Mark,
Pull the plugs and put Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders and let it soak a couple of days, then see if you can rotate the engine with a socket and pull handle on the balancer bolt if it is stuck don't force it, try moving it backwards as rust usally forms in the top of the cylinders, then work it back and forth until you have complete rotation, then change the oil. 6 volt starters work fine on twelve volts, coils are another thing get a 12volt coil, neg to coil pos. to bat, as for positive ground it will work both ways. disconnect coil and turn it over with the starter awhile to get the oil pumping to the bearings. Put the plugs in and hookup the coil. See if you have spark, Just to test a spray bottle filled with gas will do, cause the carbs most likely will need kits after that long a time. If you want a 5.0 fine Just put the old flattie in a box and address it to me,LOL Your'e a lucky guy.

Sounds like bulletbirdman has done this before. Really sounds like a great project, can't wait to see the pics.

What needs to be done to try and start this engine?  Should I even bother with it, and just go with a 5.0?

I would try and get it running then decide which would cheaper / faster way to get the car on the road. You could go with the flat to get the project moving. If you decide to change to a 5.0 later you'll have a running flat head to sell to offset cost.

From what I have read, it was a 6 volt system with a POSITIVE ground system instead of a negative ground.  I read that if I put a new 12volt battery in it, I would need to reverse the wires on the coil.

Not sure why they would need reversed but because it needs rewired why not use your old mustang wiring diagrams and hook it up the same way.

Do I need a ground strap from frame to engine?

To get it running you could just bolt the battery negative cable to the engine.

What needs to be changed when going to 12 volt? Do I need to change the starter? Or reverse wires on starter?

As bulletbird man said starter should work. No need to reverse wires on the starter from what I understand. Even though you are changing direction flow of current by changing to negative ground, inside the motor BOTH the armature and the field change so direction remains the same.

Should I change the generator to a alternator?

I would or you will need a 12 volt generator

Good luck I would like to take a ride someday.
By the way how’s the karate champ and the other kids doing?
 

Last edited by wsinsle (8/21/2014 8:42 AM)

so he made alot of metal fabrication mods, and other bondo and fiberglass mods. Front fender is a combination of othe origial fender, with the front of a 73 mailibu  fender with square headlight receptacles, and the rear wheel well of a 73 mailbu well. He can't turn the wheel without the tire hitting it. But he thinks that a 14 inch tire would clear it.  There is a buch of bondo under there. Also, he used fiberglass and connected a pvc pipe all under the rocker panel area for a fake exhaust pipe look.  Also take notice  of the tons louvers, the hood, the trunk the inner fenders, the lower rear quarters.  He also filled in all the holes in the door and panels where the chrome mouldings would be. He also shaved the door handles.


Notice the square  headlights instead of the round. This is where he cut the part of the 73 mailibu fender and fiberglassed it in. He also welded the fenders to the upper and lower grille panel, and he changed the shape of the front center of the hood to straight across instead of arched where the round bullet hole chrome piece would be, and he changed the upper grille moulding too to match it.  This was all done with fiberglass and bondo which is cracking in the corners and along the front,
By the way, i can't figure out how to get the hood open to work on the flathead. LOL. 




below is the back of the car.  He frenched the tailights, the trunk usually comes all the way down to the bumper, but he cut the bottom part of the trunk off,  so the bottom of the trunk is up higher now, and the part of the trunk lid that was cut off was then welded to the bottom of the panel under where the trunk would be, and of course more louvers on the trunk, and more louvers on that bottom section.  He also extended the bottom piece so that he could put a continental tire kit on the back. He also got rid of the piece on the trunk lid where the handle was, and where the license plate is located, and where the continental tire would mount to the trunk.  

Mark...Rat rod it as is  or put it on E-Bay....radio active money pit with the Cool Factor....jj 

Last edited by jerseyjoe (8/21/2014 6:36 PM)

bulletbirdman wrote:

Mark,
Pull the plugs and put Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders and let it soak a couple of days, then see if you can rotate the engine with a socket and pull handle on the balancer bolt if it is stuck don't force it, try moving it backwards as rust usally forms in the top of the cylinders, then work it back and forth until you have complete rotation, then change the oil. 6 volt starters work fine on twelve volts, coils are another thing get a 12volt coil, neg to coil pos. to bat, as for positive ground it will work both ways. disconnect coil and turn it over with the starter awhile to get the oil pumping to the bearings. Put the plugs in and hookup the coil. See if you have spark, Just to test a spray bottle filled with gas will do, cause the carbs most likely will need kits after that long a time. If you want a 5.0 fine Just put the old flattie in a box and address it to me,LOL Your'e a lucky guy.

