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10-07-10

Removed the brake backing plate from the brake hose by clamping the rubber hose, breaking the hose free from the wheel cylinder, removed the wheel cylinder mounting bolts, slid hose through hole in backing plate and turned the wheel cylinder until it detached.

Removed the wires going to the horn button, generator, oil sending unit and one more wire by the radiator so I could move that wire harness out of the way.

Painted the spring and upper arm with brown rusty metal primer.

Wire brushed the lower arm and the frame as best as I could. Covered both with phosphoric acid.

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10-10-10

Had a couple of hours free for car work. Finished painting the spring and upper arm in gloss black.

Removed the generator and starter.

Labeled and removed the ignition wires from the spark plugs. Removed the wire on the side of the distributor to the coil. Removed the coil and distributor cap. Took off the coil mounting bracket from the motor. Went to remove the battery cable ground wire, but antifreeze started to come out of the water pump so I just kept it on and tightened the bolt. Didn't want to deal with that just yet. Went to remove the temp sender wire and found out it was just taped on the stud! Still was working though. Removed the vacuum tube from the carb to the distributor. Removed the distributor. Removed the oil filler tube (saw on the other side traces of gray paint so my theory that some of these were painted black appears to be wrong and at some point mine was painted black instead of engine color). Removed oil dip stick.

Put a shop rag in the hole where the starter goes. Put paper towel in the distributor, oil filler and oil dip stick tubes. I figured if the brush hits the paper, it will just tear rather than catching a rag or something and potentially becoming dangerous.

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10-10-10 continued...

Took some pics of the motor before I started to wire brush it. Started at the top of the head and worked my way down. When I got to the oil pressure switch, my wire brushed blew the nut off of it so I have to remember to get a new one. After using the brush, I recorded the numbers that were more visible. My engine date was March 12, 1951. My transmission is 8-5-51 (even though the 8 looks like a 3 in the pic). There is also a number in a rectangular box to the left of the date on the engine. I asked about it before and the response was that there was not supposed to be a number there. I see it is 016.

After wire brushing until the bristles were gone, I put Phosphoric acid on it and some more on the frame. Got a little deflated when I had my wife and kid come out to see the results of the hard work I was doing. I was given "It looks the same to me" response, even after showing the before pics . Oh well, I know I made a difference!

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Maybe the wife and kids can't see the difference but we on the forum can. Looking good. Suffix H on engine # indicates it has hydraulic lifters. Wonder how many of the base or small engine Clippers had that option.

Quote:

First 288 I've ever seen that had hydraulic lifters, and I've seen a couple..

Thanks HH56...It sure is messy business for something that most people aren't going to see, but I'm still enjoying this part more than working on the transmission. At least I can stand up for this and save my back.

I didn't even realize I have hydraulic lifters. Thanks for letting me know that! I can't believe Turbo hasn't seen one before. I know he has a lot of engine experience from his posts.

My car was #3195 which means it was the 1,194th car produced. Where I get confused is it the 1,194th 200 made or the 1,194th made of all models?. Either way, it seems like an early car.

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I see a huge difference. I have been following your posts with great interest as I start to plan my work on the Derham. Thanks for taking the time to post.

I am planning on moving the Derham to its new home across the street from where it has sat the last thirty years in the next two or three weeks. Will put some images up.

Stephen

I've heard that the 288 was available with hydraulic lifters, but they're about as rare as forged crankshafts for Packard V8's. Consider yourself lucky, or unlucky depending on your point of view. I personally prefer hydraulic lifters, as you don't have to adjust them all the time.

Less maintenance sounds good to me. I'm not very good at the finesse stuff like timing, carb adjustments, ect yet anyway.

The by-pass oil filter pressure line is plumed correctly for a hydraulic valve lifter equipped engine. Easy enough to check, just remove a tappet cover and take a look.

(o{I}o)