Coulld I have some sidevalve schooling please

panhead_pete

panhead_pete

Senior Member
My 33 (finally) arrived this weekend and I need to get my head around what's going to happen to it mechanically. I'm inclined to go with a mild sidey but having never owned one really need some help coming to terms which way I should go. What would be the best way to head with reliability and minimising maintenence whilst still having a little get up and go. I'm not a mechanic but can do basic maintenence.

Here's a pic of what it would be going in. Im hoping to keep this in the style of a 40s -50s build with no changes to the body. Thanks guys.

Petes34Ford5WindowAustralia026.jpg
 
Like most things in the old car hobby, which way you go with mechanicals depends on what your buget can take. If you go with an LB motor with insert mains or the later 37/38 21 stud motor, you can get decent reliability with a little room for improvement. If you go with a later 24 stud you will be getting out of the original looking catagory but wil have much more room for reliability improvements. The early 24 stud motors with 221 cid are more limited but the Mercury, truck, and later 239 cubic inch engines have a lot of room for improvement. The 8BA/8CM types from 48 thru 54 (in Canada), have even more room for updates but also require more mods to get them in the 1933 chassis/body planform.

I guess it also depends on how "original" you want it to be. That is a nice old 33 and they are rare as hens teeth these days. Quite valuable in there original state.

Kerby
 
I can't add much to what rotorwrench said but, I wanted to say I REALLY like that rare old car.
 
that,s a nice stright car just rebuild like it is the 21 stud run fine onley mod to make it e.z is put a 34 manfold carb ^& fuel pump the car with stock eng is peppy e.z to fix just about all the cars you see today have been modafied if you want a fast car buy a mustang or camaro
 
Boy I wish I had your problum, ..No, rotowrench went to far, your car call for a 38 to 48 24 stud with some upgrades, you state 40 to 50s keeping it erea.. in building the engine it get a mild cam, for the rompir rompie idel, good tube headers, and quite pipes, then you can dress the engine as you like, ( one or two carbs, fined heads, chrome, here and there, ) but by all means keep the body,as is stock the best paint, new chrome bumpers,polish head lights, ect, The transmission needs later gears,for less noise and easer shifting....new bearings too. ...I know I have opened a can worms here .but it will be worth more, as you keep it stock, original, and do the upgrader to a 21 stud,would be more period... do not change the outside, add 40/41 hubcaps more in keeping .... all the best... OLD...BILL .... I tell you I get no respect
 
Thanks guys. Just to be very clear I wont be touching the body at all as I understand the value of her - I've worked so hard to get this no way will I ruin it :)

What changes are required for upgrading the motor to a later flathead as suggested above.
 
Wow, I like that '33 5w coupe. Were did it arrive from? It's tough to find survivors that look that nice. I think you can get an original 21 stud engine to be peppy enough to take you any where you want to go as fast as you should need to get there unless you are planning to go drag racing or possibly trying to set a new land speed record on the salt. ;-)
 
If your not mechanically minded, I would suggest getting H&H to do you a 21 studder converted to insert bearings,get her back done and ready to fly. Take advantage of the high Aussie dollar, I lived in Aus for several years and finding bits and competing with others for the same will see you spend as much or more than a turn key engine. And it will perform out of the box.

Thats a great looking car get the powertain reliable and enjoy.
 
I'm sure the 21 stud engines have been modified many times but the one I remember the most is one for a 35 coupe that was running in the Great American Race. The build was covered in one of Tex Smith's books "The Complete Ford Flathead V8 Engine Manual" writen By Ron Ceridono. The chapter was called "21-Stud Salute". I consider what they did to be pretty radical but it's really not anything that many machine shops don't do at one time or another. They wanted a 21-stud with 255 CID to get the extra power for climbing mountain passes and driving across desert areas that get pretty hot. The GAR is a race that would tax a late model car so the old ones really could stand to be modified in order to make it all the way.

They used a 37 or 38 motor so it would still be a 21-studder. They bored it out for sleeves which took most of the old cylinder wall completely out. They modified the bottom end for the late 4-inch Mercury crankshaft. As you can imagine, they must have spent a small fortune to get this one right but it worked out well for them.

