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A little aside from "Workshop" matters or more truthfully I forgot to report this in the above post!

During their return from the South Australia trip Wade and Gina stopped overnight at a motel at Robe. The motel's proprietors were quite new and also very taken by Big Red. So much so that they asked Wade and Gina if a photo of Big Red could be used in the brochure they were planning for the motel.

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Hi Mal,

GeoffC's 39 TJR is the same one I looked at a couple of years ago in Adelaide. The then owner has a wedding car business "Buicks of Adelaide". He also had a blue 39 110, which I think has been subsequently sold (Obviously going down market!).

G'day Lyndon,

Yeah, remember that. At the time you sent me a pic of the TJR, see this post.

Sunday 2nd August 2015

More work on the Coupe prepping then painting the timing case cover in black. I know it's not "correct" but have to use whats available in lieu of Packard engine green. Also cleaned up the front of the engine somewhat, more still needs to be done once the timing case goes back on and the front engine mount is reinstalled. Then turned to removing the intake/exhaust manifold. To do so needed to disconnect the carb linkage, the vacuum advance, the fuel line, removed the fuel pump heat shield and disconnected the exhaust pipe. I'm afraid my chubby fingers aren't adept at removing manifold nuts, plus the nuts aren't very accessible even with the front clip off. But got there, although once again I suffered a false dawn trying to lift off the manifold with the two middle nuts still secured. Came off relatively easily once they were removed! It's been over 17,000 miles and about 5 years since new manifold gaskets were installed to them failing now. One factor that might have contributed to their failure was using brass nuts on the manifold studs. I'm going to go with steel nuts when it goes back together as I felt that some of the brass nuts required very little pressure to release.

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Believe it or not, the brass nuts are what the factory used, because they have a coefficient of thermal expansion more similar to that of cast iron. Also, make sure you don't get them too tight! I overtightened the nuts on my 115, and I believe that contributed to the manifold re-cracking along a previously repaired crack.

Monday 3rd August 2015

Spent most of the afternoon just cleaning and prepping for putting the timing case cover back on. Someone(moi?) was somewhat liberal with the black paint on the timing cover necessitating overpaint removal from various gasket services, seems I remember Wade complaining about the same thing from time to time. Soaking the crankshaft seal in oil overnight then the seal, it's retainer and the timing case cover will go back on. Cleaned the front motor mount up as well and it will go back on once the timing cover is in place. Jack currently supporting engine, together with wooden block, can then be removed. Also cleaned up the intake/exhaust manifold gasket surfaces and the exhaust pipe clamp surfaces, relatively easy to do. Next was the intake/exhaust manifold on the block, a little more involved because of various studs getting in the way not to forget the rearmost exhaust post surface up near the firewall being more difficult to access.

Had a phone call early in the day from Warren of Warners Bay Radiator Service to say the re-cored radiator is ready. Wade is going to pick it up and drop it off at the workshop next week when he comes to Sydney for the day. Also spoke with Wade for advice, twice. Firstly about what sealant to use on the intake/exhaust manifold and then about soaking the crankshaft seal in oil prior to its installation.

In my cleaning of the intake/exhaust manifolds noticed a casting number on the exhaust manifold of #359893. Later, in checking the parts book, found the actual part number to be #356894. A confirmation that, in many instances, the part and casting numbers differ by a digit or two.

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Tuesday 4th August 2015

A little progress, worked on getting the timing case on. Thought it would be straightforward but there always seem to be bumps along the way, well for me there are! Extracted the soaking crankshaft seal from it's oil bath and inserted it into it's carrier and then onto the crankshaft snout. Painted up all the gasket surfaces with Loctite No3 non hardening sealant. Then carefully, but not carefully enough as I dislodged the crankshaft seal from it's carrier when I tried to place the timing cover in place! Tried again after resettling the crankshaft seal into it's carrier. Good that time but in trying to align the timing case cover with the block dislodged the two gaskets where they meet. Off with the timing case, realign the gaskets, again dislodged the crankshaft seal from it's carrier! After a number of attempts finally was together and aligned. Except inserting the bolts was another little difficulty, some would screw in, other were reluctant to do so. Got enough in to hold the timing case in place and turned to the flat bar that holds the bottom of the timing case through the front of the sump(oil pan) by means of four bolts. To do that thought I'd have to get under the Coupe again, that was how I got them out. But after jacking the engine up slightly and putting the front motor mount temporarily back on suddenly had a eureka moment when I saw that raising the engine enabled those bolts to be accessed from in front without the need to go undercar! Certainly helped to do it that way as there was a lot of fiddling to get everything to align and the bolts started. With everything more or less in place then trial fitted the harmonic balancer with a light coating of oil on the crankshaft snout and the balancer to ease its passage. Was a little contrary in wanting to go on so decided not to push the limits, didn't want to hurt the replacement seal that was the reason for all this. Took the balancer off then rotated the crankshaft about 360 degrees because it looked like the seal wasn't centered in the timing case. That did the trick, slowly turning the crank re-aligned the seal and then the balancer slid in as expected. Took the balancer off and proceeded to tighten all the semi-tightened or half loose bolts and one bolt & nut until all were snug. That's the long story, short story is the timing case is back on!

