VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Advice on 1936 motor/trans rebuild.

Hello Everyone,

I'm restoring a 1936 1/2 ton and need some help with a couple things.
First problem... The main journals and bearings look bad,the rod journals and bearings
look ok though. I see I can get new babbet on the bearings,but it said something about
line boring them when I get them back,can someone enlighten me on how to do that or
if there are other options out there?

Second problem..... The block needs every cylinder sleeved and new pistons and rings,
should I go with the stock cast iron or aluminum pistons?

Now for the transmission, I'm wondering if there's a rebuild kit or do I have to find all the individual parts?
It's the 4 speed btw.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,Tom

Tom
By what you have posted you need a good machine shop that knows about babbit bearings to grind the all of the crank journals and bore/ sleeve cylinders then pour the new babbit and machine to correct size. In most cases pouring babbit bearings and machine work are not for the home rebuilder though the assembling process can be.
Tony

Look at older guys that know this when you go to machine shops. They are still around. Keep to non-modified rebuilding. If they modify something the next time you take it in you might not be able to match it. I agree that you can re-assemble if you know what you are doing and should not consider machining it yourself unless you are a professional machinest. The machine shop can re-assemble your engine to specks.

Tom,
You could be getting an expensive education before this project ends. I hear HORROR stories on this thread about guys who have $7,000.00 in an engine rebuild of a 30s vintage Chevy. This is obscene and completely unnecessary.
First, NEVER let the machine shop source your parts. Most of them don't know where to look and buy the first stuff they find, regardless of price, then mark it up some more when they bill you. Furthermore, a shop that is completely competent at working on modern engines may be clueless when it comes to vintage engines.
There are some genuine GM, .040 oversize pistons on eBay right now for $37.50 buy it now price. Old stock valves are inexpensive through hobby sources. Parts can be found for very reasonable prices.
Your rods can be re-babbited and sized to fit your reground shaft at Pauls Bearing Service at Kearney ?? MO. He can repour your main bearing shells and they would need to be line bored to fit your shaft. This should be the most expensive segment of your rebuild.
The labor to bore a cylinder or do a valve job should cost the same as if it were a modern engine but unfortunately, this is often not the case.
I can help you with some parts if you move forward with the rebuild.
I bought a truck bed from a guy in the St. Louis area a few months ago. He was showing us around and he has a '36 truck engine that he would sell for a very reasonable price. I think he knows some history on the motor. I think it could be started to check oil pressure, smoking , knocking etc.
DO NOT take your engine to a shop and tell them to call you when it is done. It will be a tearful trip home when you go to get it and it might not be done right.

Mike Russell

Machine shops will pressure you to place things like brass valve guides and place valve seats like modern cars. Change the valve angle, etc. I can see no reason to do this to a perfictly good head. Remember doing these extra things will make it so you can NEVER go back! Parts are becomming harder to find. Each part you change leads you into changing another. Next thing you know you can't remember what you changed and what you did not! Try finding a changed out part like yours is then impossable. Worse yet is when you sell the car. The next guy has a real problem figuring out stuff. That is why I keep mine original.

I have a new old stock set of rods with babbit bearings for a 36 207 if interested call me 919-330-7559

Hey Benny -- you seem to have a lot of old parts you are willing to part with. Put a list together and we'll see what you got.

Hi Mike; That name is Paul,s Con Rod # 816-587-4747. Located in Parkville, Mo. Sorry to butt in, but that's who I,m using for the engine. Thanks Jay

I'm nowhere near an expert, but I'd sure try to find another block before paying for a sleeve job!

Line boring is pretty specialized. It's explained fairly well and the original tool is shown in my 1934 Chev shop manual.

Get all the literature you can as soon as you can and STUDY it!

Get the most specific parts book you can. I use a 1935 book for my '34.
The more years in your book, the less it will apply to your vehicle and the less likely it will be to have useful pictures.
Wilson

For what reason do you say the cylinders need sleeving? Measurement, cracks, or ?.