The Ford Barn

Straightpipes · 12-20-2011, 10:59 PM

I was talking to my friend Les about the "good old days".

1963 Les and I drove my 49 coupe to work about 20 miles one way. Little by little over a couple of weeks it developed a knock. As the weeks went by the knock grew louder and louder. With no money for repairs and a spare engine in the shed I figured to keep driving it.
One Friday night we left work and she really started hammering. 20 miles to get home. At the 10 mile mark we couldn't believe that she was still running. I was doing around 50 and didn't let up. At the 15 mile mark we had to turn up the radio. Being a young guy full of piss and vinegar I stuffed it into 2nd and floored it. She stayed together. Got to my street and held her right to the floor to my place. Got up by the barn and Les went and got a cement block and put it on the gas pedal to see how long she'd last.
Didn't take but about a minute and she went apart. Right out the side. Some went through the block and some went through the pan.
Being Friday ( payday) I went in the house and gave Ma $20. That left me $23 so we went out to hoot and holler.
We pulled the engine on Saturday and put in the spare on Sunday and went off to work on Monday.
Les still lives just down the road from me. The engine still lies down behind the barn right where we left it 48 years ago.

Merry Christmas everybody...

12-20-2011, 10:59 PM	#1
Straightpipes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ballston Spa, NY Posts: 789	49 flathead story I was talking to my friend Les about the "good old days". 1963 Les and I drove my 49 coupe to work about 20 miles one way. Little by little over a couple of weeks it developed a knock. As the weeks went by the knock grew louder and louder. With no money for repairs and a spare engine in the shed I figured to keep driving it. One Friday night we left work and she really started hammering. 20 miles to get home. At the 10 mile mark we couldn't believe that she was still running. I was doing around 50 and didn't let up. At the 15 mile mark we had to turn up the radio. Being a young guy full of piss and vinegar I stuffed it into 2nd and floored it. She stayed together. Got to my street and held her right to the floor to my place. Got up by the barn and Les went and got a cement block and put it on the gas pedal to see how long she'd last. Didn't take but about a minute and she went apart. Right out the side. Some went through the block and some went through the pan. Being Friday ( payday) I went in the house and gave Ma $20. That left me $23 so we went out to hoot and holler. We pulled the engine on Saturday and put in the spare on Sunday and went off to work on Monday. Les still lives just down the road from me. The engine still lies down behind the barn right where we left it 48 years ago. Merry Christmas everybody...