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Saturday 8th August 2015

Today, after a concrete driveway was poured and the concrete finished, put the front motor mount back on the Coupe. But before putting on the motor mount cleaned the channel at the back of the crossmember of it's accumulated grime and associated matter. Part of the associated matter included a manifold washer, wondered where that went? Trickier than I thought, requiring some finessing between the jacking height of the engine combined with some leverage to align the bolts holding the mount to the front crossmember. Then some more cleaning of the front and sides of the engine followed by cleaning of the splashed around oil on the front clip. To do that, lifted the clip back up with the chain block permitting a pleasant working height on a messy job for a change.

That was it for the day, or so I thought. Later there was a knock on the door and who should be there but Graham, the concreter who did the driveway. Expected Graham on Monday, with the concrete starting to cure and permitting him to finish off the work on the driveway. Turns out Graham was passing in his '64 Ford Falcon XM Coupe after filling up at a service(gas) station. Slowed down to inspect his handiwork and in putting his foot on the clutch the pedal went to the floor when the clutch slave cylinder gave up the ghost. Graham had already called for a tow truck, so what was the reason Graham knocked on the door? He'd pulled up behind my daily driver which was parked on the street because of the driveway work and parked in front of me was a neighbours Ute. Graham needed my car, and the Ute, to be moved so the tow truck could pull the Falcon on front first. Then, a few minutes later, the tow truck couldn't find the Falcon when it reached my street turning right instead of left. Fortunately the tow truck driver pulled up, so was able to chauffeur Graham to the tow truck in my daily driver. After being loaded on the tow truck and on their way home, passed them a little later on my way out. Notes on Graham's XM Coupe - small block Ford 302 V8 with 289 heads and a Toyota Supra 5 speed gearbox(transmission). Bought by Graham about 18 years ago, the V8 swap had already been done because ALL Aussie built Falcons up to '67 came only with 6 cylinder power.

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Thursday 13th August 2015

Yesterday - Picked up the re-cored radiator from the workshop which Wade had delivered there. Speaking of the workshop, I was saddened to learn that Misty, John's dog had succumbed to cancer. No more bones for her although she's probably very happy chasing motorcycles in doggy heaven. Wade also delivered the remains of my 20 litre drum of engine oil, probably about 3 to 4 litres left, which was in his garage. Unfortunately our paths didn't cross so I'll have to thank him for the delivery service another day.

Today - Put the radiator back into it's cradle. Safest place for it be, out of the way and ready for when the front clip goes back on. Not much more done than that although there was further cleaning of the manifold surface on the engine block. Although I said this "brass nuts on the manifold studs. I'm going to go with steel nuts when it goes back together", Ken's advice that "Believe it or not, the brass nuts are what the factory used, because they have a coefficient of thermal expansion more similar to that of cast iron" has led me to a change of mind. So tidied up the brass nuts for the job ahead. Want to have the manifold back on. as well as a number of other things, before the front clip goes on.

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Monday 17th August 2015

After yesterdays Shannons Sydney Classic during which I fielded many queries about why the Coupe wasn't in attendance did something about that today. More cleaning of gasket surfaces on the block and intake/exhaust manifold and ensuring the brass nuts would screw onto the studs without impediment. Then using Permatex Hitemp RTV laid down a track on one side of the three intake/exhaust manifold gaskets and pressed them gently against the block then laid another track of RTV on the intake/exhaust manifold side of the gaskets. Maneuvered the intake/exhaust manifold unit into place, relatively easy because the front clip is off. I wouldn't want to attempt doing that if the clip was still on! Put on the thick washers followed by the brass nuts and tightened them gently so as not to squeeze the RTV out from the gasket, block and intake/exhaust manifolds surfaces. Will tighten the nuts down tomorrow. Put the carb back on, reconnected the throttle linkage, reconnected the fuel line, reconnected the tube to the automatic choke and finally reconnected the vacuum advance line to the distributor. The tube to the automatic choke doesn't connect to the tube through the exhaust manifold, it was broken when I got the Coupe. Instead Tim of Carburettor Service Company, when he rebuilt and refitted the carb, rigged up a brass tube which winds around and lays against the middle of the exhaust manifold, works well. The only problem with these reinstalls was the vacuum advance tube. Ended up, after many attempts and not wanting to cross thread anything, unscrewing the carb fitting and starting the vacuum advance tube into that and then reinstalling the carb fitting into the base of the carb.

Link to yesterdays photos, mostly uncaptioned.

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