What Fairlane 500 mentioned about the H&H mod for replaceable main bearing shells eliminates the need for re-babitt and is not a bad idea. The late 36 LB block has replaceable shells but they are getting harder and harder to find in decent shape now days. The great thing about them was that the motor still had all the appearance of being an original. The 37 & 38 motors have external differences that can be seen by experienced eyes. Don Orosco makes the beautiful new reproductions of the old Eddie Meyers finned aluminum heads but they ain't cheep. There are still quite a few old dual carb manifolds left for these hanging on walls of garages.

Break a leg on what ever you do. That will be a very nice car no matter what. It looks like it already has steel wheels on there. I wonder if it has hydraulic brakes or still has the mechanicals?
 
Wow what a nice old coupe.

If you don't want to change the car too much, I'd salt the original motor away and replace it with the best running 59A flathead I could find in my budget. I have a semi stock French motor in my roadster and it drives beautifully, the long stroke crank makes it effortless when just pootling about. I have a stock German 239 motor in my coupe and it also drives great - very smooth and reliable. It depends how good the existing running gear is - but personally I'd not run the early pump in head motor - I'd just put it in the corner and leave it.. If sometime in the future you decide to sell the car having the original motor tucked away might make a big difference.

I'd look at later gears too, the 39 up later design synchro is worth having. But in reality it's only a driving convenience thing, they won't make the car more long legged out on the open road.

Like I said, it depends on what the original stuff is like, what you may already have, and what you can get your hands on at a price you can afford.

But I would love to be the one having to face those decisions.

Mart.
 
If you want a good driver with the least amount of problems, stay as close to stock as possible. Modifications tend to make repairs more difficult.
 
Id save the otriginal driveline, in a shed :-)

Then bolt on a 59AB, 39 Gearbox, 37-38 rearaxle with 3,25 ratio (or a halibrand quickchange), dropped frontaxle with Lincoln hydraulic brakes at all four corners.
 
Hi Guys
Thanks so much - will try and respond in order.

Fairlane - thanks for the heads up re H&H. I have emailed them over the weekend. Seems like LOTS of great reports about them.

Rotorwrench - I put the steelies and on and its still mech brakes but will go 4 wheel hyd.

Danliveshere - Thanks for the lead, I will follow that up this week. Car is in Melb ATM and will be built down there by a well trusted and very expeienced friend. But after that it will be living up here and obviously I'll love some help.

Mr 42 - that's pretty much the recipe. Have the Ansen axle :)

To everyone else thanks for your help so far on this journey.
 
panhead pete ....................
Man alive ! It looks like you snookered a super nice original '33 coupe right out from under us. Did that LHD car come from the USA ?
Everybody wants to find one like that !
Look up Trevor Poulson in the Brisbane V8 Club.
Congratulations !
MIKE :)
 
Well, My 2 cents is work on the brakes and suspension. Make it safe to drive. As fasr as the engine is concerned a good 21 stud engine will work just fine. However, if the 21 stud engine needs work, I'd go for a 24 stud engine and 39 transmission.
 
I,m in central QLD and my 33 has the early 21 stud motor in , it will cruise all day out west at 55 mph no problem,it has a 3.78 diff in.just done a trip out to springshore towing a camper.no sweat.
Lawrie
 
WOW, WHAT A FANTASTIC SURVIVOR. Get it mechanically sound and drive the wheels off of it. DON'T DO A THING TO THE BEAUTIFUL PATINA!!!
 
Thansk Lawrie - apprecaite the input

Lawson Cox said:
WOW, WHAT A FANTASTIC SURVIVOR. Get it mechanically sound and drive the wheels off of it. DON'T DO A THING TO THE BEAUTIFUL PATINA!!!
Click to expand...

Thats the plan. Will wet and dry where there is primer to see whats under that but that wil be about it.

FL&WVMIKE said:
panhead pete ....................
. Did that LHD car come from the USA ?
Click to expand...

Not only from the US but from a Ford Barn Classified :)
 
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