Early ? 1932 4 cylinder motor help

[OLDTINDEALER]

Just picked up this with a garage full of other 32 parts. Serial number is an early AB number but somethings look wrong to me. Any help on what is and is not correct. AB 5036XXX

[DavidG]

What looks wrong to you?

It is not an especially early cylinder block as it seems to lack the mounting surface for the mechanism for the never-released vacuum-assisted clutch, but then that surface was likely eliminated from the block casting well before the 36,000th block. The oil filler tube is the early version, but it was used well beyond the 36,000th engine. The intake manifold is the mid/late version which might be a bit of stretch. If the engine number is a concern, the AB prefix did not revert to just B until engine number 62,387.

Lastly, whose to say that the engine and transmission have been a pair since new given that '32 blocks weren't numbered?

[jetmek]

Nice find..be careful with that fuel pump...like gold. The only thing I see wrong is you haven't dropped it off at my shop yet...

[OLDTINDEALER]

David,
Thank you for the info. Story was this was pulled from a car as a unit (your right, may not be original pairing of engine and tranny, but good chance) and re done to be installed a never finished project. I think the patina on the exhaust manifold detracted my attention away from the later intake manifold. Stared at your book and then engine and could not figure out what was bothering me.
As always, your knowledge and insight are greatly appreciated.

[koates]

Hi there, I was looking at the water pump which "appears" to be shorter than a model B pump, like that fitted to a 46 or 33-34 to accommodate the slightly sloping back radiator on those models, but hard to see because of the rag wrapped around it. 1932 B had a cast two blade fan, yours has later four blade pressed metal fan which was on 46, 33-34. Four blade fans were sometimes retrofitted later. The fan also has a long hub on the pulley. What say ye David ? Just an observation. Regards, Kevin.

[DavidG]

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The fan is the later version, but not the water pump. The crank pulley is the Model A/'32 version and the timing gear cover is that of a '32, not the '33-'34 version (the generator would be set back further if it were the later cover). Only the '32 water pump will line up with that combination of crank pulley, timing gear cover, and generator position. (the generator is a later rebuilt version, but its mounting position is as original.)

With respect, perhaps B fans were cast in Australia, but not in North America.

[Charlie Stephens]

Rear plate on generator is '33-'34. Top bolt on bracket for engine steady rods should be countersunk with square head. Brake pedal might hang up on the bolt head that is in the engine.

Charlie Stephens

[DavidG]

Charlie,

The first of three versions of the B steady rod brackets did not have countersunk upper holes and the bolts had thin hex heads. The countersunk special bolts (and brackets with countersunk upper holes) that you refer to were a running change to address the potential interference with the brake pedal in LHD chassis.

In the photos supplied, the left side upper bolt appears to have a thin head, but not the one on the right side. Further, the bracket on the right side appears to have the upper hole countersunk, so your point is well taken. The photos of the left side bracket aren't definitive enough to conclude whether the bracket on that side has a countersunk upper hole or not.