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Modern drivetrain, classic styling. Our 1939 Ford Four Door has its original flathead V8, trans and torque tube style rear rear end. While many would rebuild these components, our 39 is destined for a modern, more reliable drivetrain with parts that are readily available at reasonable prices. Four our project, we chose a Chevy 350 with a 350 trans. Our rear will most likely be a 10 or 12 bolt gm and connected via a conventional driveshaft. Also, we will need to update all electronics to 12 volt from 6 volt. This also means updating gauges, lighting, etc.

The Teardown - Be sure and take the time to correctly label, photograph and document your teardown. Our objective is to have the engine appear "similar" to its predecessor with its color, style, and accessories. Do not get in the habit of ripping and tearing wiring, hoses, misc. You never know when any of these parts can be salvaged for use again or even resale to offset some of your projects' costs. Keep your eyes open for accessories like valve covers or air cleaners that will give the look of the original engine.

Disassembly - First things first. Remove hood and find a nice home for it. It wont see the car for a short while. After removing hoses, wiring, and misc bolt ons, carefully remove the radiator and grille shell and it doesn't hurt to remove the front bumper as it allows you to get closer to the engine without breaking your back.. The radiator should be at least pressure tested and cleaned. We are choosing a modern aluminum radiator so there are no issues of keeping our lead sled cool. Ours are available in the correct size. If yours isn't, you might need to have one custom made. Remove all engine/trans mounting and disconnect driveshaft tube from trans. Attach your engine hoist and be sure to use a leveler. Our vehicle has a perfect exterior, and we do not want to damage it at all. The leveler helps to remove and install the motor/trans with keeping damage down to a minimum.

Engine Compartment - Our engine compartment on our Hot Rod was typical for the year. Very greasy, and the battery leaked and acid had eaten away some of the undercoating and began to rust the frame. Not terribly, but needing attention. We also found many holes on the firewall that needed to be filled in to keep with our "clean" look. Removal of the interior firewall paneling and insulation is imperative as we don't need any fires. Prior to any fitting, it helps to have a pressure washer and some degreaser. You want to be able to see the metal and all of its surprises, plus, its just makes working on the car that much more fun. Thank goodness, no rust bucket here. No one really wants to be covered in grease either, so take some time here and really do a thorough job. It makes for a better finished product and helps to weld later as well.

In the next part we will dive into mounts and modifying the frame for the different powertrain.

Started by Art Tupaczewski, his experience in the auto body industry lead him to devise a way to find that "specialty part" for your car quickly, easily, and cost effectively. Whether just starting out, or a seasoned veteran, http://www.ratrodauthority.com has what you need.

After analyzing the marketplace, Art figured out an efficient way to get what you need fast and correct from the comfort of your own home. His website is the most user friendly and is designed to tell you exactly what you need to know so you can get back to your project. No guesswork and up to the date products allow you to move at a rapid rate and checkout quickly.

Come visit us at http://www.ratrodauthority.com for ideas, parts, vehicles and anything to do with Rat Rods, Muscle Cars, and Hot Rods.

Engine Leaks Take a Brutal Toll on Cars and Car Parts

If you own a car then you have probably already had some experience with car leaks, at least to some degree. Even new cars can develop leaks that are both annoying and frustrating. In the 1980s and 1990s engine leaks and other automotive leaking problems were the cause of a large majority of auto service appointments.

Now there are better engineering designs and materials used in the automotive manufacturing process. This has resulted in a decrease in customer complaints because new car parts have been noted to have substantially less problems with leak malfunctions.

Keep Engine Leaks at Bay

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the basics of engine seals here is a list of what a car engine needs in order to be leak-free.

1.      Motor oil

2.      Proper compression

3.      Fitted gaskets

4.      Intact seals

5.      Engine coolant

6.      Fuel

Understanding Engine Seals

Most of the seals that protect your car engine are designed with double lips so that the motor oil can not leak out. One of the seals is designed to contain the oil, and the other is meant to stop any debris from contaminating the oil system. Although these lipped seals do not move they still have a big job to do because the car parts that they are surrounding are in motion. This is why many automotive techs refer to these car accessories as dynamic engine seals.

You will find dynamic seals used on car parts that are either rotating or belt driven. Two examples of these are crankshafts and camshafts. These are crucial elements for your car engine and it only takes a small leak to create a great deal of damage. An oil leak from a camshaft seal can result in ruined valves and timing belts which are both costly repairs.

