From the BillyBob Shop log

August 26th 2021 Hot August nights sapping my energy in the shop. It's a broiler, even at midnight. I slacked off for a couple of days but then got back to it before I lost my momentum. Finished the nailhead crank journal polishing with 800 grit, 1000 grit and Blue Magic passes. Cleaned the oil passages with nylon brushes, Oileater and Hoppes number 9 passes.

Decided against chamfering for this low RPM shadetree build. Now it's time to measure, measure, measure.

Beer of the day was The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery's Milk Stout. Background music was Jonny Lang Lie to Me.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

September 7th 2021 I measured, measured, measured the nailhead crankshaft until I was confident of my numbers. Those numbers put me into indecision mode for a bit while I tried to chart my best course of action with the crankshaft.

If I come to the conclusion the numbers are too sketchy, I'll bite the bullet and start making local machine shop inquiries or look for another crankshaft. As much as I want it, completing this build without any machining may be a bridge too far.

I tend to dither a long time with dilemmas like this in Terra Incognito so, in the meantime, I pulled out the Buick's heads to clean and inspect. Unfortunately, I leaned too far forward setting down the second head and there was a pop in my lower back. Couldn't move for about thirty seconds while the waves of pain rolled through. If I'm real lucky, I will only be crippled for a few days. One thing is for certain. I won't be free lifting the heads any more.

Beer of the day was Uinta Brewing Company's Trader IPA. Background music was Bob Dylan Bringing it all Back Home.

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I don't know what those ports are for. I'll have to research it. but my initial guess is that those ports provide heat to the intake manifold (there is a couple of inches of open space between the bottom on the intake manifold and the valley cover),

 

From the BillyBob Shop log

September 13th 2021 Summer isn't finished with us yet. It was a scorched earth weekend here in South Florida. Made the decision to clean and inspect both heads together to save some time. Applied Kroil penetrating oil to the spark plugs, valve cover studs, plug wire cover studs and the valve stems. At minimum, one of the exhaust valves is stuck.

Made short work of getting the studs out except for two of the spark plug wiring cover studs, One loosened up enough for the stud extractor after heating with MAP torch and quenching with Kroil penetrating oil. When I popped my back I lost about eighty percent of my wrenching strength and, as a result, my 24" breaker bar has become my new best friend. Unfortunately, it's use twisted the other stuck stud off. Oh well, we'll circle back to that later.

Started the first cleaning pass of the combustion chambers with a brass wire wheel in an electric die grinder.

Beer of the day was The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery's Hoppy Bunny American Black Ale. Background music was Link Wray Be What You Want To.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

September 14th 2021 My valve spring compressor tool is not a good one and I don't have the strength to lock it down so, I tried placing it in locked position and compressing the springs with the adjustment screw. that worked and I didn't have to fall back on my other valve spring tool that I affectionately call the palm bruising star of pain.

Hopefully, not many of the valves are stuck and I will have them out in short order as well. Beer of the day was made for me, Adelbert's Brewery's Sip and Ponder Philosophizer Saison Ale. Background music was Dire Straits Brothers in Arms.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

September 21st 2021 Two of the nailhead valves were stuck and were left to soak a bit with application of Kroil penetrating oil. Got one free by heating the valve guide with MAP torch and quenching with Kroil but the other bad boy wouldn't budge and the only effect was setting the work bench on fire . . . twice. Then . . . the torch valve lit up! Torch valve engulfed in flames, I rushed to the head and submerged it in the toilet. Damn!

Eighty-sixed the torch assembly and attempted to order a new one. These things have increased a couple of orders of complexity since I last bought one. They have everything short of Bluetooth now. Research is required. Groan. This is beginning to look like one of my epic struggles.

Put a chunk of heater hose over the stubborn valve and guide to dam up more penetrating oil where it needs to work. Give it a couple of whacks with the brass hammer every now and then. Maybe it will loosen up. Beer of the day was Clown Shoes Beer Mango American Kolsch. Background music was Grateful Dead American Beauty.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

September 23rd 2021 James Rick on FB suggested induction heat and I have a weakness for shiny new specialty tools. I researched and ordered a Bolt Buster induction heater to try on the stubborn stuck valve guide.

The Bolt Buster arrived and I read the manual, all of two pages with six additional pages of lawyer CYA. This is a nifty tool! It heated the top 3/8" of the valve guide cherry red in less than fifteen seconds. Valve still doesn't move yet with brass hammer persuasion but we'll keep at it. FB buddy Kenneth Crenwelge said he'd have it in the hydraulic press by now but I don't have a press . . . yet.

