The 29 is on the road

Guess I should update the thread here,
So, bought a new/used block from a great guy over in okatoks, block was sleeved back to original bore, and had a re-ground crank and repoured bearings. The engine had been run for a while but not very long. Had to pull .004” out of the full stack of main bearing shims to achieve proper clearance.
 
Took some time to stone the block, the previous machining was poor. The shinny spots in the pic dictate the high points.
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Built my own seat cutter, that fit down through the guide and lifter bores, and re-cut the seats
( NOTE ) I would not do this this way on any other motor. Lol would’ve used a proper seat cutter if I had one even here. However it did work great.
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All valves then I lapped into their seats.
After lapping, I honed the block and gave it a good clean and started fitting the crank.
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So due to the bearings being shimable it’s always best to check bearing contact after removing shims, in my case here with this block, fitting the crank took a few hours. The front main I had to gently scrape, blue, install, torque, turn, and remove to see the contact. Bit of a pain but necessary.
 
The head that came with the engine has cast numbers on it that are 48 W1.
I’ll come back to that in a second.
I set the head up in my mill then started to build a fly cutter to shave it down.
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I then decided to check a few other measurement on it before I fully built the fly cutter and started machining, I’m glad I did.
So compared to my other known stock head, the “piston relief” depth were the same, however, the depth of the main combustion chamber near the plug hole was roughly .050” shallower on this new head. So I then decide to leave it as is.
I only found one post on another forum that mentioned a W1 head was a higher compression head, I have not been able to find any other info on it either then the 48 being the year it was cast.
If any one you guys here have any insight on it, i’d gladly appreciate it.
 
With a new set of STD pistons, rings, adjustable lifters and gaskets she was stuffed back in.
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Made up a new intake with some re-purposed sled air cleaners, not the most laminar flow but with a carb pointing to the rear you are limited lol. Definitely a downdraft system would be better obviously.
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Started tuning, idle circuit was too lean so I took an old jet and drilled it out to .040”, was definitely in the right direction but .040” seems to be too big, now on the rich side.
Then winter came lol.
Have yet to lean it back a bit.
Engine runs great and super smooth thus far.
 
Very nice work on your DIY banger. This whole project just ticks all the old timey boxes. I love it!
 
pretty nice and a great read...always like your posts...so are the bearings what they call a poured babbit bearing?...and if so are they really poured ?
 
JohnnyBgood said:
pretty nice and a great read...always like your posts...so are the bearings what they call a poured babbit bearing?...and if so are they really poured ?
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Thanks John, and yes you bet they are poured in place using a mandrel inplace of the crank. Afterwards the bearings are then line bored with a full stack of shims inbetween the caps and block.
The rods are a little different, they have to be tinned first, then the Babbitt applied.
 
I am impressed ! Great job and learning the old ways of engine builds.
 
Very interesting, thanks for sharing the build. I much like the patina look and your 'new' intake. I have heard about rebuilding these engines but had no idea of how much it actually involves. It takes me back to my old days as a lot of people 'rebuilt' engines but the ones that really knew what they were doing (taking the time to do it right like you do) were sought very after.

I especially liked your description on how it drives. For me that is what it's all about, I don't want a 100K restomod! Here no one even looks at them anymore. We all try to make our stuff 'dependable' but the wife's 79 Zephyr came home on a hook when the 'new' fuel pump, made who knows where, decided to quit and it's just a car not a creation like you have. Good luck on the tune but I'm sure you will get it!
 
Thanks very much guys! 👍🏻

Forgot to mention earlier that I had also blended the intake ports and then blended and polished all the exhaust ports, but forgot to take some photos sorry.
 
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