Restoring HB9116754 Lemans

[jumpinjan]

I'm starting on my Lemans that has been apart for over 20 years. I'll try to post updates & pictures when I have some time.
Here's a picture of it many years ago in the basement of our storage building in TippCity OH:


Engine - The 1600 engine has returned from the machine shop after bored 0.030" over, crank pins turned 0.010" under, flywheel resurfaced, rods resized & new pin bushings and a complete re-balance job.

Body - The complete bare-metal body was dipped some time ago (about 20 years ago). Also the front & rear axle assembles were cleaned. The doors are rust free. The body had some rust.

Interior - I have the seat frames cleaned & painted and ready to be covered.

Wheels - I have a set a minilites for the knock-off hubs
Jan

 

[GlennB]

Excellent, remember to let the registry have some photos of the progress! Regards GlennB

 

[65sunbeam]

Keep us posted Jan!
I hope you can make a few more steering wheels too. They are very nice

 

[jdoclogan]

Jan,
I remember seeing this in the "Bat Cave" during the 2004 invasion. It was a highlight after my acquisition of my Promotional Harrington Le Mans in 2003. Great to know you are taking up the project now.

 

[bernd_st]

Interesting project. We are all keen to see more pictures...

 

[jumpinjan]

Great weather to assemble my 1600 outside. Finally have the block cleaned to repaint. Crankshaft is in, as well as the camshaft and wanting to finish the front chain cover assembly.
Jan

 

[jumpinjan]

Crank thrust end float is very critical to get right. I had to use a 0.010" oversize washer and a used STD washer to get to the minimum end float of 0.002" (Never throw away the old washers because they have use in dialing in the end float...Do you understand that?).
A dial indicator is the best way to measure it. All the pistons where installed and the front timing cover too.
Next thing is to rebuild the oil pump with a new rebuild kit and painting the block
Jan

 

[bernd_st]

Looking good. End float adjustment is really most important on the early 3 bearing blocks. Was struggling to find oversize thrust bearings during my 1600 rebuild earlier. They became rather scarce, but ultimately found 3 sizes of oversize sets in UK. Very pricey though.
Hope your engine shop also checked the straightness of your crank before doing the balancing job. Had to carry 3 cranks to my engine shop during my 1600 rebuilt just to select the best one, but still straightening was required before nitriding the crank. They were all slightly bent.
I also see that new core plugs were installed. Very good. Any specific reason you didn't paint the block before installing those ?

 

[jumpinjan]

Any specific reason you didn't paint the block before installing those ?

Well, I try to paint everything at one time.
It took most of the day just to prepare the oil pump to install.
Jan

 

[junkman]

Did you have to drill the rotor shaft on the oil pump?

 

[jumpinjan]

Did you have to drill the rotor shaft on the oil pump?

Yes, not a problem.
Painted the engine today. The factory also used Gloss Black on all sheetmetal parts, engines, suspensions and so on.
Jan

 

[Alpine Addict]

What paint did you use?

 

[jumpinjan]

PPG DPLF90 primer and top coated with activated Nason AE Jet Black.
My local Dupont/Nason store closed during covid and now I mail order from Johnson Supply

Welcome to Johnson Supply Company - 218-722-1717

Johnson Supply Co in Hermantown, Minnesota is a Axalta Champion distributor offering Axalta Liquid Coatings (formerly DuPont) Cromax, Nason, Standox, and Axalta Industrial Coatings. Johnson Supply Co has served the auto body industry since 1962 featuring quality auto body supplies from Axalta...

www.johnsonautobodysupply.com

Jan

 

[jumpinjan]

The short block assembly is finished. The next post might be a week or two away because I'm starting on the cylinder head next.
Jan

 

[jumpinjan]

I had to use the deeper dished, 1725 pistons in this engine rebuild. I wanted to know how much it affected the compression ratio and so I did the measurements for the C/R calculations.
Here's what I have.
Jan

 

[alpine_64]

@jumpinjan so you have the dish pistons in and a 7.97 compression ratio??? How could it be that low?

With an overbore and skimmed head.. and it appears stock chambers why would it be belowe a stock alpine compression?

 

[jumpinjan]

The "compressed" head gasket should be about 0.030" (from the WSM), and I re-measured the bore. After making those changes(C/R = 8.5:1) it's still below the stock C/R of 9.2:1 (again, from the WSM).
Using 4cc dished pistons = 9.1:1
Using flat-top pistons = 9.8:1
(I revised the above image)
Jan

 

[bernd_st]

So flat tops would be perfect. Alternatively you could skim the block to make the pistons level. Remembering statements of experienced engine builders that combustion chambers should be in the head and not in the bore. If CR still to conservative you may consider to shave down the head another bit...

 

[jumpinjan]

15 years ago, the flat-tops from Victoria-British was all I used in my engine rebuilds. It looks like the current manufacturer just machine's out the 1725's dish-top so lets tell them to skip that operation.
Jan

 

[bernd_st]

Very unfortunate that getting flat tops has become almost mission impossible over the years. When I did my 1600 rebuild earlier and needed flat tops the only source were the JP aussie made ones. However their pistons are not very light plus the oil scraper rings are complete crap. Went through them with a real expert level shop fortunately being close. They are able to manufacture complete piston sets or even the wildest one offs. Bought a modern oil scraper set from them. They do fit excellently. That's how my +0.060" oversize flat top piston set looked like when I got it: