Engine and Transmission are Back, plus: Expenses adding up.

I've been out of town on family business for the last several weeks and I've just returned. Time to update the progress of the Garwood Car.

The engine components are back from the machine shop and Dan has begun to reassemble the engine. The good news is there were no issues with internal components, so things should go well once she is put back together again. As you'll see from the latest invoice at the end of this blog, the expenses continue to climb. The cost of the machine shop work on the block, heads, pistons, and new rings is $2,345.99. Again, well worth it to me to know a 50-year-old engine is good to go internally.

These next two pictures show the block coming together. It is upside down at the moment, and the components at the top will rest in the oil pan.

Here's the oil pan, all cleaned out and ready to go back in service. Dan noted that, though the engine was in good shape when he disassembled it, there was a lot of sludge buildup. That's all gone now.

Here are the clutch and the other gears that will get mounted next week. Note, the yellow grease pencil marks "267" are from the machine shop. They assign a number to each rebuild, so they keep all the same, matching parts together.

Here's a look at the original battery. Note the bulging ends. The plates inside have been corroding for fifty years and the growing corrosion is pressing outward. The plan is to refurbish this battery to NCRS judging standards by cutting out the bottom, cleaning out the inside, and placing a new dry-cell battery inside. That way, the externals will look original. We will place the shell under heat and then clamp the sides to press them back into their original shape. Also note, we will fill the battery with baking soda and water to neutralize the inside. Although there is no liquid acid left, the fumes when the battery is cut open can be very bad, so treat with baking soda and water first and wear facial and breathing protection when attempting this.

Note the "elephant skin" raised pattern on the top and sides. It is interesting to note that the NCRS Judges manual says the wording on the decal should be reversed from what is shown on my battery. The "Recommend Replacement" wording should be on the right. Interesting!

Note the transmission in the picture below, which has been rebuilt. It shows a nice contrast between the original condition on the left half and cleaned up on the right half. Once the rest of it is cleaned, it will be mated back to the rebuilt engine. Again, everything checked out normal during the tear-down. No broken teeth, stripped gears, or anything noteworthy. Another good sign.

In closing for today's blog, here is the complete invoice to date.

Note the expensive items: Rebuilt vacuum headlight and wiper door actuators: $605.00. Rebuilt brake calipers: $420.00. Re-cored radiator: $572.00. Bias-ply (not radials!) tires that are reproductions of the original tires that it wore when it left the factory: $1,140.00. A/C compressor rebuild: $550.00. Costly items, to be sure, but absolutely necessary for safety and performance, not just for judging purposes.

Next week we should finish putting the engine back together. After the engine and transmission are put back into the car and the rest of the components in the engine bay are installed, it will be time to work backward on the frame and address the rear differential and the rear chassis components.