VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Personalized Modifications Beverly Hillbilly Truck

Thanks for that info. The P1 motor spins nice and I will leave that cam gear alone. P2 is still frozen and cam or lifters will not budge as well as one piston. Soaking in MM oil for a week now. Stephen

Verlyn Husman has had 50 cam gears cut from aluminum recently. They are available. Work on several years of 4 cylinder as well as early 6. Difference is in the thickness not number of teeth or pitch.

I dont see any way to pull that gear without damage, especially on a froze motor. Here you can see the center of what is left after ripping the gear material off. This is the P2 froze everything motor. Going to put some heat to it Sat. when my working man help is back. Trying to save what we can for parts. Stephen

Use a die grinder or Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to score the hub as much as possible. Then use a cold chisel from the end, not side, to split the hub open for removal. Cut at the key way to minimize the depth of cut needed. Finding a new key should not be a problem.

Mike

Have a truck load of junk heading to Chippers in the AM. Phish

Sounds like major fun!

Say hi to Chipper and his wife for me. I really enjoyed meeting them at the South Lake Tahoe 55th Anniversary meet in 2016.

Cheers, Dean

It will be interesting to meet Spyphish and see the so called "junk". It is my belief that no old Chevy parts are "junk" just resting in retirement.

It is people like Dean that make the VCCA the club it is. His vehicles may not be #1 rated but attract more attention that those over restored trailer queens. I expect Spyphish's to do the same.

Just an update on this, with some additional tuning and leaning out the mixture, I am now averaging right around 10 - 11 MPH (up from ~9). Once my overdrive project is complete, I'm hoping to get in the neighborhood of ~14 MPG, we'll see!

-Tyler

Well worth the trip over to Chippers. GREAT people. Learned a lot and saw a lot (they got a lot!!). Dropped off 3 core carbs and picked up 2 correct rebuilt ones and he tested and repaired the P1 vac tank. Got some pics of his cars for help with ours. Also grabbed an Iron Duke motor with 14 miles on it that he hauled back from Az. for me. His wife made me lunch for the road and gave me a sample G&D mag. Novenber 2017 and as we flip thru it, on page 17 there I am, the only non Chevy vehicle in the book. Joliet Jake Blues

Thanks Chipper and Ms.

PS Santa stopped by while I was in Texas. Parts starting to roll in.

It was indeed a pleasure to help you get another old Chevy on the road. Preservation of these little parts of automotive history is what it is all about.

Banged the piston out of P2 motor. Labeled 40 over and will need a bore to use. P1 motor on the other hand is very nice labeled 50 over. Rods have shims left to tighten and babbit looks ok. Will clean, hone and reassemble. One motor has 3 solid rings and the other has a slotted oil ring?? Shifter has one rod unstuck and the other two moving using the torch to heat. Both tranny gears look usable. It's a marathon not a sprint. A piece of babbit on the outer edge of one rod broke off. Any babbit engine builders near SW louisiana? Thanks

Ever onward! ;-)

Here's an interesting thread that discusses a DIY rebabbiting of a connecting rod: https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/283994/chevrolet-national-1928-ab-engine-bearings.html

I seem to remember that someone 'fixed' one rod's bearing that had cracked babbit, but can't find the post right now.

I might have of new OEM set of new rings. Will check my stash and get back to you.

Cheers, Dean

P1 motor, the free one, has a broken edge babbet as pic shows. Also one rod has a different part number. P2, the stuck motor has 4 matching rod part numbers. However the 2nd numbers range from 450s to 460s???? Is that a bob weight, something to do with balance? Learning as we go.

I don't know any babbitt pourers in Louisianna but if it's just the rod, Gary Wallace and/or the Filling Station will do an exchange, usually about $250/rod and often have undersized bearings if the crank journals have been ground.

-Tyler

Many VCCA members have used Paul's Rod and Bearing in Kansas City area. https://www.paulsrodandbearing.net/
I have used them several times and have been satisfied with the work. Also for babbitt work at Harkin Machine Watertown South Dakota. .

There is an engine rebuilder in Baytown, TX that does babbitt engines. They take a long time!! I have an engine that has been there for nearly 6 months for babbitt bearings only. They do good work if you can stand the delay.

Started juice disc brake test fit pn P1HB. Steering stop will need to be unbolted but I think when I get the rust coat off the 92 year old axle they may work. I see no way to keep backing plate without mods but just started. The "Duke" motor is 4 inchs longer due to fan clutch. So flex fan or notch the firewall since there is not one stick of wood on this truck, other than the spokes. Phish

We have the juice brake hardware designed but going back stock. Will shelf it in case we do something with 3rd truck. Dropped P1HB rear axle assembly to start cleaning brake levers an axle hinge. Had to torch a few pieces so spare truck handy. Have 1 spoke wheel out to dry after an 8 day soak. Turned it black. Phish

Had a nice as can be in 2020 Christmas. Did spend about 8 hours on the rear brake rods and put the rear axle assembly back in place. Lots of tapping, soaking and down right hammer time. Start on front today. Brake rods, adjusters and steering takedown, clean and grease. Merry Christmas

P1HB: The hardest part is the crumbling cotter keys and stuck pins on brake rods. Pulled most of the front brake rods which were bent from some "stump jumping" in the past. Chased threads and cleaned shackels. Both front brake hinge levers as well as cross rod are froze. They come off next. Pulled gas tank for cleaning, love the frame stump. Tried a test rivet on a new pad. Need to go deeper as per Chipper. Thanks

Have the final spoke wheel in soak tank. We hope to have P1BH as a roller soon. Sending both P1 and P2 motors off for check out and rebuild. Aint gonna' to be cheap but needs to be reliable. SLH

Still need to patch shop roof. Thanks Laura

I love that stump too!

Watch out Phish or you'll end up as our 1928 one ton truck expert!

Ever onward! Dean

Expert, prolly not but we have a LOT of parts to learn on. P1HB has grease cups on each side for the rear axle bearing. P2 and the LP have zerts. Which is better you think? We carry a cordless grease gun. Phish

Phish,
I have two more '28 trucks for you when you get your arms around these.

Mike

UNCLE!!! 28 meter pegged. BUT June 21 Great Race lunch stop is in Rolla, 90 miles south of you. So meet us for lunch and get some parts back. Love to meet you. Not sure which theme we will be but class clowns for sure. FBI, Ghostbuster, Blues Brothers, BAMA Trooper OR Beverly Hillbilly

While contemplating the rebuild of the P1 and P2 motors, here's an interesting thread that discusses modifying the water pump with new bearings: Modifying Chevy 4 banger water pump bearings

Cheers, Dean