Sam's 30 Tudor

[Tom Endy]

Follow up to Sam Thompson USMC 30 Tudor acquisition:

Thanks to Sue Mitchell a Mitchell overdrive was expedited and delivered Wednesday, March 14th. On the follwing weekend the entire drive train was removed from the car by members of the Orange County Model A Ford Club (Southern California). During the following week the rear axle assembly, bell housing, and transmission were completely rebuilt. On Saturday March 24th everything was ready to go back into the car. By Sunday the 25th the Tudor was back on the road sporting a Mitchell overdrive and a rebuilt drive train.

The next project for the Tudor is to address the massive oil leak from the rear main. The rear main cap was seriously molested when the previous owner took it to a "place" for repair that did not speak Model A. The photos of the cap show serious deterioration of the bearing material, epoxy repair, welding repair, and the cap machined for a modern seal of which there is none.

Bill Barlow of Bend Oregon, who does babbitt repouring, thinks a repair can be facilitated by pouring a new bearing in an unmolested bearing cap to match the bearing dimensions of the old cap. The engine runs very good with no knocks and its life may be prolonged by installing a repaired cap.

The search is on for an unmolested cap to be used as a core. If anyone has one and would like to donate (or sell) one, please contact me.

Tom Endy

[James Rogers]

Never seen a cap done like that. Removing the ends of the shim pack would create a major leak in itself. I don't see any reason for clipping the slinger trough which would contribute to the leak. The only thing I see that would help stop the leak is the seal which I use quite successfully. Why anyone would remove the crank and install this seal (which requires the slinger removal) and not make the correct repairs is beyond my comprehension. I would like to see a picture of the crank and rear bearing in the car just for fun, there might be more to this than these pictures show. This could aleviate more problems that are present and not recognized.

[Greg way out West]

Hi Tom,


I have the 3 main "set" . I E-mailed you yesterday,,,Maybe you didn't get it ?.If your still interested, E-mail me here on FordBarn..


Your's truly,

Greg out west

[al's28/33]

Really good job guys. Too bad someone hacked up the cap, I hope you can find a replacement and save the engine for the time being!

[Tom Endy]

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Thanks to all who responded. A rear main bearing cap has been obtained. It was donated by Orange County Model A Ford club member Jim Nichols of Jim's Automotive services, Costa Mesa, CA (specializing in Model A mechanical service).

Tom Endy