An embarrasing side quest.

[montanafordman]

While Ive been humming right along on my total front end rebuild, riveting frame crossmember swap and engine swap I hit an embarrasing snag. If you caught my previous post about the crossmember we got the engine installed and everything! We did fight getting the engine in between the mounts for considerable time because we didnt have a frame spreader and it just didnt want to slide between the mounts.

While cleaning and organizing things today I came across my flywheel dowel pin retainer... In my haste and excitement I forgot to put that under my flywheel bolts so the cavalry is coming back tomorrow to help me pull the engine (again) so I can take the clutch off and flywheel bolts to install the dowel pin retainer. I am an amateur after all - and prone to stupid mistakes.

I once used a frame spreader the Tacoma Model A club had when I lived in washington and wanted to buy a commercially made one for a while just to have, but it seems everyone has been out of stock for some time.

I've been working so many late nights I needed a break from the car so I switched gears and gathered some steel to make my own frame spreader so we dont fight the install like we did the other day. I loosely followed some plans I found but used some 2" square tubing I had, and got the rest from a local fabrication shop, farm supply and hardware store. (One more short piece of 2" square tubing, some 1/4 steel plate, 1" iron pipe, 1" all thread, 1" nut and washer.) Don't pay any attention to my welds, they were not that great but the dimensions and final product turned out pretty good! Just remeber - "a grinder and paint will make you the welder you aint!" 🤣 I'll clean it up more later and paint it - but its functionally ready for tomorrow.

I have no doubt we wont have trouble fitting between the engine mounts now.

[Chuck Dempsey]

Handy tool to have! Good luck.

[Bruce of MN]

I forgot that part myself last Fall, but luckily noticed it before I installed the engine.

[400A]

I once forgot the universal joint retaining washer. It happens ... we all make mistakes once in a while.

[Y-Blockhead]

Good job on the spreader. Anything to make life easier.

[Trapdoor2]

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My father and I were about to fire up a newly rebuilt engine (VW flat-four) when my little brother walked out to the workbench and said, "what are these?"

They were the wristpin retainers, which we'd missed installing. I had to pull the engine, etc. Thankfully, it was a VW so, it took about an hour or so...

Never heard of a "Frame Spreader". Filing that one away for future use...

[Bob Bidonde]

You should not need to spread (bend) the frame to get the engine between the rear mounts. Sand the inboard rubber pads thinner. Also chamfer the vertical edges of the engine mount surfaces of the flywheel housing. Grease the inboard faying surfaces of the engine mounts. Check to see if there is any damage to the back of the rear main bearing from the bolts protruding through the flywheel too much.

[Vern]

Once upon a time I had rebuilt an engine, put it in the car and hooked everything up. In front of some friends who were helping, I cranked it over as they shouted "SHUT IT OFF"
We (I) had forgotten to torque the head bolts. Liquid was squirting out under the head.
Had to quit, pop a cold one and leave it for another day.

[Synchro909]

Sounds to me like "Boo Boos I have made" would be a good thread. I'd have plenty to contribute.

[Bruce of MN]

Gonna need a bigger internet!

[montanafordman]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Sounds to me like "Boo Boos I have made" would be a good thread. I'd have plenty to contribute.

Originally Posted by Bruce of MN

Gonna need a bigger internet!

I resemble those remarks!

Not my first, and certainly not my last! haha

Engine is back in the car, fenders, light bar, radiator, etc are all on now... I'm getting close! Off the top of my head in no particular order..

Finish wiring headlights, horn, new guage lights
bolt radiator shell on
connect oil pressure guage and run oil line to guage
fill oil
fill coolant
install carburetor and fuel/vacuum lines
install hood
connect battery
install wheels
adjust tie rods/toe in
adjust brakes and secure/ check all cotter pins
adjust clutch
install floorboards/carpet

Still plenty to do but considering what I've done already my list is considerably smaller!

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Trapdoor2

My father and I were about to fire up a newly rebuilt engine (VW flat-four) when my little brother walked out to the workbench and said, "what are these?"

They were the wristpin retainers, which we'd missed installing. I had to pull the engine, etc. Thankfully, it was a VW so, it took about an hour or so...

Never heard of a "Frame Spreader". Filing that one away for future use...

One time my buddy and I installed a new clutch in a VW or 912 Porsche.

Then we found that the clutch would not release.

1. We forgot to remove those steel retainers that kept the pressure plate springs compressed during shipment!

2. This was not part of the problem but: This was during the time that VW was using those carbon block "throw out bearings" which had a carbon block which rubbed on the release arm PLATE ... instead of a ball bearing!

[Flathead]

I used to work on VW's, those comments bring back a lot of memories.