I'll try Acetone/ATF soakings in lieu of the Kroil when my acetone shipment gets here. Beer of the day was Adelbert's Brewery's Scratchin' Hippo Amber Ale. Background music was Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man Standing.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

September 24th 2021 Time to quit pussy-footin' around. Having decided to replace the valves and, not getting any progress with many taps from the brass hammer, I resolved to heat up the stuck valve guide cherry red again and give it one forceful whack with my twelve pound sledge.

Gave it more than one whack and got movement. Only it was the guide and not the valve that moved. Heated it up again but because of the new, lower position, the valve stem went cherry red, not the guide. Should have stopped and thought about that but I didn't. The next whack bent the valve and broke the guide.

Just damn! Screwed the pooch. This is the same head with the twisted off stud. It's becoming my nemesis. Some deep ponder mode thinking is in order. Beer of the day was Clown Shoes Beer Space Cupcake India Pale Ale. Background music was The Eagles Desperado.

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This is a 1954 engine. The best heads that will fit are the last year for the 322 ci engine, 1956. If I could find a pair, I would abandon fixing the ones I have. My search has been fruitless to date so I'll keep working with the '54 heads for now. I'm studying various options to get the bent valve and broken guide out. My only criteria is not to hurt the head.

 

From the BillyBob Shop log

September 30th 2021 I took the pic of the bent valve and broken guide to the coffee cruise-in on Sunday to get the opinions of my geezer friends. Retired machinist John Carey was present and he offered to help. I never ask John for help these days because he won't take any payment and he has done a lot more for me than I have for him over the years. Sometimes, my one-two punch mistakes, where I mess up and then compound it, intrigue him. He has a little machine shop in his one-car garage and I'm to bring the head out there when I get a set of valve guides for measurement purposes.

Ordered Valve Guides and seals, Rear Main Rope Seal, Oil Galley Plug Kit and Roller Timing Chain Kit from Matt Martin at Centerville Auto Repair. While waiting on that, the head bolts and studs were given the Oileater parts washer treatment. It took four one hour sessions to get all the paint off. That was followed by an Evapo-Rust dip and, finally, a light coating of Marvel Mystery Oil before being set aside.

There are two freeze plugs in the side of each head. Set about to remove them by drilling a pilot hole and screwing in a self-tapping bolt, followed by prying up with a claw hammer. I tried two sizes of bolt and both pulled out without any sign that the plug had moved. Nothin' easy with this head. I'll have to get that replacement MAP torch to heat these things up in case they were installed with threadlocker red.

Beer of the day was Harpoon Brewery's Camp Wannamango Pale Ale with Mango. Background music was The Pilgrim: a celebration of Kris Kristofferson.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

October 7th 2021 My back, since it popped, allows me to pick up very little, unless it is straight up. No veering off vertical axis permitted. I needed a way to move things like cylinder heads, crankshafts, transmissions and the like around the shop and the engine hoist is too big. With that in mind, I ordered a small 300 pound motorcycle lift. It will do nicely for most items.

The care package from Matt Martin arrived with nailhead valve guides and other engine goodies. I'm getting close to taking a day off from my office job and heading out to my friend John's place. Beer of the day was Millstream Brewing Company's Back Road Oatmeal Stout. Background music was The Marshall Tucker Band.

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From the BillyBob Shop log

October 15th 2021 Back to the stubborn freeze plugs in the heads. The MAP torch head replacement arrived and I tried heating up the freeze plug to break any grip the sealant might have. Quenched it with Kroil penetrating oil and let it go back to room temperature. Then I hit it with CRC Freeze-Off Super Penetrant as suggested by FB friend Ken Crenwelge. That worked. Finished up with hammer and chisel. I live for little victories.

Went out to my friend John's place yesterday. He gave me a cup of joe and went to work. Cut off the buggered valve stem and drove out the valve. Then the broken valve guide and installed a new guide, all before I finished my coffee, including making a tool with his lathe to drive out the guide. John finished up by checking for cracks with a magnetic powder. He didn't find any.

We drank beer then for a few hours and John showed me his current projects including a finished Model A engine for a speedster he's building for TROG. John, being John, Poured the babbit bearings and line-bored them in his shop.

He has taken interest in helping me get the heads right and I'm to clean, clean, clean and measure, measure, measure both heads before I take them back to the best little garage machine shop in Boca Raton.

When I get around to ordering pushrods, they will most likely be of greater diameter than the originals and I am faced with the restrictive diameter of the pushrod passages in the 1954 heads. Want to do the modifications now but am not sure how to go about it.

Beer of the day was Harpoon Brewery's Rec. League Hoppy Hazy Light. Background music was The Doors L.A. Woman.

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This engine was the 2nd year for the nailhead. The only pushrods available today are 5/16ths. as opposed to 1/4" (solid) originals. Where to enlarge the pushrod passages is what I'm trying to find out. I don't want to mockup the whole valve train assembly to check clearances if I don't have to. The unique geometry of the nailhead valve train makes it subject to minute changes causing problems.

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