I will do as you say.  I got the Marvel oil tonight on my way home, but I can't figure out how to open the hood. I think he welded it shut. LOL>
 

jerseyjoe wrote:

Put the car in second gear and rock the car foward and backwards... if the engine moves/rotates and  everything is in working order...get a new 6 volt battery,change the points and condenser ,plugs...clean gas/tank...use a 12 volt battery to assist the initial start up...Keep the 6 volt system ...if you do switch to a 12 volt system the 6 volt wires are actually heavier than a 12 volt system so no worries there....jj

Was leaning towards converting to 12volt. the linkages aren't hooked up, so I can't tell if its not in gear.
 

I am diggin this thing. Its just the kinda car my son is lookin for. I'm picturing satin black paint with red wheels and fatty whitewalls. I would definitly try to keep the flatty and the three speed.

jerseyjoe wrote:

MarkinSC wrote:

jerseyjoe wrote:

Mark...Rat rod it as is  or put it on E-Bay....radio active money pit with the Cool Factor....jj 

JJ, I got a shed full of parts for this thing. It looks like there's new floor pans, and new trunk pan welded in there, and I kinda like the square headlights on it, its different, and i like the center of the hood without the arch leaves room for a custom grille, and I like shaved door handles, and I like the higher looking trunk, and I like that the holes are filled for the mouldings, but.  I don't like the front wheel wells, nor the louvers, nor the faux side pipe. It would really hurt his feelings if I sold the car after he just drove 15 hours to tow it to me.  He also just spent 4 days at DMV getting it titled so that I would have a good title for it.  He's also very proud of his mods.  

OOOPS, Mark...don't get me wrong It's cool as hell...from what you are saying the body mods are not done correctly and are all coming apart, thats big money to correct...what is he expecting you to do with it,its a great gesture on his part....jj

JJ,  I agree with everything you said.  I wasn't taking offense to it at all. Realistically, yeah this is going to be a money pit. LOL, and there's alot i'm going to have to fix.  But I'm thinking its doable. I think I have just about everything for it, engine, trans and rear are all there. All the glass is there. I even have interior for it from a 65 T bird.  Whats that tv restoration show where they do it on the cheap?  Thts what i'm going to do  with it. I'm going to fix the bondo, and fix the fiberglass, and undo as little as I can.

Mark, That car is cool.  A buddy of mine has one just like it, louvers and all.... Smells just like 1950 LOL.  Definately keep the flattie and 3 speed.  There is nothing like the sounds of a flathead V8 and glasspacks.  Those cars are heavy enough that they ride like you are sitting in your living room.  Keep his dream alive.

Maybe the hood tilts forward, with the latch up by the firewall.  Can you see any hinges in the grill area?

Last edited by TimC (8/22/2014 8:15 AM)

My thoughts and ideas about this cool car is that the bad are the (using words already used in this thread):

- square headlight receptacles
- can't turn the wheel
- bunch of bondo
- pvc pipe
- 73 mailibu fender and fiberglassed it in
- done with fiberglass and bondo which is cracking in the corners
- three speed

the good would IMO be:

- tons of louvers
- shaved door handles
- flathead, nothing like the sounds of a flathead V8 and glasspacks
- frenched tailights
- converting to 12 volt
- the old alternator that I took off my 93
- I even have interior for it from a 65 T bird

The hood and grille area looks good, but would have to be re-done in metal (easy for me to say, I know) instead of fiberglass and bondo as it's already cracking anyway. The square headlight receptacles has nothing to do on a shoebox custom, they are just wrong! Same with the front wheel openings that as mentioned do not even allow the wheels to turn. Hard to tell about the rear body mods from the picture, but it at least looks quite ok.

I would recommend careful studies of shoebox Ford "traditional" customs and not mix too much of the exterior/interior designs from different eras: https://www.google.se/search?q=shoebox+custom&client=opera&hs=X2Y&channel=suggest&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=yXL3U7uKL8WD4gTIi4HwDw&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=975

I would keep the flathead, but maybe adapt a more modern transmission to it. There's adapters and kits available to put almost whatever transmission behind it, C4, AOD, T5 and all kinds of GM transmissions. The rest of the car I would just rebuild and make safe, brakes, steering, suspension, etc.

In case of lost interest in the car, you know where to find me...

Did you know.....you can wind a flathead until the..cos come home and it won t destroy it's self! Really cool!...... They just wind so tight and then just......keep going. I really like the idea of opening up the front wheel wells so the wheels will steer.
About thee hood....does it open from the side...like an old Buick?
6s6

Mark, with the open grill look inside up at center of hood. Should see if theres a latch in stock position.
from there we can help you open it