Supercharger for my Apache

[diceman50]

I am happy to report that the engine lifting fixture worked as designed. The tilt mechanism is especially handy. I will have this engine available if anyone is interested. I live in West Texas and would make someone a good deal on it. The truck's odometer was showing 56K when I got it and was not working. I have put about 30K on it since I got it and 27K of that was with the EFI. It runs great and does not smoke at all. The sparkplugs I just took out have 2-3000 miles on them and look perfect. It does however leak like a sieve.

[II_Slow]

Dice,
Very cool bracketry made with some pretty basic tools - drill press, bandsaw, and welder. No hydraulic shear or brake, no laser or plasma cutter, etc. It's amazing what can be done, once you decide to do it. I have gotten so many ideas and inspiration from builds on this site. Thanks for the details and pictures.

[FarmerSid]

Awesome fab work! That supercharger is so cool. Nice e wheel too.

[Advanced Design]

Ok, off topic, I see a flat head too. Another project?

What is the engine hanging from? Probably something really cool or handy.

Apologies for snooping.

[diceman50]

Thanks guys,

The English Wheel as you can tell is a Harbor Freight special that I modified. Actually sometimes it is an E wheel and sometimes it's a louver press. Right now it is the latter. I bought a "Metal Machine" starter kit from Williams Lowbuck Tools (http://www.lowbucktools.com/MM1.html) and converted the frame to fit his master face plate. He has 6 or 8 different tools that bolt onto the faceplate including the louver press. He also has a deep throat sheet metal punch and a deep throat shrinker/stretcher attachment that I want to get.



As for the Flathead. About a year and a half ago I bought a 1950 Ford from the Volo Museum that was used in the Indiana Jones movie "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". When I got it was overheating badly and as you know they are notorious for having cracked blocks. A friend of mine had this engine that came out of a good running car so I bought it "just in case". As it turns out the engine in the car is fine. A new radiator, water pumps, and a fan shroud and it runs great. So, to make a long story longer it is now a spare. It also came with an air cooled automatic transmission. You can probably tell I am Old School (at least right now) and I keep dreaming of a Speedway Nostalgia Bucket "T" with that engine and transmission in it.

[FarmerSid]

That's a cool addition to the e wheel. Been watching for one to go on sale here. I have the same planishing hammer. Awesome story about the car.

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Ok, off topic,
What is the engine hanging from? Probably something really cool or handy.

Apologies for snooping.

Sorry A/D.

I forgot that you asked what the engine was hanging from. Nothing trick really. When the building was built I had them put an "I" beam up so I could use a trolley and a 1/2 ton electric cable hoist on it.

[Advanced Design]

Thanks Diceman. Funny, was thinking today how handy that would be over the engine hoist I was using. Great story on the Ford. Neighbors have a 53 two door they bought new and it is still stored away.

[diceman50]

Well, I have just barely gotten the old engine out and the dreaded "project creep" has already started. Since I had to remove the Gear Vendors overdrive so I could pull the transmission I have decided to freshen up the O/D unit while I have it out. Also, I have decided to rebuild a close ratio 3 speed transmission I have and install it as well. Who knows where it will end?

[ptc]

Diceman very cool project you have going on here. Cant believe I missed this....

The old supercharger style from the past is still alive and well for future use too. Im planning on using a centrifugal style supercharger on my 509 the same as you have your 6 setup.... kinda. Im hoping for more than 60mph and 22 sec 1/4 mile times with my setup!

Looking real good and cant wait for the final product!

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by ptc

Diceman very cool project you have going on here. Cant believe I missed this....

The old supercharger style from the past is still alive and well for future use too. Im planning on using a centrifugal style supercharger on my 509 the same as you have your 6 setup.... kinda. Im hoping for more than 60mph and 22 sec 1/4 mile times with my setup!

Looking real good and cant wait for the final product!

Thanks ptc, I haven't had much time to work on it lately because of the holidays and some out of town guests, but that's OK. This isn't one of those reality TV shows with some ridiculous deadline. However it has been my daily driver for the last 4-5 years and I miss driving it.

I checked out your 57 build. Very nice. I don't think I will be challenging you to any drag races.

[ptc]

Originally Posted by diceman50

Thanks ptc, I haven't had much time to work on it lately because of the holidays and some out of town guests, but that's OK. This isn't one of those reality TV shows with some ridiculous deadline. However it has been my daily driver for the last 4-5 years and I miss driving it.

