The Ford Barn

Pech33 · 12-08-2021, 07:01 PM

Am starting the above project on Friday. Transmission is back from Van Pelt’s, clutch, gaskets, water pumps etc have all arrived. Engine is sitting on a 1” square tube across front wishbone, front mounting bolts are loose and ready to come out. I am mounting on the engine stand with a Stumpfy Adapter. So, the engine runs great, it is smooth as silk. It is marked “59” on the bell housing, the heads have the letter “A” on them. It was not painted when it was rebuilt and installed in the car about 1980. I have the Ford Antique Green cans of paint. My question is this: what is the best cleaner to use to remove the “road oil” etc from the block?. It’s not caked with dirt. I am planning on doing this inside the shop but I could roll it outside and hose it off if that’s the best way to do it. I have to take the pan off to get at the flywheel and the pan is painted black. I have read where one should flush the cooling jackets with vinegar. When I pulled the radiator it was pretty clean. The radiator shop tested it, hot tanked it and repaired the areas where the wires get tucked in. Another thing, It is a 59 engine, but is it a small bore or larger bore, 85 or 100 horse? (Van Pelt’s literature says they had some 85hp “59’s”.) Isn’t the only way to be sure is to measure the bore? If the answer is yes, do I just pull one head and replace the head gasket? Why pull the other head except I will paint the head I remove and the other head gets “overpainted” at the gasket surface. Copper head gasket versus felt? Mix and match? What grease goes in the rear bearing retainer at the rear of the transmission? Any special gear oil for transmission (90wt?). Any other tips would be appreciated.

drolston · 12-08-2021, 09:59 PM

I would not pull a head just to measure the bore. Why take the chance on breaking a head bolt/stud? Or getting a gasket leak?

With the engine out you could degrease, scrub and power wash the engine. Then wire brush all painted surfaces. Tape up any surfaces that should not get paint, like exhaust and intake gasket surfaces. Give it a final wipe down with Xylene before spray painting.

alanwoodieman · 12-08-2021, 10:20 PM

if it is not broken do NOT fix it, pull the pan for flywheel surfacing and clutch replacement, a tight tight space but you can measure the bore with a pair of dividers. 59 is a 46/48 engine so should be 239 CI and 100 hp. I use cheap oven cleaner to remove grease and you can then spray with lacquer thinner/brake cleaner or wash it with purple power. any grease in the trans bearing as it will be "washed: out as trans fluid runs in trans

marko39 · 12-09-2021, 07:58 AM

for trans. you want a gear oil marked GL-4.

Pech33 · 12-12-2021, 06:26 PM

Got the engine out, the flywheel wouldn't clear over the dowels, I went to Duck Duck Go and and an old Ford Barn thread popped up and as soon as I rotated the crank to get the dowels at 9 & 3 the flywheel almost fell off. The engine has a big "59" on the bell and it had a small brass tag just below the generator and covered in grease/oil. It is upside down and has the numbers "59923" on the brass tag. The same numbers are on the drivers side of the intake manifold on the flat area, preceded by the number 28 with a circle around it and the 28 is also stamped just after the number. Not sure what this means. It most likely was a Ford produced engine to replace the original engine. Where it came from is a mystery to me. I have started wirebrushing the block, and have painted the bell and the back of the block. The nuts on the heads really clean up nicely with and electric drill powered wire wheel. I'm leaving the heads on it.

Pech33 · 12-12-2021, 06:32 PM

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Got the engine out, the flywheel wouldn't clear over the dowels, I went to Duck Duck Go and and an old Ford Barn thread popped up and as soon as I rotated the crank to get the dowels at 9 & 3 the flywheel almost fell off. The engine has a big "59" on the bell and it had a small brass tag just below the generator and covered in grease/oil. It is upside down and has the numbers "59923" on the brass tag. The same numbers are on the drivers side of the intake manifold on the flat area, preceded by the number 28 with a circle around it and the 28 is also stamped just after the number. Not sure what this means. It most likely was a Ford produced engine to replace the original engine. Where it came from is a mystery to me. I have started wirebrushing the block, and have painted the bell and the back of the block. The nuts on the heads really clean up nicely with and electric drill powered wire wheel. I'm leaving the heads on it.

rotorwrench · 12-13-2021, 11:33 AM

Tags usually indicate an overhaul but they generally have the main and rod bearing specs stamped on as well. Not all were done the same way though. Most blocks with the "59" on them are 239 engines but the exception is the late wartime replacement block for the 221. These have the "59" but also have the 221 block characteristics like the ledge above the timing cover that will accommodate a pencil resting there. Ford made these for a while and maybe even after the war for a bit.

