[Bruce Lancaster]

After reading Ron's report on tracking down a pressure problem that turned out to be a badly machined Melling, and working with someone on HAMB in a LONG thrash that eventually turned up a badly machined pressure relief that could not seat, I would sure as hell disassemble any recently made pump and measure and examine everything.
After first reading about this I went and disassembled a junkyard truck pump that I found with its screen blocked with GRAVEL, a real Ford cast with 8BA--B designation, and discovered that this filthy piece of junk was well within spec and, aside from a little dirt and the gravel, ready to go back to work.
There are enough specs in the '49-51 book to work with, side clearance, mesh, and of course you want gears with good bushings and no wobble.
Ford did not cover endplay, a VERY important place for building pressure, so I went with a Chevy spec which I think was .007 down there...
Measure, scrutinize the pressure relief, and as Ron discovered check the fit of casting into the block...his was dumping all the pressure right there!
I now collect used Ford ones at swap meets, where they are dirt cheap because everyone goes for a new Melling.

The good old days...circa 1970...at Joblot I could root through a 55 gallon drum containing the full range of NOS Ford and Lincoln pumps, right next to another drum containing every imaginable pickup...I remember picking up a 337 Lincoln one for a friend building an Ardun...