June 8, 2023. Well, I've posted a few things here in the Engine Shop and HiPo Shop, but things are accelerating now that I've set the money aside to finish, so time to start a Project Journal I figure.
I've had my '52 Canadian Half Ton since I asked my grandfather at 15 if we could pull it out from behind the chicken coop to restore, because I thought there was no other way I'd ever have my own vehicle at 16 when I got my license. To my grandfather, I think this meant getting it running and putting in a new seat. I had different ideas. Eventually I pulled the entire body apart and made a pretty solid attempt to do my own bodywork. This included driving all over the Saskatchewan country side looking for body parts that were in better shape than what I had. After all my grandparents used the truck for things like hauling rocks and encouraging the cows to come home by bumping into them, so some of the truck body was pretty beat up. Eventually I took it to a semi-retired body man in the area and he let me help on weekends as we finished it in time for me to win best truck at my high school car show back in 1991. I drove it sporadically after that during summers home from University, but the last time it was registered was in 1996. It sat on my parents driveway for 19 years and then in my garage for the last 9 years. I've picked up the tools a couple times in the last few years to get a start on it, but only got serious in the last year.
At one point about 7 or 8 years ago, I pulled the old 216 out to repaint it. A frost plug was leaking so I knocked it out. The jacket water cavity was filled with crud up to the bottom of the frost plug hole. So, that's why the thing never ran right and seemed to overheat before getting around the block. I stripped that engine down to the block to get it hot tanked, put it half back together and then life took over for a bit. During this hiatus, I found out my uncle was going to hire a scrap metal guy to come take all the scrap from my grandfather's old farm yard, including a 1952 1 1/2 ton grain truck that was used until the day my uncle quit farming and rented the land out. I did some checking and sure enough, the grain truck had a full pressure 235 in it. Was about 3 or 4 years ago that I drove home and pulled that engine to refurbish. It went to the machine shop two years ago, and I got it back about a year ago. Yesterday a visit from an auto body guy to have a look and get me a quote for a repaint and some bodywork fixes has put me on track to have the project done before August of 2024 in time for the car show in my home town.
The engine block was cast on December 28, 1955, so I'm pegging it as a 1955, 235. The plan is:
- bored out to .06 over - shaved the block .05 - 848 head - ported the head with a bench flow test (approximately 7% more air flow over stock at .3 valve lift, but about 12% more airflow if you compare .4 valve lift flow increase to the stock .3 lift flow) - aluminum pistons - mild cam over stock (.405 intake valve lift with only 3 degrees more duration over stock but opens 1 degree before TDC instead of 1 degree after and .428 exhaust valve lift with about 17 degrees more duration over stock) - rotating assembly balanced
I'm currently taking measurements to see if I'm going to have an issue with valves contacting the piston (pics attached - notice the high tech jiffy marker push rod). I'm calculating .034 clearance between the valve and piston with a .06 thick gasket, so will look to fly cut the pistons for a bit more clearance and research compressed gasket thickness more. I measured the previously used gasket to get .06 thickness. The number one piston is actually above the deck by .011. Will mock up the others to see if they are the same.
I'm keeping the truck fairly stock with the following changes.
- front disc brakes - power brake booster - differential gear change to 3.73 ratio (still investigating what ratio I want) - likely rear disc brakes (still deciding) - remove two rear leaf springs (will never haul anything and hoping to smooth the ride out a bit)
I've attached pictures of the truck as it was yesterday when I pulled it out of the garage. Likely will change the color to a metallic forest green.
Will begin stripping for the body shop in the next few days. They will disassemble and store the cab for me so I can sandblast and coat the frame. Body work won't begin until the fall. Prior to that I'll be looking to get the engine back together and the brake and differential conversions done.
Excited to finally be looking at an end date and be able to drive a functional truck! Will try to post progress as I go.
Last edited by Peggy M; 07/04/20236:06 PM. Reason: title
