Here is an outstanding 1947 Chevrolet Pick-Up, a great era in trucks because they look killer and can be driven around without being a total hazard since they can go 55 mph. We service a ’50  Chevrolet as well as this green ’47 which to me is the ultimate in classic trucks.

More images in this post http://www.ferraricraft.com/2010/03/shots-of-47-chevy-pick-up/

Chevrolet Pick-UP

This engine had low miles on an complete overhaul. It came in for us to check out, but after finding that the compression was low and the leak down numbers were terrible, we pulled it apart.

The cylinders were polished like a mirror and piston rings had lost their temper. The main and rod bearings are wiped out, and due to major detonation, the rod bearings were hammered to the point that they fell right out of the cap when they should be held in firmly with spring tension.

What a mess. I am doubting that it was actually overhauled because the whole engine was “buzz-bomb” painted right over dirt and all of the hardware.

Ferrari 209

Main bearing

This SC engine is super healthy, great running and has outstanding compression but it also has many little leaks it is filthy. We have done a huge amount of work on the body which constituted completely restoring the car so we are getting the mechanical work done while the car is being block sanded and painted. I have said it before and will say it again, these are the best engines, light, powerful, simple and parts are available anywhere.

I just ordered ever  body rubber seal, full front suspension overhaul kit, assorted specialized trim screws… boxes and boxes of stuff to make this car as new and the order was under $3000.  Incredible what you can buy and how inexpensive the parts are compared to Ferraris and other cars that we typically work on.

The flywheel was sent off to be under-cut and the carburetors are getting the royal treatment from Karl.

SC Porsche Coupe

Termometro gauges, olio and acqua, in Celsius. New beveled glass jewels,  newly machined bezels and restored movements. Now I have to replace the protective housing with nickel plated ultra-flex material and recharge the capillary tube. Originally the tube was filled with freon but now we have to use purified argon since freon is hard to purchase since it is banned due to the terrible impact it has on the atmosphere.

Termometro

Temperature Termometro

Fuel and oil pressure

Here are the two pressure gauges, the one I created, the BENZINA, and the one we based it on, the OLIO pressure. I used a thick acrylic urethane paint with lots of catalyst to make the needles white. It was done in the original fashion with a heavy build up of paint that I “floated” on the part.

The gauges are almost finished, I started on restoring these late last summer (ah, how time flies by) and as you may remember from a past entry, I had to make one complete gauge that was missing on the car. We had the oil and water temp gauges as well as the oil pressure gauge but old photos show that the car had a fuel pressure gauge so I had to create one from scratch. Since we had to make one, we had to re-make many parts of the other gauges so they all match which meant fabricating new beveled-edge jewels, bezels and faces.

The original faces were 60mm aluminum discs with an acid etch screen for the font. I used a different process of clear anodize the disc and laser engraving the font into the aluminum which gave an identical contrast to the originals. Using the oil pressure face as a template, a graphic artist created the art work to make the “benzina” and instead of 0-10 Kg/Cm2 we used a 1/10th scale of 0-.1 scale. He had to create the artwork on all of the gauges since the fonts are so unique and the laser engraver wanted Adobe Illustrator file instead of a jpg file.

The bezels were scratched and ugly we we had to make new ones, not so easy since they have to thread onto the case using a super fine 1.0 thread pitch, a 65 mm by 1.0 thread!

The Benzina pressure gauge uses a 1/4 scale movement and no one makes a low pressure mechanical movement so I had to adapt an electrical movement and install a special sending unit that could register the super low (5-10 PSI) scale.

A water jet shop cut out the delicate needles from brass sheet and I made a bunch of tiny spindles and pegs on our lathe to complete the package.

So many sub-contractors and suppliers to make a set of gauges work for this car, and I am so happy with the final product!

Fuel and oil pressure

These are 80mm Carello Tail lights, where can I get the identical ones but 100mm in diameter? These were on a Vignale Ferrari 225 Berlinetta at Cavallino and I need the 100mm ones for the 166 Berlinetta that we are restoring.

Tail light

We received some questions after posting the video below about calling the 512BBi motor a flat V-12. Mainly, if it is flat, then how can it be a v format?

The answer lies in a technicality. The moniker “boxer” refers to the piston timing of an engine, rather than the direction the cylinders point. On the Ferrari 512, the crankshaft isn’t a true boxer crankshaft – it is a V-12 crankshaft with the cylinders laid flat. Here’s why:

True boxers have one crankpin controlling only one piston/cylinder, and 180° engines share crankpins.

A true “boxer” (horizontally opposed engine) has corresponding pistons reaching top dead center simultaneously.

A 180° V-12 engine has piston pairs sharing a crank pin on the crankshaft and reaching top dead center half a crankshaft revolution apart. Most flat 12s are actually 180° V engines, including the Ferrari discussed here and the famous Porsche 917 racecar.

Interestingly, phase has always been of great concern to the motorcycle industry (think big bang configuration) as it directly effects vibration and riders sit right on top of it. Read more here.

We took the red 1960 Ferrari 250 GT to the dyno earlier this week. This is a Pininfarina bodied convertible and is more beautiful than a high-school cheerleading captain. Still, its very close relative, the 250 California commands a much higher price – most people can’t afford to tell the difference. This 250 GT has an amazing sound that’s enhanced by a tasteful aftermarket exhaust, though nearly drowned out by the carburetors at full song – turn it down if you’re at work.

To see our other videos check out our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/212Fontana. From there you can also subscribe to be alerted whenever we put up a new video.

I brought this up from Florida for a friend of a friend. Cool.

Alligator