would be better than grinding the heads down.

 

[DozerII]

I'm having trouble seeing the big picture, but from what I can see if the belt was two or three cogs longer it would allow the alternator to push out further which would drop the anle down and eliminate the rub on the allen head bolt[S

 

[mdlahotrod]

Long time since I've posted anything. Been goin back and forth from Mnt Airy (Mayberry) NC house hunting. Anyway, only thing left on the motor are the wires and starter. Any advice as the best spark plug wires to get or are there even good and bad ones??
Looks like everything's gonna be on hold for awhile cause now I've gotta start packin up everything for the move to NC. Looks like it may take a few months to get everything up there and settled in. Best thing is, I'll have a nice size 3 car garage to work in with a work shop on the back side of it. Lookin forward to movin up there but not the actual move.
Gotta do what ya gotta do though. I'll post more once I get up there. Thanks again for everyone's advice and I'll be lookin forward to more.
Later guys.

 

[mdlahotrod]

29 Ford Roadster/chevy powered

Oh yeah.....one more thing. I found out when using an aftermarket oil pan, that I'm gonna have to drain the oil, remove the pan and grind out the hole for the dipstick. There's about 3/16th's of an inch of the oil pan blockin the dipstick hole that keeps it from goin in all the way. Also found out that my engine may not be a 78 which I was told and been orderin everything for. According to the numbers, it IS a 78.
Anyway, all the custom dipsticks I've ordered are too big for the hole. Can't quite figger that one out. I've ordered one from a 1980 to see the difference. If that one's also too big, not sure what to do except clean the original one and use it. I'll figger it out though. Any of you guys have that problem?? I have a passenger side dipstick. Just wonderin.

 

[Old Iron]

Passenger side dipstick is 78 up and it requires a different pan and dipstick to accommodate that, probably why you're having trouble.

 

[05snopro440]

That looks really good. Were your valve covers and other finned accessories rough cast in between the fins? I have some stuff with rough casting in between the fins and want to paint it. Not sure how to go about that best.

 

[Old Iron]

That engine is a work of art!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Taylor makes a good set of plug wires that are blue. I used them on the engine I put in an El Camino last week.
$30
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/tay-64628

 

[mdlahotrod]

29 roadster/chevy powered

05snopro,
Yes they are raw cast between the fins. I used the same engine enamel for all the trim.
Thanks old iron. I was lookin for either blue or white wires to go with the engine. That engine will be the only bling on the car. The rest will be mat black and when I get it on the road, I will be pinstriping ghost flames down the sides and a pinup either on the deck lid or on either side on the front cowl panels. Comin along but slowly. Looks like the house in Mnt Airy fell through so we're still house huntin there. Still gotta start packin though cause we WILL be movin up there eventually.
Workin on getting the transmission ready now. I need to marry it up to the motor cause it's getting to the point where there's gonna be a lotta in and out with that to decide where the steering box, brake master cylinder and that kinda stuff has to go. I only get to work on it in small spurts now which can be aggravating. Oh well.....it is what it is.

 

[mdlahotrod]

29 roadster/chevy powered

05snopro.
Just make sure you clean them really good before paintin em. I used laquer thinner to make sure they were nice and clean.

 

[mdlahotrod]

29 roadster/chevy powered

One more thing Old iron. I ordered a dipstick for an 80 350 and it fits fine. I'm still gonna have to take the oil pan back off and trim a little off of it to get the dipstick to go down into the block far enough. Not a problem but just wasn't wantin to take the oil pan back off. Oh well.

 

[Old Iron]

Cool
I understand on the removing the pan, a greater chance of having a leak for one.

 

[smallfoot]

Might be the ratrod gods telling ya that ya need flat ground to lite that one up...[cl

 

[mdlahotrod]

29 Ford/chevy powered

Ok guys. I'm a little confused and didn't even notice it till mating the trans up to the motor for some mock up. I noticed the top of the trans doesn't have a place for the bolt as the block does. Is this gonna make a difference??[S
The engine is out of a 78C 10 and the trans is out of a 78 Vette. I mean a 350 and turbo 350 is what it is right. Shouldn't be a whole lotta difference.....I'm thinkin anyway.
And.....I gotta say, in my impatience to get something done to feel a sense of accomplishment by getting the motor done first, what a grave mistake. Now takin the engine in and out of the car to mock up the steering, master brake location, makin sure everything fits, etc., I've got rags everywhere protecting the paint. UGH! How stupid was that. I shoulda done all this mock up way when it was just the short block. Sometimes bein a first timer at this, ya really learn the hard way.

 

[rapid49]

Don't worry about that hole ,it's not needed. The other six bolts are the only ones I've ever seen used in 40 years of workin on these engines . Not sure what they were for , I'm sure somebody here knows.

 

[akatao]

trucks used all 6

 

[mdlahotrod]

29 Ford/chevy powered

Hmm....maybe I can use that bolt hole as a ground for sometin. Good to know I don't need it.

Now...... I got a real problem I don't have a clue on how to fix and I'm really gonna need yall's help on this. After installin the engine and trans for mockin up all the rest that's needed, I noticed that the way the guy before me that owned this thing had done the frame and after mounting the radiator, that it all sits way above the engine and body. I REALLY absolutely hate the way that it looks and I don't have a clue as to how to get it back down where it belongs without cutting the frame apart and goin back to a straight frame without the joggle that raises it up. Not to mention, even if I left it this way, it doesn't look like it'd be a sufficient way to cool the motor sittin up that high. What a drag. And....I'm afraid due to my inexperience in welding, I'd have to take it to someone to do. I'm afraid since that's a critical area and could be dangerous, I'd prefer a certified welder do that. Unless of course one of yall can give me any other ideas on how to remedy this.[S
This is the kinda stuff that's discouraging. What a back up it's gonna be to have to get the frame changed unless one of you more experienced hot rod builders can help me out. Boy......I wish I had some of yall's experience and expertise.
Thanks guys.

 

[Old Iron]

Before I even read your post, the radiator issue was apparent.
Simplest fix is to move the radiator forward and down to where it looks good. Then run the lower hose under the radiator support.