The front end

From the early stages of this build I've been thinking that the coil over "modern" front end was the only way to go with this truck, but I've had a change of heart and wallet. Feedback from truck owners and cold hard facts mean this modification is just not going to happen. In plain English too much cash, too much work for too little gain. I'm going to go with the Scarebird disc brake conversion on the stock front end. That keeps things simpler and cheaper for me. I'm still changing to a more modern differential with disc brakes and a 4 speed or 5 speed transmission. So now I just have to have Sieggy go through the front end and tell me what I should replace. There are some obvious things like spring hangers, king pins, tie rods ends and the drag link looks bent too. The original idea of this build was a "survivor build" and keeping the original front suspension is in keeping with that line of thinking. I have to keep myself in check because it's very easy to start down other paths that change the scope and impact the budget...

3 engines & some good luck

I've really been going after the flathead engine disassembly over the last few weeks. I'm in the midst of engine number 3 right now and if the damn crankshaft nut will let me remove it I'll be into the guts of that engine over this weekend. Hopefully with Sieggy's help once again. I've been getting advice from an experienced engine builder Tim Kingsbury who has helped me understand what I've got to work with for my build. And I must say, so far it looks pretty damn good. I should come out of this with a powerful little 265 engine. I'm going to the after-market for some upgrades such as cast headers, cam, dual intake and carbs.

I really like the look of the old engine with a little tweaking mine should be a unique power plant. I hope mine turns out as nice as this picture I stole from Pintrest.

Road trip: Lethbridge

I'd been advised by contributors on another website to look for a 251/265 engine as they make the best candidates for my project. I found an old add on Kijiji for a Dodge flathead 6 so I contacted the seller and got almost no information I could use to identify the motor. I decided to take a chance and drive the 5 hours each way for elimination purposes if nothing else. It also gave me chance to visit with my brother and Mom in Calgary on the way back. My Mom is staying in Calgary while things about the fire in Fort McMurray get worked out, her home was completely destroyed and all her belongings were burned. So by my calculations our family was due some good luck. The trip was uneventful and after navigating my way to a rather obscure location outside Lethbridge I found seller's business. Site investigation really didn't provide much more than I already knew. The engine is an odd duck and I decided to take a chance and buy it on speculation.

As you can see several things have been modified on this engine the oil filter, alternator, power steering are all mods. The dip stick integrated into the block instead of oil pan are also different from the 2 other engines I've worked on. The bore is 3 7/16" and the stroke is 4 3/4" so it is a 265 cubic inch engine.