How Leaks Begin

Small bits of grit, dust and road dirt are always flying about the exterior of auto engines. If there is a small opening in any seal it can allow some of these contaminants to adhere to the inner surface. Then as the shafts are moving they are being abraded by these particles' sharp edges.

The constant motion of these rotating and belt driven car parts will soon cause small grooves to form along the sides of the shafts. Now the integrity of the seals and shafts are both compromised. Once these irregular grooves have formed on the metal surfaces, leaking will soon follow.

Fixes for Seals

There are times when worn metal surfaces can be repaired instead of being replaced. Some mechanics are able to grind and weld the shafts until the surface area meats the necessary specifications.  There is also a slip-sleeve that is available for some front crankshafts. This product is a fine metal covering that can be applied to the damaged area and will then cover the grooves. These are both elaborate and high priced technical projects that are only suggested for ultra expensive vehicles. Car parts such as engine seals and shafts can be replaced at a more affordable cost.

Gaskets and Engine Leaks

In the past a lot of car accessories and engine parts used gaskets that contained cork. The cork would work for a while but it deteriorated at a relatively quick pace. This material would stop a leak by swelling up and forming a tighter seal, but only after a small amount of oil had leached into the gasket.

Another type of engine gasket was made from RTV silicone and this could create a secure seal but only under special conditions. The silicone base meant that it had to be applied to an engine surface that was absolutely clean and free of any oily residue. Many mechanics had trouble getting the metal surface prepped to these exacting specifications.

Most of today's new gaskets are made form synthetic rubber compounds. These engine gaskets are reliable and are much less likely to form a leak. This is the type of gasket that is preferred by knowledgeable mechanics and auto enthusiasts.

Gasket Seal Problems

When placing gaskets onto surfaces it seems that many auto techs and mechanics tend to tighten them too much. In order to address this problem there are some newer designs that use metal spacers. These spacers are actually in the gaskets which helps prevent the over tightening seen in the past. Newer car parts such as the cast aluminum engine covers and those made from plastics have also been responsible for protecting gaskets from this common problem.

There are also some gaskets that are more likely to be the source of engine leaks even if they have been properly installed. A car's head gaskets and those used on the intake manifold are the ones that should be checked first if an engine leak is noted.

Internal Manifold and Head Gaskets

Engine compression, coolants and oil all depend on an intact head gasket seal. The intake manifold gaskets that are on cars are responsible for insuring the integrity of coolants, gas and diesel fumes and air. If these seals are damaged, or compromised you are assured of having leaks from your car that are going to be noticeable.

Engines and Aluminum Car Parts

The fact that so many engine car parts are now made from aluminum is an additional problem. Because of this metal's expansion and contraction the gaskets must be allowed some movement allowance. This means that a mechanic needs to make sure that when the repairs are done the gaskets are capable of allowing for the movement of internal car parts as the temperature and weather changes.

Torque to Yield Bolts

Gaskets are internal car parts and they are placed in areas where bolts are going to be required. A mechanic can use incorrect bolts or too much torque and this will result in gasket failure. In this type of situation there could be a compression leak or coolant leak from head gaskets as well as warping of the heads. To prevent this from occurring most auto shops are now using the type of car engine bolts that are known as "torque to yield".

Check and Repair Engine Leaks

No matter how old, or new, your car is you will need to check on any type of coolant engine leak. Just 2-3 tablespoons of an antifreeze liquid seeping into the oil compartment could ruin some vital car parts. Antifreeze and oil is a mix that can ruin the bearings in any car engine.

If you do not want to take your car to a garage you can handle the situation yourself. Certainly there are many different products that you can use to repair gaskets and seals. Your mechanic or auto supply store can help you find the right one for your vehicle. Just remember if you are doing the repairs yourself you need to make sure that you are using a quality product and applying it correctly. Follow the specifications and make sure to clean the surfaces properly and have exact alignment before making the repairs.

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The best buy and sell vehicles, car parts, and read car reviews at VehicleRide.com.

I just purchased an open wheel modified?

I am working on the car and I noticed Ive never seen a motor like this before, any clues..... Its an aluminum head and valve cover 4 cylendar. It says pontiac right across the top. The block says super duty. The distributor cap is from an 8 cylendar but four holes are plugged up. Any clues what this motor may have come from.

It kinda sounds like a factory race engine from pontiac. See if there are any casting numbers on the block and call your local pontiac dealer.

All-New 2011 Scion tC Sports Coupe Covers New Ground
Following a successful first-generation model, Scion introduces the all-new 2011 Scion tC sports coupe. Â With premium style and features, the new tC redefines its segment to meet the desires of the evolving sports coupe buyer. Â

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