12-08-2021, 07:01 PM	#1
Pech33 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Mukilteo, WA; Rio Verde, AZ Posts: 163	Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible Am starting the above project on Friday. Transmission is back from Van Pelt’s, clutch, gaskets, water pumps etc have all arrived. Engine is sitting on a 1” square tube across front wishbone, front mounting bolts are loose and ready to come out. I am mounting on the engine stand with a Stumpfy Adapter. So, the engine runs great, it is smooth as silk. It is marked “59” on the bell housing, the heads have the letter “A” on them. It was not painted when it was rebuilt and installed in the car about 1980. I have the Ford Antique Green cans of paint. My question is this: what is the best cleaner to use to remove the “road oil” etc from the block?. It’s not caked with dirt. I am planning on doing this inside the shop but I could roll it outside and hose it off if that’s the best way to do it. I have to take the pan off to get at the flywheel and the pan is painted black. I have read where one should flush the cooling jackets with vinegar. When I pulled the radiator it was pretty clean. The radiator shop tested it, hot tanked it and repaired the areas where the wires get tucked in. Another thing, It is a 59 engine, but is it a small bore or larger bore, 85 or 100 horse? (Van Pelt’s literature says they had some 85hp “59’s”.) Isn’t the only way to be sure is to measure the bore? If the answer is yes, do I just pull one head and replace the head gasket? Why pull the other head except I will paint the head I remove and the other head gets “overpainted” at the gasket surface. Copper head gasket versus felt? Mix and match? What grease goes in the rear bearing retainer at the rear of the transmission? Any special gear oil for transmission (90wt?). Any other tips would be appreciated.

12-08-2021, 09:59 PM	#2
drolston Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Williamsburg, VA Posts: 1,627	Re: Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible I would not pull a head just to measure the bore. Why take the chance on breaking a head bolt/stud? Or getting a gasket leak? With the engine out you could degrease, scrub and power wash the engine. Then wire brush all painted surfaces. Tape up any surfaces that should not get paint, like exhaust and intake gasket surfaces. Give it a final wipe down with Xylene before spray painting.

12-08-2021, 10:20 PM	#3
alanwoodieman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: upstate SC Posts: 2,963	Re: Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible if it is not broken do NOT fix it, pull the pan for flywheel surfacing and clutch replacement, a tight tight space but you can measure the bore with a pair of dividers. 59 is a 46/48 engine so should be 239 CI and 100 hp. I use cheap oven cleaner to remove grease and you can then spray with lacquer thinner/brake cleaner or wash it with purple power. any grease in the trans bearing as it will be "washed: out as trans fluid runs in trans

12-09-2021, 07:58 AM	#4
marko39 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: harpursville ny Posts: 1,040	Re: Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible for trans. you want a gear oil marked GL-4.

12-12-2021, 06:26 PM	#5
Pech33 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Mukilteo, WA; Rio Verde, AZ Posts: 163	Re: Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible Got the engine out, the flywheel wouldn't clear over the dowels, I went to Duck Duck Go and and an old Ford Barn thread popped up and as soon as I rotated the crank to get the dowels at 9 & 3 the flywheel almost fell off. The engine has a big "59" on the bell and it had a small brass tag just below the generator and covered in grease/oil. It is upside down and has the numbers "59923" on the brass tag. The same numbers are on the drivers side of the intake manifold on the flat area, preceded by the number 28 with a circle around it and the 28 is also stamped just after the number. Not sure what this means. It most likely was a Ford produced engine to replace the original engine. Where it came from is a mystery to me. I have started wirebrushing the block, and have painted the bell and the back of the block. The nuts on the heads really clean up nicely with and electric drill powered wire wheel. I'm leaving the heads on it.

12-12-2021, 06:32 PM	#6
Pech33 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Mukilteo, WA; Rio Verde, AZ Posts: 163	Re: Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Got the engine out, the flywheel wouldn't clear over the dowels, I went to Duck Duck Go and and an old Ford Barn thread popped up and as soon as I rotated the crank to get the dowels at 9 & 3 the flywheel almost fell off. The engine has a big "59" on the bell and it had a small brass tag just below the generator and covered in grease/oil. It is upside down and has the numbers "59923" on the brass tag. The same numbers are on the drivers side of the intake manifold on the flat area, preceded by the number 28 with a circle around it and the 28 is also stamped just after the number. Not sure what this means. It most likely was a Ford produced engine to replace the original engine. Where it came from is a mystery to me. I have started wirebrushing the block, and have painted the bell and the back of the block. The nuts on the heads really clean up nicely with and electric drill powered wire wheel. I'm leaving the heads on it.

12-13-2021, 11:33 AM	#7
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Pulling the Engine to Remove Flywheel on 40 Convertible Tags usually indicate an overhaul but they generally have the main and rod bearing specs stamped on as well. Not all were done the same way though. Most blocks with the "59" on them are 239 engines but the exception is the late wartime replacement block for the 221. These have the "59" but also have the 221 block characteristics like the ledge above the timing cover that will accommodate a pencil resting there. Ford made these for a while and maybe even after the war for a bit.