New to this, but have been around a while. My kids like to ask me what it was like before the continents separated, but that is another story.
What I can say is that I was born a car guy, in a car guy family, so I have had my share of experiences with automotive machine shops. Of course, that was some time ago, it has been decades since personally utilizing or needed engine machining services.
But that was then, and this is now.
Picked up a 1947 59A that a local dug up out of his yard where a barn used to be thirty years ago, it is now a subdivision. He offered it to me for free, straight from his backhoe. The dirt pretty much preserved it once I managed to wash it off, but somewhere along the line the exhaust manifolds rusted almost completely away, and the carburetor had been busted off. Pretty sure that is why the cylinders, the intake manifold, and both the intake and exhaust ports were stuffed with dirt and mud.
Me, being whom I am, never shies away from a challenge. Not generally known to have the patience of a saint, I did on this one. Took me the better part of five months to slowly disassemble with the care most archeologists do not possess.
As the object slowly ascended and presented itself, issues began to jump out. All of which I had or have seen in the past, none of which had deterred me back then. But this being a flathead, which I have not had any experience with since my father sold his prized 1940 Deluxe Ford Business coupe to keep me from possibly driving it. Just a note, he purchased the car when he was seventeen and kept it until I was fifteen. He had it 23 years! He only drove it occasionally though since he had multiple everyday vehicles. He never let me work on it. Hence, no experience with flatheads.
Back to the current issue. There are multiple rough bores, lots of rust, and the worst part, cracked cylinders. Definitely caused by water freezing in the cylinders. The good news, only thermal cracks, using acetone wash that I could find were between the head stud and closest water hole. Nothing to worry about there.
So, I put the word out that I would like a professional assessment as to the feasibility of resurrecting the block.
Over the last month I have contacted every machine shop within a two hundred mile radius(Wisconsin) to inquire. None have actually seen the block, just my description as stated above. Every last one of them pushed back, some outright rejection, some questioning as to why bother, a couple tried to offer other projects. One said he had a cracked FE block that he would sell me if I wanted that sleeved. Another could not understand why I don't build a small block China Motors (a chevy... not for me, built a hundred of them back in the day).
So, in ya'll infinite wisdom, is there any suggestions as to who might have the expertise and gumption to assess and possibly perform the work of resurrecting my 1947 59A block with at least three cracked cylinders?
What I can say is that I was born a car guy, in a car guy family, so I have had my share of experiences with automotive machine shops. Of course, that was some time ago, it has been decades since personally utilizing or needed engine machining services.
But that was then, and this is now.
Picked up a 1947 59A that a local dug up out of his yard where a barn used to be thirty years ago, it is now a subdivision. He offered it to me for free, straight from his backhoe. The dirt pretty much preserved it once I managed to wash it off, but somewhere along the line the exhaust manifolds rusted almost completely away, and the carburetor had been busted off. Pretty sure that is why the cylinders, the intake manifold, and both the intake and exhaust ports were stuffed with dirt and mud.
Me, being whom I am, never shies away from a challenge. Not generally known to have the patience of a saint, I did on this one. Took me the better part of five months to slowly disassemble with the care most archeologists do not possess.
As the object slowly ascended and presented itself, issues began to jump out. All of which I had or have seen in the past, none of which had deterred me back then. But this being a flathead, which I have not had any experience with since my father sold his prized 1940 Deluxe Ford Business coupe to keep me from possibly driving it. Just a note, he purchased the car when he was seventeen and kept it until I was fifteen. He had it 23 years! He only drove it occasionally though since he had multiple everyday vehicles. He never let me work on it. Hence, no experience with flatheads.
Back to the current issue. There are multiple rough bores, lots of rust, and the worst part, cracked cylinders. Definitely caused by water freezing in the cylinders. The good news, only thermal cracks, using acetone wash that I could find were between the head stud and closest water hole. Nothing to worry about there.
So, I put the word out that I would like a professional assessment as to the feasibility of resurrecting the block.
Over the last month I have contacted every machine shop within a two hundred mile radius(Wisconsin) to inquire. None have actually seen the block, just my description as stated above. Every last one of them pushed back, some outright rejection, some questioning as to why bother, a couple tried to offer other projects. One said he had a cracked FE block that he would sell me if I wanted that sleeved. Another could not understand why I don't build a small block China Motors (a chevy... not for me, built a hundred of them back in the day).
So, in ya'll infinite wisdom, is there any suggestions as to who might have the expertise and gumption to assess and possibly perform the work of resurrecting my 1947 59A block with at least three cracked cylinders?
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