Not sure how this will go

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stilltrying

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Hi, reason for the title is that I don’t have a mopar as such but saw something on this site when googling something.
I’ve been in to cars since the late 70’s and had all sorts of things over the years and currently run a GMC K2500 Suburban with a 454 lump as well as a 79 Vette with a 350 and manual box, which over here is rather expensive due to the cost of fuel, so I also run a 2002 Mini Cooper and have use of various other cars that are more economical but the V8’s just make me smile.
I’m also into hot rods and this is the reason for joining here as my current build is a 23 model T running a 383 with twin holley’s on a tunnel ram and a 727 torque flight box. The engine and box are out of a Jensen interceptor from 1970. I know very little about mopar engines other than parts are bloody expensive compared to say the Chevy stuff.
i have rebuilt the 727 via videos on YouTube but as yet haven't ran it so it’s fingers crossed I did it correct, next is the engine and that is hopefully where this site comes in if you haven’t already decided to get rid of me.
So if still allowed here then expect a few dumb questions in the future.
Regards,
Paul.
 
Hi, welcome to the site .
Hotrods and Jensens are cool.
Lotta helpful, knowledgeable folks here, eager to help, pix mandatory, lol
Search functions well, and questions welcome .
Cheers
 
Welcome!

And for what it's worth, they even let me in here, and I don't even own a Mopar! I just keep one running....

Or at least I try to.

Post pics when you can. Guys here love that!
 
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Thank you for the very warm welcome. I am currently doing a bit of forum searching so as not to start a new thread on something that may already have been covered, having said that, I’m not brilliant with computers, I get by but am slow:lol:

If I post up some photos should I start a thread in the restoration area or is there another part for builds?

Once again thanks for the welcome.
 
stilltrying said:
If I post up some photos should I start a thread in the restoration area or is there another part for builds?
Click to expand...
I would post your car pictures here first when you get one, and tell us what your plans are for it.

Check out the mopar’s for sale, there’s a great selection.

Post up some pictures of your model T.
 
Welcome! My dad almost bought a Jensen Interceptor when he was working in London. Pictures please.
 
Hi me again, sorry for the absence but life just seems to get in the way.
Still not got any photos to share as yet but will do soon honest.

Anyway, I was cleaning the block up and ended up down a rabbit hole and ground all the block as smooth as I could for painting purposes and in doing so I got crap in the bores so decided to remove the cylinder heads and that is when I got a bit of a shock. The previous owner had the engine rebuilt some years ago and had only done about 1000 miles on it, I know this to be true as I know the owner well and the Jensen he had (now broken up and all sold off), however, I am not impressed with the engine builder, every gasket was installed with instant gasket material, he had reused the old pistons, which are passable but there is a ridge at the top of the bore and no visible cross hatching from any honing works but the worst bit is the very very pitted exhaust valves, I tried lapping them in but they are too far gone, the inlets are fine, I also believe that the original cam has been reused but with new lifters. For me an engine rebuild would be cleaned, honed, new rings, new bearings, replaced valves as required and clean new gaskets, so not greatly impressed but relieved that I have found this out now before putting it into the vehicle.
So next I went looking for Jensen 383 exhaust valves, looked over here in the uk but not found anything, then went on Rockauto and under Jensen 383 they do not have any exhaust valves!!! So went back on under Plymouth Barracuda 383 and they had a variety but a couple of different sizes so my question is are all 383ci 906 heads the same no matter what application? My heads look to be dated as Jan 1968 if I am interpreting the casting marks correctly.
Once I get the valves sorted I will be reassembling the engine, giving it a coat of primer and a couple of coats of 2k black paint so I can eventually get the engine and box bolted back up together and back in the chassis, will have photos of that for sure.
 
I strongly suggest that you measure everything before you buy anything. In 50 plus years of it's existence there's no telling what may have been done to your engine and it's components. Be prepared to spend a lot of money getting it done right, but in doing so you can expect to get a lot of driving and enjoyment out of it. From what you've described it sounds like someone just threw a pile of parts together and hoped for the best.
 
I’m going to show my friend what I have found and we will see what we can do afterwards, too long ago for compensation but word of mouth over here does work well:thumbsup:
 
Well things have not gone very fast, still waiting for the valves to arrive from Rockauto, however, as I removed the pistons and rods i looked at the bearings and although they are not bad I thought I might as well change them if i can get a set at a reasonable price, but in the past when getting new bearings the over size is usually stamped in the back of the bearing but these have numbers and make stamped in but it looks like the size is printed on the back, is this common? The attached is a photo of a rod bearings, if I am correct then these are 20thou oversized, can anyone confirm this for me before i go buying the wrong sizes.

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If I have got this right there should be a few photos of the T. I had a bit of a brain fart when i first posted, it is not a 23 but a 15 T. The chassis was fabricated by a very well known builder over this side of the pond to originally take the 15 T glassfibre body with a Rover V8 (Buick 215 Ci) engine and autobox, the customer then changed their mind and wanted it extending as he was a very tall guy, so 6" was added into the chassis and bodywork, then he wanted a small block Chevy engine installed after which all contact was lost for a few years. It was then sold as a project to recoup some of the monies and I eventually bought it without the engine and box.
I had aquired the Jensen engine and box somewhile beforehand so rearranged things to fit them, along with adding bits to the chassis and creating a floor.
I have already rebuilt the 727 so now its the engines turn for a bit of love.

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A couple of photos of the engine. originally painted Orange, now ground off all the casting numbers to get a bit of a smooth look and primed in 2K polyester primer. Once I get the heads back together I will bolt them on and spray the whole lot with 2K gloss black.

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Finally the exhaust valves arrived this week, so todays task was to reassemble the heads, lapped all the valves, new stem seals and reassembled, however, I can’t bolt them on to the block just yet as when I looked closer at the big end bearings I could see some odd marks so decided to get a new set just to be on the safe side any just by chance I found a place over here that had a set of NOS main and big end bearings at +20 and really cheap, rang them up just to be sure and it’s actually the Jensen Museum selling them. Didn’t even know there was a Jensen Museum!! Mind you they work about as fast as a snail, ordered and paid on Wednesday, won’t get posted till Monday but then next day delivery, go figure.
So when they turn up I will do a platigauge check and fit the new big ends then I can bolt the heads back on and finally spray the engine.
Once this has happened then it and the gearbox will get bolted back together for the first time in about 6 years and they can then be fitted into the chassis.
Not worth a photo of a reassembled head or two but will take some when the engine is painted.
 
Well the Jensen museum was a total loss, after ringing them to confirm what I was getting they sent just a set of main bearings NO big end bearings, really miffed. So the old big end bearings have been refitted.
The block is now all painted, new two piece timing cover fitted, new water pump housing and an electric water pump fitted.

This last weekend I finally got the box and engine bolted together and lifted into chassis. The old massive starter has been replaced by a small hi-torque one as there was no room for the original and even this one is very close to the chassis.

Are the two bolts that hold the starter “special” or can I just use a couple of 7/16” unc socket head bolts, just asking as the top hole of the starter seams to have a slightly oversized hole.

Will post a couple of photos soon.
 
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