I just bought a 37 115 C

Posted by Larry51 On 2010/2/3 18:04:29

Sounds like quite a find Rich.
How the rings and bores etc are is going to depend on how well the car has been stored over all those years.
Firstly you should check whether any water has been able to enter the bores or engine during those 50 years. Has the car been stored out of the weather always? If some water has entered then there is the likelihood that rings could have bonded to the cylinder walls, and cranking the engine would result in serious damage. So check engine oil for water before you drain it and replace it.
Certainly you need to replace the old oil before you turn it over.
Have a look down each plughole with a torch - see what piston tops and bores look like. White 'oxide' is a giveaway for water having been there.
Then my recommendation is put a small amount (around a capful or two only) of penetrant (PB Blaster, Inox, would do) into each cylinder and leave it at least a day to free up the rings.
A day later place about a capful of engine oil (few squirts) down each bore and leave it an hour or two.
When you do start the engine a good idea is to squirt oil directly into the carbie venturi for the first 30 seconds or so (- just a squirt every few seconds will do) using an oil can. Gives the bores an extra coating until oil makes its way onto the surfaces where it should be.
Suggest that before you use the starter to crank the engine that you turn it over manually if possible using a spanner on the harmonic balancer / vibration damper nut. Large offset ring spanner should give you sufficient leverage if you can get it in there! This will move some oil onto surfaces at no revs before you start it.
Make sure that you have oil pressure when it's running. Best of luck!