Flathead V-8

[gbritnell]

Ok, grab a spring and insert it into the cavity while locating the upper end on the valve guide extension. Check. Now grab the spring with a pair of forceps and compress it enough to slide the spring retainer underneath and locate into the bottom end of the spring. Check, well kind of. Insert a valve through the guide and spring retainer. Check. Insert the valve spring compressor under the spring retainer and locate the upper end over the valve head. Check. Screw the knurled knob down and compress the assembly. Check. Now grab one of the minute E clips with a pair of bent tip forceps. Check. Snap the retainer in the groove on the valve stem. This gets another kind of check as the angle of the forceps and the working space don't allow much room for manipulation. After a couple of tries the clip is in place.
Now unscrew the compressor allowing the spring cap to seat over the clip. Check. Now turn the cam over and see what happens. Hallelujah! it works just like I planned.  Now only 14 more to go.
gbritnell

[Don1966]

Question George, did you make the springs or purchased them? The tool worked a treat............

Don

[b.lindsey]

What a clever solution to a tricky problem George. Looks like it worked out just as you had planned too. Every update is a new learning experience...so thanks for that!!

Bill

[jschoenly]

Just like the originals... A real chore!  Good stuff!

[gbritnell]

It's been awhile since I posted anything on the build but I have been busy with so many other things. I built the tiny horizontal steam engine, I've attended a couple of engine shows, and the biggest thing is doing all the outside stuff. My sons always have something for me to do.
I just wasn't in the mood to cut cast iron and make rings so I started on some of the other parts, namely the carbs. I wanted them to resemble Stromberg 97's, the hot rodders choice, but to function as air bleed carbs. They are carved from a solid piece of aluminum like most of my parts. Being as there will be two carbs I made the bores a touch smaller than my 302 carb, .140 to be exact. The throttle barrel is .250 diameter.
gbritnell

[fumopuc]

Hi George, fantastic work. They are looking brilliant.

[oneKone]

Hi George,
I quick read through your thread and I'm amazed! Such great craftsmanship.
Looking forward to more posts.

[Don1966]

Gee George, you slipped one by me. Thanks for the penny reference I would of never guested they we that small. Awesome buddy!

Don

[b.lindsey]

Nice to see an update George. I can sure relate to not having any shop time lately...any slower and I would be going backwards!!  Nice work on those carb bodies!!

Bill

[ths]

I saw the photos, and assumed that they were cnc'd. Then I saw the makers name. Very impressive, George. Cheers, Hugh.

[Jo]

Nice 

Thanks for the penny reference I would of never guested they we that small.

I have never seen a US 1 cent piece so I had to look up the size: 19mm (or 3/4" in old money) and 1.6mm thick ( 1/16"). That is the same size as our 5p coin rather than our 1p which is bigger.

Jo

[Bowtie41]

gbritnell,
I am just starting to follow along the build.Simply amazing and beautiful!After seeing how you did the main caps,I was curious why you didn't go ahead and be like the norm and recess the caps?No one will see it after assembly,and I would think it would have been less work than the hollow pins.Your thoughts?Thank You.
Kirk

[gbritnell]

Hi Kirk,
By recess I assume you mean the little notch cut into the top edge of the cap? That could be cut with no trouble but a fixture would have to be made to hold the inserts so that the 'notch' could be stamped into the edge. While it would be more prototypical I think the bronze inserts would crack when stamped. I have used the pin setup on most of my engines and it really isn't that much work.
gbritnell

[gbritnell]

Well when you're the first one building from your own drawings there's bound to be changes and modifications. Such is the case with the carbs. When I had the CAD drawing in front of me the carbs looked just right but after all the machining I set them on the engine and they just didn't look right. Not having anything but photos to work from I scaled them to what I thought was appropriate.
Anyway I went back to the drawing board and increased the size by 25%. I told myself that now they looked just right. If after machining they didn't they were going to be used anyway.
I left the throttle barrel and venturi sizes the same but enlarged everything else.
It actually went a little quicker this time as I already knew all the machining steps.
The first two pictures are the new carbs. By themselves it's hard to tell what size they are but sitting next to the first one there is a noticeable difference.
Quite naturally the carb flange on the intake manifold needed to be modified. I couldn't use the existing holes to mount the flange as they were too close to the new ones so I added another set. The manifold was trimmed back and the new flange was made to slip over it. I had some stainless oval head 2-56 screws from another job so I mounted one in a holding bushing and trimmed the head down. The remaining Phillips recess was just deep enough to tighten them down.

[gbritnell]

I'll have to see if I can add more picture later. I keep getting an internal server error.
gbritnell