What's this loud tapping sound from my new engine?

[robroy]

Thanks Robert! Good to know that it's holding up. That supply kit looks good too, and I like their "Hi Po Yellow" color OK. I know yellow's not a super popular color for these things, but I'm addicted to it.

Thanks again!!!
Robroy

[george worley]

I t hink having Tom do your engine is the way to go. By having him do the job you can do your job and you won't be tied up working on the engine.

[robroy]

Hey George thanks for replying! Yeah I think you're absolutely right that this is the perfect move to make.

I now plan on hiring Tom and wrote him another long mail with lots of additional questions. I'm beginning the engine pull this afternoon, and will post photos as I go! I'm very excited to have found a way out of this jam!

Robert, thanks for suggesting FE Specialties. I think this is really going to work out!

Thanks George!
Robroy

[DuckRyder]

A very sound decision in my opinion, I look forward to the "reborn" power plant, I'm confident that Tom will treat you right and give you good honest advice on anything he finds.

I don't suppose we could talk you into painting it blue or black... didn't think so. I'm just not a yellow kind of fellow and I will mention that form a practical standpoint it does show dirt, that can be both good and bad.

Please do keep us updated on the progress, as was mentioned (I think by Jamie) I'm pretty curious as to how the original build was and if you did get what you were told you were getting.

We love pictures... You can feel free to include some of the Datsun too...

[70_F100]

Robroy, with as much time, effort and money as you've invested, why not take this time to paint the firewall on your truck?

You'll never have a better chance, nor will it ever be as easy as it will with the engine out.

[robroy]

Hey Robert and 70_F100, thanks for replying!

A very sound decision in my opinion, I look forward to the "reborn" power plant, I'm confident that Tom will treat you right and give you good honest advice on anything he finds.

Thanks! Yeah this is the ideal solution to my scenario I think. Tom seems like the ideal engine guy so far!

I don't suppose we could talk you into painting it blue or black... didn't think so.

You know, I actually was imagining how it would look in a black gloss. There's something appealing about a black engine for sure! Blue engines are also very nice but I think I like black even better. The colors I'd consider are yellow, black, white, or gray, since these go with the color scheme I've already decided on. I've been meaning to post photos of how I had the seat re-done (it's unusual)!

I'm just not a yellow kind of fellow and I will mention that form a practical standpoint it does show dirt, that can be both good and bad.

I hear you! Yeah it's a very bright color and should show dirt and oil in a big way.

Please do keep us updated on the progress, as was mentioned (I think by Jamie) I'm pretty curious as to how the original build was and if you did get what you were told you were getting.

Indeed! I am very curious also, and promise to keep ya'll meticulously updated!

We love pictures... You can feel free to include some of the Datsun too...

Excellent! Unfortunately the Datsun is at my father's house. Some day I'll crack in to that project and post photos here for sure!

Robroy, with as much time, effort and money as you've invested, why not take this time to paint the firewall on your truck?

You'll never have a better chance, nor will it ever be as easy as it will with the engine out.

Hey 70_F100 you're probably right! My reason for not painting it before was that I'd planned on removing the cab at a later time, while leaving the engine in the frame. Then I'd be re-doing the cab completely and it would get new paint then, before being dropped back on.

But it would be fairly easy to prep and paint it. I might start with Rust Bullet Automotive, then top coat with a custom mixed Wimbledon White. Or I could go the black route, although I've always liked the way the firewall looks better as it came from the factory (like Robert's truck).

Now that you point it out, I'll definitely consider giving it at least a temporary paint job before dropping the engine back in!

Robert and 70_F100, thanks again for your replies!
Robroy

[DuckRyder]

I don't know if this helps you visualize or not:

[DuckRyder]

You know, I actually was imagining how it would look in a black gloss. There's something appealing about a black engine for sure! Blue engines are also very nice but I think I like black even better. The colors I'd consider are yellow, black, white, or gray, since these go with the color scheme I've already decided on

The early high performance engines were black (427's, 289 HP) often with gold or chrome valve covers. I think black would look very good, I considered it for mine (the above photo is pure POR15 prior to the blue topcoat). I have a book that deals almost exclusively with engine color schemes for Ford, I will have to dig it out, there was some pretty wild stuff...

Yeah it's a very bright color and should show dirt and oil in a big way.

That is part of the reason you'll find many racing engines painted light colors, to help spot leaks and so forth. Traco, in particular who built those off brand motors for Trans Am racing in the late 60's was quite famous for the gray they used.

[robroy]

Hey Robert thanks for replying!

Your engine does look good in black, but the blue you finished it with is super classic! And that's interesting to know about the black 427 and 289 HP.

