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My wife likes to remind me from time to time of the old Latin expression “mox pecunia diviserunt stulto.”” Something about “”a fool and his money . . . .”””

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I assume the AN900-4 washer you mention Peter is from Brown Aircraft Supply? At $2.68 each they are even pricier than Resto Supply. But you gotta do what you gotta do!

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Thanks Mark. I’ll check them out.

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I have copper crush washers for the water jacket but the smallest I could get was 3/8″ inside diameter, and the bolts are 1/4″ which leaves some play that might interfere with the washers seating properly I fear. OK to use the original washers that came off with the bolts, and put them between the copper washers and the new stainless bolts? That would apply even pressure when torqued down, and ought to make the copper seat completely. Or am I off base on that?

Jack Davis

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I have wondered about that, too. I keep seeing my Series 81 referred to as a “full classic,” but it isn’t on the AACA list.

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Oh, OK, it just came through. Thanks.

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Charles–Your picture apparently didn’t come through.

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I should also add that the stainless bolts are just there to test the threads. I had 17 bolts that broke off and had to be drilled out, and they all came out fine tapped at 1/4 x 28. Two holes had been drilled out to 3/8 during an earlier restoration and I’ll be using Heli coil or equivalent to get them back to 1/4″ I will also be grinding off the markings on the bolt heads. Got almost a quart of rust, some of it chips 3/4″ square, out of the cooling chamber. It isn’t pretty now, but virtually rust free.

Jack

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Addendum to the last. I neglected to specify the head is what I am talking about.

Jack

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I’ve ordered from Resto Supply a cup that is virtually identical to the ones you other 81 owners have. If the one I have in my photo is from a 29 model and anybody needs one, I’ll happily part with it. As you can see in the photo, it has a lot of years on it, making me wonder if it is an original 29 and was retrofitted on my pump when my car went through later restoration?

Jack

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Thanks guys. So it looks like mine is an after market replacement, maybe from the 1970s-’80s restoration that I am now “undoing.”””

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This is all great, but every answer leads to another question, doesn’t it? Working hard with magnets, light files, scrapers, a teaspoon, and a variety of wire brushes, I have the cooling chamber down to metal everywhere I can get to. Of course there may still be rust flakes around behind the cylinder sheaths where I can;t see or reach. The sock gambit should catch that over time. Meanwhile, I had thought of coating all the surfaces I can see or reach with Rustoleum or a similar product to inhibit new rust. Any thoughts on that?

Jack Davis

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I am reading that magnesium anodes are better for freshwater than zinc. Anyone agree/disagree? And can I just place it loose in the cooling chamber? Won’t it shift around in there, or doesn’t that matter?

Jack Davis

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Thanks to everyone. This is all great. Attacking the broken bolts this afternoon, and shoveling out more rust.

I am so impressed by the level of knowledge acquired by experience among the PAS family. I spent thirty years in editorial and executive management in the book and magazine publishing industry, and I can’t help but think all this collected wisdom could add up to an excellent guidebook for classic car restoration. I’m not the guy to do it but it would really be something if the know-how and experience you all have amassed could be made generally available. I’m just saying, as the saying goes.

Jack

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Good advice from both of you. Thanks. Think I’ll go with the nickel bolts.

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So the only real access to the “dark side” of the cylinders is via the cooling chamber. I see where the magnet will come in handy. Have a shop vac fortunately. Do you coat with a rust inhibitor on the accessible surfaces once you’ve gotten all the rust scale off, or is there no point in that?

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Well, Greg, you were just about on the money. I removed the water jacket today and out of 39 bolts, 22 came out intact, and the rest sheared off, so a little better than 50% but not much. And Peter, you were right about the rust. I pulled about a pint or more out in a few minutes, and may get close to that much more out with wire brushes, toothbrushes, spoons, etc. Happily the lip that the plate attached to seems to have suffered virtually no loss of thickness despite all the rusting.

Interesting things when I opened it up. The plate is made of brass and so hasn’t corroded a bit. I presume that was put on in the circa 1980 restoration. There was also one 3/8 bolt while the rest are 1/4, so a probably at that same time the owner drilled out that hole. There are also about 4 of the intact bolts that are nearly twice as long as the rest, including two that hold the coil loop on. Again probably artifacts of the restoration.

So with the exception of the one 3/8 hole, the rest still have good threads I guess. Won’t know until I get the broken remnants out of their holes. Any suggestions for a good way of doing that without doing violence to the threads? I could drill them out with a 3/16 bit but that is risky as I could inadvertently damage threads in the process.

And while doing all this it suddenly occurred to me that there is a whole opposite side of the cylinders that will have the same rust in it, so I guess I’ll be taking off the manifolds, which hadn’t occurred to me until now. Bear of little brain, I guess. But Rosanna Rosannadanna was right. If it isn’t one thing, its another.

Jack

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Thanks Peter. I am learning that the G in Greg stands for “Guru.”””

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Yet again I am in your debt Greg and Peter both. With big steps and little ones I’ll get ‘er done.

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Greg

In case it didn’t register thanks very much indeed for your outstanding advice. I can’t think that you have overlooked anything on the subject, and I’ll have your comments before me as I undertake the job. My hat is off to you. Well, actually, I don’t wear hats as my head is too darn big thanks to hair, not conceit.

Jack

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