I posted here back early in 2017 that I was going to rebuild an engine for a '27 Reo for a customer. I posted at that time a photo of the weird split connecting rod nut that this engine has. Well, the engine is finally back in the car and running. I tore the engine down in January 2017, It took me until mid October of 2017 to get all the parts and outside machine work done so I could put it back together. October 28th my back went out and I wasn't able to finish the engine until the end of April this year. I am happy to see this project finished! Here are some photos.






Thanks, Mark

 

Well, obviously my title should be 1927 not 1027. As my boss used to tell me years ago when I messed up something I was working on, "if you don't make a mistake once in a while, you aren't doing anything" I can't edit the title so it will have to stay.
Mark

 

We used to be able to edit titles. I've done it lots of times.

Click on "edit". When that opens up, click on Advanced Edit and you should be able to edite the title.

 

Thanks! Abe It worked
Mark

 

Ta-dah!!!!

Glad I could help.

 

Interesting engine! Are the cylinders not water-jacketed? It always surprises me how little effort the early engine designs put into uniform cooling.

 

Very nice!

 

Nice work; when cast iron, steel, wood, and real chrome ruled the motorized world.

Every time I hear “plastics” from The Graduate, it marks the regression of the automotive industry as I once knew it.

 

Thanks for the pictures, Mark. I bet it runs as good as it looks.
As Ross mentioned, the water jackets appear to be only at the top of the cylinders where I would suspect the majority of the heat is generated. Also, interesting is the apparent clean outs for the water jacket. I would guess that thing has a five to six inch stroke and tall pistons, does it not, Mark?

 

Beautiful job Mark. Well done. I remember the rod nuts. Looks like there was an upgrade to the road draft tube, or is that original?

 

Yes. The area of piston ring travel.

 

Awesome!!!
So glad to see that you finally got it back together and its up and running. The engine and the car look amazing!

Bobby

 

The water jacket is a lot like the model A Ford, only the top 2/3 of the cylinder is jacketed.
Thanks, Mark

 

Ray, Those water jacket covers are the reason we pulled the engine apart to begin with. One was leaking and most of the bolts twisted off when I removed them. Some one had had them off at one time and used bolts instead of studs to put them back on. The screw threads are exposed to the water from the inside and rusted most of the bolts fast. When I sand blasted the covers they were full of holes, so I repaired the covers and made stainless covers to go behind them. The original covers are just for looks now. The engine has a 3.25" bore and a 5" stroke. The connecting rods are between 12" and 14" long. It has a 7 main bearing crank. I had new pistons made by Arias. They are forged and completely machined inside and out. I should have taken a photo, they were works of art. The original pistons were about 4"- 4 1/2" long. Arias didn't have a forging quite that long, so the new pistons are a little shorter. They are 4 ring pistons like the originals. The rod bearings are poured babbit and the mains are a thick bronze, 1/4", babbit lined shell, not unlike an early Caterpillar diesel. The mains had to be lined bored in the block after relining.
Thanks, Mark

 

Thanks, Bob. The road draft tube is original. It connects to a special fitting on the bottom of the carb.
Mark