I checked out your 57 build. Very nice. I don't think I will be challenging you to any drag races.

Thank you, and keep up the good work, cant wait to see the results.

[diceman50]

I finally got back into the shop today. Unfortunately I am still waiting on some parts that I need before starting the install of the "261". So, I decided to work on some of the other items that will be needed later.

I have had trouble with the gaskets between the Fenton split manifolds and the exhaust pipes so I decided to try the Remflex material. It is 100% graphite and approximately 1/8" thick. Supposedly it will crush to 1/2 that thickness to seal warped or pitted flanges. It is also supposed to withstand up to 3000 degrees. We'll see.

Unfortunately they don't make the gasket I need so I bought some blank stock. It is very soft and can be cut with a sharp knife but I decided it was easier to use a band saw and a scroll saw. I used a cheap Chinese brad point wood bit to drill the holes which worked very well. Actually I used a cheap Chinese band saw and scroll saw as well.

[Compton]

Big fan of your truck and the safety wire. I love these little details and the questions that people have.

I plan on lock wiring every thing down on my apache build that I can just so people ask why or what is that.

The trouble is finding the fasteners when you are too lazy to drill them for the wire.

Good luck with the rest!!

[OutlawDrifter]

Looks good, I love the sound of a straight 6 with a split manifold!

[Z10]

Diceman, why didn't you ask me for a used Viagra package to make those out of?

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by Z10

Diceman, why didn't you ask me for a used Viagra package to make those out of?

I was afraid you couldn't spare one.

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by Compton

Big fan of your truck and the safety wire. I love these little details and the questions that people have.

I plan on lock wiring every thing down on my apache build that I can just so people ask why or what is that.

The trouble is finding the fasteners when you are too lazy to drill them for the wire.

Good luck with the rest!!

Thanks Compton,

I get a lot of fasteners at a military surplus store. They have thousand's of AN fasteners that they sell for a dollar a pound. Every time I go over there I pick up a couple of pounds. I have even found titanium.

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by Z10

Diceman, why didn't you ask me for a used Viagra package to make those out of?

Here's what Z10 is talking about. (inside joke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbI...ature=youtu.be

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by diceman50

Here's what Z10 is talking about. (inside joke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbI...ature=youtu.be

Hilarious and informational all at the same time! And I was well into my teens before I realized ready made water pump, thermostat, etc gaskets could be purchased. We had a roll of gasket material in the drawer for use. That was in the days before Cialis.

Nice work on the exhaust gasket, and the video.

[diceman50]

Thanks A/D,

That was a video I did for my monthly tech talk at our car club meetings. One of my fellow members asked me for a copy. I didn't know he was going to post it on YouTube.

[diceman50]

Parts are coming in slowly. Finally got everthing to rebuild the starter. That is done and tested. Despite the cold wet weather I was able to get the bell housing painted. I also got the parts to freshen up my Saginaw close ratio 3 speed tranny.

[diceman50]

I am still waiting for some misc. parts to come in before I install my new engine. During the down time I am taking care of some ancillary items. Several years ago I found a reproduction 1941-55 GM Truck Radiator Overflow Tank. I never knew they had them back then. Deciding that it would be period correct for my truck I ordered one. When it came I really didn't like it that much but decided to use it anyway. It is made of sheet steel and doesn't have an opening in the top. There is no way to add fluid or tell how much is in it.



I don't want a plastic one or one of the skinny stainless steel ones for street rods so I decided to build one. I want it have a commercial period correct look and after looking around the shop I found an old flip top fuel tank lid and part of a fire extinguisher bottle that looked promising. I don't like square ends on a tank so I made a simple hammer form and hammered out an end for the tank. I also made a bung for the other end a couple of tubes and a mounting bracket. Following are some pictures of the finished product. If you are interested there is also a link to a slideshow that shows the process.







http://s532.photobucket.com/user/dic...ow/Puke%20tank

[Advanced Design]

Really nice job on building the overflow tank. It "looks right" with the theme of your truck Dice. I like that flip top.

What is attached to the starter solenoid and starter nose in the picture above? By the way it is hooked up it looks like it could be spinning the starter though I've never seen a power unit so small.

[diceman50]

Are you talking about this? If so it is a PowerGen alternator that I had washed and was letting it drain.