My '40

[Windsor]

https://youtu.be/XtnpPZI1xpc

[Mopar Nut]

 

[Windsor]

Unfortunately, the leaking rear main has gone from a couple drops to a pool of oil under my car. Drove it about a hundred miles yesterday and it went from full oil right after an oil change to barely on the dipstick. Then went out there today and there was a puddle of oil in the drip pan under the car. Getting closer and closer to time to pull it and rebuild.

[Windsor]

Any suggestions on replacing the rear main seal with the engine in the vehicle? I'm going with a rope seal instead of a rubber. I am going to get a Sneaky Pete install tool, but if anyone has any hints or suggestions. I really just don't want to spend a day pulling everything apart to pull the motor again just to replace the seal. 

[Windsor]

Decided that I will just pull the motor. While I am at it, I am going to redo everything. I am going to cut out te firewall and build a new one with 11ga sheet reinforced with 3/4" angle iron welded on the inside in strategic spots for strength. I am also going to recess the new firewall, and install a transmission tunnel then move the motor back. Front and mid plates are coming out and I have already gotten the items I need to install standard motor mounts ('64 B Body big block brackets with 2227 and 2228 motor mounts) which will be on boxed out mounts that will be welded to the frame. I will get another radiator made and run a mechanical w/p. I ordered an aluminum pump, I will chop the inlet off then modify it to an angle that will clear the frame and have the guys at the shop weld it back together.
Cool factor of the electric w/p and all the hoses and fittings will be gone, but if I'm going to do all the work to the firewall, I might as well make it simpler.
Hardest part of deciding to do this is havin to build a new set of headers. That sucks.  
So, when I yank it apart, I will have a pair of Mancini BB water manifolds, a bunch of fittings, and a Stewart electric w/p that will go into the FS section (racers who don't want to run a mechanical?).

[Windsor]

Pulled my carb spacer off to hook up my lift. Damn thing has a couple layers falling off. Not burnt, but softened to the firmness of a bicycle inner tube. So much for those composite spacers standing up to use. I'll get a picture if it tomorrow.
Got the engine out and firewall cut out. I still need to cut out a foot of the floor and then rebuild it all with a recess and trans tunnel.

[JB400]

 

[Windsor]

Front floor pan sectioned and hole cut out for transmission. About to figure out placement and start getting engine mounts figured out.

[Windsor]

Using 10ga sheet for the firewall/toe board/ and trans tunnel. Got the recess cut out and the components cut to size. Next, I will build the trans tunnel and figure out where to cut the toe board and recess for it to fit.

[Windsor]

[Windsor]

Started building headers.

[Mopar Nut]

 

[Windsor]

I'll admit, I hate building headers. Killing my back with this.

[Windsor]

Slowly getting stuff done on my car. Rear main seal has been replaced, also replaced the cam plug. Napa couldn't get just 1, so I had to buy 10 of them. A whole $11. While I had the plug out, I went ahead and checked the cam #s. turns out it has an Erson HiFlow cam. I'm guessing the 1088 means Oct 1988?

[OldCranky]

Nice!   

[Windsor]

Been fighting major back pain to get more done. Anyways. Firewall is welded in, motor is mounted, steering is finished, new brake lines from master installed. Need to finish up my headers, put the driveline back in, finish rewiring, get a couple oil fittings, and go up to the radiator shop and build the radiator.
Cleaned the original info plate, painted it, sanded to show the stamping, the clear coated it. Some of the stamped letters were barely raised/worn that I had to scratch them out to get it somewhat clear.

[Windsor]

[Windsor]

[Dino]

Man you've been busy!   

[Windsor]

New radiator got finished today.

[Mopar Nut]

Looks good!

[Windsor]

Well, my new melling m-63hv oil pump is pissing me off. Pressure is pegged at 80 (max on the gauge) at idle cold and only goes to 74 when warmed up. The amount of oil getting blown past the rear main seal makes it seem that the engine has explosive diarrhea.

[Windsor]

Long time since an update. Motor is rebuilt and in the garage. Building a new chassis based on a 1st gen Dakota front end, and will be using a CA chassisworks 2x4 back half with 4 link. I may eventually go air ride, but $ dictates that I go coil springs in the front and coilovers in the rear. I will be building a custom cage to fit once I get the body transferred over.
Still have another month before the doc says its ok to use my arm, and still fighting the VA to get a spinal fusion done so hopefully the pain will go away.

Dakota Frame: cut off the back 2/3 and tossed it. Cut the frame horns off and built a custom front crossmember for the radiator/front body mount. Cut off the OE 4cyl mounting base.
Rails: 2x4x.188" cut and squared to match at 71.5" long. 2x.5" plate milled down to 2x16.5x.454" and welded to the top of the forward end of the rails. 12 7/8" of the rails (with top plate) will very firmly (as in press fit) go inside the OE rail section with self tapping bolts pulling it tight to the side with rosette welds to "lock" it in place.
Crossmember: 2x4 squared to be a press fit between the rails. Two 4.5"x1/4" pipe sectioned cut to 2" and welded into milled holes in the crossmember. I plan to cut out enough to build a bolt in section to be able to drop the tranny without removing the motor. I plan to triangulate reinforcements from the crossmembers (tranny and back half) to the rails.
Additional plans:
    motor mount- frame tabs are being cut out of 1/4" plate by a local shop with a water jet (should be done this week) and will be welded to reinforcement plates on the frame.
    Trans mount- Prothane spool style mount has been ordered and will have frame tabs welded to the trans crossmember drop out section.
    Paint- once entire frame is built, it will be completely sandblasted and coated with POR-15. I chose paint over powdercoat because once I get the body mounted, I will be building a cage. It is easier to clean off paint and weld than to try to guess where powdercoat needs to be taped off.

More will be update in the future. This build would have been even more of a nightmare without the help of many of the good folks here. So, for everyone that has chimed in/given thoughts & advice, thank you.