Maybe if the block will be painted separately from the heads, I'll have the block painted black and the heads done bright yellow. That might look neat, since the valve covers are also black. I know this combo probably won't have wide appeal, but I'm just stuck on this bright yellow thing! You should see the seat I had made: #50's Bench!

Robert, I learned from one of your posts how to streamline the way links show up under the images, so only the file names appear now (instead of the full URL, which got clunky when I put two images and URLs side-by-side).

Here's the truck today before I started in:


IMG_4507.JPG

#50 taking a leak!


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With the leak all wrapped up, I thought I'd pull the lower radiator hose. If I'd been thinking more carefully, I would have counted the number of gallons in the cooling system first, and realized that the leak was far from over.


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And here's the price I paid. Oh well--that's what paper towels are good for!


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The hose freshly removed.


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My ever expanding fluid collection.


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After a few rolls of paper towels, I finished detaching everything from the radiator support and began removing the body bolts.


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I pulled the support off with the radiator still attached. It still had some coolant in it that just wouldn't drain, so it was heavy! I had the radiator cap off for a while and everything. Maybe I need to take a close look at the drain plug!


IMG_4517z.JPG IMG_4518z.JPG


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IMG_4524.JPG IMG_4525.JPG


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Thanks for the super outstanding advice, and I'll keep ya'll updated!
Robroy

[Fordtastic]

drool! gorgeous stuff!

[robroy]

drool! gorgeous stuff!

Hey Fordtastic thanks for replying! Glad you like it, but this beauty may be only skin deep! Tom's report will be fascinating.

Robroy

[Ranchero50]

I'd keep it yellow, it does grow on you. What color is the truck going to end being? Do something that compliments it so they look good together. Mine truck is grabber blue and the engine is Ford red from the '50's cars. It close, but brighter than the IH red which the motor was sourced from.

Jamie

[george worley]

I vote for yellow! My first car in 1961 was a 53 Merc. flathead that I painted the engine yellow, the car was all black. I almost painted the 390 in my 68 yellow because the truck is all black.it would have been a tribute to my first car. If I have ever have to pull the engine it will be yellow when it goes back in.

[iamthewreckingcrew]

Wow.

I read this thread when it only had a couple replies and though I couldn't watch the vids, I didn't think it would turn into something as serious as it did.

You got some really good help and advice though, and looks like you have a good solution planned out. You also seem like you are keeping your cool pretty well. I think I would be in more of a sour mood over something like this.

I read most of your threads and enjoy following your detailed progress. Just want to wish you luck on the rest of the build.

[robroy]

Hey Jamie, George, and IAmTheWreckingCrew, thanks for replying!

I'd keep it yellow, it does grow on you. What color is the truck going to end being? Do something that compliments it so they look good together.

Here's how the truck is going to look in its final form. You can see how both the black and the yellow could work! The white's going to remain Wimbledon White, while the yellow will be a similar shade to my bench seat. The yellow ink in this drawing I made turned out a little more orange than I intended.

Mine truck is grabber blue and the engine is Ford red from the '50's cars. It close, but brighter than the IH red which the motor was sourced from.

Hey that sounds like an excellent combination too!

I vote for yellow! My first car in 1961 was a 53 Merc. flathead that I painted the engine yellow, the car was all black. I almost painted the 390 in my 68 yellow because the truck is all black.it would have been a tribute to my first car. If I have ever have to pull the engine it will be yellow when it goes back in.

Hey George! I was beginning to think I was the only one who'd gone crazy over yellow here! I'll bet that flathead looked fantastic.

Wow.

I read this thread when it only had a couple replies and though I couldn't watch the vids, I didn't think it would turn into something as serious as it did.

Indeed, nor did I!

You got some really good help and advice though, and looks like you have a good solution planned out.

I think so! If it weren't for the generous advice I've received here, I probably very well may have trashed the engine! Plus, this opportunity to have an engine put together by a big, famous engine builder, then pulled apart and inspected by an FE expert, is quite rare indeed. The results will be most telling!

You also seem like you are keeping your cool pretty well. I think I would be in more of a sour mood over something like this.

Thanks! I'm a student of practical philosophy (Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Maxwell Maltz, Bob Proctor, and Leland Val Van de Wall), and I care about attitude very much. Naturally I've had moments of disenchantment with my situation, but I monitor my thinking and replace those thoughts with positive ones in an aggressive way. The most important technique I've used here has been to take full responsibility for my results, because I know that any problem I've created is a problem I can fix. Blame's a trap!

I read most of your threads and enjoy following your detailed progress. Just want to wish you luck on the rest of the build.

Thanks very much! I'm glad you enjoy my detailed progress!

Jamie, George, and IAmTheWreckingCrew, thanks again for your excellent replies!
Robroy